# Teaching someone from scratch...help!



## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Hi All,

My mrs has joined the gym with me and I'm keen to get her lifting. I've currently got her working on BW squats and interval training for cardio.

She's started benching and she's been doing bits of arm work too, along with assisted pull ups etc.

What I'm struggling with is, where do I go from here?

I started out with SL 5x5 and progressed well and I think it would work perfect for her when she's at the point of being able to deadlift/ohp/squat correctly. But until then, are there beginner routines that take the absolute novice into account?

A lot of the routines I've found assume they can at least lift an Olympic bar correctly whereas this is not the case yet.

Can anyone help me out? It's been a long time since I started and in the beginning I'd just jump on random machines willy nilly and I don't want that for her.

Many thanks in advance anyone!


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## andyboro (Oct 1, 2006)

sammclean23 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> My mrs has joined the gym with me and I'm keen to get her lifting. I've currently got her working on BW squats and interval training for cardio.
> 
> ...


 id do the same routine but use the fixed BB or db's instead.. to be fair, the only way to learn to do this stuff is to actually do it.

theres no need to jump straight onto an oly bar... that being said, its 20kg so im sure she'll be able to in no time.


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

andyboro said:


> id do the same routine but use the fixed BB or db's instead.. to be fair, the only way to learn to do this stuff is to actually do it.
> 
> theres no need to jump straight onto an oly bar... that being said, its 20kg so im sure she'll be able to in no time.


 cheers mate!

So in essence I could just copy the deadlift movement but with DB rather than the bar for the moment?

Yeah I believe you with the weights, last week she could barely move her hips and now she's able to BQ squat no issues. Amazing how quick changes can be made


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## Sustanation (Jan 7, 2014)

Hey buddy

With you saying she cannot lift an Olympic bar correctly I would initially use machines to ensure she's getting the mind to muscle connection as even if her forms right her mind might be elsewhere and not on the muscle being trained, then at the end of the workout work on barbell form on the main lifts.

My mrs started out this way and now shes easily squatting 100kg and benching 60kg but more importantly has the mind to muscle connection.


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## andyboro (Oct 1, 2006)

sammclean23 said:


> cheers mate!
> 
> So in essence I could just copy the deadlift movement but with DB rather than the bar for the moment?
> 
> Yeah I believe you with the weights, last week she could barely move her hips and now she's able to BQ squat no issues. Amazing how quick changes can be made


 yeah, exactly.. or a 10/15kg fixed bar depending on what she's capable of right now.


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## Jordan08 (Feb 17, 2014)

For weight training, I would suggest to use smith machines wherever there can be used with the body weight exercises. Once, the body is adapted to the movements, free lifts can be introduced.

I think, female members opinions may be beneficial for your query.

@Skye666@MissMartinez


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Sustanation said:


> Hey buddy
> 
> With you saying she cannot lift an Olympic bar correctly I would initially use machines to ensure she's getting the mind to muscle connection as even if her forms right her mind might be elsewhere and not on the muscle being trained, then at the end of the workout work on barbell form on the main lifts.
> 
> My mrs started out this way and now shes easily squatting 100kg and benching 60kg but more importantly has the mind to muscle connection.


 Yeah good idea mate I know exactly what you mean. To be honest, It's something I've taken for granted over the years. Now I've gone back to basics to teach my mrs, it really does show how important this is and how embedded the connection becomes without even realising. Well done to your mrs!! That's impressive dude



andyboro said:


> yeah, exactly.. or a 10/15kg fixed bar depending on what she's capable of right now.


 cheers mate! good idea. Thank you!



Jatin Bhatia said:


> For weight training, I would suggest to use smith machines wherever there can be used with the body weight exercises. Once, the body is adapted to the movements, free lifts can be introduced.
> 
> I think, female members opinions may be beneficial for your query.
> 
> @Skye666@MissMartinez


 Yeah see I would have never thought that. As I've progressed I've seen the smith machine as the enemy, but this is about stripping everything back and going back to basics! Thanks for the tags mate


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## Skye666 (Apr 13, 2013)

Jatin Bhatia said:


> For weight training, I would suggest to use smith machines wherever there can be used with the body weight exercises. Once, the body is adapted to the movements, free lifts can be introduced.
> 
> I think, female members opinions may be beneficial for your query.
> 
> @Skye666@MissMartinez


 I'm useless person to ask.....I'm quite selfish unless I'm paid I can't be bothered to help newbies iv got rubbish patience too :-/


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## Vincey (Jun 12, 2015)

What @Skye666 is saying is she can't be bothered to help you OP.  :lol:


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## Heavyassweights (Jan 18, 2014)

Skye666 said:


> I'm useless person to ask.....I'm quite selfish unless I'm paid I can't be bothered to help newbies iv got rubbish patience too :-/


 you talking about the gym here?


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## Skye666 (Apr 13, 2013)

Vincey said:


> What @Skye666 is saying is she can't be bothered to help you OP.  :lol:


 Lol correct...


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## Skye666 (Apr 13, 2013)

Heavyassweights said:


> you talking about the gym here?


 And gym


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Skye666 said:


> I'm useless person to ask.....I'm quite selfish unless I'm paid I can't be bothered to help newbies iv got rubbish patience too :-/


 Haha no worries! Although It's not me who's the newbie here it's my new partner . I'm guessing this reply is already wasting your time though so accept my apologies


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## Kitson (Jan 25, 2016)

I will flesh out my response later on but first I need one or two answers.

1.) What is she going to the gym for? What are her goals?

2.) Is she able to go on her own, or does she need company?

I'm a qualfied Fitness Instructor so I can give you some pointers but those are two basic questions which need answering first.


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## Skye666 (Apr 13, 2013)

sammclean23 said:


> Haha no worries! Although It's not me who's the newbie here it's my new partner . I'm guessing this reply is already wasting your time though so accept my apologies


 No apology don't be daft!!


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Kitson said:


> I will flesh out my response later on but first I need one or two answers.
> 
> 1.) What is she going to the gym for? What are her goals?
> 
> ...


 Fat loss purely. I aimed to trigger this through weight training/HIIT, and steady cardio on her off days but I've come here for advice so completely open to anything 

Yes she is able to go on her own for the most part, it's just the lifting bit she does with me for the moment 

Thank you!


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## Kitson (Jan 25, 2016)

sammclean23 said:


> Fat loss purely. I aimed to trigger this through weight training/HIIT, and steady cardio on her off days but I've come here for advice so completely open to anything
> 
> Yes she is able to go on her own for the most part, it's just the lifting bit she does with me for the moment
> 
> Thank you!


 It sounds like you've got the right plan in mind already.

If you're to put her onto a HIIT cardio program for weight loss, make sure her intensity periods are 30 seconds and her rest periods are 3 minutes (30/180 Method (seconds)). This will enable her to reach a high heart BPM, recover, then rise again. It is the optimal period for fat loss because it manipulates the heart rate to encourage calorie burning and prevents fatigue because the rest period is sufficient, so it enables her to give the interval burst 100%.

An example of HIIT on a treadmill would be:

*Total time: *25 minutes (2 minutes warm up, 21 minutes HIIT, 2 minutes cool down)

*Settings:* 5% incline, 5km/h (interval), 12 km/h (burst)

2 minutes warm up. *Begin 30 second on, 3 minute off*. 2 minutes cool down.

It may not seem like much, but give it a go and see what she thinks. If she's not keen on treadmill, just apply the 30/180 Method to something else like a Crosstrainer/Elliptical, Rowing Machine or Upright Cycle.

Just make sure to adjust the settings to a level where she feels comfortable in the interval period and reaches an 7-8 out of 10 on a scale of personal difficulty (10 being RIP I'm Dead) in the burst period. The above was just an example but keep to the 30/180 Method - all other settings can be changed.

If she's comfortable on her own, then show her how to use the machines when you're there as well as the free weights. That means she can do her weight lifting on those without the worry of using the free weights. Over time she'll naturally pick up on how to use the free weights from what she observes, it just depends on how keen are you are to teach and not go there and have her "watch" you do your sets.

As for the routines - have her continue with the body weight exercises to begin with and then incorporate some light resistance machine work, along with dumbbells. Dumbbells are a good gauge of strength and come in light enough KG now where she can steadily improve according to her goals. You can move her onto the 5x5 programs when she has a good basis of the body weight squat and knows how to handle an Olympic barbell.

Weight loss and muscle tone will begin to arrive within 6-12 weeks of consistent training - just remember it's quite a drawn out process and it won't happen quickly. Nutrition and rest is also important, make sure she gets it. Keep hydrated, motivated and evolve together. It's great you're both in the gym!


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Kitson said:


> It sounds like you've got the right plan in mind already.
> 
> If you're to put her onto a HIIT cardio program for weight loss, make sure her intensity periods are 30 seconds and her rest periods are 3 minutes (30/180 Method (seconds)). This will enable her to reach a high heart BPM, recover, then rise again. It is the optimal period for fat loss because it manipulates the heart rate to encourage calorie burning and prevents fatigue because the rest period is sufficient, so it enables her to give the interval burst 100%.
> 
> ...


 Excellent reply thank you very much. Very informative.

What we did yesterday was 15 second burst, 60 second rest, 10 repetitions. This was on the stationary bike. I'd never thought to consider a longer burst as you suggest, do you think that would be the best idea for now?

I did notice she didn't look THAT exhausted afterwards, so maybe the bursts were too short?

Thanks for the advice regarding weight training. I'll keep things at BW for now. Although she's managing well with benching.

With squats we've been doing it side by side so has been a great time for me to work on my hip flexibility but also, it's allowed me to spot imperfections in my form as I've had to go right back to basics for her.

What I'm wondering if steady cardio is too much on off days? I guessed just steady work (resistance rowing, steady treadmill) won't be too intensive as to hinder recovery for now?

Thanks again for the reply! It is much appreciated from both of us.


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## Kitson (Jan 25, 2016)

sammclean23 said:


> Excellent reply thank you very much. Very informative.
> 
> What we did yesterday was 15 second burst, 60 second rest, 10 repetitions. This was on the stationary bike. I'd never thought to consider a longer burst as you suggest, do you think that would be the best idea for now?
> 
> ...


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Thank you for taking the time to reply!

Agreed with all the advice given however I will try the new interval timings and see how we get on!

Many thanks again - I really appreciate the advice!

Thank you 



MissMartinez said:


> Well I learned to train with free weights first and I think it's best to do it that way and get technique and full rom nailed. Using a smith for learning can form bad habits and have the trainee revert back to the smith when they get annoyed with the greater difficulty and reduced load when moving on to free weights.
> 
> Persinally id always make A barbell the basis of any training programme and then add on accessories.


 Yeah, I went from using smith machines etc and now I really cannot use them and have no intention to so I think i'd find it hard to teach using machines only. I guess the basis will be around barbell work with accessory work around both. Thank you!


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

I don't agree with the HIIT protocol above. 3 mins is waaay too long of a recovery for female that is new (and therefor can't generate intensity / recruit motor units properly).

Females clear hydrogen ions v quickly and so recover fast.

Personally I'd do either:

20sec ON / 1min 40 OFF

or

30sec ON / 60sec OFF

The second one would be best if she isn't very strong yet.

Training wise, search for 'Full body GBC' routines - that would be perfect for her.


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

ah24 said:


> I don't agree with the HIIT protocol above. 3 mins is waaay too long of a recovery for female that is new (and therefor can't generate intensity / recruit motor units properly).
> 
> Females clear hydrogen ions v quickly and so recover fast.
> 
> ...


 Thank you for replying, very informative.

What I'm struggling to udnerstand is why 30 ON/60off would be more beneficial?

I was under the impression 30 ON/60 SEC off would be something to work towards rather than something to start with?

I picked up on this one as I could see her just managing 20 ON /1min 40 OFF but I literally don't think she'd manage long at all with 30 on 60 off? Or is that the point here? 

Thank you for any reply! The more I can learn on this the better


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## ah24 (Jun 25, 2006)

sammclean23 said:


> Thank you for replying, very informative.
> 
> What I'm struggling to udnerstand is why 30 ON/60off would be more beneficial?
> 
> ...


 In someone that can generate true intensity (advanced lifters, sprinters etc) then you're 100% right.. 30sec would be more brutal (near impossible for a true sprint).

But, in those that are relatively new to training they can't generate enough intensity to manage going ALL OUT 100% intensity inside of 15-20sec.

For this reason I start my newer female clients with longer 'sprints' (because they can't truly sprint at this stage).. And as they progress / become stronger / generate more intensity, I actually reduce the 'sprint' part of it as they're able to kill themselves more efficiently 

Does that make any sense?


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## 19072 (Aug 11, 2010)

sammclean23 said:


> Excellent reply thank you very much. Very informative.
> 
> What we did yesterday was 15 second burst, 60 second rest, 10 repetitions. This was on the stationary bike. I'd never thought to consider a longer burst as you suggest, do you think that would be the best idea for now?
> 
> ...


 What main cardio for fatloss when i was cutting up for a fight was the spin bike.

20secs on 40secs off for 20 rounds. 20secs all out and 40sec slow pace for recovery.


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

ah24 said:


> In someone that can generate true intensity (advanced lifters, sprinters etc) then you're 100% right.. 30sec would be more brutal (near impossible for a true sprint).
> 
> But, in those that are relatively new to training they can't generate enough intensity to manage going ALL OUT 100% intensity inside of 15-20sec.
> 
> ...


 Makes much more sense thank you! Tried this and it was absolute killer haha. I struggled to keep going for 30 seconds was really difficult, but I guess it's meant to be.

Thank you for the help!! Now to keep going with it


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## Lancashiregent (Jul 29, 2015)

sammclean23 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> My mrs has joined the gym with me and I'm keen to get her lifting. I've currently got her working on BW squats and interval training for cardio.
> 
> ...


 The routine is the same regardless of the weight used.

Just adapt it and use a pole or whatever for the squat. Getting the technique down is the important thing.

Yep, I would stay away from the machines if she wants to learn the movement pattern and improve the neural pathways for the movement.

I would also stick with the bar/reduced weighted bar than go for the Smith Machine. That thing is the work of the devil.

Free weight and unrestricted natural movement all the way.


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Lancashiregent said:


> The routine is the same regardless of the weight used.
> 
> Just adapt it and use a pole or whatever for the squat. Getting the technique down is the important thing.
> 
> ...


 Agreed!! Thanks for replying mate. Things are going really well and she's improving each time!


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## Kitson (Jan 25, 2016)

sammclean23 said:


> Agreed!! Thanks for replying mate. Things are going really well and she's improving each time!


 I'm glad to see this, Samm.

I'm happy to read that a lot of others are helping you as well. As you can see, there is a lot of variation in the fitness world and everyone has their own methods. It's good to see you're open minded and willing to take all the information provided onboard and implement it to help you both progress in your own way.

Let us know how you both get on.


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## sammclean23 (Aug 16, 2012)

Kitson said:


> I'm glad to see this, Samm.
> 
> I'm happy to read that a lot of others are helping you as well. As you can see, there is a lot of variation in the fitness world and everyone has their own methods. It's good to see you're open minded and willing to take all the information provided onboard and implement it to help you both progress in your own way.
> 
> Let us know how you both get on.


 Thank you mate. I believe an open mind is essential to progress, It's amazing how you get stuck in your ways without even realising so it's nice to get some varied and fresh opinions. This site has helped hugely. When I'm not posting I'm reading, always finding information.

Thanks for replying!


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