Weight Lifting Advice

StephanieMM2013

I'm joining a gym tomorrow. I've never lifted heavy and I wanted to do something simple, and especially something I can maintain easily if I don't have access to a gym in a couple of months (travel).

My plan is to do 5x5, Squats, Deadlifts, and Bench Press 2/3 days a week. This will be my "base", and I will supplement 2-3 back, ab, and other "as needed" exercises with this as well.

What do you guys think?

joshdann

Try the Stronglifts method. It's basically what you described, but it adds in overhead press and barbell rows. The workout goes A-B-A, B-A-B (3x per week on an alternating schedule). It breaks down like this (not including the low weight warmups you do for each exercise):

A Workout
5x5 Squat
5x5 Bench
5x5 Barbell Row

B Workout
5x5 Squat
5x5 Overhead Press
1x5 Deadlift

It also has a schedule and method to add weight every workout to your lifts. If you fail to complete the sets at your new weight, you don't add. If you fail enough times in a row, you remove some weight and go from there. Free apps for iphone and android (the android one isn't great, at least not yet. they're working on it). My wife and I are currently doing this one and loving it. Don't worry about using different working sets than what your husband/workout partner uses. I use my wife's working weights as warmup in between her working sets, then we reload the bar with my working weights. We do one station at a time, together. It's a lot of work but a lot of fun at the same time. Good luck!