Usual..how-to beginner questions

I am pretty sure this has been asked before numerous times. Pardon me for the repetition.

Here is the deal - I am going to gym 3 times a week and try to spend at least 45 to 60 minutes each day. I have been doing weights seriously since last 2 to 3 months. I am at a point where I am comfortable with most of the machines and exercises in the gym. Although I am still lifting 'small' weights and not bothering much about - 'perform to failure' kind of stress. I am doing weights simply to lose weight and get my body in better shape.

So here are some questions:

1) How many exercises (upper + lower) should I try to do in each session? (I can spend maximum of 1 hour at the gym).

2) How many repitions of each exercise and how many sets? 12 repetitions or 15?

3) How long can I pause between each set - I am told - for about 30 seconds - that seems too little for me and I enerally feel good to do next set when I pause for about 60 or 90 seconds. Is that too long of a pause?

4) Is it imperative that I do first upper body and then lower body (or vice-versa, i.e first lower body and then upper body) workouts? Can I alternate between them? For example, can I do a sequence like this: - 3 sets of Bench press, then. - do 3 sets of Stiff-legged deadlifts, - 3 sets of Lat pulldowns? I did this once and I liked it. Is it okay to do something like this?

5) Here are my favorite exercises. I do same exercises everyday. And since I am now comfortable with these, is it okay if I don't add variety?

Lower body/Back/Abdomen - Stiffed-legged dead lifts - Calf-raises - Hamflexor machine (hamstring curls) - Swiss-ball crunches

Upper body - Shoulder press - Bench Press - Biceps curl - Lat pull-down - Cable pull-down (triceps)

Would you recommend one over another or these are good set of exercises?

I don't do any cardio exerices in the gym because I do my running outside.(at least 4 times a week)

Thanks,

- Satish

the repetition.

Here's a good place to start reading: http://www.trygve.com/mfw_faq.html

least 45 to 60 minutes each day. point where I am comfortable with most of the machines and exercises in the gym. 'perform to failure' kind of stress.

Good start.

(I can spend maximum of 1 hour at the gym).

Depending on how you've arranged your workout, a baseline might be something like:

Legs: a couple of compound exercises, ideally involving knee extension and/or hip extension (squats, deadlifts, stiff legged deadlifts, stepups, etc.), though you could also include a knee flexion exercise (hamstring curl) Back: 1 exercise pulling down, 1 exercise pulling horizontally, 1 exercise pulling up Chest: 1 exercise pressing away from your body Shoulders: 1 exercise pressing up Arms: you could assume they get work in back, chest, and shoulder work, or you could add 1 exercise for biceps and triceps Supporting muscles of torso (abs, obliques, lower back): you can assume they get work from the compound stuff or you can add 1 exercise for abs Calves: 1 exercise, ideally straight legged

Now, you can put this together in a variety of ways:

-All together in one workout like this: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html -Upper-lower body split -Push-pull legs split, etc.

As a beginner, the 12-15 range is fine. For some exercises which are very demanding, you might pick a weight you would use for 12-15 reps, but do more sets with fewer reps (e.g. 5 sets x 8 reps) so that your technique doesn't degrade as you are learning.

In a few months, experiment with increasing weight and lowering reps to around 8-12.

seconds - that seems too little for me and I enerally feel good to do next set when I pause

That's fine.

vice-versa, i.e first lower body and then upper body) workouts?

The only imperative is that there are no imperatives.

Can I alternate

Sure, if you want. One good guideline is not to fatigue stabilizing muscles too early. So, don't do lower back before squats, for example. Or you may find that doing triceps before bench press doesn't work well (though some people purposely do it). Other than that, arrange as you like.

I am now comfortable with these, is it okay if I don't add variety?

It's okay, but you might find that rotating exercises from day to day helps prevent overuse injuries. Perhaps select 1 exercise from each category above to do in the workout.

I don't see any squatting-type exercises here, which would be useful for a runner.

I'd add a rowing movement to the upper body.

If you are lifting weights for general exercise and not to gain loads of mass and/or become a competition body builder, do what makes you comfortable. I'm usually in the gym 3 days on one off now that I'm back at it. When I was in for some exercise I used to do a circuit...I would do two light sets, 10 reps each for each muscles. I would usually do two quick sets and two circuits.

Ex: 1st circuit: (2 sets of each) seated hammer curls (biceps) kick backs (triceps) lateral raises (delts) bent over row (lats) upright row (traps)

2nd circuit: (2 sets of each) barbell curls (biceps) pushdown (triceps) front raises (delts) pull down (lats) shrugs (traps)

I didn't work legs (you could do)

dumbbell lunges (quads) hamstring curls (hamstrings) calf raises (calves)

I tried to stay away from the machines as much as possible to avoid waiting..if a machine was being used I would sub in a barbell or dumbell exercise.

This sort of routine worked because I got to the gym erratically, I almost never was there two days in a row but sometimes 5 days would go by...travel, etc.

I'm glad to hear it: working to failure isn't a very smart strategy, especially for newbies.

If you have a time limit, and use a comfortable rest interval, you won't do too many sets/exercises.

The usual recommendation is 6-10 reps. The 12-15 range is really working in the muscular endurance range: you won't get stronger working there.

Do what feels right. Shorter rests promote hypertrophy (muscle growth), while longer rests favor strength development.

No.

Yes.

Trust your instincts.

For the time being, using a whole-body routine is just fine. You may find that you stop progressing at some point. When that happens, come back and ask us what to do.

I would ditch the hamstring curls and do:

Squats Calf raises (if you like) SLDL Crunches (if you like)

The upper body looks pretty good, although you could add a rowing motion (cable row, bent-over barbell row, or one-arm bent rowing). This seems like it's a bit too many exercises, though, so see how it goes. If it runs too long, either cut sets (e.g., do more lower body today and more upper body next time) or alternate exercises (e.g., do rowing this time and curls next time).

That's fine.