Erm... strength training?

nakedsun

I'm new to the let's get my body in shape bandwagon so I'm starting from scratch here with no knowledge really.
I know exercise and eating right is key - so I'm watching what I'm eating, cutting out crap, etc. Exercise wise I'm doing more cardio than I know what to do with sometimes (ie. Elliptical five times a week for about 40 minutes, hour long brisk paced dog walks daily, baseball on Sundays).

I know strength training is important though but I have no clue where to start with it. How have people developed a strength training routine for themselves? I have weights and I have resistance bands but I'm like uh.... what do I do with them now? Have people used DVDs or...? I'm confused on what to do here but would love to add it into my routine! Help!

Ps. I'm not part of a gym nor want to be so machines there don't work so well for me.

kneeki

Cut back your cardio. You /really/ don't need that much. By simply eating a clean diet (the "Cave man" diet also known as the "Paleo diet") is a fantastic way to reduce your body weight as it is. And when it comes to weight training, just remember to keep it simple - and lift heavy. I suggest starting with Strong Lifts or at least mastering the technique of the "big four" lifts (Deadlift, Squat, Bench Press, and Pull-up). Once you get those down, you'll have a fantastic base to work from.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-review-the-caveman-paleo-diet
http://thepaleodiet.com/
http://stronglifts.com/strength-training-for-women/
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi12.htm

nakedsun

Thank you! That'll be a great starting out point for me to go with. I knew I didn't need so much cardio but I didn't know where to go otherwise and I'm trying to get myself more interested and committed to being more active.

I'm meeting with a personal trainer tomorrow evening so hopefully he can give me suggestions too. I'm just impatient and want lots of input.

BAMFMeredith

Check out the book "New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women." It's AWESOME! There's so much good info in there not only about weight lifting but about diet and just the mechanics of your body. You'll really notice a difference in your body, and like the other poster said, cut back on the cardio. Lifting weights does SO MUCH for your body, I've noticed changes that I've never had before since really focusing on a good strength training routine and cutting my cardio back to only a few times a week.

christinekojack

I would also check out you tube for strength training exercises,, i've found it really useful for ideas for different exercise using weights and resistance bands etc,,, Good luck

crawpapa

Before you start lifting...I would HIGHLY recommend you go to specialized trainers to LEARN how to do some of these lifts....deadlifts are excellent, but you have the potential to hurt your back, legs, arms, etc if you don't know what you are doing. Start with some bodyweight exercises, body squats, dips, pull-ups and push-ups. If you aren't strong enough to do dips and pull-ups, you can modify these such as push-ups from your knees, using a bench to do dips, etc. AND WARM UP FIRST. Good luck!