Newbie to Strength Training!

cass3194
cass3194 Posts: 7 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Started my first day of lifting today! I realllly want to tone up my upper body, especially my arms and abs, and so I'm FINALLY doing something about it! I kind of hate strength work, but it needs to be done if I want to see results, I can't just do cardio all of the time! Any suggestions/tips for me looking at what exercises I did today, and the pictures I have posted? Any would be much appreciated!! Thanks guys!! And PS does anyone know why MFP doesn't calculate calories burned for strength work?

Replies

  • janiner79
    janiner79 Posts: 69 Member
    Don't waste your time on lifting 5lb weights. Lift as heavy as you can without hurting yourself, working up each set. Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps with whatever weight feels heavy and inch your way up week to week. Oh and mix protein powder with water after your work out. Good luck chick!
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Choose a reputable strength training program and follow it.

    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    NROL4L
    5/3/1
    etc

    Those are all good programs

    As for calculating the calories burned, search for "Strength training" under Cardiovascular.
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
    Congrats on lifting! I hope you find it to be beneficial, and eventually fun!

    You can account for calories burned through Strength Training. Click Exercise -> Database -> and from the "choose an exercise below" dropdown menu, choose Strength Training (Weight Training, Weight Lifting).

    If you've created a profile and have been updating your weight, then all you need to do is add the minutes you spent training and it will create an estimate.

    Based on various online calculators, I think it does a pretty decent job of estimating the calories burned for most people, provided that your strength training is hitting most of the body (and large muscle groups). If you're just training arms or abs, and neglecting legs, chest, and back, then the caloric burn will be pretty minimal (and probably not worth logging, to be honest).
  • tinak33
    tinak33 Posts: 9,883 Member
    Choose a reputable strength training program and follow it.

    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    NROL4L
    5/3/1
    etc

    Those are all good programs

    As for calculating the calories burned, search for "Strength training" under Cardiovascular.


    ^^^Yes. :smile:

    I do Stronglifts 5x5 and I LOVE it!! I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women, though. That one gave me an idea of what I was trying to do, how it was going to work, and it had good diagrams of the exercise, because half the ones they mentioned I had NO Idea what they were.... So that book was super helpful.

    Also, I don't really log my lifting calories. Just my cardio calories from my warmup. I just find it hard to get a good accurate number so I don't bother.
  • squirrell79
    squirrell79 Posts: 154 Member
    Choose a reputable strength training program and follow it.

    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    NROL4L
    5/3/1
    etc

    Those are all good programs

    QFT. :-)

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