As a novice, you should increase whenever you can. But make sure 'jumps' are reasonable. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to ramp up their weights to quickly, leading to a stall.

It's not how much you increase by that leads to positive adaptation. Rather's it's simply the fact that you applied a *new* stress to the body.

Exercises that use more muscles can go up 5lbs for women.

Exercises that use less, small muscles should probably go up less.

Simply as a guideline.... it will differ from individual to individual.

Another good squat vid, which as been added to the appropriate part of this thread.

YouTube - Squat Rx #12 (Part I)

I'm intrested in doing some strength training as well as working up a sweat with aerobic exercise. Just wanted to say a big thank you for taking time to type all this up as it does help to understand how your posture and everything else needs to be. Thanks again.

You are welcome.... let me know if there is anything I can do.

Remember, this is just one example of a routine as well as some good theory that is applicable to all routines.

Steve, I weigh 310 Lbs. should I start lifting now or wait until I lose some weight?

Chip

Hey Chip

It's never too early to start some form of resistance training. What that resistance training consists of will be entirely up to the individual. I've met 300 lb men who had terrible mobility and would never be able to do something like a squat or a deadlift in their current states.

On the flip-side, I've met 300 lb men who were just as active, if not more, as me.

That said, I'd probably start with some higher rep calisthenics. You can visit Workout Routines & Exercises - New iPod Videos! to get some ideas of things you can try at home using just your body weight. You also might consider purchasing some resistance bands.

Do you belong to a gym now?

Steve,

Thanks I will start tommorow. My son has weights & resistance bands. I don't belong to a gym. I have not been to a gym in about 30 years.

Chip

Sounds good!

I'd pick one or two of the larger exercises for each bodypart and do them 3 times per week.

You could even make two workouts, a workout A and a workout B and alternate them.

Something like:

Workout A:
Bodyweight Squats 3x12
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 3x12
Pushups or modified pushups 3x12
Rows 3x12
Some small stuff for arms and abs

Workout B:
Split Squats 4x8
Stiff Leg Deadlifts 4x8
DB Bench Press (if you have DBs) 4x8
Some version of a row 4x8
Some small stuff for arms and abs

Steve,

I did not start the next day like I said. I'm starting tomorrow. I just wanted to say thank you. I let you know how I come along.


Thanks,

Chip

Good luck Chip....

Just remember, all plans are adaptable. Dig in and get your hands dirty, but don't be afraid to make changes based on your personal wants and needs. If you have questions, you know where to find me.

Here are a few articles for deadlifting since there were few on the first page:

Mastering the Deadlift: Part I
Mastering the Deadlift: Part II
Mastering the Deadlift: Part III
Deadlift Diagnosis

Accidentally put this into someones post on the forum instead of here.

Hey Steve

Question for you. I had a trainer for a while, and she had be doing squats in the following position:

Using the bar which slides in place between two supports to stop it from moving out of vertical alignment (forgive me, I don't know the name of that setup), she had me place my feet out fairly far in front of me and lean back into the bar, so at the bottom of the squat my back was perpendicular to the floor, and my back was at 90degrees to my thighs, which were 90degs to my shins.

Is this a modification to a squat that's appropriate? What are your thoughts?

That's the lazy trainer's squat. I see most trainers using it now, unfortunately, b/c they don't feel like teaching someone how to do a real squat.

That device is called the smith machine, and to be honest, I'm not a real fan of it at all.

It locks you into it's own plane of motion and doesn't allow you to be 'you', biomechanically.

I see, and probably takes a lot of your stabilizing muscles out of the equation. Good to know!

I'm going to start incorporating the lifts you talk about here into my routine, which as far as lifting needs a shake-up. I'll let you know how it goes

Let me know if there's anything I can do.