Questions for female heavy lifters

mountaingirl2207
mountaingirl2207 Posts: 181
in Fitness and Exercise
(Or male.... I don't discriminate.)

I have gotten about halfway to my goal. I am doing 75 minutes of high intensity cardio 6x/ week and working out on the weight machines 4x/ week. I still have a ton of fat to lose, but want to start lifting heavy. When I asked one of the trainers at the gym if he could help me get started, the jerk said that he would hate to see me get so bulky and that I should stay on the machines. :mad:

Is it best to start now, or is it best to wait for the fat loss and then add lbm?

My other problem is that I just moved here and don't know anybody. If I can't even get a trainer to help me, how do I get started as a noob? Anybody live in the Tampa area and want a pet project?

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Ugh. You will not get bulky. As someone completely new to weight training, there is a chance you will gain some muscle when you first start lifting, even if you eat at a deficit. Not sure how "new" you'll actually be in these terms since you currently do the machines. If you're eating at a deficit, even if you get some "newbie" gains, you won't gain significant mass, and it will even off after awhile. And, as a female, it is genetically impossible for you to "get bulky" without supplementation of the largely illegal variety. As women, we just don't have the testosterone levels required. Even if you had higher than average testosterone levels, it would still require eating at a surplus and training hard and heavy. I hate that someone who is labelled as a 'trainer" is actively discouraging you from lifting free weights.

    As for getting started, poke around bodybuilding.com They have beginner plans and a sub-forum for female bodybuilders with a lot of useful tips and posters. Muscleandstrength.com also has great videos demonstrating correct form for all the major lifts. I started out trying to build my own program, and eventually I did a round of the All Pro's Beginner Routine found in the forums at bb.com. It was a great sarting point. I'm curerntly doing Madcow's 5x5. The New Rules of LIfting for Women is a great place to start. A lot of people swear by Jamie Eason's LiveFit program, found at bb.com. Since I train at home, I find the simpler programs easiest as I don't have access to anything more than a bench, rack, bar, loadable dumbbells and plates. A really good rule of thumb for getting started, imho, is to do bench, squats, dead lifts, military press and bent over rows. Start with bodyweight only or just the bar to practice form. Then, play around with weights. Find a weight that fatigues your muscles in less than 10 reps, 2-3 sets. If you can do 3 sets for 10 reps without sacrificing form, up the weights.
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
    That trainer needs to go find another job! You will not bet bulky! Start lifting now!

    I started with New Rules Of Lifting for Women-great book and program! The program is 6 mon. long, so you will have what to do for a long time. I suggest whatever you pick to do, do compound lifts and learn proper.

    Free, heavy weights did wonders to my body like nothing else did! Step away from the machines and get to the free weights area of your gym! That trainer doesn't know sh!!t!
  • mountaingirl2207
    mountaingirl2207 Posts: 181
    Thanks, ladies. I will definitely start looking at some of the programs. The thing that I worry about is that the free weight section is so intimidating! They just built my gym in an area that fitness is not much of a priority. The gym doesn't have a ton of members yet and the ones in the lifting area are HUGE muscle men. I have been going for 6 weeks and have never seen a woman in there. When you started out, did you have someone showing you what to do, or did you just go for it?
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    My husband is a serious lifter, and he helped me with my form. I also borrowed his Bodybuilding Bible (by The Arnold) and looked through it for examples. There's tons of demo videos out there, too. I think muscleandstrength.com has really good ones. I generally workout at home, but I've gone to the gym with my husband a few times, on those occasions where our kids were at their grandparents' during the week. Even with him there, it was a tad intimidating because I wasn't 100% sure how to use some of the gym's equipment (for example, I don't have a whole big safety rack at home, just a small squat/bench rack). But, last week we were out of town, and went to a gym, and I totally just went to what I needed, and today I got to go with my husband, and again, he was still running to warm up, and I just did my thang. The guys there just don't care, keep repeating that to yourself. My husband always says, he's just impressed when people show up and actually put inthe work. Follow basic gym ettiquette, things like raking your weights, wiping down equipment, not jumping int the rack or whatever, if you've seen someone else using it without asking if they're done or you can jump in, etc. Also, I bet many of them would be willing to help with form or give you a spot if you ask when they don't look too busy.

    And, you might want to talk to the trainer again, if it's something that came with your membership. Find the plan you want to use. Print it out. Go to him and say, I know you don't agree, but I found a plan I want to do. Could you please help me with my form on X, Y and Z and see if he'll help.
  • mountaingirl2207
    mountaingirl2207 Posts: 181
    Thanks, Jen. I know that once I just do it, it will be fine. And good idea about going back to the trainer- maybe I can just bully him into it, lol. I looked today when I was there at the other trainer profiles and nobody else really jumped out at me,... all I ever see them doing is setting people up on the same machines I'm working on!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Start now. There's no reason to wait.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
  • Goosiesnougs
    Goosiesnougs Posts: 420
    If the trainer said that to you..........you don't want his help anyway! What a fool!
  • mountaingirl2207
    mountaingirl2207 Posts: 181
    Start now. There's no reason to wait.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    Thank you !! Very helpful!!
  • mountaingirl2207
    mountaingirl2207 Posts: 181
    If the trainer said that to you..........you don't want his help anyway! What a fool!

    I know, right??
  • Zap77
    Zap77 Posts: 26
    I agree low weights high rep is a myth and boring as hell. I do a set of 70 weights, 2 if possible if not i do 70 weight rep the 2 sets on 50. Seeing great results and definition no bulk. Go for it girl!!
  • Zap77
    Zap77 Posts: 26
    Great advice Jen that's what I follow after much research too on women and lifting. I love lifting and despise cardio lolllll
  • lina011
    lina011 Posts: 427 Member
    what a nob! of a trainer, you will not get bulky at all,
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    The trainer should be fired. Immediately. Read a book and you can easily do this on your own. Start now so you can stop losing your lean muscle mass.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
    The guy is an idiot.
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    ugh I hate that. trainers are sometimes so dumb.

    There are a TON of videos online for form guides and also you could just ask someone else who is lifting around you to watch what you're doing. Or you could video tape yourself and post it on mfp for suggestions. Form is something I'm always improving personally. I started out a complete noob and just read instructions and watched videos. It's worked out alright so far. As you get more confident in the gym you'll meet more people and you'll be able to tell who knows what they're talking about and who doesn't and you can ask them for form tips.
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
    If the trainer said that to you..........you don't want his help anyway! What a fool!

    what a tool.
  • SatchGallamax
    SatchGallamax Posts: 549 Member
    Definitely start now - you'll thank yourself later.

    People have already posted some great programs for you (New Rules of Lifting, SL 5x5) and there are some good videos online to help with form. Don't be intimidated by the free weight section! I guarantee nobody is going to care... if anything, they'll just think it's cool that you're doing your thing.
  • smilingirisheyes
    smilingirisheyes Posts: 149 Member
    New Rules of Lifting is an excellent suggestion. I just got it to get back into lifting.

    The last time I took this weight off 10+ years ago, I lifted heavy and did lots of cardio just on my own. I got increased definition, tone, and strength, and kept my metabolism going to get down to 18% body fat. I'd tried losing the weight a zillion times before without lifting and gave up when I got discouraged, and for me lifting was the key. It made me quit caring what the scale said because I was so pleased with the idea of having moved several thousand pounds around on a given day and was eating to be able to do it again the next day.

    Women can't get "bulky" without really putting in a huge amount of work specifically to do so, so don't let the trainer's dumb comment stop you. If you have interest, it really is fun to do and the list of benefits is huge.

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