Just starting out

madhatter2013

Completed day 2 of SL 5X5. I have sore muscles in my *kitten* that I didn't know I had, but I feel great about this new workout. I've never really lifted before, at least not in a gym setting. I move my furniture around all the time. I've usually only done cardio and the resistance machines at the gym so this'll be a good new experience, I think. I'm not sure about dead lifts, though. I'm gonna have to watch more videos to make sure my form is correct.

Sallybally55

I've been lurking around here for a while and plan on starting next week... was it hard? intimidating? spill!

jstout365

Congrats on completing day 2!

SezxyStef

I've been lurking around here for a while and plan on starting next week... was it hard? intimidating? spill!

I remember my first workout...keeping in mind I am not new to lifting and I had done lots of bodyweight workouts to build up to it...

I found my first workout refreshingly nice...it wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either. Intimidating for sure, new moves with barbells and plates...

But that first week hooked me...6months in I am keener than ever.

madhatter2013

I've been lurking around here for a while and plan on starting next week... was it hard? intimidating? spill!

I remember my first workout...keeping in mind I am not new to lifting and I had done lots of bodyweight workouts to build up to it...

I found my first workout refreshingly nice...it wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either. Intimidating for sure, new moves with barbells and plates...

But that first week hooked me...6months in I am keener than ever.

This is my second week into it and I learned a very valuable lesson. That is to pay attention to detail. As I was doing workout A today, I was watching a guy doing deadlifts and thought to myself, "why in the world would you have one hand holding the bar foward facing and the other facing the opposite direction?" Then I realized I was doing it wrong. I'll have to watch the videos and pay attention to my form for the rest of this week. I never would have thought of the hand thing. It seems like such a small detail.

krokador

Congrats on you guys for starting the program! You'll see, being strong is awesome!

As for the deadlift, do know that double overhand is not a bad thing. It works the grip a lot more, which when you're starting out with heavy weights is definitely something you want to do.

Mixed grip can be dangerous if you don't have your form down well because you'll be tempted to help the bar up with your underhand side and that could potentially put unwanted stress on your biceps. I'd suggest you do as many reps as you can with a double overhand before you switch to mixed grip. As the weights get heavier and your grip fails, it's perfectly fine to switch. But there is more to gain from doing double overhand IMO.

jstout365

Yep, he was using a mixed grip. Typically, that grip is used once the weight gets heavy and your grip is failing with double overhand. I would recommend using double overhand for as long as you can. You are not doing it wrong that way, you are doing it in a safer way. I typically try to do all my warm up DL sets with double overhand to help work on grip strength. My grip may fail at the higher warm up weights, but it is how I work on improving my grip. I then switch over to mixed grip for my work set since it is well past the weight my grip can handle. A very nice person called me out for bending my underhand arm in my last form video and I didn't even realize it was like that way during the lift. That is how bicep damage happens. Stick with the double overhand as long as you can and be careful when you do make the switch.

madhatter2013

Good to know. I'll stick with it the way I've been doing it. Thanks ladies!

rlw911

I use a hook grip. Basically, you wrap your thumb around the bar first, then wrap your fingers over your thumb. It takes some getting used to, but it feels very secure.