strength training for beginners?

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Gagirl0910
Gagirl0910 Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I want to try strength training, I have heard a lot of good about it. I have about 60lbs to lose. I am just starting on this calorie counting/exercising so should I just stick with cardio for now? Or should I do both cardio and strength. If so then what strength training would be good for beginners like myself?
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  • Gagirl0910
    Gagirl0910 Posts: 16 Member
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    Also how often should I do it? Every day, every other day?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Yes to strength training, Yes to cardio.

    Do you have access to a gym? If yes, start with Stronglifts 5x5, the whole program is available free online.

    If no, pick up a copy of "You are your own gym" and use that program.

    Either way, 30-45 mins, ~3x/week full body program of compound lifts.
    Cardio you can do as much or as little as you like- your diet and deficit will drive the weight loss. But, cardio has lots of advantages for an overweight person besides burning calories.

    Start strength training NOW.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Yes to strength training, Yes to cardio.

    Do you have access to a gym? If yes, start with Stronglifts 5x5, the whole program is available free online.

    If no, pick up a copy of "You are your own gym" and use that program.

    Either way, 30-45 mins, ~3x/week full body program of compound lifts.
    Cardio you can do as much or as little as you like- your diet and deficit will drive the weight loss. But, cardio has lots of advantages for an overweight person besides burning calories.

    Start strength training NOW.

    ^^yep yep
  • tonysama
    tonysama Posts: 1
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    personally i wouldnt even do cardio because to be honest most people do it wrong. So to be more affective for weight loss, you should lean towards strength training, in other words weight lifting. There are tons of videos on how to do these excercises on youtube. I would recommend looking up Scott Herman Fitness on youtube. If you are serious about this then you should go everyday. count all your calories. And a typical workout routine that I have been on for two years are shoulders,triceps, back, biceps, chest, legs, abs. Do those consecutively for all 7 days.
  • trobinson0426
    trobinson0426 Posts: 2 Member
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    http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/wiki/faq#toc_0

    Lots of good information there. Read it.

    I'd recommended starting strength.

    personally i wouldnt even do cardio because to be honest most people do it wrong. So to be more affective for weight loss, you should lean towards strength training, in other words weight lifting. There are tons of videos on how to do these excercises on youtube. I would recommend looking up Scott Herman Fitness on youtube. If you are serious about this then you should go everyday. count all your calories. And a typical workout routine that I have been on for two years are shoulders,triceps, back, biceps, chest, legs, abs. Do those consecutively for all 7 days.


    Do not listen to this. Going 7 days a week is a good way to burn yourself out. You should be efficient in all aspects of your life. A good three day split filled with compound lift is definitely the best way to start.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    personally i wouldnt even do cardio because to be honest most people do it wrong. So to be more affective for weight loss, you should lean towards strength training, in other words weight lifting. There are tons of videos on how to do these excercises on youtube. I would recommend looking up Scott Herman Fitness on youtube. If you are serious about this then you should go everyday. count all your calories. And a typical workout routine that I have been on for two years are shoulders,triceps, back, biceps, chest, legs, abs. Do those consecutively for all 7 days.

    How can you do cardio wrong? Why are you suggesting to strength train every day - if you are, that is bad advice, assuming that you are doing any decent amount of weights.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    I like Chalean extreme DVDs.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    personally i wouldnt even do cardio because to be honest most people do it wrong. So to be more affective for weight loss, you should lean towards strength training, in other words weight lifting. There are tons of videos on how to do these excercises on youtube. I would recommend looking up Scott Herman Fitness on youtube. If you are serious about this then you should go everyday. count all your calories. And a typical workout routine that I have been on for two years are shoulders,triceps, back, biceps, chest, legs, abs. Do those consecutively for all 7 days.

    How does one do cardio wrong?

    Re: strength training - Are you saying you don't take any rest days?

    OP, please read the first response.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    personally i wouldnt even do cardio because to be honest most people do it wrong. So to be more affective for weight loss, you should lean towards strength training, in other words weight lifting. There are tons of videos on how to do these excercises on youtube. I would recommend looking up Scott Herman Fitness on youtube. If you are serious about this then you should go everyday. count all your calories. And a typical workout routine that I have been on for two years are shoulders,triceps, back, biceps, chest, legs, abs. Do those consecutively for all 7 days.

    I'm going to need some clarification on how people do cardio so wrong that it's not worth it.

    For the record, the general idea is to move around in such a way that you have an elevated heart rate for a sustained period of time. It's not that deep.
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
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    I would also benefit from this advice. I have mostly done cardio throughout my weightloss and wish I would have incorporated more full body workouts or weights sooner.

    Also cardio is beneficial for many reasons, soo dont not do it. I dont know many people that dont know how to walk.. lol
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    personally i wouldnt even do cardio because to be honest most people do it wrong. So to be more affective for weight loss, you should lean towards strength training, in other words weight lifting. There are tons of videos on how to do these excercises on youtube. I would recommend looking up Scott Herman Fitness on youtube. If you are serious about this then you should go everyday. count all your calories. And a typical workout routine that I have been on for two years are shoulders,triceps, back, biceps, chest, legs, abs. Do those consecutively for all 7 days.

    as long as you are driving your heart rate up and working up a sweat...your heart is engaged and you are technically doing cardio....

    cardio is really that simple...

    i mean there are ways to do that are dangerous, or risky...but wrong?

    not really....

    edited to add: OP...i would include strength training...I just started myself and I'm really excited about what it can offer for me.
  • Gagirl0910
    Gagirl0910 Posts: 16 Member
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    Thank you for the advice everyone!! I would like to keep doing cardio, I like the elliptical machine. I do go to the gym, they have classes but I am unable to make it to the gym at the hours they are offered. I will check more into the pages requested to look at also. And dvds are something I can do too!

    Are the weight machines at the gym considered strength training and are they worth it? I dont see many people at my gym using them, only the free weights mostly.
  • aryya
    aryya Posts: 33 Member
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    People who do cardio for hours on end every day are 'doing cardio wrong', but is that even really doing cardio 'wrong' per say?

    I think a person needs to do a certain amount of cardio (i personally do 30 minutes, 6 days per week, mixing steady state and HIIT), but i think there should be a focus on weight training and clean eating as well, if not more importantly. Long bouts of steady state cardio burn fat, yes, but also precious, precious lean body mass (muscle! eep!), which you more than likely do not want to lose!

    For a beginner for sure 3 days per week of full body compound movements is good - doing a 7 day single body part split is not going to be nearly as effective.. And when you're just getting started, that's just plain old too complicated. Big movements, big weights, proper form, clean eats. Maybe circuit training, keep that heart rate up.
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
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    From what I have learned, machines only work one (or few) muscle groups at a time. Lifting free weights is more beneficial because you are "working" many different muscle groups, like your core.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Thank you for the advice everyone!! I would like to keep doing cardio, I like the elliptical machine. I do go to the gym, they have classes but I am unable to make it to the gym at the hours they are offered. I will check more into the pages requested to look at also. And dvds are something I can do too!

    Are the weight machines at the gym considered strength training and are they worth it? I dont see many people at my gym using them, only the free weights mostly.

    Machines have their uses, but for the most part free weights are better. Machines tend to fix you in a position so you do not have a natural line and can cause unnecessary stress. Also, they do not require the use of stabilizer muscles. Free weights do as well as working your core more. If you are going to use machines - the cable type ones are much better than the fixed ones.
  • aryya
    aryya Posts: 33 Member
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    Thank you for the advice everyone!! I would like to keep doing cardio, I like the elliptical machine. I do go to the gym, they have classes but I am unable to make it to the gym at the hours they are offered. I will check more into the pages requested to look at also. And dvds are something I can do too!

    Are the weight machines at the gym considered strength training and are they worth it? I dont see many people at my gym using them, only the free weights mostly.

    Machines have their uses, but for the most part free weights are better. Machines tend to fix you in a position so you do not have a natural line and can cause unnecessary stress. Also, they do not require the use of stabilizer muscles. Free weights do as well as working your core more. If you are going to use machines - the cable type ones are much better than the fixed ones.

    Amen :)
  • Gagirl0910
    Gagirl0910 Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks ladies! You have been a BIG help! Yall all look great by the way!!
  • geeniusatwurk
    geeniusatwurk Posts: 68 Member
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    Here's what I did for the first 6 months of my weight loss journey:

    Lifting:
    Alternate between A and B workouts 3 times per week, i.e. A/B/A week 1, B/A/B week 2. All routines are 5x5, meaning 5 sets of 5 reps, with the first 2 being a warmup.

    A: Squats, Bench press, Overhead press
    B: Deadlift, Bent-over row, Pull-ups, Dips
    (all non-bodyweight exercises are with a barbell, not dumbbell)

    Cardio:
    45 minutes of walking/running/rowing (whatever I was in the mood for, as long as I got the heart rate up) done AFTER lifting. You'll want the most of your energy for lifting.

    I have my girlfriend on a similar program, and 2 months in (starting from 0 lifting experience) she can deadlift 225 and we're running a half marathon at the end of this month. Max time in the gym should be 2 hours, but once you're comfortable with the routines you can easily get in and out in 90 minutes
  • Gagirl0910
    Gagirl0910 Posts: 16 Member
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    thank you for the tips!
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/848374-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners-2013-edition

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