Weight machines

princesscupcake15

I want to start lifting weights, but I am ridiculously weak. Are the machines are ok to use until I build some strength? From everything I've read, weight machines are not looked on fondly.

hill8570

Any exercise you're willing to do on a regular basis is better than the one you don't do. OTOH, dumbbells start pretty light. If your gym is relatively well equipped, it should also have some women's olympic bars for barbells -- that could start you at 33 pounds instead of 45 (maybe too much for arm work if you're really weak, but I'd bet you could squat it). Or you could do bodyweight exercises -- Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym both start out very easy.

TR0berts

Yep, I agree with hill.

Also, some gyms have preloaded bars. They are basically small (shorter in length, that is) barbells with weights that don't come off. Mine has 15 lb, 25 lb, 35 lb... That, or you could try weighted bars, if you have access. You'll likely find those in the group/cardio type room.

That said, if you want to use machines, go ahead - just realize that if you do, the weights you move on the machines don't typically translate well to barbell work. In other words, if you're leg pressing 150 lb when you go use the barbell, that doesn't mean you'll be able to squat 150 lb. Start off on barbell light (like, empty bar light) and work your way up.

Mistraal1981

When I started lifting I used the machine for my bench press. I couldn't lift the empty bar alone! I used the machine until I had added 25kg worth of plates. I treated the machine bar as zero kgs. took about 3 weeks of this before I moved onto using the empty bar without the machine.

An empty bar typically weighs 20kg.