asking for help at gym

margannmks

Im not new to exercise,weight training but am new to the gym. I joined the Y after my other place closed. There is alot of equipment im not used to and the free weights area is really confusing too me with all the different benches. So ive been doing all my lifts with dumbells cause i can just get what i want and they have the empty benches right there too. I want to do barbell squats as im at my limit with goblet squats holding 35 lbs. And i want to do deadlifts and have never done one. I saw a girl doing squats with the barbell on what i guess is the smith thing yall keep saying is bad and i havent seen what looks like a squat rack. There are some barbells that are already set with weights,i mostly see people use them to do curls and overhead press, can i use those?With the experience ive had with the trainer thing is it ok to ask someone whos working out.

margannmks

Edited to shorten. Thank you

Chaskavitch

You can definitely use the pre-set barbells to do squats. You'll still be a little bit limited by what you can get over your shoulders, though, if there isn't a squat rack at all. I'd recommend also adding Bulgarian Split Squats or weighted lunges too, those are much easier to get the form right with dumbbells and they're definitely NOT easy, even with lighter weights. The Smith machine is "bad" because your form is super weird since the bar doesn't move with your body, and you don't have engage as many muscles for stabilization as a normal squat. I've got nothing for deadlifts, because my form is terrible and I don't do them, so I don't really know what you could use besides a barbell. You could do stiff-legged dead lift or hip thrusts for glute and hamstring work, but they aren't quite as full-body as a real dead lift.

With bench press or overhead press, you'll still get a lot of good out of dumbbell lifts, especially because they require more core stability than using a barbell. Different, but still great.

I wouldn't mind at all if someone asked me how to do a lift I was doing at the gym. As long as you actually listen and try to do it right, anyway Go ahead and ask people for help.

leannems

I bought one of the new rules of lifting books to get some help on how to lift at the gym, but in the end I ended up hiring a trainer to walk me through it the first few times. The book has very similar explanations to what Chaskavitch posted. I told the trainer up front that I just wanted a handful of sessions to learn, and he was fine with that.

You might be able to find a trainer that would come to the Y a few times to walk you through it (or perhaps the Y even offers this)? Start with asking the Y employees. It's always a good idea to get a few pointers before starting, especially at a new gym.

stevesilk

Great youtube videos available. Here is just one of the really good channels with lots of instructional videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoZWgTrZLd8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6UgD1H_AXw

Good luck with the compound exercises. They are awesome and I want to encourage you to really try them for 3-4 weeks long enough to develop a routine about them. They are life changing.

MagnumBurrito

I used to belong to a Y, they had a squat rack(the first pic). Sucks if yours doesn't. You're looking for one of these:

runner475

Im not new to exercise,weight training but am new to the gym. I joined the Y after my other place closed. There is alot of equipment im not used to and the free weights area is really confusing too me with all the different benches. So ive been doing all my lifts with dumbells cause i can just get what i want and they have the empty benches right there too. I want to do barbell squats as im at my limit with goblet squats holding 35 lbs. And i want to do deadlifts and have never done one. I saw a girl doing squats with the barbell on what i guess is the smith thing yall keep saying is bad and i havent seen what looks like a squat rack. There are some barbells that are already set with weights,i mostly see people use them to do curls and overhead press, can i use those?With the experience ive had with the trainer thing is it ok to ask someone whos working out.

Usually with new membership, gyms will throw in a session with the staff to understand the machines and how to use them.

Did you look into that? If not, jus' ask around.

You would be surprised of how much people are willing to help all you have to do is ask.

PokernuttAR

I definitely recommend asking for help from someone who looks experienced in the gym. I ALWAYS help anyone who asks cause I see it as a compliment.

margannmks

Great youtube videos available. Here is just one of the really good channels with lots of instructional videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoZWgTrZLd8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6UgD1H_AXw

Good luck with the compound exercises. They are awesome and I want to encourage you to really try them for 3-4 weeks long enough to develop a routine about them. They are life changing.

thanks for the videos i had looked at others but theses were better, do you think i can use one of the perloaded barbells im not sure how high they go up weightwise.

margannmks

When i edited i took out the part about already having a trainer from the y take me around he set me up with activtrax which i have figured out i dont like. Ive already been doing bulgarian split squats and lunges with dumbells. Ive seen that rack in the pic too but it has a bench in it so i thought that was for chest press,but maybe you just move the bench out of the way. Today being mon its always packed toward the end of the week its not as bad so im always trying to check stuff out and ive noticed that a few of the big lifters are there everyday like me so maybe ill ask one of them. Id rather ask a female but i havent seen any doing what im wanting to do. As far as what im thinking is a smith machine it had the weight on rails that went up and down. They also have another squat machine that rests on your shoulders and has a slanted somewhat elevated foot base. Im not sure about it. I have new rules supercharged and strong curves so im ready, just need to figure the equipment out.