So you want to start lifting? Great!

Fujiberry

bumpity

Fujiberry

Hi,

Hoping this post is ok to ask a few questions in. I'm a woman who recently lost some weight and I want to move into maintenance mode now but recomp my body. I'm currently taking a break from cardio to give my body a rest, but previously I was exercising 5-6 days per week with a blend of jogging, HIIT and calisthenics + light dumbbells (5 lbs).

I am pretty fit in that I can jog 4 miles without stopping - not overly impressive times but my endurance is ok and I can do push-ups and burped and whatever else.

I want to gain strength and give my body a rest and maintain my weight but keep building strength and muscle. I currently have a routine that would consist of 2 days arms and 2 days legs workout with 2 HIIT sessions peppered in between. I don't have access to a gym however and have a stability ball, 8 lb dumbbells and 20lb dumbbells at home. The 20 lbs are mainly to hold during the leg workouts.

With such light hand weights though, am I wasting my time? Just started upping my cals to maintenance this week too so I am a little worried about putting on weight but if my body needs to to be stronger I won't fight that - would just prefer not to gain inches!

Any insight is appreciated

Check your messages~

haleighface

Commenting to save for reference! Just started lifting without any guidance, happy to have this info!

marricurt

Following along for reference....

The_Raspberry

Bumping for later, I want to start lifting but have no idea what to do. This thread seams full of great tips! Thanks op!

Fujiberry

nomorebingesgirl2014

Bump

ythannah

In so I can keep the videos handy...

ditto...

edited to add: it's comforting to see a few others who are struggling with the OHP too!

Fujiberry

Revived!

pinkiezoom

Bump for info later

girlinahat

in so I can watch videos and learn the OHP

fatcity66

Does anyone else love watching dudes do squats? Good lord.

fatcity66

RECowgill wrote: »

This is very good advice of course, I would go a bit further and simplify your list of information personally. There are lots of different exercises to do, but only 5 that someone who is new should do:

* Back Squat --- http://youtu.be/dQFsSj2IUAo
* Bench press --- http://youtu.be/34XRmd3a8_0
* Deadlift --- http://youtu.be/nXfzWe-6t0w
* Standing Overhead press
* Bent over row
(I'm adding in a few example vids that I like, but please do your own research).

You already mentioned them, but I would really emphasize these 5. These 5 are the only lifts a new lifter needs to do. They are the most rudimentary lifts every lifter should know. It took me months to figure that out, wish I would've had someone spell that out for me in the beginning. Do these 5 and ignore everything else. Literally. Until you get good at them, everything else is wasting time.

These 5 compounds can be a little bit scary for newbies, they were for me. I suggest you go on YouTube and search "how to" on each one (how to deadlift, how to bench, etc). Lots of good proper instruction will come up. Watch and learn at least a few videos on each move to get a sample for the different subtleties and nuances from different instructors.

A word of advice: maybe you're a dude who thinks he knows how to do one of these already, like benching. You probably don't, actually. Learn from these people who really know what they're doing and please study proper form. Even if you think you know, review the basics. Do it periodically. The last thing you want when lifting is an injury.

The worst thing you can do is copy what others do at the gym. Please don't, people at the gym don't know what they're doing. The reason: people don't study. They don't ask critical questions. Some do, most don't. If you copy others you see, listen to your boyfriend or whatever, odds are their knowledge is incomplete and probably bad. YouTube videos are your best crowd sourced knowledge base. Do your own research. Please get in the habit of researching and studying.

I'd skip pushups, pull-ups, chin-ups and dips to start. They are good compounds sure, but many new people don't have the strength to do 1 pull-up. Build some strength using the 5 then start incorporating other compounds like those. Really, every exercise is superfluous outside of the basic 5 lifts. I'd also argue they just aren't as good, pull-ups are a good compound but they only work a subset if the body. Squats etc work the entire body, and really need to be learned first.

And the sooner you do and learn the 5 compounds the better off you'll be. If you're serious about lifting it will take you years to master all 5. They inform so many other lifts (there are many variants of them, related lifts etc) and it's almost impossible to know them all. But to start it's really that simple, the more complex and deeper stuff will come later.

And as some twins say, it's just advice. Do your own research and figure it out.

Thanks for this! So, a push-up is basically the same as a bench press, right? I ask because I don't have access to much equipment right now. Any suggestions for body weight exercises, or with dumbells, for beginners?

Fujiberry

fatcity66 wrote: »

Thanks for this! So, a push-up is basically the same as a bench press, right? I ask because I don't have access to much equipment right now. Any suggestions for body weight exercises, or with dumbells, for beginners?

I prefer barbells to dumbbells, but if you have limited equipment, you have to make do with what you got! :P

Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Row

Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell deadlift
Lunges
Calf raises

You'll need a wider variety of dumbbells, but you can always try to make do. You can fill sacks with sand, jugs with water, etc.

fatcity66

Fujiberry wrote: »

fatcity66 wrote: »

Thanks for this! So, a push-up is basically the same as a bench press, right? I ask because I don't have access to much equipment right now. Any suggestions for body weight exercises, or with dumbells, for beginners?

I prefer barbells to dumbbells, but if you have limited equipment, you have to make do with what you got! :P

Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Row

Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell deadlift
Lunges
Calf raises

You'll need a wider variety of dumbbells, but you can always try to make do. You can fill sacks with sand, jugs with water, etc.

Too True! I only have up to 20 lbs dumbbells at the moment, but I am considering joining a gym. I have been concentrating on more strength training and just using cardio as a warm up and cool down, and I am starting to like it!

I do usually do 3 sets of:

Push-ups on knees
Upright rows
Shoulder press
Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbell Deadlifts
Dumbbell Crunches

Sometimes I add in:
Tricep kickbacks or triangle presses
Bicep curls

The Deadlifts are the one thing on which I feel I could really benefit from having a barbell.

Am I missing anything crucial? What is the best exercise to strengthen my back muscles?

Fujiberry

fatcity66 wrote: »

Fujiberry wrote: »

fatcity66 wrote: »

Thanks for this! So, a push-up is basically the same as a bench press, right? I ask because I don't have access to much equipment right now. Any suggestions for body weight exercises, or with dumbells, for beginners?

I prefer barbells to dumbbells, but if you have limited equipment, you have to make do with what you got! :P

Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Row

Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell deadlift
Lunges
Calf raises

You'll need a wider variety of dumbbells, but you can always try to make do. You can fill sacks with sand, jugs with water, etc.

Too True! I only have up to 20 lbs dumbbells at the moment, but I am considering joining a gym. I have been concentrating on more strength training and just using cardio as a warm up and cool down, and I am starting to like it!

I do usually do 3 sets of:

Push-ups on knees
Upright rows
Shoulder press
Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbell Deadlifts
Dumbbell Crunches

Sometimes I add in:
Tricep kickbacks or triangle presses
Bicep curls

The Deadlifts are the one thing on which I feel I could really benefit from having a barbell.

Am I missing anything crucial? What is the best exercise to strengthen my back muscles?

Deadlifts and rows are the main two for your back. They both work your back (mainly) as well as other muscles that help you stabilize yourself while doing them.
Some people do good mornings (I guess you hold the dumbbells on your shoulders...?), but those hurt my lower back too much.

Topsking2010

Bump

fatcity66

Fujiberry wrote: »

fatcity66 wrote: »

Fujiberry wrote: »

fatcity66 wrote: »

Thanks for this! So, a push-up is basically the same as a bench press, right? I ask because I don't have access to much equipment right now. Any suggestions for body weight exercises, or with dumbells, for beginners?

I prefer barbells to dumbbells, but if you have limited equipment, you have to make do with what you got! :P

Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Row

Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell deadlift
Lunges
Calf raises

You'll need a wider variety of dumbbells, but you can always try to make do. You can fill sacks with sand, jugs with water, etc.

Too True! I only have up to 20 lbs dumbbells at the moment, but I am considering joining a gym. I have been concentrating on more strength training and just using cardio as a warm up and cool down, and I am starting to like it!

I do usually do 3 sets of:

Push-ups on knees
Upright rows
Shoulder press
Dumbbell Squats
Dumbbell Lunges
Dumbbell Deadlifts
Dumbbell Crunches

Sometimes I add in:
Tricep kickbacks or triangle presses
Bicep curls

The Deadlifts are the one thing on which I feel I could really benefit from having a barbell.

Am I missing anything crucial? What is the best exercise to strengthen my back muscles?

Deadlifts and rows are the main two for your back. They both work your back (mainly) as well as other muscles that help you stabilize yourself while doing them.
Some people do good mornings (I guess you hold the dumbbells on your shoulders...?), but those hurt my lower back too much.

Thank you so much!

bogo_baby

Replying for reference

aerome

How do I know how much to lift for each exercise? I only have dumbbells up to 15 lbs... Is squatting with 30 lbs going to strengthen my butt that much? I see a lot of the lifters lift 100+ lbs for squats. What weight did they start at? How do you know when to increase?

healthydeb3

Thanks for the info! Can't wait to start!

Fujiberry

aerome wrote: »

How do I know how much to lift for each exercise? I only have dumbbells up to 15 lbs... Is squatting with 30 lbs going to strengthen my butt that much? I see a lot of the lifters lift 100+ lbs for squats. What weight did they start at? How do you know when to increase?

If it's moderately heavy for you that you're struggling after the 8th or so rep, then that's a good weight to start at. You can't compare your starting weight to others-- they might be more or less athletic than you with more/less muscle mass.

Sam_I_Am77

chrisdavey wrote: »

One thing I will mention is that even though I am a huge fan of compound lifts they aren't actually "required". For people with injuries or mobility issues some of these can actually be dangerous so it is important to make sure that you are able to do them safely. And there is no reason why you can't switch in leg presses for squats while you work on hip/ankle mobility for example.
.

Yes, Squats & Deadlifts are not the universal answer for getting stronger. Though most can do them right away it's not always appropriate for everybody to jump right into them; sometimes other things need to be corrected / improved first. Although I would say Leg Presses are not a great solution either as their is marginal hamstring recruitment, which is something most true beginners will need. Some form of a DB Lunge or Step-Up is probably even better at first.

laura2813

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!! I've been on machines afraid to do anything else and some of this information will help me to get out of my tiny box.

MacCroc

Thanks a lot! I am just planning to switch from isolation to compound excersises, and this is very helpful.

Can you recommend some more basic excercises for lower body part? My main goal is to change the shape of the legs, so I want at least 50% of excercises to be aimed at leg muscles.
Also, what about the abs?

Thanks in advance!

giusa

tag

vfit10

I love you wink:

cocobongo

Great thread. Following.

Labouffecestbon

Bump!

PeanutbutterBang

I am so glad I read all of this, thanks everyone!