Strength Training for a wimpy beginner

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  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
    OK to start ... you are not a wimp. You have simply not trained your body to do more than that... yet. :)

    Start with basics as stated before ... use weights that challenge you and don't make it easy, but which don't cause your body to revert to poor form in order to complete the job you are asking it to do. If you try a weight for the first set and it isn't challenging, go up a step. Still no challenge? Try to up it again. If you haven't found the hard weight by the third set, you'll know where to start next time. And if it's too challenging, there is no shame in lowering the weight because you bit off more than you could chew to start. It has been done more times than could be documented.

    I can't tell you to start with 5 or start with 15 or anything like that (much as I was wishing someone would have been able to do for me when I started working in this direction recently) because it is all about what you can do safely in your current fitness level. The goal is to build it up as you go. So judge your workout not by the quantity, but the quality and revel in what you have accomplished rather than what you can't.

    Another thing I found encouraging for me was to do a "total weight moved" calculation after my workouts. There was something gratifying to knowing that I moved 400 pounds in my first workout (even if it was only ten pounds at a time). And in a relatively short time I have moved up to nearly 15,000 per workout and setting goals to surpass 20,000 in the future (responsibly). (#sets X #reps X Weight).

    Good luck as you begin and be proud of each accomplishment.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    I love New Rules of Lifting for Women...it gives me a purpose when I walk into the gym. I know what I'm doing and where I'm going, plus I know what weights I'm lifting and how to increase them each time. I also really enjoy bodybuilding.com. Don't be fooled by the title, there is a ton of information on there for beginners. I also write down each of my exercises for that day and youtube them to see exactly what I'll be doing. Form is key, if you can't get form, don't max out your weights. Everyone started as a beginner, but it's a lot of fun, and you're in and out of the gym in an hour if you include your cardio. Good Luck!
  • littlebuddy84
    littlebuddy84 Posts: 995 Member
    Chalean Extreme is also a great program. I'm currently doing it and I really like it.

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