New and petrified/excited

PitBullMom_Liz

Good morning! I decided I'd like to start lifting weights and things are kind of falling into place instantaneously. I started off by looking at NROLFW but it seemed like I'd need gym equipment for that, and I was hoping to work out at home. So I found SL, and it seems easy to understand and requires minimal equipment, which I like.

So I figured I'd start hunting Craigslist for weight stuff and slowly build up a collection until I had enough to actually start. Imagine my surprise when I see this last night:
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/hab/3935630018.html - a weight bench and 400 lbs of weights for $200. He's delivering it to me tonight! EEK!

So yeah, I'm still reading SL, and I also have Starting Strength to read, but I'm really excited. But so very scared, too. I've never lifted weights before. What if I can't even lift the bar??? I'm planning on videoing at least some of my sessions to check my form and honestly, because I hope to someday be able to look back and say, "wow, remember when I couldn't even lift the BAR?!?"

So yeah, that's me. I don't know when I'll actually start the SL program - probably Monday. That will give me time to read the books and study videos for form. :-)

jstout365

Welcome!!

Read and watch videos for form, but don't let it get in the way of starting and doing. You may surprise yourself with how much you can already lift.

Dragonwolf

Welcome!!

Read and watch videos for form, but don't let it get in the way of starting and doing. You may surprise yourself with how much you can already lift.

This.

Also, Stronglifts is basically set up to be a Mon-Wed-Fri sort of thing (namely, workout, rest, workout, rest, workout, rest, rest, repeat), so starting on Monday sounds like a good plan, unless you want a different "Monday".

PitBullMom_Liz

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement. And you have no idea how accurate "Read and watch videos for form, but don't let it get in the way of starting and doing" is for me. I'm a big fan of prepping so much that I never actually start. LOL

So I WILL start on Monday. :-)

kimberlymarie30

I'm new as well. TIRED of watching the scale go up and down and not seeing any progress. I belong to a gym now, but I would love to do this at home. Looking on craigslist for weights now. Good luck!

DaniH826

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement. And you have no idea how accurate "Read and watch videos for form, but don't let it get in the way of starting and doing" is for me. I'm a big fan of prepping so much that I never actually start. LOL

So I WILL start on Monday. :-)

Yes, I understand how exhausting gathering information can be, to make sure all bases are covered.

At some point you realize that there is no perfect anything and just get started on something.

Since you have no squat rack that I can tell, you may wish to modify Stronglifts to include front squats rather than back squats or check into something like Bulgarian split squats and other modifications you can make. There's always a way around everything.

Welcome! I'm excited for you! Barbell training is great fun!

PitBullMom_Liz

Thanks, Dani, I'll look into those alternatives. I'm also going to keep an eye out for a squat rack on Craigslist. In the meantime, I'm okay with the standard back squats while my weight is still pretty light, right?

DaniH826

Thanks, Dani, I'll look into those alternatives. I'm also going to keep an eye out for a squat rack on Craigslist. In the meantime, I'm okay with the standard back squats while my weight is still pretty light, right?

Yea you can back squat without a rack for as long as you can rack the weight yourself (which means to pick it up off the floor and place it on your back). You may need to start lower and progress slower than the program has it laid out for you, but you're eventually going to adapt the program to suit your own progression anyway, so it's really not that big of a deal.

PitBullMom_Liz

Great, thank you. :-)

zanyzana

Welcome! I'm pretty new too, but do this at a local gym. I'm so jealous of you guys with your "Craigslist" and getting the weights so cheaply. We have "Gumtree" but I've not found anything priced cheaply at all! And I live in a coastal rural area, so anything that's listed is always a million miles away... Sigh! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the SL program and lifting in general. I find it really exciting to move up in weights. I haven't noticed any physical changes yet, but I've not been going for long. Take some pics of yourself now and compare in a month or so to see if there's been improvement / change. I'll be taking another pic in a week, and will see if there have been any changes.

ciao

inkysmurf

Hello and welcome (and a big kiss to your bully! - totally beautiful!!)

Syronglifts is totally awesome - I dithered and hummed for ages - and now I just do it - jump in, learn, and ask questions - watching videos on you tube is a god send for learning form. And the ladies on here are beyond aweome!!!)

Zany - we have gumtree too - :-) - I did manage to get a bench & squat rack pretty cheap x

PitBullMom_Liz

Thanks for the welcomes! And Inara says thank you for the big kiss, daisybee. ;-)

So I got my bench and weights last night, and they're glorious. It almost looks brand-new. I think I may be able to raise the bar holder enough to use it as a squat rack, too, which is fantastic! I'm in love, LOL.

I did 5 reps of each of the 5 moves last night just to see if I could, and to see how it felt with the oly bar. Squats felt okay - need to get a little deeper. Bench press felt okay once I balanced the bar correctly (that's a lot of long bar to balance, LOL). Barbell rows felt okay. My deadlift felt awkward so I need to watch vids and figure out the proper form. The overhead press was HARD. I BARELY managed to lift the bar over my head five times. My form needs some help on that too, but I was chagrined at how heavy the bar felt when I was trying to lift it up and over my noggin.

I also ordered Starting Strength so between that and Youtube, I'm hoping to work on my form over the next few days so when I start on Monday I'm ready. I'll video my first session, just for the sake of posterity and form check.

lwoodroff

good job! my top tip with OHP is hold EVERYTHING in - stomach, glutes, thighs, you name it, you squeeze it!

PitBullMom_Liz

Thanks for the tip, L!

DaniH826

good job! my top tip with OHP is hold EVERYTHING in - stomach, glutes, thighs, you name it, you squeeze it!

Amen. That's with any lift, really. Tighten up your core, butt and legs before you grab the bar, every time. That's your support system, so make sure it's solid.

PitBullMom_Liz

Definitely good to know - thank you!

BikerGirlElaine

I just want to add my welcome. I hope you find weightlifting as much fun and inspiration as I do. :flowerforyou:

kellrell

Congrats on deciding to start. I've been lifting for three weeks now and although I have not noticed anything weight or measurement wise I absolutely Love it! Nothing better than to feel like a bad *kitten* even when lifting with your husband (my huz and I work out together and even though he is lifting way more than me I still Love being able to do the same lifts as him!
Enjoy it!
I have never felt stronger.