The Gym wont help

Tropical_Turtle

Here is the thing, it really is not the gyms job to help you. The gym just provides you a place to work out. Trainers are a service to provided at an additional charge (however, most gyms will give a free initial training session). You can always ask someone who works at the gym how to use certain machines you appear interested in.

Google, and YouTube things to get the idea on the machines, and proper form on how to perform certain lifts. etc.
I would recommend not solely relying on the treadmill and elipitical, add strength training.

adorable_aly

If you can try and get one session so they can show you basic moves and form.

Work on that, and then have 'check ups' once every few weeks, until you feel confident.

Yes the books, the guides and YouTube are great, but you need someone to show you if you have no experience, because what you think might be good form might actually be **** and that's what you need a trainers expertise for. This is especially important if you are looking to lift heavy.

Good luck :flowerforyou:

youcandooeet

I researched and planned and studied form and technique before I set food in the gym. I brought a literal list into the gym with me of what I was going to do along with reminders that I wrote out for myself if I was a little confused about form. I also brought a notebook and a pen to write down what I did, how much I lifted, and how many sets so I could track my progress. As I progressed, I changed up the routine and made it work for me.

This is the website I used to have a starting point for a basic routine:

http://www.stumptuous.com/category/training/workout_ideas <--- has several starting point routine ideas, including one that uses only dumbells instead of including barbell training, which can feel intimidating at first.

This is the website I used to study form and help shape my new routines:

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html <-- has gifs of a zillion exercises so you can see what they should look like. I also youtube things if I need more of a guide beyond that.

Do some research and go prepared so you don't feel lost. You'll do great Good luck.

Dragonwolf

"The New Rules of Lifting for Women" is an excellent book. I especially enjoyed the nutrition section. I did the program for a bit, but found it complicated. Now I do "Strong Lifts 5x5" which can be found in PDF form on the internet. It's geared more towards men, but there is a group here for women. Here are a few links that you might find helpful.

To note - the program itself is gender neutral (the routines that work for men work fine for women, the difference lies in how fast and how far we can progress). However, Mehdi is a "bro", and so the site and the language of his articles and PDFs are very much male-centric. Look past the verbiage and to the routine itself.

MercedesV

bump for links too.

1shauna1

If you're at Goodlife they offer great classes. There is one with cardio and weights together, Bodypump. However yes, the rest of it is all to make more money off you and the personal trainers there are expensive.

BrunetteRunner87

The new rules of lifting for women is a good book you could read about lifting routines, stronglifts 5x5 has a free pdf book too as far as strength training is concerned. For cardio, I would recommend doing what you enjoy which can be the treadmill if that's what you like, circuit training, etc.

I have used new rules of weightlifting. It's hard to figure out some of the exercises but not too hard once you find youtube videos.

refinedredbird

I forgot to mention also that if you have a smart phone there is the Nike Training Club app for free that can give you some workout routines that can be helpful too. I do them from time to time.

gonesewing

If you're at Goodlife they offer great classes. There is one with cardio and weights together, Bodypump. However yes, the rest of it is all to make more money off you and the personal trainers there are expensive.

Yes, ITA. I love the GL classes and visit my gym almost every day. I do Body Pump, Step and Flow. I am going to do RPM when winter hits, I road bike now. I do Body Flow as my active rest and it works out great. I joined up my daughter for their free teen summer membership and do the flow with her. My husband who is a long time weight lifter does the Body Pump with me. He says it has helped his biking a lot (he is a road warrior ). It is a great way to get started but if you more then you need to do weight.

jlapey

"The New Rules of Lifting for Women" is an excellent book. I especially enjoyed the nutrition section. I did the program for a bit, but found it complicated. Now I do "Strong Lifts 5x5" which can be found in PDF form on the internet. It's geared more towards men, but there is a group here for women. Here are a few links that you might find helpful.

To note - the program itself is gender neutral (the routines that work for men work fine for women, the difference lies in how fast and how far we can progress). However, Mehdi is a "bro", and so the site and the language of his articles and PDFs are very much male-centric. Look past the verbiage and to the routine itself.

Yeah, that's actually what I meant. Thank you.

contingencyplan

The elliptical machine always works well for me. That's pretty much all I used the first 6 months I was working on my weight loss and it worked great! Now, I switch between that, swimming, treadmill and a stationary bike.

^This

...Is not the advice to follow. A program that doesn't incorporate strength training is inefficient. Do what everyone else suggested and go for NROLFW.

rabblerabble

Hit the library. I've read (or at least skimmed) about 1 dozen different titles at my local library and have based my routines on that information.