Strength Training....w t f?

laurie_renee

I am fairly new to the exercise game...so when I think about lifting weights...at a gym...in front of a butt load of super buff dudes...I just want to hide! I don't even know where to begin. I have a membership at Planet Fitness and all I do is cardio because I have no clue what I'm doing and am too embarrassed to ask someone for help. Is it even important to lift weights and all that before I've even lost weight? My questions might be dumb but I'm just confused.....HELP ME lol

radical_days

my answer would be to ask someone who works at the gym to give you a walk around of all the machines! once you do it a few times you'll get over the awkwardness!!!

not to take over your post but i have a question too related to this!!

WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO OR CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS?

cricket_77

Lifting has actually helped me lose weight! Look up some You Tube videos or look up Strong Lifts or New Rules of Lifting for Women to get started. Learn the proper form and then hit the weights .

cricket_77

I don't do both on the same day, but if I did, I would do weights before cardio.

JoRocka

strong lifts
starting strength
strong curves
new rules of lifting for women

all of these will teach you the basic things you need to know so you can feel confident about what you are doing. Once you know what you are supposed to be doing- it will feel a heck of a lot less scary.

also just start slow and realize- no one actually cares what you are doing- they may watch- but they don't really care. People watching happens in the weight section- it's what people do- rest- drink water- people watch- go on face book- whatever. it's normal.

Holly_Roman_Empire

OP, to be honest, most of the dudes aren't going to care, especially at Planet Fitness. Judgement-free zone right? You just got to take on an "I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude and do it.

As for this:

my answer would be to ask someone who works at the gym to give you a walk around of all the machines! once you do it a few times you'll get over the awkwardness!!!

not to take over your post but i have a question too related to this!!

WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO OR CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS?

Weights before cardio. At least, that's what the military preaches. I separate strength and cardio on different days, though, so it's not an issue for me.

j6o4

There are no buff dudes at planet fitness, that gym discriminates against them.

bizco

Lifting weights will help you minimize muscle loss while you're losing weight, so yes, it's critical. I completed "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" program and it totally changed the appearance of my body. Check your local library or Amazon.

There are other programs to choose from too as mentioned in other posts.

bizco

my answer would be to ask someone who works at the gym to give you a walk around of all the machines! once you do it a few times you'll get over the awkwardness!!!

not to take over your post but i have a question too related to this!!

WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO OR CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS?

Always weights before cardio.

TFaustino67

This >

my answer would be to ask someone who works at the gym to give you a walk around of all the machines! once you do it a few times you'll get over the awkwardness!!!

not to take over your post but i have a question too related to this!!

WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO OR CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS?

brianpperkins

Super buff dudes at Planet Fitness? :laugh:


Strength training helps build and maintain lean mass ... aka, muscle. Muscle burns calories at rest, unlike fat. Hmmm ... increased metabolism, improved body composition (lean mass vs body fat percentages), no risk of bulking without specifically training and eating with that as a goal ... but it doesn't start happening until you ask a few questions or read up on how to perform the exercises then start doing them as part of a plan.

NeverCatchYourBreath

my answer would be to ask someone who works at the gym to give you a walk around of all the machines! once you do it a few times you'll get over the awkwardness!!!

not to take over your post but i have a question too related to this!!

WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO OR CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS?

Weights before cardio. Doing cardio before weights takes a lot of the power and energy out of your weight training.

As for the OP... if you're at a planet fitness I'm going to venture there aren't that many "super buff dudes" there haha. ok, jokes aside. They don't care what you're doing. Also, PF has those 30 minutes workout rooms, don't they? You can read the instructions on the machine and do that since it's usually in a room by itself you might not feel like people are staring.

Weights ARE important for weight loss. The more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn when you AREN'T working out!!! That's very important! It's also important for the prevention of osteoperosis, for injury prevention, and for maintaining as much muscle as possible while you are losing fat.

Start on the machines where you can read the instructions before venturing into the free weights if you're scared. Also, bodybuilding.com has a video for EVERY exercise you can possibly imagine. Take a look so you will know the form before walking into the weight section. Just choose a light weight to make sure you get the form and don't hurt yourself then you can grab a heavier weight on your next set if need be. Write down which excercises you want to do and do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise and you'll look like a pro in no time.

giggitygoo

My advice:

Find friendly looking buff dude or lady, ask if they mind showing how the machines work. Most consider it a complement to be asked.


Or if you're too shy order a book like "New Rules of Lifting for Women"


Actually, you should order the book anyway. It sets up programs that you as a beginner wouldn't be able to plan on your own.

Holly_Roman_Empire

There are no buff dudes at planet fitness, that gym discriminates against them.

And this.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Lifting weights while you lose weight will help you retain your muscle so that you arrive at your goal weight with a lower body fat percentage.

Ex: If a person went from 160 lbs to 140 lbs and they had 110 lbs of lean body mass (incl muscle) to start with but they lost 50/50 fat and muscle, they'd arrive at their goal weight at 140 lbs, with 40 lbs of that being fat.

However if the same person lifted weights and managed to keep all of their lean body mass, they'd arrive at their goal weight of 140 lbs with only 30 lbs of fat and so they would look less flabby.

Make sense?

I also recommend Starting Strength, Stronglifts, or New Rules of Lifting. There are instructions with each program for the lifts. I also watched a ton of YouTube form videos. You start with just the empty bar until you get the form down. Then you add weight. If you can afford to hire a trainer for a few sessions to show you the ropes that could be extremely helpful. I didn't do that-- I just took videos of myself lifting and posted them here for form checks.

A lot of women feel self-conscious when they start. I did. But once I actually got started I LOVED lifting and once I saw what it did for my body I loved it even more.

maezombiegirl

You should look into Serious Strength http://www.seriousstrength.com/site/...it is really all you need and you can do it at home with modified weights or use gym equipment. Cardio is basically a waste of time, since our bodies are designed to sprint and not jog (if you had to escape a burning building, sprinting is the way to go, not jogging). And serious strength builds muscle fast.

Sagarys

To the cardio or weights first question:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/cardio-or-weights-first-exercise-order_n_1739089.html

"Let's start with the muscle-building scenario. "Doing cardio first will induce fatigue that may compromise technique and possibly increase risk of injury," explains Fabio Comana, director of Continuing Education for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Exhausting oneself with a big run right before weights and resistance training doesn't just up the risk of injury, it also means you'll have less energy to throw into a really good weight training session."

"On the other hand, if you're looking to lose fat, Halevy recommends doing interval cardio training before getting started on weights. As he explains, the cardio will deplete your body's supply of glycogen -- the stored form of glucose in muscle cells and a primary material in our energy storage. Once glycogen is depleted, the body turns to more long-term storage sources, like fat.

"If your goal is strictly a lean body -- not to be strongest, or most powerful, but achieve maximal leanness -- I always recommend implementing high-intensity interval training at the beginning of each workout," says Halevy."

eyecandyrayce

They probably will be thinking the same thing that went through my head when I saw a larger lady down in the free weight area lifting weights.... "RIGHT ON! You go girl!"

Soccer_Chick

I just sent you a message. Good luck! You WILL do it!

laurie_renee

O K..........the planet fitness "buff" jokes aside.

Unknown

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jim180155

Cardio is basically a waste of time, since our bodies are designed to sprint and not jog (if you had to escape a burning building, sprinting is the way to go, not jogging).

You've got that backward. Humans are endurance machines. If you compare our strengths against the animal kingdom, we are not particularly strong or fast. But we can outlast any other animal. In our hunter/gatherer days, we stalked animals that were faster, eventually wearing them down until they could run no more, then closed in for the kill.

We might sprint from a burning building or a charging lion because we have no other choice, but as a species we excel at endurance running.

DJManos

You just got to take on an "I don't care what anyone thinks" attitude and do it.

This more than anything else....

JoRocka

Cardio is basically a waste of time, since our bodies are designed to sprint and not jog (if you had to escape a burning building, sprinting is the way to go, not jogging).

You've got that backward. Humans are endurance machines. If you compare our strengths against the animal kingdom, we are not particularly strong or fast. But we can outlast any other animal. In our hunter/gatherer days, we stalked animals that were faster, eventually wearing them down until they could run no more, then closed in for the kill.

We might sprint from a burning building or a charging lion because we have no other choice, but as a species we excel at endurance running.

someone told me we weren't designed to run from an evolutionary stand point (I mean generic running- not sprinting or jogging- just the gate faster than a walk)

I totally LOLed- thank god we can do both.

must_deflate

Like everyone says-- Just ask an employee to show and demonstrate the machines. I don't know about Planet Fitness, but at most places that's their JOB. So make them do their job. Tell them you want to learn a series of 8 or 10 machines that will work all the major muscle groups. (Most places have a "line" of machines for this purpose.) Ask them to show you the right seat settings for you, and to help you pick the right weights. Bring pencil and paper and take notes.

I always do cardio after weights. I've tried the other way, but the cardio always tires me out enough so I'm not very motivated with the weights.

I've done regular gym time for the past 30 (yikes) years and no matter what new things I try, I always go back to the same routine. This routine consists of approx. 10 machines- starting with the leg machines, then the upper body, then abs and lower back. Then 20 to 30 minutes on the bike or treadmill or stair-stepper. I do one set of 8 to 12 reps on each machine. If I can manage more than 12 reps, I increase the weight. I carry a little chart with me to keep track of the weights and reps, so I always know what I did the last time.
This routine has always given me good results and it is simple and short enough that I actually will do it.

If you're just getting started, I think the machines are a good way to go because they are systematic. Most important, just get in there and DO SOMETHING-- whatever works for you. And don't worry about what other people think -- it's not your problem, and anyhow generally they are too focused on their workout to care.

chichi2130

If you aren't comfortable asking for help, I'd just recommend heading towards the machines rather than the free weight area. I've been to 2 PF locations and they both have the machines sort of grouped together - a section each for legs, arms, and abs/back. If you go over and look at the machines, there are pictures of which muscle groups are worked and there are even instructions right on the machine.

I personally prefer to do weights when the gym is a little emptier so there aren't people walking around me and/or waiting for me to finish.

You can do it!

cwolfman13

Give this a read...

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

AlysonG2

my answer would be to ask someone who works at the gym to give you a walk around of all the machines! once you do it a few times you'll get over the awkwardness!!!

not to take over your post but i have a question too related to this!!

WEIGHTS BEFORE CARDIO OR CARDIO BEFORE WEIGHTS?

Weights before cardio.

_Terrapin_

before this thread reaches page 3....cardio then weights and some days the opposite, depends on what body parts I'll lift and what type of cardio I'm doing.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

There are no buff dudes at planet fitness, that gym discriminates against them.

This is not true. Also, you can set up an appointment to meet with the trainer for free. I was doing All Pro when I started going to Planet Fitness, but since I needed fractionals, the trainer wrote up a 3 day split for me, and believe it or not, he didn't tell me I couldn't do deadlifts! *gasp* You can do pretty much any program there, it's just a matter of the limited weights on the free weights. Barbells only go up to 60, and I think it's the same for dumbbells, which get harder to hold the heavier you go. I'm usually the only girl in the weight room, but I got over it.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

Also, you might want to give this a read. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1169757-i-am-the-woman-in-the-freeweights-section-of-the-gym