New to lifting? Get Mark Rippetoe's [TPURL=http://tinyurl.com/67gyao]Starting Strength, 2nd Ed[/TPURL], and/Or use the [TPURL=http://tinyurl.com/67gyao]StrongLifts 5x5 program[/TPURL]. The important thing is to start with the basics. If you are new to lifting, or if you have been lifting for years naturally (without anabolic steroids) without seeing marked improvements, or if you do not have an athletic base (.ie. gymnastics, wrestling), then chances are your body is not accustomed to grueling training. And no, the "burn", the "pump", those are not clear indicatives of grueling training. Experienced lifters can tell if those feelings are the byproduct of grueling training and make gains from them. Inexperienced lifters do not. Which one are you? No, this is not a jab at you. It's a call for honest, constructive and objective introspection. There is a difference between having 10 years of lifting experience, and repeating 10 years of the same 1-year long experience. Experience is not just length of time, but quality of content. So take a few seconds and think hard how this statement applies to you. Furthermore, be mindful of the crap that they sell you in fitness magazines. Nobody tells you that those who portray with their physical training routines of the month spent years getting the conditioning to get there. They don't tell you that the overwhelming majority come from some sort of athletic background, usually from their teen years. They don't tell you the anabolic steroids they take that lets them not only get big and strong, but also fight inflammation and help in recovery. So I would implore you, I would suggest that you devote 12 to 18 months of your time building a solid base of muscular and CNS strength. Let your CNS become effective at recruiting muscle. Let your ligaments become effective at sustaining tremendous effort. These two will open up the gate for building size and strength. Educate yourself. Understand the fundamentals of sports science and human anatomy. So take my advice. Get Mark Rippetoe's [TPURL=http://tinyurl.com/67gyao]Starting Strength, 2nd Ed[/TPURL], and/Or use the [TPURL=http://tinyurl.com/67gyao]StrongLifts 5x5 program[/TPURL].