I am 35 but a beginner in weight training. A friend has given me the Joe Weider bodybuilding System (a book and some exercise charts) to try.
Can anyone tell me if this is a good plan to follow or is it quite outdated?
Also I've heard that it is pointless doing stomach crunches until my bodyfat is down to 10% or less - is this true?

Many thanks

Never seen the book but the 12 principles are still used in a number of routines. Post your routine and we can give you some opinions. If i remeber correctly weider promoted a little too much volume but like i said i never seen this exact book.

You still need to do crunchs to get strong for compound lifts but your won't see your abs unless you have low bodyfat.

Thanks for your reply:

Ok this is the routine for the 1st month:

Monday:
Bench presses 1 set of 8
Flyes 1 set of 8
Lateral raises 1 set of 8
Presses behind neck 1 set of 8
Squats 1 set of 8
Leg extensions 1 set of 8
Leg curls 1 set of 8
Neck exercises 1 set of 8
Barbell rows 1 set of 8
Curls 1 set of 8
Triceps extensions 1 set of 8
Incline curls 1 set of 8
Crunches 1 set of 12
Leg raises 1 set of 12
Calf raises 1 set of 8

Wednesday:
Power cleans 1 set of 8
One arm rows 1 set of 8
Bent arm pullovers 1 set of 8
Military presses 1 set of 8
Upright rows 1 set of 8
Bent over lateral raises 1 set of 8
Concentration curls 1 set of 8
Triceps kickbacks 1 set of 8
Wrist curls 1 set of 8
Crunches 1 set of 12
Calf raises 1 set of 8
Lunges 1 set of 8

Friday:
Squats 1 set of 8
Leg extensions 1 set of 8
Leg curls 1 set of 8
Deadlifts 1 set of 8
Bent over rows 1 set of 8
Incline presses 1 set of 8
Close grip bench presses 1 set of 8
Behind the neck presses 1 set of 8
Forward raise with dumbbells or barbell 1 set of 8
Dumbbell triceps extensions 1 set of 8
Seated alternate dumbbell curls 1 set of 8
Reverse curls 1 set of 8
Bent over lateral raises 1 set of 8
Walking calf raises 1 set of 8
Crunches 1 set of 12
Leg raises 1 set of 12

Are you a newbie? That's alot of excercises to get good form with all at once. Its a fullbody workout 3x a week but man i would go insane changing all the weights for the lifts unless i was at a gym with dumbells racks it wouldn't be that bad.

Its a solid program but like i said a lot of excercises and personally i don't like fullbody workouts eventhou they are very effective and i plan to struggle out 2 weeks of a fullbody routine in a month of so.

Fullbody workouts; You hit all the major muscle groups every workout.

Yes I'm a newbie. Many thanks for your help. If you reckon its a good work out I'll give it a go for a while. If I don't get on with it I'll be back for more advice.

this was what i used when i first got started. i believe i still have the book. personally i think its outdated, i dont have any new guys i work with start with something like this.

Is there a good work out plan that you can recommend then?

I cannot make it to a gym - at home I have a full set of weights (barbell & dumbbells) and a multi gym.

Many thanks

Workout routine.........personally i would get you to concentrate on some compound lifts and the big 3 with light weight for a few weeks.

Squat
Deadlift
Bench
Miltary Press
Chinup/pullups
bent over rows

Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 or 12 on each excercise.

Monday
Squat
lunges

Wedesday
Bench
Military
dips

Friday
Deadlifts
one set of rows, chins, pulldown

If you can't do chins or pulldown do extra sets of deadlifts.

I usually do abs on off days its up to you.

I'm sure some people will add to the basics. Or recommend something different but compound excercises are a given in my opinion.

Once you get through a few weeks getting use to the lifts and soreness you ccan go more heavier with longer workouts. I will say don't get too complicated with the routine just do some bread and butter excercises and build a stong foundation you'll learn has you go. Many newbies tend to try advance and detailed routines. Isolation movements are a waste of time for you now in my opinion. I've still don't do that many and i have trained off and on for years.

Compound lifts with the big 3 is how i build my routines and while i'm no bodybuilder i'm a pretty imtimadating looking person. They will make you look and feel STRONG.

newf nailed it right there. thats a rough idea on what i'd recommend. simple, solid, basic and intense.