New to lifting - advice please?

PaulaRocksFL

Hi there!

I am brand new to weight lifting. My partner Stephanie and I decided to get healthy and fit starting this past month. So far we have been eating well, walking and doing body weight exercises.

For my upcoming 40th birthday, Stephanie just bought me this weight bench and weights. http://spacecoast.craigslist.org/spo/3322485397.html

Any advice on getting started? Are there certain lifts we should start with? Thanks for any help!

JanetLynnJudy

Watch this Instructional Bench Press Video from Jennifer Thompson

Bench Press 101
http://youtu.be/34XRmd3a8_0

Also, look up instructional videos for every weightlifting exercise you do if you do not have an experienced person guiding you (or even if you do) to help avoid injury. I just mentioned that video specifically because it's so good and I think of it every single time I do my bench press sets.

I just started lifting this summer, but my partner is more experienced than I am and he made a schedule where we alternate by working "push" muscles on one day and then "pull" muscles on the next day or vice-versa then we just repeat that pattern and have a separate day (once a week) dedicated to leg strength training because those are killer. We also do cardio (like treadmill/elliptical/bike or whatever) on the "push"/"pull" days, but not on leg day.

KarenJanine

A good starting place would be a beginner's program such as New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROLFW) or Starting Strength. You'll also find plenty of youtube videos that show you correct form for the different exercises. Start with lower weights and work on getting your form good as this will prevent injury in the long run. Once you've got the moves sussed go as heavy as you can working to 6 - 8 reps to build strength, or slightly lower weights doing 10 - 12 reps to build endurance.

Hope that helps.