How to start "heavy lifting"
srob98
Posts: 41 Member
Hi All!
I have been very impressed by the results of those doing "heavy lifting". I still have a long way to go in weight loss, but I was wondering a few things....
1. Should I wait until I am closer to my goals weight to begin? (I know weights are important at this stage, but I really do not know the difference between heavy lifting and doing weights - besides the heavy part ..haha)
2. What IS the difference between doing the weight machines in the gym and heavy lifting? Can I get similar results from the machines?
3. Could anyone provide a link for beginners - a lifting plan, so to speak? I just cannot afford a trainer!
Thank you!
I have been very impressed by the results of those doing "heavy lifting". I still have a long way to go in weight loss, but I was wondering a few things....
1. Should I wait until I am closer to my goals weight to begin? (I know weights are important at this stage, but I really do not know the difference between heavy lifting and doing weights - besides the heavy part ..haha)
2. What IS the difference between doing the weight machines in the gym and heavy lifting? Can I get similar results from the machines?
3. Could anyone provide a link for beginners - a lifting plan, so to speak? I just cannot afford a trainer!
Thank you!
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Replies
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Hi All!
I have been very impressed by the results of those doing "heavy lifting". I still have a long way to go in weight loss, but I was wondering a few things....
1. Should I wait until I am closer to my goals weight to begin? (I know weights are important at this stage, but I really do not know the difference between heavy lifting and doing weights - besides the heavy part ..haha)
2. What IS the difference between doing the weight machines in the gym and heavy lifting? Can I get similar results from the machines?
3. Could anyone provide a link for beginners - a lifting plan, so to speak? I just cannot afford a trainer!
Thank you!
Wondering the same thing.0 -
Like the other poster I too started with Strong Lifts.
Lifting Heavy - The heavy part is as heavy as YOU can lift. I'm sure the 95# squat is light for some women here and others look at it as an impossible task. I worked up to that, and it is heavy for ME.
Definitely look for a program that has you doing compound lifts!!!
:drinker:0 -
after some searching.. I've seen the stronglifts 5x5 mentioned. seems to be a good "beginnner program"0
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1. Should I wait until I am closer to my goals weight to begin? (I know weights are important at this stage, but I really do not know the difference between heavy lifting and doing weights - besides the heavy part ..haha)
No reason at all that you shouldn't start now if it's something that you want to do. In the past I lost 20 lbs while doing no cardio... and that's because weight loss is all about diet, exercise doesn't really matter, it's just calories burned. Also you don't need cardio to burn fat, that's a myth.
Heavy lifting just means that the weight is heavy for YOU. You decide on a rep range for a given set, say 5 reps, and lift weight that is heavy enough that you can't do more than 5 reps, while still being able to complete the set with good form.
2. What IS the difference between doing the weight machines in the gym and heavy lifting? Can I get similar results from the machines?
There is a huge difference between the two, and you'll understand it much better once you start working with free weights. Weight machines were originally designed as a marketing tool to get people in the gym, plain and simple. They also almost exclusively use isolation movements, and especially for a beginner, you want to be working with barbells doing compound movements (unless you have a certifiable injury that makes that unsafe somehow). Leave the isolation movements to the advanced lifters who understand how to use them, stick with the basics and you'll get there.
Lastly, they don't fit everyone (me for instance) and so in most cases you just end up using heavy weight at akward angles and doing nothing at all, or possibly hurting yourself.
3. Could anyone provide a link for beginners - a lifting plan, so to speak? I just cannot afford a trainer!
Absolutely! And you DO NOT need a trainer (not that some aren't worth it, but it's just not necessary. Stronglifts 5x5 (free, online) will get you started with barbells, and it's as simple and fundamental as it gets. Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women (nevermind the program really, it's fine but it's kinda fluffy, just read it for the info it gives you). With those two items, you will have everything you need to be confident in the gym and get some real work done.0 -
Start now. I wish I had started earlier. :grumble:0
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Hi! Good choice to start lifting - do NOT wait. You'll love it!! And definately skip the machines - they have a place in a well-planned out routine, but on their own are very isolating since the machine does a lot of the stabilizing. Free weights (or even body weight exercises) make your use everything you have to correctly perform the exercise, so it's way more functional and generally a much better way to go. Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5 are awesome places to begin. So is New Rules of Lifting for Women. For bodyweight stuff you can try You Are Your Own Gym or this website: http://www.startbodyweight.com/
Youtube has pleanty of videos on getting your form and there are plenty of groups on MFP for all of this too. Plus lots of groups for women and lifting in general. Just take a peek through the lists of groups and have fun!!
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"Heavy lifting" is shorthand for "lifting things that are heavy FOR YOU, and lifting a bit more each time". Some examples would be Starting Strength, Stronglifts, New Rules of Lifting for Women, All Pro's Simple Beginners Routine. These are "strength" building programs, essentially and focus on the big 4/5 compound (multiple muscle/joint) moves. You generally start with a lightish weight to work on form, then add more plates each session. They soon get "heavy"!
Simply "doing weights" usually (in this context) means going to the gym, doing a set routine but without the built in progressive loading nature of a true strength program. This can be done with machines, dumbbells or barbells.
You CAN do progressive loading on a machine, if you care to. But machines are often frowned upon as they don't allow a full and natural range of motion and are usually more isolation (single muscle) movements than a good compound move which gives you a bigger bang for the buck. A barbell (or dumbbell) lift works the stabilizer muscles as well as the specific target muscle, which a machine cannot do as it guides the path of the weights.
Use what you can or have available, and on what your ultimate goal is. A well planned machine routine will get you somewhere, and is better than nothing. I don't have any specific suggestions for those, as they will depend on what machines you have available etc. You might be able to get someone in your gym to help though.
A barbell strength training program will be "best" in terms of overall progression. These are the types of programs the women in those threads use.0 -
Think of it this way, why would you want to hold off doing something (lifting) that is so beneficial and will help get you to your goals faster?
It's not a bad idea to find a good trainer that will teach you the lifts and more importantly, good form. Not a trainer that will try to sell you a training package.0 -
1. Maintenance of lean mass should be nearly as important as fat loss. Preserving muscle not only affects strength and mobility in terms of leading a highly independent and functional life but also improves body composition and shape for those wanting to lose weight. This is why resistance training ideally should be included at the very beginning of weight loss interventions.
2. Many weight machines may seem attractive for beginners but they have two basic limitations: a) They may force exercisers into moving in unnatural alignments or planes of motion (eg. Smith machine for squats) and b) They may not allow for a full range of motion. Free-weights allow for more natural movement which is closer to how we move in everyday activities. There certainly are a few machines that could be included in a program, but they shouldn't make up the core of the program itself.
3. Some good resources for beginners are books including: a) Starting Strength and b) New Rules of Lifting for Women. They are probably the two most highly regarded sources available both here and in online reviews.0 -
BUMP for later 0
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You should not wait to meet your "weight goal" before you begin lifting. If anything lifting heavy helps your body fat reduction faster than just cardio alone so pair them up together.
Here is a basic strength training routine or you can buy the book "The new rules of lifting for women" which goes by a 5x5 type strength training program as well. I am a big fan of higher weight and lowe reps so this link on my blog does help to start you off wtih higher reps then slowly go down as you increase the weight.
http://www.jerseygirltalk.com/2013/10/26/weightlifting-strength-training-routine-workout-women/0 -
Start now. I wish I had started earlier. :grumble:
This. Exactly this.
I've been doing SL5x5 for three weeks now. My BF is down 4% in that time.0 -
1. Should I wait until I am closer to my goals weight to begin? (I know weights are important at this stage, but I really do not know the difference between heavy lifting and doing weights - besides the heavy part ..haha)
No reason at all that you shouldn't start now if it's something that you want to do. In the past I lost 20 lbs while doing no cardio... and that's because weight loss is all about diet, exercise doesn't really matter, it's just calories burned. Also you don't need cardio to burn fat, that's a myth.
Heavy lifting just means that the weight is heavy for YOU. You decide on a rep range for a given set, say 5 reps, and lift weight that is heavy enough that you can't do more than 5 reps, while still being able to complete the set with good form.
2. What IS the difference between doing the weight machines in the gym and heavy lifting? Can I get similar results from the machines?
There is a huge difference between the two, and you'll understand it much better once you start working with free weights. Weight machines were originally designed as a marketing tool to get people in the gym, plain and simple. They also almost exclusively use isolation movements, and especially for a beginner, you want to be working with barbells doing compound movements (unless you have a certifiable injury that makes that unsafe somehow). Leave the isolation movements to the advanced lifters who understand how to use them, stick with the basics and you'll get there.
Lastly, they don't fit everyone (me for instance) and so in most cases you just end up using heavy weight at akward angles and doing nothing at all, or possibly hurting yourself.
3. Could anyone provide a link for beginners - a lifting plan, so to speak? I just cannot afford a trainer!
Absolutely! And you DO NOT need a trainer (not that some aren't worth it, but it's just not necessary. Stronglifts 5x5 (free, online) will get you started with barbells, and it's as simple and fundamental as it gets. Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women (nevermind the program really, it's fine but it's kinda fluffy, just read it for the info it gives you). With those two items, you will have everything you need to be confident in the gym and get some real work done.
Good stuff here....0 -
Thank you--I have been wondering the same things!
I am also wondering about the line between "feeling the burn" and "hurting yourself." For example--I just started at the gym, and I like the assisted pull up machine. I weigh around 300 lb, so I put the weight at 150 pounds, and it's fun. The next day I am feeling it where you'd imagine I'd feel it--but in my joints rather than my muscles. Does this mean bad news--or "yay keep going??" because I want to interpret the uncomfortable feeling as my body going "WTF?..You'll need more practice if you want that to feel happy the next day..." but I don't want to be injured.
Same goes for lifting weights without machines--is there a way to know what "good sore" is? Is it easier to tell with free weights?0 -
Thank you all SO MUCH! Great info!
I am excited to get started! 0 -
I mostly use free weights but I also use the cables for lat pulldowns, seated row, tricep pulldown, crossovers, wood choppers, etc and the leg press machine. I hope it is acceptable to use the cable machine.0
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Thank you--I have been wondering the same things!
I am also wondering about the line between "feeling the burn" and "hurting yourself." For example--I just started at the gym, and I like the assisted pull up machine. I weigh around 300 lb, so I put the weight at 150 pounds, and it's fun. The next day I am feeling it where you'd imagine I'd feel it--but in my joints rather than my muscles. Does this mean bad news--or "yay keep going??" because I want to interpret the uncomfortable feeling as my body going "WTF?..You'll need more practice if you want that to feel happy the next day..." but I don't want to be injured.
Same goes for lifting weights without machines--is there a way to know what "good sore" is? Is it easier to tell with free weights?
Feeling the burn is what you feel during (anaerobic) exercise due to a build up of lactic acid in the muscles. It usually goes away pretty quickly once you stop exercising.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is what I think of as a "good" soreness that comes on a day (or 2) after exercise. It is usually bilateral, assuming you worked both sides of your body, and more of a generalized stiffness/soreness than a sharp stabbing pain. It should go away after a day or so. You usually get this when you start a new exercise that your body is not used to. After doing the same routine for a little while, you won't get it (at least as much) anymore.
A sharp pain, sometimes when exercising, might well be a pulled muscle or tendon. Sometimes it might come on overnight. Usually it is going to only be on one side of the body (unless you managed to pull both sides together!). These will usually go away in a few days to months. Rest, ice/heat and ibuprofen will help. Don't keep putting strain on it, or you can make it worse. If it is right at or near the joint, it might be tendinitis, and these can take ages to heal. A Doc can give you a shot to help if it doesn't go away [I need to go see mine about tendinitis in my elbow].
Depending on your age/health etc, pain in the joints could also be arthritis, I guess?
Note - I am not a physician. So go see one if you are not sure!
TL;DR: Normally during a workout, you might feel tired (glycogen depletion) or somewhat sore (lactic acid). These are normal, but don't allow yourself to carry on to absolute exhaustion! If you feel a sharp pain during the workout, it might be more serious. Stop.0 -
Right, and another key point about DOMS is that it goes away with time, and it is ok to workout when you have DOMS. You're not going to hurt yourself. Also, getting DOMS or not getting DOMS has nothing to do with the effectiveness of a workout. In time you will be lifting more and feeling it less if at all.
The only time when you might consider not working out with DOMS, is when you think it might increase the soreness, to the point where you can't do the exercise.
The easiest way to avoid or lessen DOMS is to start light and gradually work your way up. Like I said though, it will go away with time regardless.0 -
bump for later0
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Right, and another key point about DOMS is that it goes away with time, and it is ok to workout when you have DOMS. You're not going to hurt yourself. Also, getting DOMS or not getting DOMS has nothing to do with the effectiveness of a workout. In time you will be lifting more and feeling it less if at all.
What does DOMS stand for? I have a whole lot of vernacular to learn. Thanks to everyone for your replies!0 -
What does DOMS stand for?
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Usually more sore 2 days later than 1 day later.0 -
I mostly use free weights but I also use the cables for lat pulldowns, seated row, tricep pulldown, crossovers, wood choppers, etc and the leg press machine. I hope it is acceptable to use the cable machine.
Absolutely. All those exercises you listed are excellent uses of cable stations. And a plate loaded leg press is a lovely thing to use.0 -
Start now. Bodybuilding.com has great programs and videos to help you; it's an excellent resource for free information.0
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*Bump*0
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bumping this0
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Start now. I wish I had started earlier. :grumble:
me too. i say start now. you will not regret it.0 -
I started lifting "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips and fell in love. More recently I have done "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" and "The New Rules of Lifting for Abs" by Lou Schuler. I would strongly recommend "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" as a way to start lifting. He does a good job of explaining the science behind lifting and eating to support the work you do at the gym. The lifting program is full of compound movements that will give you better balance and a functional strength.
Before starting a new workout I usually read about the movements and google them to find videos to perfect my form. I even practice a few body weight reps before I get to the gym. I want to use my gym time as efficiently as possible. Planing is key to getting the most out of your gym time.
Whatever program you decide to start with start soon. It was one of the best things I have ever done for myself.0 -
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