Unsure where to go/ start

pneschich

I'm in need of strength training. I'm 52 and trying to continue to lose weight. I'm down almost 50 lbs and have another 100 to go. I walk 18-20 miles a week but it's not enough. I went to LA Fitness for a tour and information. It was beautiful and had everything you could ever want, but I can't see myself going there. They offer an evaluation and a workout plan but the place is intimidating, I guess is the right word. I haven't lifted in 30 years, I'm not sure where to start. for slightly more than the annual cost I could buy a fairly nice weight machine.
Anyone else started at a similar spot? Any suggestions?

malibu927

This is actually the best place to start. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you

Look through the post and see what stands out to you!

psuLemon

Use the link above but if you want something simple, the M&S program is pretty good. It's fairly simple and using only dumbbells.

lorrpb

malibu927 wrote: »

This is actually the best place to start. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you

Look through the post and see what stands out to you!

This post should be added to the sticKY list.

canadianlbs

i was a few months shy of 49 when i touched my first barbell and got the lifting fever. so yes, i completely relate. personally, i toured a few commercial fitness centres and just couldn't. so i went with membership in my local rec centre network and couldn't be happier now. it was still terrifying to start out with though.

do eet do eet doo eet. there are groups on mfp for women who lift, and just about all of us have had those butterflies. whether you get your own machine or not **, still do it. i personally think i've benefited enormously from facing down that in-public fear and going that way, but that's me.

** by 'weight machine' you don't mean a smith, do you? don't spend money on that, if it's the only money you have. i don't usually tell other people what to do but smith machines are not a good place to spend money. or do much more than incline pushups and chin/pullup work.

pneschich

@Canadianlbs what is a smith? I looked at one of the bowflex resistance all in ones for 600. I also looked at dumbells and a bench. I have no place to put it. Btw 52 year old man. I haven't lifted since I rehabbed my knee at 21. Was really active, hiking and windsurfing until kids and spinal fusion happened.

@malibu927 thanks, information overload, but reading and digesting

@psulemon that one looks reasonable. Pull ups? Maybe hang from a bar in frustration for a minute or two. How much of a bar do you need to hang 300 lbs from?

canadianlbs

pneschich wrote: »

Btw 52 year old man.

heh. my bad then, usually it's women who are intimidated.

a smith machine is this they tend to get sold/touted to new people as the ultimate in workout technology, but the truth is that they're pretty useless if not dangerous. one of my favourite out-takes from starting strength: 'you can no more do a proper back squat in a smith machine than in a closet with a hamster'.

bowflex i do not know what it is. i just do bench, squat, deadlift, press and rows, so i like racks and barbells and don't really know much about other things.

ETA with the spinal fusion: can you get any access to guidance from a doctor who's knowledgeable enough to be of use?

canadianlbs

as far as training/starting places, it took me a while. having rheumatoid arthritis made it a special challenge to locate a trainer who would take me seriously without ignoring concerns that are real. i did eventually track down a small 'garage gym' operation where i'm really happy, and i lift there once a week. i knew he was the right place because the moment you open his web page it says 'i don't tolerate intolerance. errbody lifts here, leave your ego at home.'

fwiw, how i did it was a global search with my city's name on the starting strength forums. someone had made a post four or five years ago recommending this guy to an earlier query for the same thing, and that's how i found him. i happened to do it through the ss site because by then i understood how many niches there are within the 'weight lifting' world, and so i asked the community who were closest to my own style of lifting and who would probably have a better grasp on the kind of thing i wanted.

not sure if helpful, but good luck.