weight/strength training question

novalh42

I can't afford a personal trainer but I want to start weight/strength training. I am looking for a basic program, for instance,on these days you work these muscles and so on. We have a GREAT gym at work with all the Life Fitness weight machines. Any instructions/suggestions would be appreciated.
I am wanting to do this 4 days a week, Monday - Thursday.

laserturkey

I got the book The New Rules of Lifting For Women as a Christmas present, and I'm already seeing improvement just a few workouts in. You might want to flip through the book at a bookstore or check out a preview online to see if it sounds like something you would like to do.

acpgranberg

This is a totally free 8 week strength workout from a nutrition site. I'm currently doing their 30-day challenge.

http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/category/about/lifecoach/8-week-free-dumbbell-challenge/

KristyHumphrey

simplyshredded.com has a free woman's training guide for lifting...

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

3under2

I got the book The New Rules of Lifting For Women as a Christmas present, and I'm already seeing improvement just a few workouts in. You might want to flip through the book at a bookstore or check out a preview online to see if it sounds like something you would like to do.

^^This!

jjltrader

Lots of options:

Monday --Back, Chest, Shoulders, Core
Tuesday--Biceps, Triceps, Legs
Repeat on Thursday and Friday

Or

Monday--Chest, Triceps, Shoulders, Core
Tuesday--Back, Biceps, Legs
Repeat Thursday Friday

In addition you should try to do some cardio each day. I shoot for 30 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes of cardio.

Good luck

sandradev1

I have only just started weightlifting, so am a million miles away from expert enough to advise. I can however tell you what I have been told to do by people who are experienced.

I cannot get out to a gym, so I have bought heavy dumbells. I was told to do compound lifts that work many muscles in one go rather than isolation lifts. I do each lift for between 8 and 12 reps and x this by 5 with little rest between sets. I lift the weight I can complete the reps with the right form, and almost to failure point. Once easy at 12 reps I increase the weight.

I was told to lift on three alternating days a week and follow this with up to 30 mins cardio. Then on other 4 alternate days to do cardio only and to keep heart rate at Active Recovery 60-70% of maximum which is good for fat burning and will allow muscles to repair.

Hope this helps.

AverageUkDude

simplyshredded.com has a free woman's training guide for lifting...

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

+1 for simply shredded, although im not a woman my girlfriend loves there training programs.

jacksonpt

Starting Strength.


/thread

langurmonkey

To get going I would just have a bit of a play with the machines. A rule of thumb is that 3 sets of 8 repetitions (reps) is good for building muscle mass, 5 sets of 5 (of a heavier weight) is good for strength training. In terms of good "value", choosing a machine that works large muscles and/or muscle groups is good. If 8 reps is feeling easy, then kick the weight up to the next level. A nice balance between pushing and pulling is also a good idea.

Machines that I personally like are - shoulder press, cable row, pec deck (fly), chest press, leg press and lat pulldown. If you do a circuit of those you should be hitting quite a lot of different muscles, and it wont take too long. Bicep curls and triceps extensions I prefer to do with dumbbells, but if you have the machines for those they are quite good "finishers".

As a beginner you won't "overtrain" or anything like that if you do that circuit each time you are in the gym. Of course if you are hurting (in your joints, not just sore muscles) then stop straight away. You are after the pain of fatigue not the pain of injury :-).

Good luck! If you persevere you will see your "numbers" go up quite quickly.

langurmonkey

Starting Strength.


/thread

:-) that's not a machine program though. Plus it assumes that you are eating a calorie surplus, which most of us on here aren't. Nothing against the program, but it's not for everyone!

HeinzPrincess

Stronglifts 5x5

Easy to find the information...there's even a free app to track your progress.

I'm picking up a weight set this weekend that I found on craigslist so I can start!

jacksonpt

Starting Strength.


/thread

:-) that's not a machine program though.

True. I saw the OP had access to machines, but I didn't take that to mean she specifically wanted a machine-based program. Ignore my post if that's the case.

But I disagree that Starting Strength isn't an effective program when done on a deficit. Especially for overweight beginner lifters.

langurmonkey

Starting Strength.


/thread

:-) that's not a machine program though.

True. I saw the OP had access to machines, but I didn't take that to mean she specifically wanted a machine-based program. Ignore my post if that's the case.

But I disagree that Starting Strength isn't an effective program when done on a deficit. Especially for overweight beginner lifters.

You can probably get pretty good benefits from following it - certainly I wouldn't have tried doing squats with a barbell if I hadn't read it. I think the "Starting" part of the name is a bit misleading - you really have to have some idea what you are doing in order to get the best out of it.

I would say if you want to do it it's a great program, but I think having a trainer show you the lifts would be very helpful, especially with the ones that you can really hurt yourself with like deadlifts (which remains the only lift that I *have* actually hurt myself doing). Plus power cleans are (I think) pretty advanced - I still don't feel happy doing them.

For a total beginner, machines give pretty good results with minimal instruction / supervision required. Free weights (barbells especially) require a bit more knowledge on how to get good and safe results.

After a couple of months on the machines, the OP may like to look at using a barbell for a bit of a change.

Seriously, as a beginner, anything you do (that doesn't result in injury) is all good.

MammaC66

I strength train three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Here is my routine which the trainer set up for me. I do 3 sets of 15 reps on each machine with 30 second rests between sets.
Tuesday/Saturday - Chest Press, Pulldown, Back Extention, Arm Curl, Leg Press, Hip Adductor, Hip Abductor, Abdominal, Torso Rotation (both sides)
Thursday - Fly, Row, Arm Curl, Rear Delt, Arm Extention, Seated Leg Curl, Leg Extention, Abdominal, Torso Rotation (both sides)

I started at the heaviest weight that I could successfully do all three sets at and worked my way up as I could.

I hope this helps. It has worked good for me.

madmags

Since you are just starting out, I would keep the workouts simple and do a full body workout in each session. You should include a push excercise, a pull exercise, a squat, a lunge and a core twist exercise within in every work out. You might do well starting out with as many body weight excercises as possible.

GeekyGirlLyn

bump

novalh42

Lots of good info, Thanks! I walk with a friend 3-4 times a week for about an hour and we go just over 3 miles. I am ready to add a little more. Thanks again!

suenix24

bump

yankeedownsouth

bodybuilding.com has programs for just about every ability level - machine and free weight. The videos can help you learn correct form as well. All free information. Good luck!!