Lifting

sadhanagopal

Hi all

I am very new to the world of exercise and even newer to lifting. I read a lot here about stronglifts and squats and compound movements and wanted to try to strengthen my core. I joined a gym and enrolled in their training program but they tell me that I am too new to do free weights. They have made a program for me with all the machines such as leg press, obliques, triceps, biceps etc and have asked me to start with the least weight and work my way up for the next 3 months. Will this help make me stronger and build some muscle?

mamasmaltz3

You are not too new to do free weights. If they won't teach you the movement go somewhere that will, or do your homework and learn it on your own.

DaddieCat

I would recommend finding a different gym. We would never suggest anyone not start of free weights unless they didn't want to, or they had a medical reason not to. We would, on the other hand, provide ample education before turning them loose in the gym, if they asked.

mamasmaltz3

Wanted add that you can get stronger than you are now with the machines, but if your goal is to lift free weights it makes no sense why they would start you on the machines. If you are super new to the squat movement, just do body weight until you get your form down and then move on to using Dumbbells, then the barbell. Same goes for bench press and deadlift. Start with Dumbbells and work your way up to an empty bar. The movement on the machines are not going to translate into the movement you do with free weights, and you are also removing the strengthening of all the tiny supporting muscles that you need for free weights because the machine does that work for you.

ObsidianMist

you know, the personal trainer I saw to help me with my form with lifting exercises told me basically the same thing - that I should use machines for like 6-7 weeks to get my strength up before I start doing stronglifts. personally I felt like that was *kitten*, but I did agree that I needed more strength to be able to lift that damn olympic barbell. also I didn't want my new knowledge of form to go out the window by not doing the movements for a long time. so here's what I did: I started following the stronglifts guide, but I started out only lifting 15 pounds (altogether, not on top of the 45lb bar!) and have just been going up from there. I've been going at it for a few weeks now and I'm still not even at the olympic barbell weight for my overhead press, bench press, or bent over row, but I am squatting with it + some weight in the squat rack and I could use it for my deadlift if I wanted to now, too. maybe this kind of approach would work for you? it definitely helped me focus on form for a bit before starting to lift heavier. machines are generally *kitten* and a waste of time though if you want to get into lifting.

SonyaCele

if you want to do compound lifts, than you can do them. find a new gym. There is no reason not to start out doing what you want. If you dont have the strength for a barbell, you can use something else like a piece of pvc pipe and bodyweight until you get strong,
your gym is being lazy and safe by putting you on the machines. and chances are the trainers dont know how to do compound lifts, most local gym fitness trainers that i have come across only know very basic free weights and not much bar movements.