Lifting routine for beginners

A combination of free weights, dumbbells, and …

The link under this post will take you to a basic lifting routine for young players (middle school) or any high school player who is just beginning to enter the world of lifting weights.  As I described in yesterday’s post called Offseason Lifting Tips, the weight room can be an intimidating place, especially for those who are novices.  


Here are a few things to be aware of with regards to the routine linked below:

… stationary machines are all fair game!

• The routine covers the major body groups by providing one exercise for each one.  This eases the beginner into weight lifter without overwhelming him with advanced exercises.
• The order of the routine allows for the lifter to focus on the bigger muscle groups first and the smaller muscle groups after that.  If a player wants to gain size and strength the quickest, he should give more attention to the larger muscle groups that will accomplish that goal more quickly.
• It is perfectly ok to switch up the order of the routine every once in a while to avoid monotony as well as occasionally allow the smaller muscle groups to be at full strength during the exercise.  Always doing an exercise last never allows that muscle to be at full strength like it would if the exercise was done first.
• A beginner will be able to add weight relatively quickly by just learning the proper technique of the lifts.  After these initial gains, incremental gains are normally slower.  This is also a big reason to track your progress by writing down the weight and the reps completed (ex. 75lbs / 15reps) after each set.
• If the weights and/or equipment you need for an exercise is being used and you are unable to share it, do not just sit around and wait for it.  Jump to another exercise and keep moving!  As a general rule, try to keep the time between sets to less than a minute and the time between exercises to less than 2 minutes.  Jumping from one exercise to another helps with the aerobic side as well.
• The player is free to use stationary equipment, free weights, and dumbbells for any exercise even if not indicated on the chart.  It is actually a good idea to switch it up every now and then since each type of equipment targets the muscle differently.  This also provides more options in a crowded weight room and decreases waiting around time.
• The chart allows for two sets per exercise.  Increase the reps and/or the weight during the second set.
• A beginner should struggle to lift the weight 15 times.  By “struggle” I mean he may need help on the last one or two reps.  If 15 reps are fairly easy to complete on your own, add more weight.  10-15 reps per set is good for beginners as they learn the technique.
• Always have the weight under control.  Slower, gradual lifts are tougher to do but the technique is better and will allow for quicker gains because the lifter is not using the momentum of the weight to cheat.  The muscles are strained the entire time on the slower lifts.  For example, on a bench press, think of going down with the weight on a 2 or 3 count (seconds) and push the weight up with a 1 or 2 count.
• Younger players in middle school can use this routine during the entire off-season.  Older players should move on to a more advanced routine after about two weeks of this beginner’s routine.  Should a lifter be short on time, he can go back to this routine for a quick, whole body workout.

• Finishing up your workouts with some core training is always a good idea.  Those exercises are not listed on the chart.