Well that was disheartening...

DrMAvDPhD

Good for you for continuing through! If anyone was thinking anything, it was probably along the lines of "Get it, girl"

Does the gym have a women's olympic bar? Or dumbbells? Those might be better options than machines.

crazie4lulu

screw everyone and everything around you. you are there. you are in the gym. that is more than a lot of people can even think of saying. no one ever walked into a gym and knew what they were doing. you have to start somewhere.... so i say congrats to you!!!!:flowerforyou:

jacklis

I am so proud and excited for you ( I hope that does not sound patronizing- it's not meant to). If you went to my gym I would be watching for you, rooting for you and waiting for you to try again- because with that amazing attitude you got going there, it is just a matter of time and I would want to be there on the day you walked over to the rack and lifted it like a boss!
Keep at it, you are awesome and inspiring.

bookworm_847

You know what? You win all the prizes for not simply walking out of the gym and quitting. SO much smarter to recognize your current abilities, and to work with - and improve on - those, rather than overdo it and injure yourself. Please don't be embarrassed - we all had to start somewhere!!! I bet you'll find that you progress really quickly over the next few weeks and months. Way to stick with it!!! *Standing ovation!!*

A million times this!

Good for you for even going in there and giving it a shot. Now you can focus on working your way up. I agree with starting with some dumbbells. I've been using those for a while and now can use the bar. It takes time, but I know you can get there!

Yay you! :drinker:

4homer

As other have said you stayed, you adapted and didnt give up. Your a mother effen FABULOUS beast in my book. Your weight will go up and you keep rocking it

CantStopWontStop92

You go glen coco!

Hey I've totally been there. When I first started doing weight training, my gym rat friend was kind enough to show me the ropes. So we get to the bench, and he says, "Alright let's just practice form with the bar." He thought I was joking when I said I couldn't even begin to lift it. And this is around a gym-full of super buff frat dudes and athletes -_- It's become an inside joke now between us, but at the time I was mortified. And that wasn't going in alone like you did! So hats off to you my friend. Don't sweat it, just focus on you and when you're lifting like a beast you can turn down all the boys who made you feel uncomfortable:)

PetulantOne

You stayed, and you're not giving up...that's all that matters!

Like others have said, dumbbells are probably a good place to start until you can work up the bar.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll be way past the bar in no time. :flowerforyou:

whierd

You know what? You are ****ing awesome. I commend you for stepping out of your comfort zone and going to the gym. I understand how tough that can be.

A few tips:

If you are struggling with the bar, start with bodyweight squats, kettlebell squats, or static weight barbells. You'll move up in weight very rapidly and be able to show that bar who is boss.

sukiwabi

I started stronglifts last week after a looooong hiatus from lifting.

Walked into the gym, up to the the squat rack, which was already loaded with a couple 45s. Unloaded the weights, set up the safeties, got under the bar, unracked it....and then promptly realized it was too heavy for me, reracked it, walked over to the dumbbells and did goblet squats.

Currently I am so weak, I need to modify every exercise in stronglifts (goblet squats, dumbbell bench/overhead press/rows, dumbbell sldl)

Remember, stronglifts is designed for men eating at a surplus. If you are a woman at a deficit, you won't progress nearly as fast.

great post. sorry you have lost strength, but you and OP have the same non-quitting attitude. YEAH!!! :drinker:

AbstractAsterism

I really want to thank you all! I'm reading all these responses and they're bringing tears to my eyes. I really, really appreciate all of you for your kind/awesome words!

I'm definitely going to research/try everything you guys suggested, and see what works for me.

I might resurrect this thread when I conquer the bar!

ETA: :flowerforyou:

Jerrypeoples

i am 6ft tall, 230lbs and i can barely squat 150lbs. put me on a leg press and no problem. every where else people consider me somewhat strong but squats i just cant do. but you know what, i still do them. there is no shame what so ever in not being able to do something like that.

as others have said, the fact that you didnt just walk out and give up speaks volumes. keep at it

RunHardBeStrong

When I started I wouldn't have been able to lift the bar either. I started with body weight squats then dumbbells then a bar (10lbs) and then up to the Olympic bar.

The brilliant thing is that you didn't give up :flowerforyou:

As everyone has said, use dumbbells and work your way up to the empty bar, with your attitude you'll be squatting in the rack in No time :bigsmile:

Agreed ! I smiled when I saw that you stayed and compromised! I too started with bodyweight squats then 10 lb dumbbells, kept moving up till I got to the bar and now a loaded bar! You will get there because you're not a quitter!

darlilama

You know what? You win all the prizes for not simply walking out of the gym and quitting. SO much smarter to recognize your current abilities, and to work with - and improve on - those, rather than overdo it and injure yourself. Please don't be embarrassed - we all had to start somewhere!!! I bet you'll find that you progress really quickly over the next few weeks and months. Way to stick with it!!! *Standing ovation!!*

ETA: also, consider trying dumbbells instead of the bar if you want to still enjoy the benefits of free weights. I've done ALL my weight training using only dumbbells - you can still get awesome results and be full of badassery even if you don't lift a bar!

^^ This!!! You go, girl!!!!!! I wanted to do Stronglifts, but I work out at home in my basement - I'm fortunate enough to have a room dedicated to exercise - but the ceiling is too low for a bar with weights on it (not to mention the ductwork and lights)! So, I stick with my dumbbells. Believe me, dumbbells are no joke, either... and your arms are working independent of each other, so there's no "cheating" with your strong arm. :happy:

sbetts2229

Very happy to see that you stuck with it!!!! I'm in your corner, best of lucki

happydaze71

I agree, you are awesome for just getting in there and smashing out a workout!
I have no doubts what so ever that you will be not only lifting that bar soon, but it wont be long before you've got weights on the end of it!! You go girl

wannabpiper

You're way ahead of me; I can't even get up the courage to enter the gym. And I've spent a lot of time in military gyms, so I know the guts it took you to get there.

Love the helpful posts you're getting - they're helping me, too.

gmallan

Stick with it you'll get there.

I just wanted to add that you should make sure you are setting up your rack at the correct height. The pins should be set at a height so you have to squat down a little to get under the bar. You shouldn't have staright legs and have to do a calf raise (go up on your toes) to lift the bar off the pins.

Best of luck

MrsFowler1069

I really want to thank you all! I'm reading all these responses and they're bringing tears to my eyes. I really, really appreciate all of you for your kind/awesome words!

I'm definitely going to research/try everything you guys suggested, and see what works for me.

I might resurrect this thread when I conquer the bar!

ETA: :flowerforyou:

I have been struggling a LOT with getting started doing strength training, feeling like the little I can do is essentially nothing. I'm hiding in my own house doing it, lol, but I'm doing something....and my little bit will become more, too. Thanks so much for the encouragement, because I can see in your effort the things I fail to recognize in my own. Something else to work on, I guess. Congratulations to you for getting started and doing what you can do.

ldrosophila

You'll get to that point dont worry you have nothing to be embarrased about because you didnt quit you kept working. You are doing more than a lot of people.

Maybe you might want to look at a trainer. That's the one thing I dont like about the MFP forums a lot of people assume you are at the same physical level they are and can just pick up weights without any training or support . I had an ex ridicule me because I couldnt do shoulder presses on a machine.

FizikallyFit

Good for you for trying and for continuing trying even when faced with an obstacle. I know a lot of people who would not have even made it to the gym or would have left after the first ahem bump in the plan.

That said, hey everyone starts somewhere. Just keep at it and you will be lifting that bar in no time! They make 30lb bars so you can start with that. You will be amazed at how quickly your body will strengthen and adapt. And trust me you will feel like a rock star the first time you can lift that bar.

The best thing about working out is seeing your body do something that it was not able to do before.

Strive for progress not perfection and eventually you will reach your goals with a little patience =D
:drinker: :bigsmile:

kinmad4it

Absolutely amazing and inspirational.

The programme is called Starting Strength, no reason why you can't decide where you "start"

I've just started incorporating the overhead press in my own routine recently and could only just manage the empty bar the first time. So I warm up with the fixed weight bars before going for the full empty one.