by BLAKE PIESCHKE, CSU Public Relations Intern
Throughout the first year, many beginners deal with inconsistency and motivation loss, which leads to not unlocking the hidden potential all people possess. Unfortunately, they are losing out on the scientifically proven best chance to gain muscle called newbie games.
Over the course of two months, I could see a lot of progress being made in my upper body. I tried to get to the gym at least five days a week. I focused most of my training on increasing my strength and size. My goal each week was to increase the weight on my lifts by five pounds. My arms and chest were getting bigger and shirts fit a lot tighter in those areas. I started feeling more confident in public situations.
I attended the prom of my high school since I had a friend who was participating in it with his girlfriend her senior year. I was flooded with compliments on my body. I didn’t have to tell people I was lifting weights; they could tell, and it created a happiness in me I hadn’t felt in a long time. Hearing phrases like, “have you been working out”, “you look huge” and many more were flattering. I even had questions if I had taken performance enhancing drugs because of my transformation.
The most satisfying thing though? The shirt I was wearing was the one that made me rethink my health. It made my chest look huge and muscular instead of visibly unappealing.
Without realization, I had made the most of progressive overload training and what people call newbie gains. I was completely oblivious to the term most of my fitness life and wish I had known more about it.
Newbie gains refers to the rapid increase in muscle and strength that often occurs when people with little to no previous weightlifting experience start training intensively. Typically, these people also gain very little fat or even lose fat while gaining a considerable amount of muscle. As a result, you can gain muscle and strength much faster as a beginner than later in your fitness journey, when you’re much bigger and stronger than when you began.
Therefore, I preach to beginners to be consistent with their workouts and keep trying to progress. The first year gives them the potential to gain most muscle naturally as opposed to years of training. After that first year, it only gets harder to put on muscle naturally. So, go and make the most of this unique benefit everyone possesses.
To learn more about the science and studies of newbie gains, visit Everything You Should Know About Newbie Gains, According to Science – Legion Athletics.
Blake Pieschke is a CSU Public Relations Intern and a senior studying Mass Media at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Blake is from Glencoe, MN and has a passion for sports, fitness, and the outdoors. He plans on pursuing a career in sports journalism when his college career is over.
