Heavy lifting tips

Soufre
Soufre Posts: 236 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I love running. It's really the only workout I do. Sometimes I get bored and use the leg machines but that's usually once a week. I was afraid that lifting anything really heavy would make me look like a bulky manly-man.

But then I saw a tread full of women who posted their before and after heavy lifting pics and they did NOT look like manly-men. The looked quite hot actually. So now that I know that I won't end up looking like The Hulk, I want to start lifting. But I have nooo idea where to start, what to do, what the terms are, etc. I also don't want to look like a total clueless *kitten* at the gym so some tips would be greatly appreciated! (:
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Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    Look into

    Stronglifts 5x5
    starting strength
    New Rules of lifting

    They are all great programs to start with
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Look into

    Stronglifts 5x5
    starting strength
    New Rules of lifting

    They are all great programs to start with

    ^This.
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
    Buy the book Starting Strength, and it'll teach you the mechanism of all the most important strength-training lifts, as well as give you a template for a 3x a week full-body workout.

    If you can't afford the book (even the Kindle/e-reader version is good, that's the one I have), the template (and a lot else) is available here: http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

    There are various other programs, each with varying degrees of agreeability, but SS seems to get the most thumbs up from people.

    Almost more important than the lifts you do is how much nutrition you're getting and how much rest you're getting. It's important to eat and sleep to build muscle.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,982 Member
    If you are brand new to lifting, it would probably benefit you to take a few personal training sessions to learn the correct way to, lift, breathe, and stretch.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    If you are brand new to lifting, it would probably benefit you to take a few personal training sessions to learn the correct way to, lift, breathe, and stretch.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I learned way more reading Starting Strength than in any of my personal training sessions. OP, a lot of trainers really suck. Try the book first. I wish I had saved my money.
  • Soufre
    Soufre Posts: 236 Member
    If you are brand new to lifting, it would probably benefit you to take a few personal training sessions to learn the correct way to, lift, breathe, and stretch.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I learned way more reading Starting Strength than in any of my personal training sessions. OP, a lot of trainers really suck. Try the book first. I wish I had saved my money.

    This. I'm also too poor to afford a personal trainer. Thanks student loans!
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
    You can upload videos to the Starting Strength website (or even here... plenty of places) and folks will do a decent form check for you. If you've read the book fully you can even do it yourself. Sometimes, if your gym is good, there will be folks there who do things the right way and are willing to check for you.

    In the beginning, start slow... use the empty bar, get the movement down and settle into a groove and you'll be fine. The weight won't be heavy enough to do you any harm at first.

    Just make sure to have someone knowledgeable check your form before you go throwing many plates on the bar.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    STrong Lifts is free...there is a great summary here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    with links to videos etc for form viewing etc.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Starting Strength is great. It's on my kindle so I have started checking it for references. Stronglifts is free online. It is a very basic 5x5 program, also full body, and good for beginners.

    Start slow. Watch lots of videos on form, practice form in the mirror if you are uncomfortable. Gradually increase weights.

    Also, don't be afraid to customize with accessory lifts. We're all built differently and have areas we'd like to work harder than others.
  • hearthemelody
    hearthemelody Posts: 1,025 Member
    STrong Lifts is free...there is a great summary here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    with links to videos etc for form viewing etc.

    That is by far the BEST place to go that I have yet found.

    Check it out!!
  • handyrunner
    handyrunner Posts: 32,662 Member
    Definitly starting strength and 5x5.. are ways to go. I honestly believe that lifting has helped my running in regards to my endurance and injury avoidance...however I take a hit in speed..Since im not getting a gold medal anytime soon.
  • rubisliprz
    rubisliprz Posts: 139 Member
    bump... thanks all for the links!
  • quellybelly
    quellybelly Posts: 827 Member
    STrong Lifts is free...there is a great summary here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    with links to videos etc for form viewing etc.

    ^ this!

    I started off with Stronglifts 5x5 when I was very new to lifting. I found the program to be very straight forward and easy to follow. Make sure you learn good technique and then away you go! Good luck :D
  • jess135177
    jess135177 Posts: 186 Member
    I'm just starting to lift. I'm doing strong lifts, my gym offers 1 free personal training session so I showed the trainer what lifts I want to learn and he helped me learn the proper form. Or if you know someone that can help...it really is useful.
  • dannatona
    dannatona Posts: 101 Member
    I agree that getting someone to help is really important if you're new to lifting. I have a few friends that seriously hurt themselves lifting on their own because they thought they were doing proper form. I hired a trainer and I feel so much more confident when I'm at the gym, I finally know how to use everything correctly and I know I'm doing it with good form so I don't worry about hurting myself :)
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Buy the book Starting Strength, and it'll teach you the mechanism of all the most important strength-training lifts, as well as give you a template for a 3x a week full-body workout.

    If you can't afford the book (even the Kindle/e-reader version is good, that's the one I have), the template (and a lot else) is available here: http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

    There are various other programs, each with varying degrees of agreeability, but SS seems to get the most thumbs up from people.

    Almost more important than the lifts you do is how much nutrition you're getting and how much rest you're getting. It's important to eat and sleep to build muscle.


    Quoting this and restating the link: http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki


    At that link, you can download an Excel workbook that has worksheets for several different variations of the program. For instance, if you can't (or just don't want to do) Power Cleans, the Practical Programming version has you doing pull-ups and chin-ups. Of course, if you can't do those, you could always do lat pull-downs with the appropriate grips.
  • brandnewsnickerpuss
    brandnewsnickerpuss Posts: 110 Member
    Bump!
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    In addition to Stronglifts, which someone has already so kindly posted a link, you should also get acquainted with this group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
  • clumsytrish
    clumsytrish Posts: 1
    Bump - don't want to lose this. Good information - I'm obviously not the OP but thanks anyway everyone!
  • tonyalenore
    tonyalenore Posts: 58 Member
    Look into

    Stronglifts 5x5
    starting strength
    New Rules of lifting

    They are all great programs to start with

    I am new-ish at lifting, and I bought both these books (starting strength and new rules) and would recommend them. Haven't finished starting strength yet, but it's helpful so far.

    I follow the stronglifts program because it is really simple.
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
    bodybuilding.com for videos, exercises and resources as well
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
    Yeah heavy lifting can look a bit overwhelming at first if you've never done it before, especially squats and deadlifts. Try to educate yourself on correct form, start off light, and if possible grab a trainer from the gym or a random and have them confirm your form is okay.
  • hearthemelody
    hearthemelody Posts: 1,025 Member
    bodybuilding.com for videos, exercises and resources as well

    I found that website REALLY weird...
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    If you are brand new to lifting, it would probably benefit you to take a few personal training sessions to learn the correct way to, lift, breathe, and stretch.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I learned way more reading Starting Strength than in any of my personal training sessions. OP, a lot of trainers really suck. Try the book first. I wish I had saved my money.

    I agree with this. Not all trainers are made equal, niner - the chap I saw said, 'don't worry about hitting parallel, quarter squats are fine' and, 'here, put your heels on this block' :/

    I literally could not squat till I read starting strength.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    as someone who's numerous times been told by trainers that i shouldnt lift heavy because it would make me bulky I'd definitely agree with not just going with any trainer.

    not to mention the number of trainers i've had to show proper deadlift form because they thought it was something else. unfortunately not all trainers are as good as you'd hope they were.
  • suemin68
    suemin68 Posts: 11 Member
    bump
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    Talk to your gym staff. Many times they are looking for something to do. Also the new rules for lifting book is really good I understand. Key elements to remember is to not train the same muscles everyday. I usually train on a 2-3 day offset. Legs and core one day, back and biceps the next (sometimes with core - core is a different type of muscle so more frequent training on that is ok). Third day is chest, shoulders and triceps filled by a repeat or a day or two off then repeat. Depends on my work and gym schedule. I also mix in some cardio whenever I go. Seems to work for me.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    If you are brand new to lifting, it would probably benefit you to take a few personal training sessions to learn the correct way to, lift, breathe, and stretch.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I learned way more reading Starting Strength than in any of my personal training sessions. OP, a lot of trainers really suck. Try the book first. I wish I had saved my money.

    This. I'm also too poor to afford a personal trainer. Thanks student loans!

    I would go combo of starting strength and youtube videos to check form …

    once you have form down build a program where you are lifting with compound movements three days a week ..

    For the record -niner gives great advice and is not a BS trainer...
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    If you're still in college you could always stop by the athletics department and talk to the powerlifting coach, if they have one. That's what I did... ten million years ago. :D
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
    bodybuilding.com for videos, exercises and resources as well

    I found that website REALLY weird...

    Lol. You do have to dig a little and a lot of fitness/professional body builders use it. I like it for searching for different exercises, videos and articles. They have some good ones on the abdominal muscles, etc. You can search for exercises for each muscle group and filter it buy which equipment you have.
    I also ignore any information regarding supplements, protein and whatnot that they sell. I know nothing about them and I don't care to weed out the good information from the bad. And I don't need them I go there just for exercises and videos.

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