Calling all weight lifters

2

Replies

  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    Can you get a personal trainer for a couple sessions to get you going? I pay like 120 for 3 half hour sessions. That would be enough to get you started.

    They're pretty expensive at my gym, but it may be beneficial to do it.
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    Hahah I really should just jump right in :p I think it's more coming in and not knowing where to start program wise that's the real intimidation. I don't want to go in there looking lost. :p I'll have some awesome reading to do tomorrow! :D

    Good for you! Know this, just doing that reading, and watching a few videos on form, will put you ahead of the pack. Many, many of the people there have no idea what they're doing, and are only indoctrinated by the hand-me-down information that their equally uneducated bro's gave them. A little bit of knowledge goes a long way in the gym.

    If you really want to get in to the nitty gritty of strength training, I recommend Rippletoe's Starting Strength book, but what you have planned to read up on will start you off on the right foot. (the one with the healthy knee, hehe)

    Hahah this is very true! :D

    Bahahah, I'll be hobbling along for awhile. Just call me Captain Anels until I heal up :p
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    As you know, I've been doing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm in stage 5 of 7 now. I've never lifted before in my life, so it's worked well for me as a beginner. I've heard excellent things about Starting Strength and Stronglifts as well. I think once I'm finished NROL4W, I'm going to try Starting Strength. I have heard that both Starting Strength and Stronglifts go into great detail about form, so it's definitely beneficial reading. Any of the 3 are great programs so you can't go wrong.

    I can tell you not to listen to the guy about splitting cardio and strength. Sometimes due to my schedule I do them onthe same day but it's not recommended. I always do strength first though. Also, avoid isolation machines. Free weights are the way to go.

    Since I'm on my phone and it's hard to go back and edit without deleting everything, I want to mention that it seems like New Rules is more complicated than the other 2 mentioned.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Ladies have unique needs that I couldn't address given that what works for me may not be the best program for a female seeking peak fitness.
    For cardio, do what you enjoy and what produces results.
    As for the specifics of your resistance program, just see what has worked for others in your position who have achieved what you seek.
    Here are some sites to give you ideas.

    http://www.stumptuous.com/
    http://www.weightliftingforwomen.net/
    http://www.fitnessblender.com/

    I know what works for me, and the main item that spells success is just the doing of something that targets every muscle group in the body.

    It's work.
    The planning and the doing is just work, and you need to go to those sites and educate yourself without relying too much on the advice on others who may not know too much.
    Learn from the experts, then decide what your goals are and move from there.

    All Is Possible!
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    I had/have a knee injury and I found StrongLifts 5x5 to be better than NROLFW as there are aren't any lunges.
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    Lol,I totally grunt when I lift. Its involuntary,occasionally an 'rrrrrgh' just slips out!!
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    As you know, I've been doing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm in stage 5 of 7 now. I've never lifted before in my life, so it's worked well for me as a beginner. I've heard excellent things about Starting Strength and Stronglifts as well. I think once I'm finished NROL4W, I'm going to try Starting Strength. I have heard that both Starting Strength and Stronglifts go into great detail about form, so it's definitely beneficial reading. Any of the 3 are great programs so you can't go wrong.

    I can tell you not to listen to the guy about splitting cardio and strength. Sometimes due to my schedule I do them onthe same day but it's not recommended. I always do strength first though. Also, avoid isolation machines. Free weights are the way to go.

    Since I'm on my phone and it's hard to go back and edit without deleting everything, I want to mention that it seems like New Rules is more complicated than the other 2 mentioned.

    Looks like I'll have to venture into free weight land after all haha! I really should have paid attention during the weight lifting segment in high school. :p
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    Ladies have unique needs that I couldn't address given that what works for me may not be the best program for a female seeking peak fitness.
    For cardio, do what you enjoy and what produces results.
    As for the specifics of your resistance program, just see what has worked for others in your position who have achieved what you seek.
    Here are some sites to give you ideas.

    http://www.stumptuous.com/
    http://www.weightliftingforwomen.net/
    http://www.fitnessblender.com/

    I know what works for me, and the main item that spells success is just the doing of something that targets every muscle group in the body.

    It's work.
    The planning and the doing is just work, and you need to go to those sites and educate yourself without relying too much on the advice on others who may not know too much.
    Learn from the experts, then decide what your goals are and move from there.

    All Is Possible!

    Awesome, thanks! More reading for at work! :D
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    I'd suggest you get a trainer who can watch your form and teach you the basics. Simply for safety reasons and to avoid making bad habits.
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    I had/have a knee injury and I found StrongLifts 5x5 to be better than NROLFW as there are aren't any lunges.

    That's really good to know actually. As of right now, I don't think I'll be doing much of anything, can't even put pressure on it. But in a couple of days when I can actually be mobile, keeping the same gym schedule would be nice, even if I'm doing something else.
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    Lol,I totally grunt when I lift. Its involuntary,occasionally an 'rrrrrgh' just slips out!!

    Hahaha yeah, it certainly does!
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    I'd suggest you get a trainer who can watch your form and teach you the basics. Simply for safety reasons and to avoid making bad habits.

    It for sure would help, even just once, so they can help me out! :)
  • Justagirl1978
    Justagirl1978 Posts: 64 Member
    I wrote a blog post about this, you might find it useful :)

    http://www.jagsfitnessblog.com/2011/06/28/strength-training-how-to-get-started/
  • ocukor1
    ocukor1 Posts: 66
    Just hit the machines one by one and do what you can, weight lifting works great for building up metabolism because muscles use some energy to recover over several days after the workout.
  • Justagirl1978
    Justagirl1978 Posts: 64 Member
    Just hit the machines one by one and do what you can, weight lifting works great for building up metabolism because muscles use some energy to recover over several days after the workout.

    Please don't do this ^^
  • ocukor1
    ocukor1 Posts: 66
    She's not training for a damn body building show, she's just getting familiar with everything. If she is going to be using her energy worrying all the time about what to do, how many reps, how much creatine to take and all the rest of the bs, then she'll never get to do anything. I understand she needs to do thing safely and have some kind of plan, but we are talking familiarization here, not training for the olympics.
  • Justagirl1978
    Justagirl1978 Posts: 64 Member
    She's not training for a damn body building show, she's just getting familiar with everything. If she is going to be using her energy worrying all the time about what to do, how many reps, how much creatine to take and all the rest of the bs, then she'll never get to do anything. I understand she needs to do thing safely and have some kind of plan, but we are talking familiarization here, not training for the olympics.

    First of all, no need for the hostility.

    Secondly, I never mentioned creatine, body building or olympics. I said it's a bad idea to walk into the gym and use every machine, which it is. I'm all for familiarity and I would advise her to have a trainer show her how to use the equipment safely.

    She asked:
    I don't even really know where to begin or what would be a good schedule to follow.

    and you replied
    Just hit the machines one by one and do what you can

    This is not helpful.

    At the end of the day, we exercise to stay fit and get in shape. Doing so without a plan is pointless and a sure fire way to spin your wheels and get nowhere.
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    Machines aren't that bad. I started out weight training on machines for a few months before I switched to barbell work. Of course I didn't jump on every machine in the gym, I'd never have the time, but I still built a good deal of strength. Everyone seemed to think I'd been lifting for a really long time with my numbers but really I've only been at it for like 3-4 months now.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Machines aren't that bad. I started out weight training on machines for a few months before I switched to barbell work. Of course I didn't jump on every machine in the gym, I'd never have the time, but I still built a good deal of strength. Everyone seemed to think I'd been lifting for a really long time with my numbers but really I've only been at it for like 3-4 months now.

    Rehabbing an injury, like the OP is doing, is what the machines were designed for. In her case, I would get a PT (physical therapist) or qualified trainer to help choose an appropriate program to rehab the injury and balance muscle development. Isolation machines for people in good health are a waste of time.
  • ocukor1
    ocukor1 Posts: 66
    She's not training for a damn body building show, she's just getting familiar with everything. If she is going to be using her energy worrying all the time about what to do, how many reps, how much creatine to take and all the rest of the bs, then she'll never get to do anything. I understand she needs to do thing safely and have some kind of plan, but we are talking familiarization here, not training for the olympics.

    First of all, no need for the hostility.

    Secondly, I never mentioned creatine, body building or olympics. I said it's a bad idea to walk into the gym and use every machine, which it is. I'm all for familiarity and I would advise her to have a trainer show her how to use the equipment safely.

    She asked:
    I don't even really know where to begin or what would be a good schedule to follow.

    and you replied
    Just hit the machines one by one and do what you can

    This is not helpful.

    At the end of the day, we exercise to stay fit and get in shape. Doing so without a plan is pointless and a sure fire way to spin your wheels and get nowhere.

    This is not helpful either, instead of encouraging her to go and try things out, you're suggesting that she should spend money and time on personal trainers because otherwise it would be "pointless"? There is no such thing as pointless when you're starting out. Any exercise is good. There are just pointless people that knock you down and tell you you can't.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    I recently discovered how to introduce weight lifting and my cardio workout at the same time. Before I did 60 minutes of elliptical training. After getting off the machine, it is difficult to continue weight lifting. What I ended up doing few weeks ago is do my cardio in 2 sets. I do 30 minutes. Then stop and do a weight lifting set. After I do another 30 min cardio. Then I complete my second weight lifting. It works better for me.

    With that said I alternate my weight lifting exercises with pushing and pulling. Pushing sets are: chest, triceps, shoulders. Pulling sets are: biceps and back. Alternating these will allow your muscles to recover from fatigue.

    So, for example I do 30 min cardio, set of shoulder exercises, another 30 min cardio, and complete with chest,

    Just my $0.02 Good luck

    That's actually not a bad idea! Once I am fully recovered I think I'll start doing that! :)

    something I forgot to mention. 60 minutes on machine is awful long time to hang around if you don't watch tv or read book. What I ended up doing is grabbing a 20LB dumbbell. For you might want to start with 5 or 10. And I would do biceps, triceps and shoulders exercises while walking. At the beginning you would think this is a waste of time, but at the end of 60 minutes your arms and shoulders feel like you just got through lifting a car. :) It certainly dropped some fat of my arms and I still got my cardio in at the same time.

    Interesting! Not sure if my gym would be too happy with me grabbing some weights and walking on the treadmill, though haha! :)

    do it. you might get some strange looks. i recently started doing farmer's walks with the kettlebells and that gets me strange looks from some of the gym goers, but i dont care. most of those people are boring workouts anyway.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    or New Rules

    Close your eyes and pick one.

    This. Be really really careful on form if you have a bad knee. Watch lots of youtube videos. Ask lots of form questions. There's a woman's strong lift group here:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
    Thanks guys, I'll look into them!

    I belong to a gym, so all the gym rats in the weight area intimidate me haha! I always run right to the treadmill or my classes, completely avoiding that area haha!


    Dont worry! I got intimidated too... But honestly, everyone is in their own bubble and not really paying that much attention to you. Go work thoes weights!
  • chikkenlikken
    chikkenlikken Posts: 24 Member
    At the beginning, don't concentrate on how much you can lift. You should only worry about lifting correctly with proper form for the first few weeks. If you are unsure where to begin, I'm sure you can have one of the trainers at the gym to customize a program for you and show you how to lift correctly. If you lift incorrectly, you will see no results, and may even end up with another injury. Second, you will need to write down your reps and weight each time you lift. Without progressive loading, you won't see increases in your lifts. At least, that is what has worked for me!
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    Thanks guys! You've all been such a great help! I really appreciate it! :D
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Stronglifts has my vote for what it's worth. Look at incorporating straight-leg deadlifts if you have a bad knee.
  • rcthale
    rcthale Posts: 141
    If you've never done weights or resistance, then dip your toe in the water with bodyweight exercises. It's the safest way to start and avoid injury. The big ones are push-ups, chin-ups (and later, pull-ups), and bodyweight squats. You can get nice and sore with only these exercises. After a few weeks, you'll be primed for actual weights.
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    or New Rules

    Close your eyes and pick one.
    Any of the above would be a great starting point. All of them were designed by experienced lifters who've done the research and have plenty of time under the iron to back it up.
  • peterdt
    peterdt Posts: 820 Member
    The New Rules of Lifting For Life: An All-New Muscle-Building, Fat-Blasting Plan for Men and Women Who Want to Ace Their Midlife Exams

    I just bought this book and read for about an hour. Seems like the best for anyone who is middle age and/or overweight. I briefly looked at reviews on the other recommended at Amazon and the above seems like the best on the surface at least.
  • jamiealdridge02
    jamiealdridge02 Posts: 93 Member
    Thanks guys, I'll look into them!

    I belong to a gym, so all the gym rats in the weight area intimidate me haha! I always run right to the treadmill or my classes, completely avoiding that area haha!

    I would book a session with a trainer. Most gyms offer at least an introduction to the weight machines and such for members. They can show you what to do and how to use the equipment properly. I began lifting weights in college and it has made a huge difference in not only in my body shape, but also in injury healing and prevention. Good luck and if all else fails, there a re lots of apps and websites with lifting tips.

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