Weight Training Newbie!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!

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cornfieldsuburbia
cornfieldsuburbia Posts: 15
in Introduce Yourself
I am 70 days into my new healthy living and weight loss journey. Down 31 pounds so far I have done nothing but cardio thus far. I am learning that with cardio strength training is a must. Never crossing over to that side of the gym because I am petrified...... I am asking for guidance. As a soon to be newbie in the weight section of the gym I am looking for tips from all you MFP peeps. One of my main questions is how do you know where to start weight wise..... please help!!!!

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  • ercarroll311
    ercarroll311 Posts: 295 Member
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    Are you wondering how much weight to start with or what kinds of exercises? As far as how much weight, I'd say start light and see how it goes. Depending what you're wanting to do, you'll want a weight you can do about 10-12 reps with, but starting too heavy would be a mistake. Work your way up, if something seems too easy after those reps, move up!
  • catbubbles
    catbubbles Posts: 28
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    It is best to start light until you know what your body can handle. Also, don't start with excessive reps. Once you know how your body will adjust to weights the key is finding what is best for your body. The best amount of weight should be to the point where you can only do 10-12 reps per set. If you can do more than that, it is not enough weight. However, if you cannot do at least 8 it is too much. Also make sure you get plenty of lean protein in your diet. You may find that you feel much more hungry when you lift. Another big key to lifting is to not do the same area on consecutive days. Meaning, if you do upper body one day do lower body the next. If you do upper body and get sore and stay sore until your next upper body day, go light but still do a little.


    I used to lift much more than I do now but I am working on getting back into it. You can add me if you want.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    Nerdfitness.com and jefit.com are good resources for beginner lifters. The former has some bodyweight circuits and stretching routines that can be done at home until you get comfortable with the weight area, plus there are some good articles and videos with helpful information on form and technique. The latter is a massive library of exercises and routines broken down by muscle group and experience level, so it is fairly easy to find something for you. The key is to focus on form, not weight. I see a lot of new lifters who want to lift as much as possible, but let their form suffer to get that extra 10 lbs. You'll get a better and safer workout by dropping the weight a little and keeping good form.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength.
  • kts3639
    kts3639 Posts: 188 Member
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    Stronglifts 5X5 or Starting Strength are two good beginner routines. I started with Stronglifts and it really helped me to get into lifting. I learned the basic compound lifts, form, etc. and they tell you where to start weight wise. Always best to start lower and up it as you go. You can google those two routines or search them on these forums and they should bring up the info you need.
  • kts3639
    kts3639 Posts: 188 Member
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    Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength.

    Ha! Beat me to it :laugh:
  • carlapendergrass
    carlapendergrass Posts: 42 Member
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    If you can, a session with a personal trainer for an initial evaluation and to set up a beginning workout would probably be a good idea.
  • kapoorpk
    kapoorpk Posts: 244 Member
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    There are a ton of routines and guidance provided on bodybuilding.com. Specifically, I would recommend considering Lee Labrada's program. It is a moderate routine with anything too extreme, yet effective.

    The key is that you ought to lift enough weight to perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps each. If you can do more reps with your weight selection, increase the weight. The best way to start is to do a 3 day split that separates exercises by muscle groups such as push muscles, pull muscles and legs/abs. Lee Labrada explains it all. Check it out.

    Good luck!
  • cornfieldsuburbia
    cornfieldsuburbia Posts: 15
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    Thanks everyone for the great advice and the books to add to my reading list and the great websites. Its very overwhelming just starting out but I am certainly learning the cardio and weight training need to go hand in hand to be success at become lean and healthy. Again thank you so much!!!

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