Strength training newbie!

fitness_goals_007

I'm mostly just doing cardio right now, and have been for the past month and a half. I've dropped over 12 pounds, but I know I want to be trim and toned!

The thought of strength training is really scary because I don't know where to begin! I am looking to lose up up 80 pounds depending on what my body looks like, and I want to build muscle.

Where can I find beginner friendly sources to help me out? What did you guys do to help you in your strength training journey?

I want to come up with a good plan and my main problem areas are my stomach and I want to lift my bum!

SchweddyGirl

Are you part of a gym? And if so, does it offer a free equipment walk through with a personal trainer? Many do, and if you are part of a gym and they do this, then I would start there. They will help you learn to use the machines correctly.

There are also a lot of good strength programs out there. I personally like New Rules of Lifting for Women...it is very beginner friendly. I have also heard great things about Stronglifts.

Another option, if your gym has strength classes go to them...whether they are bodyweight classes or use equipment. They can help you learn how to build a rounded routine.

canadianlbs

i signed on for a women-only 'intro' class through the fitness centre. wasn't for me as it was mostly about isolation work with dumbbells and stuff, and it was like she was afraid i would turn into dust if i touched a barbell. but the weight room was so terrifying when i first thought of going in there, can't say i felt liek the money was totally blown.

from there, i finally figured out what i wanted to do was called compound lifting, and i somehow discovered the stronglifts 5x5 site. that's the programme i started out with, and a little way in my big break was discovering mark rippetoe. his hyper-logical and mechanically-based explanations of all the lifts in the book starting strength made a w hole slew of big mental breakthroughs for me.

there are things about his format (squats and ohp, mostly) that i no longer use wrt form. but i still recommend starting strength to just about everybody. it may depend on how your mind works, but i found i can't be taught much just by using the heuristic cues. i have to have a ground-level explanation of what hte cues mean on the muscle-by-muscle level, or i'll implement them in some weird different way. so

gearhead426hemi

Just start out slow because you don't want to hurt yourself. I would recommend checking out Bodybuilding.com . There are a ton of great workouts, diets, and great tutorials and videos on each workout. Here is an example from YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RcDkEOJV8c

pondee629

"The thought of strength training is really scary because I don't know where to begin! " Do a web search for beginner weight lifting routines/exercises. Pick one that strikes your fancy and try it. If you find you don't like that one, try another. There are many such routines scattered around the web. I like Strong Lifts 5x5.

ijsantos2005

In my opinion, the most comprehensive strength training guide is Starting Strength. A perfect place for anybody to start.

BritishSpy007

Stronglifts

taco_inspector

Starting from nothing... there's so many choices. The "best" selection will be a program that you can adhere to (time, equipment, enjoyment the lifts/progress).

@psuLemon started a strong thread with some great discussion and EXCELLENT resource links that may help you discover and embrace what YOU could enjoy and succeed with:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you

If you're looking for my thoughts:

1. Starting Strength or Strong Lifts 5x5 work well, but I'm not familiar with what resources (equipment and time) you have available to you.
2. The first post in the thread above is worth the price of admission -- take a look; the resource listing is worth the price of admission (yeah, free)

richardgavel

The one thing I would point out is that you say you have 80 lbs more to lose AND want to build muscle. This generally doesn't happen at the same time. As a newbie, you can gain muscle while losing, but not a ton. So I would focus more of your expectations on gaining strength (not the same) and maintaining the muscle you have.

psuLemon

Ultimately, it comes down to what equipment you have access to. Some of the dumbbell routines (like M&S and Aworkoutroutine) are great programs for complete beginners who are a bit timid of going onto the barbell. They have been very effective for several people I have worked with. The key is working on form so when you do start to go big, then you won't get injured.

kmbmoutswi

Hi guys, i also have to raisesome concerns, please help and add me as a friend as well.
Been doing my workouts at a ladies fitness facility for about two months now post injury and i am feeling some kind of pain or maybe strains, still figuring it out. This is a close to home facility and it is currently affordable as it is also within walking range. But i have knock legs and so now i wonder if i should be worried about overuse injury cause we do the exact same thing every day, is it too soon? What else can be done to alternatie, i can think walks tioo but need to exercise smart not necessarily hard while being able to meet my goals of weight loss, toning and building lean muscle. Sorry its lengthy. These are some of the probs i read of that come with my exercise regime, thought u might help, no one has addressed this so far.


No Eccentric Resistance

Hydraulic machines provide resistance when pushing against or raising the weight (concentric resistance), but no resistance involving pulling the weight back or lowering it (eccentric resistance). This makes hydraulic machines inferior to full-range strength training, as explained by Venuto. Eccentric exercise may improve strength and muscle gain even more than concentric resistance. Full-range resistance exercise is better once the individual becomes more fit.

No Progression

The Curves program also does not offer any progressive exercise options once the woman reaches a plateau stage. A workout loses effectiveness once the body adapts to a certain level of exercise, according to Venuto. A better workout routine would involve a wide variety of free weights, weight stack machines and other equipment.

Repetitive Exercise Problems

Another problem with Curves workouts involves the potential for overuse injuries, according to certified strength and conditioning specialist Kyle Battis. Using the same equipment over and over in the same routine with little variation can lead to bursitis and tendinitis.

No Individualized Plans

Curves does not provide an individualized exercise routine, and all 30-minute circuits are the same. No instructors are available to provide a comprehensive fitness evaluation for new members or instruction on achieving further results, as noted by Battis. Additionally, Curves centers do not have an exercise specialist supervising the activity.

Lack of Amenities

Curves centers do not provide amenities other than changing rooms and bathrooms. They do not have showers, as noted by Women's Fitness Secrets. Some centers have very restricted hours, such as only being open in the morning and evening. The centers also do not provide child care services, unlike larger fitness centers.

riffraff2112

When I was a kid I bought the Arnold Swartzenegger body building book and it helped me get a staple of exercises and get me started. I hadn't worked out for almost 20 yrs and went out and picked up a few magazines that had basic workouts in them, and a book or two. I refreshed my memory and added a few things to try. Gave me some ideas about how often I wanted to work out, which body parts, which exercises etc.

If its something you enjoy and want to learn you would be surprised at how quick it comes to you.Most gyms have personal trainers who would be good people to set you up with a routine and show you how things work at their gym as well (assuming you go to a gym).

Now with the internet, there is a wealth of places to look.

estherdragonbat

I bought Joan Pagano's book, Strength Training for Women. The exercises generally require light dumbbells (3-12 lbs), though some incorporate ankle weights, stability ball, cardio step, etc. Others are bodyweight. For me, as a total newb, it's been a great fit. I'm now getting to the point where the 12lbs are getting a little too easy on some exercises, so I've bought a pair of 15s. I'm not sure about lifting heavy, for the simple reason that I don't belong to a gym and don't have anyone who can spot me. In any event, until I can lift 40lbs, I'm not really looking to try, but that day is likely to come.

You might also want to try resistance tubes and bands. I started with those, but it's harder to gauge how much weight you're lifting with them. On the plus side, they're pretty inexpensive and light, which makes them ideal for travel (especially if you're going by train, plane, or some other conveyance where they restrict the amount of weight you can carry in your baggage.)

kelly_e_montana

I was introduced to barbell movements through CrossFit at age 39. When I went to a regular gym and worked with a trainer, all they wanted to show me was isolation exercises with little dumbbells.I found that I really liked powerlifting and strength training in general, so I joined the local barbell club. We have one in my rural town in Montana of 35,000 people. There are multiple similar clubs in the neighboring towns. The club focuses on training weightlifters and powerlifters for fun or competition. Weightlifting would be clean and jerk and snatch. Powerlifting would be squat bench and deadlift.
I started reading up a lot about powerlifting and followed Wendler 5-3-1 up to the time of my first meet while still doing CrossFit several days a week. I focused on back squat, front squat, bench press, deadlift, and barbell rows. Now I've gotten into a lot more complex programming because I've progressed and compete regularly. I found a really good accepting community of powerlifters in the northwest. We love newbies and are always happy to take anyone under our wing. I eventually became a powerlifting coach. I watched all of Megsquats videos on YouTube! For newbie I would definitely recommend seeing if there is a local barbell Club in your area. And I would recommend Stronglifts 5x5 for a newbie. Starting Strength is a great book but I think that StrongLifts 5 by 5 is a little bit more accessible and easier to understand. Good luck and welcome to the community of strong women!

svetskisampion

A good reference point to start off with is general bodyweight exercises, particularly with squats. Once you are accustomed to form, it is very much a small leap to starting out with weight training. If your idea is to tone, small weights at higher reps is probably best, but to build endurance and strength, you should hit higher weights at lower reps. It's best though to start of small and build up so as to avoid injury. As mentioned above, bodybuilding has a host of information on how to perform various exercises, many of which you can do at home with a simple pair of dumbbells. I've found mostly in strength training to pace myself and to focus on breathing, as this allows me to monitor my actual movement and form. Also, if you are at your local gym, it is very much OK to just wander into the weight training area and take a look at your surroundings - you will often find people are more than willing to accommodate beginners and pass on tips and help as required

aganey

I just started strength training Monday. I found a beginners workout plan on bodybuilding.com. It has 3 different plans to choose from. You can either do one of the plans 3 times a week or you can do a different one each time 3 days a week. I chose to do plan A 3 times a week because I felt like all of the moves were on my level. My main area is my stomach too. What I like about this plan is that it’s a TOTAL body workout each time. I’m doing this plan along with walking 30 minutes everyday. I’ve lost 6.2 pounds just by walking over the past few weeks. I too want to have a toned physique when my 50+ pounds I want to lose are gone. This helped me because it told me what to do and how many sets and reps to do. Here is the link.

https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/ultimate-beginners-machine-workout-for-women.html

WilmaValley

What great information, thank you everyone!