Weight Lifting for Beginners - Need help please ladies :)

skimpyskimp
skimpyskimp Posts: 44
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I'm 5ft 2" HW 175lbs CW 142 lbs GW 112 lbs

I've recently decided to start weight lifting. However, I'm unsure of how much to start lifiting (3 lb-5lb weights each?). I don't want to overdo it but at the same time I want to lift as much as possible. Any ideas? Appreciate the advice.

I also started the Gillian Michael's 30 Day Shred using two 2.5 lb weights. I plan to do it 5 days a week as on the weekends I work two 8 hour shifts with a 3 hour break between each one so I wouldn't be able for it.

Replies

  • Grace215lbs
    Grace215lbs Posts: 129 Member
    bump, im also interested in knowing this.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    If you want to gain muscle mass you can do more than 2.5 lbs. Unless you are just trying to do some light strength training. Women I train who are new to lifting generally start with around 10 lb for 6 reps, 5 for 6, 2 for 6. Rest. 2.5 is not going to do much alone. I curl 30 lbs now....I was able to start at 15 when I first started. But then again, I wanted to add muscle, not maintain what I had. Gaining muscle...you will need to tear the muscle fibers for growth, its going to be sore in the beginning. So...it all depends on what you want.
  • Guavagai
    Guavagai Posts: 7 Member
    Great topic! I am really interested in this as well!

    I'm considering buying a weight-training book but I feel as though it would be useless since there is such a huge online community to refer to!

    As of now, I am just doing cardio on the stair-master and a some cardio-kickboxing classes. It would be great to tighten my skin and tone up!

    K
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    It really depends on what your goals are. If you want to train for strength, which would be an excellent addition to a cardio program, you will be lifting a lot more than that. Some muscles are stronger than others, so you don't normally lift the same weight for every lift. You can probably already squat 50 pounds, but you might struggle to overhead press 30 pounds. And in a couple months, you may even double the amount you can lift today.That means 100 pound lifts are not impossible in your near future. If you do a good strength training program. See New Rules of Lifting for Women, Starting Strength, or Stronglifts 5x5 for good beginner strength programs.

    If you are only using the weights to add intensity to your cardio routine, go ahead and start low and move up if it's not hard enough.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women. You will need heavier weights than 5 or 10 pounds.
  • Iamnotplastic
    Iamnotplastic Posts: 8
    Yes, I am interested in knowing about this as well. I want to build a bit of muscle but would like to start at home with hand dumbbells, if that is even possible. :-)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    There are some routines that are modified for dumb bells. But in order to progress, you need to be able to keep adding weight.

    You might want to look into body weight exercises. Nerd Fitness has a beginner body weight workout online for free. I don't have the link but it can be easily googled. There are many modifications for body weight exercises that enables you to keep progressing and making it more difficult.
  • 52golfnut
    52golfnut Posts: 28 Member
    bump
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
    FInd a weight in each exercise that you can manage for 12 reps, then on the following set use a slightly heavier weight that you can only manage to move for 10 reps, then a weight you can only do 8 reps, then 6. Then you just did 4 sets of 12 to 6 reps, now choose another exercise for that same body part, and use the same method that I described. For now, 2 exercises of 4 sets for one body part is enough if you're training one part a day
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    Bump
  • gigi_RN2013
    gigi_RN2013 Posts: 141 Member
    Also interested in lifting ... Great tips !!
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    I use between 2.5kg-900kg, depending on exercise and target rep range.
  • vienna_h
    vienna_h Posts: 428 Member
    The past month of so I've just been following along the "strength training" videos from Fitness Blender. I use dumbells from 3 - 10 lbs, and I am sore for days afterwards.. I am SUPER weak lol, but already I have way more definition in my arms and legs... I have hard little biceps now, it's so cute ;)

    I do plan on going to a gym and doing heavier lifting come September, but for now, this "at home" solution is getting me prepped so I don't totally embarrass myself once I start going to a gym and lifting in public. Hope this is actually useful... I don't know what I'm doing lol.

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