Beginner weight lifting program for women?

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EmmaJean7
EmmaJean7 Posts: 163 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure this has been discussed already so if anyone wants to copy/paste and direct me to a thread thats already answered it thats fine. I am in the middle of 30DS and once I am finished I want to start lifting but am completely clueless where to start. I am not afraid of "bulking up to much" ad would eventually like to do legit heavy lifting but right now I need a starting point that will teach me the basics. Any advice?

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  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Pick up a book called Staring Strength. It gives excellent, solid information about the five basic lifts: squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and row.

    The next thing is to find a place you can do those lifts. This is non-trivial. I suggest joining a powerlifting gym or Crossfit center. Or putting a power rack in your house.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    There's a book called New Rules of Lifting for Women that covers the same topic, but I get the impression it's written in a more women-friendly way. But it teaches you to do the same lifts in the same way. though it's short on the details about anatomy and physiology. Some people like it more I guess.
  • newjourney2015
    newjourney2015 Posts: 216 Member
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    ...the five basic lifts: squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and row.

    Stronglifts 5x5

    Join the group Stronglifts 5x5 for women. Stronglifts 5x5 only uses the above (5) basic lifts.
  • ntdrive
    ntdrive Posts: 105 Member
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    1) Don't worry about bulking up ... it is very hard to do especially for women. 2) Try to find a good qualified personal trainer to teach you proper technique for lifting.
  • hdlb
    hdlb Posts: 333 Member
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    1) Don't worry about bulking up ... it is very hard to do especially for women. 2) Try to find a good qualified personal trainer to teach you proper technique for lifting.


    I second this, even if you only have 1 or 2 sessions with a trainer, if you have no idea what you are doing, its easy to hurt yourself.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    1) Don't worry about bulking up ... it is very hard to do especially for women. 2) Try to find a good qualified personal trainer to teach you proper technique for lifting.


    I second this, even if you only have 1 or 2 sessions with a trainer, if you have no idea what you are doing, its easy to hurt yourself.

    The thing with "trainers" is that there are very, very few of them out there who can competently teach you how to do a compound lift like a squat. Most trainers have no idea at all.
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member
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    I vote for 5/3/1. Slow and steady, fun, hard to screw it up.
  • EmmaJean7
    EmmaJean7 Posts: 163 Member
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    I vote for 5/3/1. Slow and steady, fun, hard to screw it up.

    Thanks for the tips guys. What is 5/3/1?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I vote for 5/3/1. Slow and steady, fun, hard to screw it up.

    Thanks for the tips guys. What is 5/3/1?

    A powerlifting program. Uses the same basic lifts. 5/3/1 is technically a programming method of powerlifting. It's designed to slowly increase the amount you can lift by using 4-week mesocycles. It basically has you do the squat, bench, overhead press, and deadlift once per week - the first week, you max out at 85% of your 1RM (one rep max) for 5+ reps; the second week you do 90% for 3+ reps; the third week you do 95% for 1+ reps; and the 4th week is a deload week where you do 5 reps at 70%.

    There are variations on it that include some "accessory" work such as dips, leg raises, pullups, etc, but the core is those 4 big lifts.

    The nice thing about it is how programmed it is. You put your current abilities ("I can do 6 reps of the bench press at 70 pounds") into a calculator, and it gives you the exact weights, sets, and reps to use for the next month. It focuses on slow, steady progress.
  • katiedid1226
    katiedid1226 Posts: 233 Member
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    There's a book called New Rules of Lifting for Women that covers the same topic, but I get the impression it's written in a more women-friendly way. But it teaches you to do the same lifts in the same way. though it's short on the details about anatomy and physiology. Some people like it more I guess.

    I never get bored with this book. This is my second time through it. Love it. There are diagrams, instructions, helpful facts, even a nutrition program. Good place to begin....and good enough to continue with, IMO.
  • a_vettestingray
    a_vettestingray Posts: 654 Member
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    5/3/1 is an intermediate powerlifting program focusing on four major compound barbell lifts: squat, dead lift, bench press, and overhead press. In order to effectively run 5/3/1, you have to know your one rep max and work off of percentages of that for each lift.

    If you have never lifted weights before, you are unlikely to know what your 1RM is, and in no way should attempt a 1RM without being extremely competent in form and having spotters.

    I recommend starting with a beginner's program such as 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women, or Starting Strength. I ran a couple cycles of phase one of New Rules but found it complicated and switched over to 5x5. I am in my 17th week of 5x5 and still gaining strength. I plan to move into 5/3/1 after I finish this cycle of 5x5.
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member
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    5/3/1 is an intermediate powerlifting program focusing on four major compound barbell lifts: squat, dead lift, bench press, and overhead press. In order to effectively run 5/3/1, you have to know your one rep max and work off of percentages of that for each lift.

    If you have never lifted weights before, you are unlikely to know what your 1RM is, and in no way should attempt a 1RM without being extremely competent in form and having spotters.

    I recommend starting with a beginner's program such as 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women, or Starting Strength. I ran a couple cycles of phase one of New Rules but found it complicated and switched over to 5x5. I am in my 17th week of 5x5 and still gaining strength. I plan to move into 5/3/1 after I finish this cycle of 5x5.

    You can just work up with sets of 5 until you slow a la the first workout in starting strength, calculate 1RM from that number and move forward :) You will progress nearly as fast as starting strength if you do not wait entire weeks between each lift(unnecessary for a beginner imo). For example I squat twice a week on 5/3/1 and go through an entire monthly cycle of 5/3/1 in a week and a half, skipping the deload week.

    This is just what worked for me though, so I espouse it, starting strength is great I just couldn't keep up with the recovery it demanded even eating 4000kcal/day :(
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    You can just work up with sets of 5 until you slow a la the first workout in starting strength, calculate 1RM from that number and move forward :)

    You can, but I think it's too limiting for a beginner. An absolute beginner goes through so much CNS adaptation they can make progressions every single workout for quite a while.

    I suggest that people work on form with low weights to begin, then add weight every workout (5 lbs for press, 5-10 for bench, 10 for squat, and 10-15-20 for deadlift) until they plateau. Then dial it back and start a 5/3/1 progression.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    For example I squat twice a week on 5/3/1 and go through an entire monthly cycle of 5/3/1 in a week and a half, skipping the deload week.

    That works too. That's not bad. It's important for people to take advantage of the noob gains.
  • Lt_Starbuck
    Lt_Starbuck Posts: 576 Member
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    strstd.com :heart:
  • LemonMint6
    LemonMint6 Posts: 76
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    ...the five basic lifts: squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and row.

    Stronglifts 5x5

    Join the group Stronglifts 5x5 for women. Stronglifts 5x5 only uses the above (5) basic lifts.

    I totally second this! I just started Stronglifts, there is an app to keep you on track for which workout you're doing, what weight you're lifting, it doesn't take too long, and there are lots of videos to help teach you how to do correct form, and they are super basic so someone is always at the gym that can correct you. (I had an awesome old guy laugh at me and then help me with my rows.) :D

    The group on here has a great sticky explaining the whole thing!
  • EmmaJean7
    EmmaJean7 Posts: 163 Member
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    ...the five basic lifts: squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and row.

    Stronglifts 5x5

    Join the group Stronglifts 5x5 for women. Stronglifts 5x5 only uses the above (5) basic lifts.

    I totally second this! I just started Stronglifts, there is an app to keep you on track for which workout you're doing, what weight you're lifting, it doesn't take too long, and there are lots of videos to help teach you how to do correct form, and they are super basic so someone is always at the gym that can correct you. (I had an awesome old guy laugh at me and then help me with my rows.) :D

    The group on here has a great sticky explaining the whole thing!

    I will defiantly check out the 5x5 group on here. Thanks guys :)
  • disneygallagirl
    disneygallagirl Posts: 515 Member
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    bump
  • Jesstruhan
    Jesstruhan Posts: 331 Member
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    Bump

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