Easy beginners strength training? (female)

8Sam12

I'm new to this* and now that I'm committed to loosing weight, I've started getting a lot more into different methods, etc. Excercise wise, I can relatively easily get my cardio in (walking a lot, swimming, general cardio exercise vids on YouTube). However, I'm struggling with strength training as I've never ever done anything like it.**

Questions:

a) what exercises should I be doing? I have knee problems so squats are out. (Do burpees count as strength? I have no idea. Either way, I can't do those either). I find exercise much easier when following a video, so links to easy workouts would be much appreciated. I want my legs to be awesome but my arms are much much weaker at the moment and while I don't really want pronounced muscles on my arms, it seems fairly crucial to do at least something for them.

b) equipment. I guess I'll need dumbbells or weights. Can someone recommend some (preferably on UK amazon)? What do I need to watch out for when buying them? What price range should they be?
Anything else that's cheap that would help?
Also, what do you guys wear to work out?? (Less relevant because I'm sure I'll cope but interesting anyway.)


* female, 22. Profile is open so feel free to check out my current habits and comment on them.
**I don't want to go to the gym for various reasons and also, can't afford it. So things I can do at home is best.

Docmahi

As far as strength programs I'll let other people chime in with what worked for them, any of the starting strength programs that use free weights are good IMO

as far as buying weights, the way to go is craigslist, or any sort of person to person selling. You really want to avoid buying new weights, I put together an at home set for my folks entirely from craigslist and paid near to nothing, it was mostly composed of weights that parents had in their house from their kids who went off to college. But I think the basics of a good solid bench and a few barbells is what is best for a home gym.

wellbert

I'm sorry, there's no such thing as easy strength training. Unless you mean simple vs complex, then plenty.

What's wrong with your knee?

8Sam12

I guess I meant something that won't overwhelm a newbie when I said easy! I know it's meant to burn but I don't want to either feel like I'm dying or do any damage.

I have some cartilage issues that I'm currently attempting to get into physio for but the health system is slooooow and so far, I've been told to do more stretches which I guess are useful but not going to help maintain muscle while loosing weight to take strain of the knees.

cwolfman13

Go buy New Rules of Lifting For Women. Lift heavy, fully body compound lifts...i.e. squats, bench press, OH press, deadlifts, cleans/barbell rows. Progressively increase the weight you're lifting. You don't need a bunch of assistance and isolation work if you're a noob. Those compound lifts will cover you for awhile.

contingencyplan

Provided your form is spot-on, many people with knee issues still safely do squats and it helps. Form has to be virtually flawless, though.

That being said...

Legitimate "strength training" is done via progressive overload. What does that mean? It means every couple of workouts, you have to increase the difficulty of the exercise. With weights this means increasing the amount of weight you're working with. Unless you plan on picking up more than a few sets of dumbbells for the house, you won't be able to do any actual strength training regimen out of your home as they require a lot of the equipment and amounts of weight you will only find at a gym. That's not to say you can't build overall functional fitness. There are a number of rather unorthodox tools you can use when training out of your own home that will increase functional strength and overall fitness levels while burning lots of calories, from kettlebells to suspension trainers to sandbags to highly dynamic bodyweight training routines and more. But traditional, orthodox strength training regimens using weights typically require higher amounts of weight than you are more than likely willing/able to invest in or devote the room to.

The fact is you don't need traditional weights to build strength or stimulate muscle. But if you want to use traditional weights, then you're in for a rather sizable investment of both money and space. More than I think you're prepared for.

For actual traditional strength training programs you will want to look into Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, and New Rules of Lifting for Women. You will need access to a barbell and at least 100 lbs of weight you can put on it as well as a squat rack-style apparatus that allows you to place the bar at shoulder height and get under it to load it for squats and front squats, or, if you legitimately cannot do squats, a leg press machine.

khall86790

For weights, check out Argos!
If I were you, try to find a circuit training DVD on youtube that incorporates cardio and strength training so that it's one workout but working the two groups.
Jillian Michaels is good for that and I know she is on youtube, but there is plenty more also.

Iron_Feline

Can you pay to see a physio? - he can tell you better what you can and can do safely - which is very important as many people with knee issues find squats help but equally some don't - and we can't really give you proper advice without knowing exactly is what is wrong.

Ignoring those issues - you want something like New rules of lifting for women - lots of advice and a good programme for noobies - I've just started. BUT you must check with a medical professional if you have knee issues before deciding what to do imho. I got my weights off ebay :happy:

contingencyplan

For weights, check out Argos!
If I were you, try to find a circuit training DVD on youtube that incorporates cardio and strength training so that it's one workout but working the two groups.
Jillian Michaels is good for that and I know she is on youtube, but there is plenty more also.

This right here is an example of what not to listen to if you want to do strength training. What they call strength training in workout DVDs such as Jillian Michaels workouts is simply aerobic cardio with weights.

jacksonpt

A few thoughts...

1) strength training for women is no different than it is for men.

2) pick one of the good, pre-set programs to get you started. I like the 5x5 programs (starting strength, stronglifts, etc), but really anything that you think you will enjoy and bust your *kitten* at will be a good place to start.

3) as someone else said... there is no easy. strength training to be effective has to be hard, either because you are lifing a lot of weight (based on your ablility), or because you are doing a ton of reps.

4) whatever you end up doing, don't start too fast or too heavy such that you compromise your form.

5) equipment... well, it depends on a few things (what you can afford, what you have space for, what lifts you are going to be doing). In most cases I like free weights best... dumbbells, barbells, weight plates, benches, racks, etc. Stay away from teh plastic ones as they don't hold up very well. Any metal plate will be fine, no reason to go with the fancy colored rubber bumper plates.

contingencyplan

As jacksonpt pointed out, the fact that you are female is irrelevant. Understanding the fact that the training needs of a woman are no different from the training needs of a man is the first thing you need to accept if you want to go about fitness "right." Anyone trying to sell you on a workout regimen made specifically for the needs of women is either uninformed or is trying to make a buck off of you by having you fall for an age-old fitness "myth" that was debunked long ago.

8Sam12

Thanks for all the advice!

What is the problem of doing aerobics with weights? Surely it trains the muscles as well?

I currently can't afford to pay to see a physio privately and I'm feeling like joining a gym might be the better choice so I can get started under some supervision though that will mean waiting a couple of months until I can afford it. Some of the gyms near me offer some kind of intro to lifting/strength training classes. Anyone have any experience with anything like that?

jacksonpt

Thanks for all the advice!

What is the problem of doing aerobics with weights? Surely it trains the muscles as well?

I currently can't afford to pay to see a physio privately and I'm feeling like joining a gym might be the better choice so I can get started under some supervision though that will mean waiting a couple of months until I can afford it. Some of the gyms near me offer some kind of intro to lifting/strength training classes. Anyone have any experience with anything like that?

There's not really a "problem" with it per se, but rather a question of goals. Doing a 30 minute cardio DVD with small hand weights is fine, but it doesn't really "develop" the muscle... you won't get getting stronger, nor will you be growing new muscle tissue. Think of it as resistance cardio rather than strength training.

contingencyplan

The simple fact is this: If you want to see strength gains or increase lean body mass, you need to be working with a load heavy enough to where you can only manage a single-digit number of reps before you "poop out" and need to take a short break (this "poop out" point is called failing, but you shouldn't think of it as a bad thing.) Anything that has you working with a weight that is light enough to where you can manage a pretty substantial amount of reps before you need to rest is a different type of exercise entirely, done with an entirely different goal in mind.

Iron_Feline

As jacksonpt pointed out, the fact that you are female is irrelevant. Understanding the fact that the training needs of a woman are no different from the training needs of a man is the first thing you need to accept if you want to go about fitness "right." Anyone trying to sell you on a workout regimen made specifically for the needs of women is either uninformed or is trying to make a buck off of you by having you fall for an age-old fitness "myth" that was debunked long ago.

Agreed - I think that's why New rules of lifting for women is so popular. It's aimed at women - to get them lifting like men. :laugh: It points out there is no basic difference and we should all be lifting the same. But it also eases us newbie lifter in and teaches correct form etc.

I'm Just finished week three and I'm loving it :drinker: