What the Hell Is “newbie Profit” and What to Do After That
Strength training for beginners can be intimidating: new movements and terminology, and sometimes intimidating gym environment. On the other hand, beginners experience a phenomenon called “rookie gain,” or a period of rapid improvement in strength, size, and muscle. Learn to make the most of it!
When you first move from the couch to the gym, you can pretty much follow any program and quickly see the benefits of regular exercise. This period of accelerated growth is commonly referred to as “beginner success,” which mainly occurs as your nervous system becomes more proficient in the movements associated with your exercises, not necessarily huge muscles.
Greg Knuckles, strength training coach and author of Strengtheory’s popular Complete Strength Training Guide , says:
“… the stimulus is so new that your body will simply react strongly to it, even if it is not an ‘optimal’ stimulus. The most important thing is that it is what you like and that you can stick to it, and that physiologically it is “good enough”.
“The more unfamiliar the exercise, the more strength you will quickly gain as your nervous system learns to use the muscle mass you already have to perform the movement effectively.”
Most experienced lifters have swallowed dumbbells in order to harness that power again. Once the body adapts to regular exercise (usually after 2-6 months, but can vary from person to person), future “achievements” require much more work and time, and usually never progress as linearly or as quickly as desired. Typically, this is where beginners also start to lose interest or lose motivation because they no longer see results so quickly or plateau (i.e. stop progressing).
In these cases, the beginner has yet to go through. Greg recommends:
- Fall in love with and participate in the process to ensure long-term discipline.
- Once you’ve mastered your movement skills, move on to a more medium-sized program optimized for gaining a ton of muscle mass.
- Change of training styles.
- Finding a positive fitness community made up of people with the same experience to work with, but also more advanced people who can mentor you as well.
This should help you keep working even if it seems like these newbies have stopped working. Remember that if you keep pushing, you will see real benefits, so don’t be discouraged.
The Complete Strength Training Guide (For Beginners) | Strengthheory