Newbie: nervous...

admmommy

I used to lift weights and I loved it! My husband was always commenting on how strong I was for a girl, lol. The past year I got injured and pregnant so working out for me was dead in the water. I recently found this program and group and I would love to get back into lifting but more serious now that I know the benefits! However, I am scared to start and I wish I could do it with someone. Do any of you do this program with a friend or would it be better to do it alone so there is no adjusting for weights constantly? Also, do you work out at home or a gym? Any suggestions on what is better?

Any and all tips/advice/suggestions are welcomed....thanks!!!

nexangelus

Hi there and welcome...

I am a lone gym person, I prefer to do my workouts on my own, especially the strength training because I can focus then and just be in and out in quick time. I do other things in the gym like boxing, warming up on the rowing machine and sometimes the treadmill, although I have to say I hate the machines...my strength programme is supplemented by up to 3 hours of cycling per day (I do not own a car) and running about 10 miles per week. Also I do pullups, push ups, weighted lunges, one arm rows, some assistance exercises as well as good stretching afterwards. Yoga once a week keeps my stress levels lower.

Obviously if you are starting again, then go with the olympic bar on its own and add weights and follow the programme as described in the opening thread written by Tameko, very helpful indeed.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

Cardio can be added with no affect on strength if you take it easy and do not over do it.

Also eating enough (remember to up the protein levels to 1g per lb of lean mass) to be lifting heavy and gaining lean mass is a must. (the reason I have to stop this for a few weeks to re-address my eating habits...not eating enough calories to sustain strength and lifts at the level I have reached, ugh!)

Good luck and have a read through the opening threads to get a feel for the programme, it is by far the simplest and most effective one I have used so far...

tameko2

I have done both. Honestly I prefer to do it alone - less muss, less fuss, just get in and do my thing. With another lady probably would also be fine. With my husband sucks because we have to re-rack everything CONSTANTLY, he's 8 inches taller than me so even if we're squatting close to the same weight, we still have to take off the plates and move the pins (or we can risk shoulder wrenching from moving a heavy bar with our arms... which sometimes we do because, yeesh).

What aspect of it scares you though?

admmommy

This type of lifting is different than what I was used too. I just used free weights and I was building some major muscle definition. I know that I could go even more with this program. I am not scared on how I would look. Just being able to get into the gym to do the moves correctly is the only concern I have really. On a side not - I remember going to the gym in my senior year of college (undergrad) which was spring of 2011 and I saw a girl using the bar bell and all I thought was she is such a tiny girl how is she lifting so much weight and what program is she on? I never asked her but I think after finding this program I just might know now

Hopefully after the first of the year I can get a gym membership and start this program. I think it will really help me.

Thanks for all of your help ladies!