Weights for women - argh confused!

I've never heard of that book but I just read the New Rules of Lifting for Women. I don't agree with everything in the book but it gives a 6 month workout program in it.

I've never heard of that book but I just read the New Rules of Lifting for Women. I don't agree with everything in the book but it gives a 6 month workout program in it.

I have not done NROL4W but I hesitate to recommend it as some of the routine apparently gets a little convoluted after stage 3. There are a lot of people on here who have done it and like the programming however.

I'm assuming your weight routine is going to happen at a gym?
When you go and arrange your induction, pay a few more bucks and have a trainer make a starter full body routine for you. Have them show you good form and check you are doing the moves right. Then arrange for a progress check a couple month later. It shouldn't be too expensive and experienced eyes that can see you is probably better than you checking yourself from what you pick up from a book.

I recommend stronglifts 5x5.

It's simple and straight to the point and good for beginners. I've recently started it and I love doing it.

I don't see how 5x5 would be good for someone who has never lifted weights before. I would not recommend this unless you have lifted for a while and understand proper work out form. The risk of injury is too great. If you are getting to be in your 40's or older you shouldn't be lifting heavy more than once a month anyway as the strain on your joints is too severe.

A friend at the gym is doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women and I would recommend that over the 5x5. The Rules workout looks tough and if you do it correctly you will get both a cardio and strength workout.

I recommend stronglifts 5x5.

It's simple and straight to the point and good for beginners. I've recently started it and I love doing it.

I don't see how 5x5 would be good for someone who has never lifted weights before. I would not recommend this unless you have lifted for a while and understand proper work out form. The risk of injury is too great. If you are getting to be in your 40's or older you shouldn't be lifting heavy more than once a month anyway as the strain on your joints is too severe.

A friend at the gym is doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women and I would recommend that over the 5x5. The Rules workout looks tough and if you do it correctly you will get both a cardio and strength workout.

I STRONGLY DISAGREE!!!!!! -

Strong lifts 5x5 is very doable at your age even without prior lifting experience. There are many good videos on youtube that show the moves search on "stronglifts", "medhi" or on "starting strength" or "riptoe" The program is flexible and you will adjust it to your on initial ability. I am a 60 year old female and I am doing strong lifts at home I have the proper equipment to do it safely. I did not start out using the mens recommended weights - some I started with a naked bar - others I had to start out with dumbells cause the bar was too heavy. I also do not lift 3 x a week but only twice so I recover fully. It took me a while to get the form down with lighter weights or no weights at all if necessary, before I started to up the weights constantly but I can squat 70 lb bench 65, overhead press 50, row 50 and deadlift 80, - not bad for a way over 40 something! It takes a little longer to get there and you may need to get fractional weights and use smaller weight increases but it is doable - In fact it will strengthen you bones and joints! My chronically achy back is no longer a problem since I now have a stronge balanced core!

The stronglifts group here is very active

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

I have also used the NROLFW program and liked it but it is a little harder to do at home - need more equipment or workarounds - it is very doable if you are a member of a well equipped gym.
Good group here.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/119-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w-

Do which ever works for you!

ETA - regardless of the program you select be sure to get the proper nutrition. The NROLFW book has a very good section on nutrition for lifters - you will need more calories and protein than you think to help with repair and strengthen your muscles - be sure to get your protein in - it makes a big difference in your outcome!

Try browsing Youtube for some weightlifting tutorials.There are some really good ones out there.

I'm assuming your weight routine is going to happen at a gym?
When you go and arrange your induction, pay a few more bucks and have a trainer make a starter full body routine for you. Have them show you good form and check you are doing the moves right. Then arrange for a progress check a couple month later. It shouldn't be too expensive and experienced eyes that can see you is probably better than you checking yourself from what you pick up from a book.

I agree! Definitely find out what your gym offers. In addition to trainers (costs $$), my gym has a person whom I can meet with once a month who will do all my measurements, look over my fitness log, make suggestions, help me create a program, etc. For free. I recently met with her; she helped me set up a different weight training plan, did my measurements, showed me some machines she recommended I use, and helped me get started on the elliptical. I can also call/see her with questions you may have. I had no idea she was available for this until recently. She's the supervisor of training.

I don't see how 5x5 would be good for someone who has never lifted weights before. I would not recommend this unless you have lifted for a while and understand proper work out form. The risk of injury is too great. If you are getting to be in your 40's or older you shouldn't be lifting heavy more than once a month anyway as the strain on your joints is too severe.

Er....um....there are a few ladies over 40 in the stronglifts group...they have amazing stories and success. Don't know who told you this, but it sounds pretty bogus...and stronglifts is a beginner programme...simple, easy to follow and builds up strength and lean mass if you follow the steps within it...

I love HASfit.com for simple home workouts with weights.

Here is a sample for you, a great chest workout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoIOJtz7Mwk&list=ULNW0cJh3a5SQ

Beginners to weight training will see fast results with a 5x5 program. The program is set up in a way that quick progress is seen early on. It is very safe and doesn't employ "advance free weight lifts". It uses the most basic of lifts which should be included in any lifting program.

I stand behind my last comment about the 5x5, doing advance free weight lifts is just plain not safe for beginners,

Fine. Don't do it. Enjoy your osteoporosis.

I don't see how 5x5 would be good for someone who has never lifted weights before. I would not recommend this unless you have lifted for a while and understand proper work out form. The risk of injury is too great. If you are getting to be in your 40's or older you shouldn't be lifting heavy more than once a month anyway as the strain on your joints is too severe.

No to all of this. Total bullsh!t.

5x5 is awesome for beginners. You start with just the bar to work on form and incrementally increase the weight as you progress. It's simple and provides a full body workout in a short amount of time. In your 40s is when you should definitely be lifting heavy (way more often than once a month - that's just stupid) to strengthen/maintain the strength in your joints and connective tissue.

A friend at the gym is doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women and I would recommend that over the 5x5. The Rules workout looks tough and if you do it correctly you will get both a cardio and strength workout.

I don't know anything about New Rules so I won't speak to it but Stronglifts 5x5 and Starting Strength are both very good beginner programs. You will definitely see gains very quickly with either of these programs.

When ever I hear someone say you will see fast benefits I always have to call a big BS on them. You do not want to lose weight fast, for one it's not healthy to lose more than 2lbs/week and 2 if you do your more than liely losing water and or muscle. You also can not build muscle fast. The average person can gain about a pound of muscle in a month, women unfortunately will gain a little less. There are some articles about this below:

http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/22/fit-or-fiction-how-long-does-it-take-to-gain-a-pound-of-muscle/
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-much-muscle-can-you-gain/

I stand behind my last comment about the 5x5, doing advance free weight lifts is just plain not safe for beginners, again an article below to support this. The 5x5 was designed for football athletes to increase strength.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/437360-what-is-the-5x5-workout/

That's funny as Starting Strength is pretty much the same format (only 3 x 5) and it is specifically designed for beginners

<snip>The Starting Strength method
of training novices is a distillation of Rip’s experiences over three and a half decades as a competitive powerlifter, Olympic weightlifting coach, and gym owner. From its inception in 1984, every new member at WFAC was taught the basic barbell lifts as a part of their membership at the gym, and the application of the basics of powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting to efficiently meet the needs of the general public form the basis of the Starting Strength method, as detailed in Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training and Practical Programming for Strength Training.,<snip>

And you should not assume that people are talking about muscle gains only when they discuss gains - there are other gains such as strength that can be significant.

Oh, and he still lifts and he is 56 years old.

I really like Dr. Miriam Nelson's science-based weight-lifting approach for women. I started doing the workouts from her book Strong Women Stay Young years ago, and I found them easy to fit into my schedule, effective, and comfortable to do at home.

Here's her web site:

http://www.strongwomen.com

I've never heard of that book but I just read the New Rules of Lifting for Women. I don't agree with everything in the book but it gives a 6 month workout program in it.

I didn't even read all of the book, I mainly just wanted it for the workout plans.I don't follow the diet guidelines AT ALL. I'm about halfway through, it's definitely going to take me more than 6 months to complete but I'm really happy with it! I checked it out at my library and just keep renewing it.

I don't see how 5x5 would be good for someone who has never lifted weights before. I would not recommend this unless you have lifted for a while and understand proper work out form. The risk of injury is too great. If you are getting to be in your 40's or older you shouldn't be lifting heavy more than once a month anyway as the strain on your joints is too severe.

No to all of this. Total bullsh!t.

5x5 is awesome for beginners. You start with just the bar to work on form and incrementally increase the weight as you progress. It's simple and provides a full body workout in a short amount of time. In your 40s is when you should definitely be lifting heavy (way more often than once a month - that's just stupid) to strengthen/maintain the strength in your joints and connective tissue.

A friend at the gym is doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women and I would recommend that over the 5x5. The Rules workout looks tough and if you do it correctly you will get both a cardio and strength workout.

I don't know anything about New Rules so I won't speak to it but Stronglifts 5x5 and Starting Strength are both very good beginner programs. You will definitely see gains very quickly with either of these programs.

When ever I hear someone say you will see fast benefits I always have to call a big BS on them. You do not want to lose weight fast, for one it's not healthy to lose more than 2lbs/week and 2 if you do your more than liely losing water and or muscle. You also can not build muscle fast. The average person can gain about a pound of muscle in a month, women unfortunately will gain a little less. There are some articles about this below:

http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/22/fit-or-fiction-how-long-does-it-take-to-gain-a-pound-of-muscle/
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-much-muscle-can-you-gain/

I stand behind my last comment about the 5x5, doing advance free weight lifts is just plain not safe for beginners, again an article below to support this. The 5x5 was designed for football athletes to increase strength.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/437360-what-is-the-5x5-workout/

Uh yeah... the fast results you get from stronglifts are not weight loss or muscle gain....

Its based on basic compound movements, it's not advanced at all and you move at your own pace. I stand by my statement that it's great for beginners and beginners of any age too.