Calling all weight lifters

MoreBean13

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.

Why chin ups and then pull ups? Just because chin ups are generally a little easier?

Justagirl1978

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.

I never suggested that she spend money on a personal trainer, I told her to pick a routine and then ask a gym trainer to show her how to use the equipment - that is their job!

I'm certainly not knocking her or telling her she can't, I'm actually telling her not to walk into the gym, not having a plan in place and using every machine - that *IS* pointless, regardless of how you try and defend it.

Most gyms have multiple machines for each muscle group - my gym has 2 different leg presses, 2 hack squat machines, 2 squat racks, a lying leg curl, a standing leg curl, a seated leg curl, 3 different leg extension machines and 3 different calf machines. And that is only for legs. Following your advice she would be in the gym for hours trying them all.

I suggested she follow a tried and tested routine that is safe and proven to give results.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Hi! You totally won't regret the decision to start working with weights!

I am kind of a newbie to the whole concept and the programs that have already been mentioned here are all fantastic however, I decided to go a different route and use the book "The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises" and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It provides a lot of education for individuals new to lifting and also provides tons of pre-designed workouts so it totally takes the guesswork out. I also liked it because it shows many modifications of exercises using dumbbells, barbell, stability ball, etc. There is also a customizable program at the beginning of the book which is what I'm doing right now and I can honestly say that I haven't enjoyed working out this much in a damn long time! I follow my strength portion with 30 minutes on the treadmill and BAM! done for the day and I've still burned a considerable amount of calories!

Good luck!

eatthepudding

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.

I never suggested that she spend money on a personal trainer, I told her to pick a routine and then ask a gym trainer to show her how to use the equipment - that is their job!

I'm certainly not knocking her or telling her she can't, I'm actually telling her not to walk into the gym, not having a plan in place and using every machine - that *IS* pointless, regardless of how you try and defend it.

Most gyms have multiple machines for each muscle group - my gym has 2 different leg presses, 2 hack squat machines, 2 squat racks, a lying leg curl, a standing leg curl, a seated leg curl, 3 different leg extension machines and 3 different calf machines. And that is only for legs. Following your advice she would be in the gym for hours trying them all.

I suggested she follow a tried and tested routine that is safe and proven to give results.

Completely agree.

Justagirl1978

Completely agree.

Thanks :bigsmile: I was beginning to think I was speaking in a foreign language :laugh:

anels449

Thanks everyone! I can't wait to start trying this out when I can walk again!