Weights at the Gym?

AR73

I will be the Devil's advocate here and recommend that if you do not have a spotter and are just starting, machines are not so bad.

Why? Aside from the bench press what barbell exercise requires a spotter? Do your squats in a power rack and everything else you just return the rack or ground if you fail.

The only machines worth using are the cable machines (seated cable rows, woodchops, etc.).

Rather that start blinded, I would suggest started with the New Rules of Lifting for Women as a great start. Don't use any of the machines. Stick to basic barbell or dumbbell exercises that focus on compound movements. Stick to what will build balanced, functional strength. Avoid anything having to do with Body Building as it generally not suited for the average person (vanity over strength/function).

Some good websites to checkout:

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/
http://startingstrength.com/
http://www.jpfitness.com/

I said machines as the OP is just starting.

Machines in general are safer than freeweights as there is no doubts about form and less chance of imjury.

How many people perform Squats the right way? Some look like good mornings rather than squats or they lock out or go deep.

Biceps curls that use a swing.

Bench presses that are more like a decline.

If the OP starts with some machines, she will develop strength and get a sense of the right form.

Just my opinion based on 25 years of training.

kealambert

Thanks I'll try looking stuff up and writing down, will still feel silly with the paper but have to start somewhere I guess :-/

Unfortunately I don't really have any friends lol

does your gym have a training staff? most do, and their sole purpose is to assist with these types of things.

I have been going to the gym for years, and to this day am asking them questions and advice on different exercises among other things

Shock_Wave

I know the weight machines are there for marketing and are *mostly* useless, but people STARE at you like you're a crazy person if you use the free weights

I can assure you that machines are not "mostly" usless. They are extremely effectve!

captnemo44

The app Bodybuilding is really good, I was feeling the same way at the the gym. One suggestion i hired a trainer took some lesson's that helped me out alot. Now i give her my exercise book and she re does it for me every 2 weeks, for a small amount of money.
Lori

samntha14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xMaFs0L3ao&feature=relmfu
These videos are great!

jody664

Thanks I'll try looking stuff up and writing down, will still feel silly with the paper but have to start somewhere I guess :-/

Unfortunately I don't really have any friends lol

I wouldn't feel self-conscious.....I see people (men and women) using a notebook at the gym all the time.

lsjd2000

When i was at the gym i took a clip board with the workout on them and wrote out exactly what the work out was with a stick figure if needed - it may have looked silly but i also was able to mark down how many sets/reps and the weight amount used each time i worked out.

Dexy_

I have been reading NROLFW but I'm over half way through and there still hasn't been any workout suggestions, lol. I know that they MUST be in here! Will read on

kealambert

Thanks I'll try looking stuff up and writing down, will still feel silly with the paper but have to start somewhere I guess :-/

Unfortunately I don't really have any friends lol

I wouldn't feel self-conscious.....I see people (men and women) using a notebook at the gym all the time.

I see many body builders and athletic types carry a log/journal with them

Jenlwb

You wouldn't look silly in the weight room with a notebook/phone app- you'd look silly if you DIDN't!! You have to keep track of your progress.

The strength lite app is free and has direct links to some you tube instruction.


And yes, the NRL4W prog is fab. Keep reading, then join the group on here for links to workout plans (they can be hard to decipher) & support etc.

jskaggs1971

I know the weight machines are there for marketing and are *mostly* useless, but people STARE at you like you're a crazy person if you use the free weights

Nope. They're staring because they wish they were bad-*kitten* enough to hit the free weights. Lifting heavy things in the gym will definitely get attention for women, but it's not because you're crazy.

Here's a good article on things to think about: http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/10/26/how-to-not-suck-at-working-out/

albinogorilla

I know the weight machines are there for marketing and are *mostly* useless, but people STARE at you like you're a crazy person if you use the free weights

I can assure you that machines are not "mostly" usless. They are extremely effectve!

agree with this dude..............lots of probodybuilders are getting away from the free weights, because they offer safer means of pushing heavier weights. They isolate muscle groups. They have a place in anyone routine.

angel79202

can u get a trainer to set up a routine? Some will let u pay a one time fee to assess you and write up a plan..if u wanna continue on your own..

3trees

I find using the iphone in the gym awkward - but it would be pretty discrete.

I've printed out each exercise on a sheet of paper, put them in a 3 ring binder, and headed off to the gym. Do I feel like a no-nothing newbie? Yup. But I got it done. And people were very encouraging, even asking where I got some of the routines/moves. What mattered was that I got stronger and fitter.

So, figure out what will work for you. Don't worry about what other people think. It sounds like you don't know many people at the gym, so why give them the power to affect what you do? Do what will work for you. It's your journey and your body.

Good luck. Weight training is a double plus - you get the workout and you get the muscles that keep burning more calories even when you aren't working out. Win win.

FriendsR4EverTreasures

I will be the Devil's advocate here and recommend that if you do not have a spotter and are just starting, machines are not so bad.

This! as a matter of fact, the machines are your best friend until you learn which movement targets which muscle. I do machines all the time to make my workout varied and I have been lifting for 14 years so the machines are there for a good reason not just to "look" good. The nice thing about machines is that you can't mess up as long as you follow the instructions on them. They should all have a picture of the muscle and instructions on how to execute the move. P.S. I walk around with my note pad and pen just about everytime I hit the gym (7 days a week) so go for it! Watch others and read a lot of fitness magazines, that's how I learned!

Chloe_P78

Best workout if you're unsure about using weights at the gym is (in my humble opinion) Body Pump classes. Not sure if they have Les Mills classes at your gym, but if they do, give it a shot!
Body Pump is great because the instructor will ensure you have the right technique, and you will probably work harder and do more reps than you would if you were doing it alone in the gym. The classes start with a warm up, then move to squats, chest, back, triceps, biceps, lunges, shoulders, abs and then a well deserved cool down.
Good luck!

alphagirl82

Does your gym have any classes that are weight training related, such as Body Pump, Power Flex, Power Sculpt, etc? If so, sign up for one! They generally go through every muscle group in an hour, use free weights and bars that you set for your own ability, and focus on good form. Plus, if you go consistently you'll make some great new friends! I go 2-3 times per week and generally don't do any weight training outside of them.

Dexy_

I already had the trainers at the gym set a program up for me and give me a rundown on how to use the machines, but it's hard to stick to as you are jumping from one machine to the next & always waiting on people to get off the machine you want.

Unfortunately they don't offer any classes at my gym, which sucks.

I am going to convert my P90x files and put them on my iPhone so I can do them in the gym! Thanks guys

alphagirl82

Best workout if you're unsure about using weights at the gym is (in my humble opinion) Body Pump classes. Not sure if they have Les Mills classes at your gym, but if they do, give it a shot!
Body Pump is great because the instructor will ensure you have the right technique, and you will probably work harder and do more reps than you would if you were doing it alone in the gym. The classes start with a warm up, then move to squats, chest, back, triceps, biceps, lunges, shoulders, abs and then a well deserved cool down.
Good luck!

Ha, looks like we were thinking the same thing at the same time! I go to Body Pump at the Seattle Athletic Club and absolutely love it! I've never been a fan of full pushups before but because of the classes I can do 20+ without a second thought.

chixdrag2

Before I leave for the gym, I go over the new exercises that I would like to try so that they are fresh in my mind. And if I'm afraid I'll forget one, I use the notes section in my phone to remind me. Try adding just a few new exercises at a time so you are not feeling overwhelmed and really focus on what muscle group you want to be working - I find that if my mind starts wandering and I forget what I was going to do, visualizing the muscles I want to work will bring it all back. And the weight machines are definitely not useless! Use them as a reminder of which exercises you want to perform with the free weights - usually the basic movements of most free weight exercises are the same as the weight machines - the main difference is that you are recruiting diff muscles to maintain balance and proper form for the free weights (i.e. the shoulder press machine vs. dumbbell shoulder press). Also, don't let anyone make you feel awkward about using the free weights - I go to a gym where 99.9% of the people in the free weights section are men and the looks I get when I walk over there scream "Are you lost? What are YOU doing here?" You just have to keep your focus on what you came to do - you are there for yourself after all, not for them!