Weights question.

america_c
america_c Posts: 60
in Fitness and Exercise
This may be a dumb question but I want to get some advice. I've got a long ways to go still on my journey and I want to make sure I'm doing this right. 5 days a week I do 35 minutes on the elliptical, I've increased the resistance from 6 to 10 within a period of 5 weeks or so. I'll walk the other two days for anything from 45 minutes to an hour. I'm using runtastics squats and pushups to keep track and have some sort of schedule for doing those two things. So that ranges from 4-5 days of either or both depending on what day it is.

My question is this. Since I'm just starting. Isn't doing pushup and squats now kinda like lifting weights considering the amount of weight I still need to lose? I'm kinda reluctant to go to the weights area at the gym, since 1. I don't know what I'm doing and 2. everyone in that room seems to know what they are doing, are way fitter and much younger than I am. Plus they are all men. So I feel a bit sheepish going in. Can I just keep up this routine for a while until I get to a comfortable weight then hit the weights?

Replies

  • leahartmann
    leahartmann Posts: 415
    To be honest, I don´t know if your routine will help you until you feel fit enough to go to the weight area. But what I DO know is that if you want to start lifting- wich I can strongly recommend- you shouldn´t let insecurity keep you away!

    I started less than two months ago and didn´t know anything about anything except from what I had read and seen on youtube (watch Mark Rippletoe) and what knowledge my great friends here was more than willing to pass on. The first time I went, I didn´t even know how to load a barbell, and there wasn´t even a personal trainer I could ask. I went ahead and asked a guy if he would help me. He would. You will find out that most people are very willing to help.

    I would suggest the Stronglifts 5x5 program. It´s very basic, three exercises each time, changing between workout A and B. It doesn´t take long in the beginning, about half an hour. And then you increase your weight as much as you can while doing it with good form. (Again- watch youtube and read.)

    You will probably feel insecure and a little out of place in the beginning. I did. But I promise that as soon as you feel secure with your exercises, you will feel secure in the weight room. Bring a friend the first couple of times, if you have to, that way you won´t feel alone. You´re going to love it!!

    By the way- I know more than one woman in her 50´ies, who lifts weights.
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
    Doing push ups is a great chest exercise..so yes its SORT of like doing a chest press with weights..

    Squats are great for the booty. I don't see why you shouldn't be doing squats.

    I say go for it. Start slow, and work your way up =)
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    As long as you are still seeing progress, I'd say stay with what is working.

    At some point though, it's going to stop working. It's just the way our bodies are. They adapt to routine and are able to do more work with less energy consumption.

    When you do decide to do weights, if you can afford it get a trainer for a session and tell them what you are looking for.

    If that's too much go onto a website called Stronglifts 5x5. The guy who runs it is kind of a sexist douche, but the program itself will work for anyone. You start off lifting only the bar and focusing on doing everything in the proper form, which will maximize your gains and avoid injuries.

    Good luck!
  • america_c
    america_c Posts: 60
    I'll give it a try soon. Maybe within the next couple of weeks. I'm starting slow with my push ups. I started doing push ups at knee level. Once I finished that I restarted the same program, still doing them at the knee level but now touching my nose to the floor. My goal is to restart the program doing full pushups. Thanks for the advice!
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    You want to be exhausted after doing your squat sets. If you need to lose a lot of weight, that might be body weight squats. But remember, after you've lost the first 10 pounds, you're body weight squat got 10 pounds easier. You'll need to add 10 pounds of weight just to stay even.

    You can always start with dumbbells and goblet squats and get some progression that way. But once you've lost 20-30 pounds, the easiest way for you to keep making progress is to get ahold of that barbell in the weight room.

    Pick a simple program that's easy to learn and remember, and you'll look like a pro in no time. You only need to learn 5 different lifts for Stronglifts or Starting Strength, and you only do three different lifts in any single day. Go in, do your three lifts, and get out. And I bet you'll be doing a smarter program than half the guys who are in there.

    Lifting weights is a lot of fun, especially at first when you can improve so fast. Good luck!
  • Loftearmen
    Loftearmen Posts: 380
    What you just described sounds like a good way to lose some fat initially but it won't give you the same type of adaptation as lifting weights. Going into the weight area is kind of like bungee jumping, it's only scary your first time and then you realize that it's not that scary and it's actually pretty fun. You will also find that the really big and strong people will be friendly and helpful and don't mind helping you out if you ask them to. There was a point in time that they had never set foot in a weight room also and they will remember what it was like.

    You should check out stronglifts 5x5 or starting strength to start out with. You can find them both easily with a google search.
  • america_c
    america_c Posts: 60
    But remember, after you've lost the first 10 pounds, you're body weight squat got 10 pounds easier. You'll need to add 10 pounds of weight just to stay even.

    ahhhh.....yea. I didn't think about that. ok ok ok *mind processing* ....I'll set up a schedule of some sort. I'm in the gym during the 5 weekdays so it shouldn't be that hard to set something up.

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