No Idea About Weight Lifting

MommyMichelle1234
MommyMichelle1234 Posts: 25 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I really want to start lifting weights at the gym, but am embarrassed to walk up to a machine that I know nothing about. Tips for a newbie anyone?

Replies

  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    Read a book like New Rules of Lifting for Women, Starting Strength or Strong Lifts (available online). Many people here recommend free weights over machines because they work more muscles, including stabilizer and cores muscles, then a muscle isolation exercise. If the machines are intimidating you, and you have access to dumbbells and barbells, those may be less scary.

    Consider consulting with a well-qualified personal trainer for a few sessions to help you learn proper technique and get you comfortable. Watch lots of youtube videos on correct posture and browse the forums for advice.
  • MommyMichelle1234
    MommyMichelle1234 Posts: 25 Member
    Great ideas! Thank you!
  • ModernNerd
    ModernNerd Posts: 336 Member
    Agreeing with the other poster, personally I like free weights better because lord knows where your knees and elbows and such and such go in weight machines. Heaven forbid you put a limb out of place and whack it off altogether.

    Anywho...

    New Rules is a great starting point as is bodybuilding.com. There are also a boatload of helpful videos on youtube. And last but not least, don't hesitate to bother the experienced folks on mfp! Shucks I bug the bajeezus out of my FL, but nixing your pride and asking for help is the best thing to do starting out. You could also talk to the trainers at whatever gym you go to. I found it particularly helpful having someone right there to correct my form the first time I tried compound lifts.

    Best of luck OP :flowerforyou:
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    Google/YouTube:

    Ice Cream Fitness 5x5
    Stronglifts 5x5
    NROLFW
    Starting Strength
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    I much prefer free weights and cable machines. Those fixed machines are isolation movements that don't work your stabilizing muscles, and they can really screw you up if you're not aligned correctly.

    Most gyms will give you a free orientation session with a trainer - see if you can sign up for one of these. You'll get an hour of someone showing you exercises for your goals. If you're new to lifting, I'd really recommend a couple of sessions with a trainer or going with a friend who knows something about lifting so you can get your form right - having bad form is how you hurt yourself, and you don't want that!
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
    I'm a big advocate of the New Rules book, I'm on the program now and I'm already making improvements in my strength! I used to mainly work on the machines but I really didn't improve the way I expected to, because you're not using your stabilizing and balancing muscles that you need to do real life activities. I've made more improvements in two weeks on NROL than I did on a whole semester of the weight machines.

    Plus the book is really enjoyable to read.

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