No idea how to start lifting - help?!

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ashleylmp
ashleylmp Posts: 40 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I really want to start incorporating strength training in my workouts but I have no idea where to start. Can anyone recommend a good book, website, video, etc where I can figure everything out?! Thank you! :)
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Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe (book)

    Strong Lifts 5x5 (website)

    New Rules of Lifting for Women (book)
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe (book)

    Strong Lifts 5x5 (website)

    New Rules of Lifting for Women (book)

    Yup. I think I would read NROL4W to understand the strategy, read Starting Strength to learn how to do the lifts, and then follow the Stronglifts routine, because it's the easiest to get into. But all 3 are great beginner programs, and if you're in a hurry, just pick the one that looks like most fun and go!
  • ErinRibbens
    ErinRibbens Posts: 370 Member
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    Agree with above posters. I started out with Stronglifts which is a great program, but I wish I would have read Starting Strength and NROLFW for the information first.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    I'd recommend nerdfitness.com and jefit.com as good places to start as well. nerdfitness.com does a good job of explaining the basics of form and the fundamentals of lifting. jefit.com is a pretty vast resource of exercises and pre-made routines broken up by type and lifter experience level. The latter has a decent app that allows you create or download routines to your phone to track what you are doing from week to week.
  • songbird1973
    songbird1973 Posts: 90
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    Bump, for reading later.
  • BajaDreamin333
    BajaDreamin333 Posts: 267 Member
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    Bump!
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    want to start heavy lifting? don't know where to start?
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/993490-want-to-start-lifting-what-weight
  • natasa26ca
    natasa26ca Posts: 107 Member
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    I started by getting a personal trainer and a gym membership but personal trainers are pricy so i would suggest trying a strength training class. Most gyms have bunch of different classes that are included in monthly membership. Cycling, zumba, pilates, yoga, and total body works and so on.
    Anyways, see at your local gym what kind of classes they have for strength training. I go to LA fitness and their total body works class is really good.
  • missmiller1
    missmiller1 Posts: 131 Member
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    Bodybuilding.com has a ton of information and many free 12 week programs.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    Bodybuilding.com has a ton of information and many free 12 week programs.

    yes, but it's also full of bro science. so when you're new it's hard to tell myth from science.
    the stickies on nutriton for instance are really good.
  • ashleylmp
    ashleylmp Posts: 40 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I just have one more question! My starting weight is 350. I know I have a long way to go but I want to start exercising from the beginning. This might be ignorant, but I've seen people post about not losing any pounds lifting, just curious if I should start with just cardio and move to strength training later? Or start now and I'll lose the pounds regardless?
  • danni766
    danni766 Posts: 23
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    Jillian Michael's 30 day shred incorporates both strength and cardio although it isn't really "lifting" per say... It sure does work though...
  • ashleylmp
    ashleylmp Posts: 40 Member
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    Jillian Michael's 30 day shred incorporates both strength and cardio although it isn't really "lifting" per say... It sure does work though...

    That's what I've been thinking! I started it once but never got past level one because I went on vacation blah blah blah and fell off the wagon. I think I'm gonna read up on lifting and all the wonderful things you guys have suggested and after the 30DS I'll start more strength training. Thanks!
  • gogojodee
    gogojodee Posts: 1,261 Member
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    New Rules! I borrowed it from the library - there is SO much info! I suggest buying it in print form or if you have an iPad, def e-Book! :)
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I just have one more question! My starting weight is 350. I know I have a long way to go but I want to start exercising from the beginning. This might be ignorant, but I've seen people post about not losing any pounds lifting, just curious if I should start with just cardio and move to strength training later? Or start now and I'll lose the pounds regardless?

    no. start training yesterday. your losses will be slower than if you were more cardio focused, BUT what's important here,
    is body recomposition- losing just the fat, keeping the muscle. everything i wrote still stands. the only difference for a heavier person doing the compound lifting is just like any other exercise, there may be slight modifications. like making your stance slighty wider during squats. Your lean body mass is higher, and a great thing. you can be 300# and be fit. Skinny emmie is living proof.
    there are no weight lifmits on the squat rack. or any other free weights. and you can do anything the guys can.
    Focus on learning proper form. read read read, then read some more. learn everything you can. ask questions.
    make sure what you're doing is sustainingable, something that you can fit in your schedule for the long term, think 6 months, years.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    Jillian Michael's 30 day shred incorporates both strength and cardio although it isn't really "lifting" per say... It sure does work though...

    That's what I've been thinking! I started it once but never got past level one because I went on vacation blah blah blah and fell off the wagon. I think I'm gonna read up on lifting and all the wonderful things you guys have suggested and after the 30DS I'll start more strength training. Thanks!

    this is fine, and works for some people, but high rep programs don't build or keep muscle. 20 + reps is cardio.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    My wife started working out when she was considerably over-weight. She started with a mix of elliptical machine and mostly upper body lifts and body weight squats. She wasn't able to do deadlifts or heavy squats because of herniated discs in her back. She was able to make consistent weight and strength progress on a pretty severe calorie deficit for 9 months (and counting!). When she started lifting heavier, she stalled on weight loss for a few weeks, but she lost a lot of inches at the same time, so she knew she was still making progress. I think building muscle causes you to hold on to a little extra water weight, which makes the scale move in jumps and starts. But that stall was only 3 weeks. She's now lost 75 pounds in 9 months.

    Moral of the story: take your measurements every month or so. Those plateaus might just be downslopes in disguise.

    If you're otherwise healthy, go ahead and try the full beginner programs. You might need to research alternates if some lifts are too awkward (NROL4W has lots of lift variations that might be a good place to start), or just ask for advice here.

    I think you're going to like doing the weights. Happy lifting!
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    My wife started working out when she was considerably over-weight. She started with a mix of elliptical machine and mostly upper body lifts and body weight squats. She wasn't able to do deadlifts or heavy squats because of herniated discs in her back. She was able to make consistent weight and strength progress on a pretty severe calorie deficit for 9 months (and counting!). When she started lifting heavier, she stalled on weight loss for a few weeks, but she lost a lot of inches at the same time, so she knew she was still making progress. I think building muscle causes you to hold on to a little extra water weight, which makes the scale move in jumps and starts. But that stall was only 3 weeks. She's now lost 75 pounds in 9 months.

    Moral of the story: take your measurements every month or so. Those plateaus might just be downslopes in disguise.

    If you're otherwise healthy, go ahead and try the full beginner programs. You might need to research alternates if some lifts are too awkward (NROL4W has lots of lift variations that might be a good place to start), or just ask for advice here.

    I think you're going to like doing the weights. Happy lifting!

    it's not the building muscle that causes us to hold onto water weight. this can happen if we are building muscle or not, and lifting in a deficit, we are not building muscle, we are simple keeping what we have. We are holding onto water to repair the muscles.
    We tear the muscles during the workout, and rebuild them during rest.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    it's not the building muscle that causes us to hold onto water weight. this can happen if we are building muscle or not, and lifting in a deficit, we are not building muscle, we are simple keeping what we have. We are holding onto water to repair the muscles.
    We tear the muscles during the workout, and rebuild them during rest.

    I don't disagree, but correct me if I'm wrong. I'm under the impression people with a lot of weight to lose can build some muscle and still lose weight ... at first. The diet has to be smart, and it's not sustainable long-term, but it does happen.

    Either way, I don't think the bottom line changes: the OP should know that she might be burning more fat than the scale is showing.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
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    THROW your scale AWAY !!

    Its about Body composition , Lean body mass vs fat ! ffs

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