NEWBIE

mama_bear91215

I started my 5 x 5 workout A last night, well sort of, we did squats and bench presses but I just didn't feel like I could complete the barbell rows without researching the form further. Needless to say I'm sore today, mostly because I lead a sedentary lifestyle..I sit behind a desk for 8+ hours a day. I was just wondering how everyone learned their correct form? I just have this fear that I'm doing it wrong and will hurt myself..it also doesn't help that the girl I'm working out with thinks that she is a great lifter and can teach me, but i know from just the basic videos that she has the wrong form, but she just doesn't belive me! I'm just afraid I'm going to injur myself trying to keep up with her! Uhhh sorry this is becoming more of a rant than a question, isn't it? my bad.

thanks ladies! I'm just so excited to start, but so nervous too because the gym was packed and we were the ONLY girls lifting! and the guys were just talking major smack!

lwoodroff

well done! tune out the guys for a start

use the mirror, videos online, take some of you and post them here, strongly recommend you get 'starting strength' by Mark Rippetoe (first chapter free on kindle) - it goes into plenty of technical detail!

and if you don't trust your friend's judgement, maybe it's worth getting a session with a PT for the basics?

mama_bear91215

Oh I did, as half the guys judging had wrong form too! lol
That's what I was thinking, although the gym I went to was crazy I'm not sure any of their PT know what they're talking about! I'm so scared of barbell rows and dead lifts, ok and overhead too!

lwoodroff

practise at home in the mirror, read up, watch videos, then take some vid and we can help.

most women don't increase weight fast enough as we are worried about form (guilty!) and most men add weight too fast and ignore form..

mama_bear91215

that is so me! so i will add 5 more lbs tomorrow, i'm really scared of the barbell rows, and dead lifts!

emjaycazz

I was the only woman in a full weight room yesterday, so I can sympathize! I had to turn up the volume in my earbuds quite a few times. Kudos to you for working through all of the noise, particularly on your first go at it! I was also scared of deadlifts, but now I love them and they are my favorite lift.

I watched video after video after video before I even attempted a single weighted squat. I am really partial to Elliott Hulse/strengthcamp on YouTube--well partially because he is gorgeous. :blushing:

mama_bear91215

i'll have to check him out! lol
oh it was so crazy and all these men were like hogging machines, this dude sitting for bench presses was just sitting there not lifting, just singing to himself..lol

but to each their own..there was a really nice guy by himself who was helping my friend and I but I just realized we were using the smith machine! eek!

rlw911

Ignore the guys! Act like you know what you're doing and go about your business. Soon they'll see you know what you're doing and leave you alone, especially when you can lift more than them! :laugh:

Here's a link to the Pendlay Rows, from Greg Pendlay himself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlRrIsoDpKg

Google Mark Rippetoe (Starting Strength,etc.), he knows his stuff. There's also a series of good instructional videos called "So you think you can squat, bench, deadlift, etc. that are good.

Welcome!