Some newbie questions

mdcoug

Hello! So glad I found this group! A little about me: I'm trying to lose these last 8 pounds and am working on a hybrid of cardio and strength for at least the next 10 weeks. I'm only going to be able to get to the gym for lifting two times a week, not three, but I figure it's better than no lifting or lifting at home and not progressing. Also, I just finished NROL4W.

Anyway, I did my first 5x5 workout this morning. I filled out the spreadsheet with the starter pack, and used the weights they recommended, which seemed a little off. For one, it had me squatting just the bar. I know I could do more than that, but I also know I need to work on getting lower. Should I work on deepening my squat before I move up?

Then the next workout, with the overhead press: it has me at pressing just the bar, but my shoulder strength is pretty weak. I am only currently doing 12 lbs (15 reps) dumbbells for the OHP. I'm seriously worried about falling over if I try to press the 45 lb. bar.

Lastly, I didn't really feel like I had a serious workout today. Stage 7 of NROL4W kicked my butt each workout! Is it usually a pretty light in the beginning? And do you add anything on to your workout after the three lifts?

Thanks!

PitBullMom_Liz

When I first started the SL program, I didn't really sweat and wondered if it was working. Now, 4 1/2 weeks later, I sweat like a beast and am huffing & puffing because you add weight so quickly (as you are capable). I have trouble squatting deep enough with just the bar, so I hung out at 75 lbs for a while to work on form, and now I'm going to hang out at 90 lbs to work on form some more. So there is definitely no shame in not adding more weights while you work on form. Good form is more important than big numbers.

OHP sucks. I really struggled with just the bar, but I didn't have any dumbbells so I made it work. You might surprise yourself though.

chubby_checkers

Welcome to the group!

Get your form down before adding any weight. This will help you down the road when the weight is heavy and you're more likely to injure yourself with bad form.

Starting with the bar for squats is what you should do. It may seem light, but the weight goes up very quickly.

OHP is a *****. Use a weight that is challenging for you. If it's the 45lb bar, fantastic. If it's 5lb dumbbells, great. Start where you need to start. This lift is tough for everybody.

When you first start, the workouts don't really seem that difficult and you won't spend a lot of time doing them. As you progress, the weight gets harder, you have to take longer rests between sets, and you'll be wiped out when you're done.

mdcoug

OK, you've both reassured me. I feel better now. Luckily my gym has some smaller barbells (with permanent weights) that I can start out on for the OHP.

Thanks!

DaniH826

Hey, no shame in starting on that OHP with dumbbells. That's what I did. If you progress on that by like a pound a week, you're doing well, so don't let the "I gotta get everything up by 5 pound like the spreadsheet says!!" into your head because it's unrealistic. Push your limits, but respect them would be my advice. Start light, focus on form, make sure it's solid and add weight as you're able. If you can follow the program for the most part, that's great, if you have to do a lot of adjusting along the way, who cares? Just stick with lifting in general, aim towards progression without compromising form, and you will do just fine. Barbell training is awesome, so good luck to you and welcome to the SL group!

bumblebums

The problem with NROL4W is that it has you do a lot of exercises, but it doesn't systematically increase the weights on them--at least not from what I remember of that book. The "progressive" part of the way it approaches novice training involves an increase in the number of exercises, not so much the weight on the bar.

StrongLifts is a type of progressive program that increases weights every time you train. The complication for someone like you is that you are not completely untrained--you are presumably not as weak as someone who jumped into it straight from the couch. You are not a complete novice in that sense; that is, you might be able to use heavier starting weights on certain lifts.

Anyway, what you might expect, given your background, is that the weights will feel too light on some lifts, and too heavy on others. For example, unloaded bar squats might feel too light. In that case, add to the bar in 10 lb increments during the lifting session (that is, between sets) until you find a weight that is challenging but that you can do with decent form, at least to the best of your ability to judge good form. This, by the way, is my other gripe with NROL4W--Alwin is admittedly less interested in proper form than he is in variety of exercises, which can be a problem when you switch to a focused novice strength program that uses just a handful of exercises. If you use only a handful of exercises and do them a lot with poor form and with progressively heavier weights, you are likely to injure yourself or get stuck on a plateau. So watch and rewatch Mehdi's videos, re-read his descriptions, and then look up Mark Rippetoe's books and videos--the latter especially are extremely detailed and will allow you to be your own coach.

Yeesh, I am wordy today. (SL ladies--either ignore me or forgive me, as usual.)

lwoodroff

BB, we never ignore you, you have great wisdom to impart, and we always forgive you!

chubby_checkers

BB, we never ignore you, you have great wisdom to impart, and we always forgive you!

For sure. I learn a lot when you get all wordy.

DaniH826

Yeesh, I am wordy today. (SL ladies--either ignore me or forgive me, as usual.)

Yes, yes you are. Very helpful though, as usual. :flowerforyou:

mdcoug

Yeesh, I am wordy today. (SL ladies--either ignore me or forgive me, as usual.)

Yes, yes you are. Very helpful though, as usual. :flowerforyou:

Wordiness is very much appreciated! ;-)

bumblebums

Thank you ladies [<--tried to keep this one short, anyway]

girlie100

Yeesh, I am wordy today. (SL ladies--either ignore me or forgive me, as usual.)

Yes, yes you are. Very helpful though, as usual. :flowerforyou:

Don't look at it as wordy but as in depth :drinker:

slowlow1

Thanks to OP for the question and thanks to everyone else for the answers. I am also new here but I have been doing Body Pump for a while and I was thinking that the weight seemed light as well. Now I am not planning to start until next week so I could be wrong. Also, I am not exactly sure if Body Pump is considered lifting or cardio but I tried to use as much weight as I could handle.

Anyway, It is great to be reassured that I can adjust the weight to what works for me (lighter or heavier). I am not afraid of the weight I just don't want to waste my time or hurt myself.

lwoodroff

Body pump is considered cardio :-) do read the stickies, they will give you a great start!