NSV: First day of lifting heavy! + Questions

KimMc60

I've dreamed of starting to lift for literally the last year. I joined a gym last spring that turned out to be crappy with no free weights, so I was stuck with my 10lb dumbbells, and then I broke my wrist in August so that obviously put a hold on things. However, after finishing Insanity Max 30 in February and starting to train for a half marathon, and with a new gym opening not too far away from me, I decided to finally do it yesterday!

All of the weight machines looked like torture devices so I mostly stuck with free weights. I did my first ever barbell squat and it was love at first squat. I could only squat the bar (tried adding on 5lb plates and thought I was going to be crushed, lol) - I couldn't believe how heavy that thing is! I have so much more respect for all of those people who can squat hundreds of pounds now, haha. I can already feel myself becoming obsessed with lifting - I can't wait to get back at it tomorrow. I feel like it worked my quads in a way I'd never felt before, and I had no idea how much of an arm workout squats were as well!

As someone pretty much completely new to lifting, I was hoping some of you more experienced people out there can answer some (probably dumb-sounding) questions for me:
-My workout (NROL4W) called for weighted step-ups, to be performed on a bench. I felt really out of place stepping up onto the bench instead of laying down on it like it's supposed to be used for. Is that a commonplace thing or was I being rude somehow?
-When I went back to the squat rack for another set after taking a break, someone had taken the barbell off of the rack and put it on the floor beside it. Is it supposed to stay on the rack or do I put it on the ground when I'm done? I left it on the rack because it seemed like the logical thing to do, and then I couldn't do another set because I'm not strong enough to get the bar over my head to get it back on the rack. Oops.
-My gym just has a weights and cardio section - no separate space for stretching/abs/etc. So would it be appropriate to find an empty spot in the weight section to do abs or push-ups or would I just look like a *kitten*?

I hope you all can offer some insight and give me a hand! Thanks a bunch! Sorry for a long post - I just needed to get out some thoughts because all I can think about now is lifting. I understand why everyone raves about it now - I already feel stronger, inside and out!

lishie_rebooted

Look to see if you gym has boxes to use for step ups/jump squats. Some do, some dont.
If they don't, use the bench and wipe it down when you're done.

You leave the bar on the rack when you're done. The person may have needed the bar for deadlifts.

Yeah pick an empty spot that is out of the way so no one trips on you

arditarose

KimMc60 wrote: »

I've dreamed of starting to lift for literally the last year. I joined a gym last spring that turned out to be crappy with no free weights, so I was stuck with my 10lb dumbbells, and then I broke my wrist in August so that obviously put a hold on things. However, after finishing Insanity Max 30 in February and starting to train for a half marathon, and with a new gym opening not too far away from me, I decided to finally do it yesterday!

All of the weight machines looked like torture devices so I mostly stuck with free weights. I did my first ever barbell squat and it was love at first squat. I could only squat the bar (tried adding on 5lb plates and thought I was going to be crushed, lol) - I couldn't believe how heavy that thing is! I have so much more respect for all of those people who can squat hundreds of pounds now, haha. I can already feel myself becoming obsessed with lifting - I can't wait to get back at it tomorrow. I feel like it worked my quads in a way I'd never felt before, and I had no idea how much of an arm workout squats were as well!

As someone pretty much completely new to lifting, I was hoping some of you more experienced people out there can answer some (probably dumb-sounding) questions for me:
-My workout (NROL4W) called for weighted step-ups, to be performed on a bench. I felt really out of place stepping up onto the bench instead of laying down on it like it's supposed to be used for. Is that a commonplace thing or was I being rude somehow?
-When I went back to the squat rack for another set after taking a break, someone had taken the barbell off of the rack and put it on the floor beside it. Is it supposed to stay on the rack or do I put it on the ground when I'm done? I left it on the rack because it seemed like the logical thing to do, and then I couldn't do another set because I'm not strong enough to get the bar over my head to get it back on the rack. Oops.
-My gym just has a weights and cardio section - no separate space for stretching/abs/etc. So would it be appropriate to find an empty spot in the weight section to do abs or push-ups or would I just look like a *kitten*?

I hope you all can offer some insight and give me a hand! Thanks a bunch! Sorry for a long post - I just needed to get out some thoughts because all I can think about now is lifting. I understand why everyone raves about it now - I already feel stronger, inside and out!

Hey! So glad you started lifting and love it!

-Don't feel uncomfortable stepping up on the bench. It's fine. If your gym has some of those risers for step aerobics classes lying around, you can bring those out and use it instead if you're more comfortable.
-If you leave the squat rack, people may assume you are done with it and that you didn't unrack your weight (which is standard etiquette when finished). Sometimes in a busy gym super setting like NROL suggests can be tricky. I will only super set when the gym is not busy, that's not to say that you shouldn't or can't. Sometimes there may be a line for the squat rack, so that's up to you whether you want to continue super setting or not. Maybe you can try to stay closer to the rack next time.
-You can do abs or pushups wherever you want, as long as you are far enough away from anyone lifting heavy weight. Find a safe/appropriate spot.

KimMc60

Awesome! Yeah, I didn't notice any plyo boxes or anything lying around or else I would have felt more comfortable using those, haha. I didn't seem to get any weird looks stepping on the bench but it just felt weird. I guess I'll get used to it.

You both were a lot of help, thanks a bunch!

Maaike84

It's perfectly okay to step on the bench, but if you feel weird about it you could also put a mat or something on top of the bench, so your shoes don't touch the material of the bench itself. I would stick with just wiping it though. You could use an aerobic stepper instead, but it does make the exercise much easier as the step is not as high up.

Comment on your squat - you say you lift the barbell over your head to put it back - that's not the way to go esp if you are going to be adding on more weight. Grab it from the rack already with your back against it so you are already in the right position for your squats when you grab it, and return it the same way. Make sure the rack is set to the right height before you start!

And for the abs and pushup things - what the other posters said - it's fine, just pick a spot where you are out of the way and not blocking a machine or something.

Best of luck to you!!

edit for typo

KimMc60

Maaike84 wrote: »

Comment on your squat - you say you lift the barbell over your head to put it back - that's not the way to go esp if you are going to be adding on more weight. Grab it from the rack already with your back against it so you are already in the right position for your squats when you grab it, and return it the same way. Make sure the rack is set to the right height before you start!

Oh yeah, that's what I did when I was actually doing the squats. But when I went back for a bonus set it wasn't on the rack and I had no clue how to get it back on without whacking somebody in the face so I just left it. Adjusting the rack height completely passed my mind, though, so thanks for reminding me for next time

arditarose

KimMc60 wrote: »

Maaike84 wrote: »

Comment on your squat - you say you lift the barbell over your head to put it back - that's not the way to go esp if you are going to be adding on more weight. Grab it from the rack already with your back against it so you are already in the right position for your squats when you grab it, and return it the same way. Make sure the rack is set to the right height before you start!

Oh yeah, that's what I did when I was actually doing the squats. But when I went back for a bonus set it wasn't on the rack and I had no clue how to get it back on without whacking somebody in the face so I just left it. Adjusting the rack height completely passed my mind, though, so thanks for reminding me for next time

I'm trying to find a video for you. It would be similar to a barbell power clean. Reach down for the bar as you would a dead lift and use your body to get the weight up. You want to be careful about form even when you're racking your weight. It's still weight!

Try it like the first part of this video. Then when the barbell is at your shoulders, rack the bar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdl0lyO9ub0

KimMc60

arditarose wrote: »

KimMc60 wrote: »

Maaike84 wrote: »

Comment on your squat - you say you lift the barbell over your head to put it back - that's not the way to go esp if you are going to be adding on more weight. Grab it from the rack already with your back against it so you are already in the right position for your squats when you grab it, and return it the same way. Make sure the rack is set to the right height before you start!

Oh yeah, that's what I did when I was actually doing the squats. But when I went back for a bonus set it wasn't on the rack and I had no clue how to get it back on without whacking somebody in the face so I just left it. Adjusting the rack height completely passed my mind, though, so thanks for reminding me for next time

I'm trying to find a video for you. It would be similar to a barbell power clean. Reach down for the bar as you would a dead lift and use your body to get the weight up. You want to be careful about form even when you're racking your weight. It's still weight!

Try it like the first part of this video. Then when the barbell is at your shoulders, rack the bar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdl0lyO9ub0

You're awesome! Thanks so much!!!