Wanting to start lifting

closermotion

I have progressed to the point in my fitness journey where I would like to begin lifting some heavier weights. For a bit of brief background- I've struggled with EDNOS for the past 10 years and have been doing well in recovery for the past 5. I only ever [over]did cardio when I was sick. I've since added in some basic free-weight training with videos and printouts, etc. and that has been helpful but my progress has lately plateaued. I would like to continue rebuilding my metabolism and health in general and I think that starting to lift heavier would be beneficial. But where should I start? Which machines should I use and with how much weight? What areas should I work on certain days and how often should I repeat? What online resources should I look at? I'm ready to learn and any advice would be appreciated.

xbowhunter

I had the same questions as you. I wasted a lot of time trying to get going on lifting & I even went the personal trainer route but nothing seemed to be working for me. The answer for me was strong lifts 5x5. Just google it & start reading. You basically just start with the weight of the bar & slowly progress with weights. The routine works your whole body & is super easy to follow. I am only in week 2 but I love it so far. I know exactly what to do & when to do it. For me it's perfect...

piperdown44

SL5x5 is a good beginner weight lifting program that has a built in progression system. 3 times a week and 5 compound exercises to follow. I ran it when starting back up and have run it on and off over the years.
The only additional lift I would add in would be either pullups or lat pulldowns (your choice).
Just make sure you start with an empty barbell (45lbs) or if that is too much find a lighter weight to start off with. Most beginners don't realized that the first 6-8 weeks of SL5x5 being light are to help dial in form.


The other advice I'd give is to have a knowledgeable trainer show you the correct lifting forms or spend some time looking at online videos of how to lift correctly with good form.
Mark Rippetoe has good fundamental videos as does Allen Thrall.

wilsoncl6

SL5X5 is a great beginner program. I'm not too crazy about the limitations of only 5 different lifts as I think that different lifts hitting all of the different muscle fibers from different angles produces better overall results so I would stick with this for a few months and then shift to a more diverse lifting program once you reach your lift maximums and have locked down proper form.

closermotion

Thanks so much, gentlemen! I really appreciate the responses! Your answers are exactly what I was looking for. I just briefly glanced at the StrongLifts website and I really like how much detail is included. I look forward to beginning the program!

BalletAndBarbells

just to show that girls also use the SL5x5 program too! I would definitely recommend it! Be aware however that it will make you hungry and you will need to eat much more protein - if this kind of dietary adjustment is going to be a problem at this point in your recovery then I'd be a little wary about adding lifting. Good luck!