Begining Weight Training

then explain why the personal trainers i know tell their clients to do push ups everyday?

are you suggesting he do pushups to muscle failure? if so that is fucking retarded.

plyometeric (sp) (calisthenics are a variety of this) exercise is very different form isolation weight bearing exercise. the current calisthenic regime the military or any law enforcement or athletic squad or even a ymca class uses is not archaic. anyone at any age can benefit from it.

i didn't state the obvious which is each individual must know his own limits and use proper form within those limits.

 

Doing pushups everyday is fine, it you are in any kind of shape, however this thread is about a 50 year old man that wants to start weight training for the first time.

The first time he does three sets of as many pushups he can do he will be very sore the next day and his muscles will need to heal for a few days. The second and third time he does them he will probably be sore also. I advised him to keep going until he can do them everyday with no soreness, then he is ready to get into weights.

WTF are you arguing about this for? Working any muscle again while it is sore is counterproductive. Ask "all your trainer friends" about that.

 

lol at paulie

 

I didn't realize you two cared so much about PantherPaul.

 

It's my pleasing personality. The last time I lifted weights was high school. a lead bar and two boulders worked well. Yaba daba don't

 

how's the new routine going so far?

 

I joined a place called Anytime Fitness and have gone twice (every other day) since last Thursday. I have started off with treadmill set at 4.5 mph and set it to automatically go up and down. 2.5 miles each time burning off 200-250 calories and heart rate averaging 130. Machines have changed a lot and haven't had a chance to ask for help from the folks there as to what weight is good to start and # of sets. So here is what I have done both times.

• Vertical Chest Press weights 150/100/50 sets 5/10/15
• Ab Isolator Weight 150/100/50 sets 7/15/15
• Camber Curl biceps Weight 70/50/25 Sets 5/10/15
• Triceps machine Weight 60/40/20 Sets 10/15/15
• Seated Row Weight 80/40 Sets 15/15

I guess I need to work the legs but my goal was to build upper body strength and build up endurance. Next visit is Monday. Just got back and right elbow (inside) is sore but very manageable with some Tylenol

 

You seem to be starting with a lot of weight. I'd talk to one of the trainers before you go any further.

 

Since I am new I just tried the max I could do comfortably 5-10 times then 2/3 7-12 times and 1/3 10-15 times. I will talk one of the trainers on Monday

 

You need to talk to a trainer. The rep pattern you are doing is called a reverse pyramid and not what you need.

The "inside of your elbow" hurting is your biceps tendons and/or ligaments. It is a common injury for new weight lifters as everyday life has made your bicep disproportionately stronger than the tendons and ligaments making them easy to injure. You don't want to make that worse, trust me.

Stop doing any biceps related work (including back exercises) until it is pain free.