squatting for beginners

Okay, so I heard if you want a fabulous behind you need to squat, lunge and do jumping jacks. But where do i start? Do I need weight for my squats or start without? And how many sets and reps? Same for the lunges.. I have no idea what I'm doing here, please help!

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    buy and read either new rules of lifting or starting strength.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    buy and read either new rules of lifting or starting strength.

    i wonder if those are available on ereader? b/c I'm fairly certain i can get my hubby to buy me a tech tool for reading but not an actual book. strange but true. men are so techy these days, and literacy has fallen by the wayside, no?
  • labgirl77
    labgirl77 Posts: 18 Member
    There are videos you can buy that will help teach you the right form and give you some different techniques..Its how I got better, if not, you could injure yourself doing them wrong..I started off with just squats and lunges alone, then I slowly added small weights..I do about 3 or 4 sets of 10, usually twice a week because my knees can't handle too much..Good Luck
  • mbrou28
    mbrou28 Posts: 132 Member
    buy and read either new rules of lifting or starting strength.

    i wonder if those are available on ereader? b/c I'm fairly certain i can get my hubby to buy me a tech tool for reading but not an actual book. strange but true. men are so techy these days, and literacy has fallen by the wayside, no?


    I bought Starting Strength for my Kindle - just finishing it this week!
  • PriceK01
    PriceK01 Posts: 834 Member
    Yep, I have the Kindle edition of SS :)
  • nonstopper
    nonstopper Posts: 1,108 Member
    Start slow. Work LEGS 3 times a week.

    Start with body weight workouts then move to weighted.

    (squat info) Keep feet shoulder width with toes point SLIGHTLY out. Once you move down into a squat, shoot your knees OUT. Make the spread between your knees wider once you squat down.

    First do " Air Squats" - Get LOW as you can when ever you do a Squat. You can also intensely modify this workout by jumping up i the air once you complete the squat.

    Second " Lunges" no less than 100 - 200. No weight. When you do these of course make sure you step out far and your knee Must Touch the ground. Its best to keep you hands on your head while doing this. Then once your body can make a easy simple movement of the lung, then move to weighted lunges. For you ( 20 -35lbs) then to more weight if and when your ready.

    Third. " Squat w/ weight " Like I said before keep knees shoulders width with toes SLIGHTLY point out. Once you move down into the squat shoot your knees out! Making the knees go father apart. Now that you have a bar with weight doing the squat, once you move down, PAUSE of 2 secs. then shoot right back up. Keep a straight back and SHOOT up off the HEELS.

    PS: also look into Dead Lifts

    Thank you:glasses:
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    buy and read either new rules of lifting or starting strength.

    i wonder if those are available on ereader? b/c I'm fairly certain i can get my hubby to buy me a tech tool for reading but not an actual book. strange but true. men are so techy these days, and literacy has fallen by the wayside, no?
    One of my other (female and considerably older than you, missy!) friends has NROLFW that she just got for her Kindle, so I'm sure the others are too.
  • Naomi0504
    Naomi0504 Posts: 964 Member
    Okay, so I heard if you want a fabulous behind you need to squat, lunge and do jumping jacks. But where do i start? Do I need weight for my squats or start without? And how many sets and reps? Same for the lunges.. I have no idea what I'm doing here, please help!

    Either that or be born black. Or eat a lot of tortillas like my sisters...

    So, not only was I born black :smile:, but I started out using weights for squats, lunges, etc, all those great lower body workouts. A leg day for me will look something like: 10-12 squats, superset with 10-12 deadlifts and 10-12 split squats, then like 25 jump squats, then a superset of 15 weighted step ups and 10-12 single leg deadlifts (weighted), then 3 sets of 10-12 curtsy lunges, then finish with 100 glute bridges.

    That's not every leg day, it's always changing, but that's just to give you an idea.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    jumping jacks?
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Start slow. Work LEGS 3 times a week.

    Start with body weight workouts then move to weighted.

    (squat info) Keep feet shoulder width with toes point SLIGHTLY out. Once you move down into a squat, shoot your knees OUT. Make the spread between your knees wider once you squat down.

    First do " Air Squats" - Get LOW as you can when ever you do a Squat. You can also intensely modify this workout by jumping up i the air once you complete the squat.

    Second " Lunges" no less than 100 - 200. No weight. When you do these of course make sure you step out far and your knee Must Touch the ground. Its best to keep you hands on your head while doing this. Then once your body can make a easy simple movement of the lung, then move to weighted lunges. For you ( 20 -35lbs) then to more weight if and when your ready.

    Third. " Squat w/ weight " Like I said before keep knees shoulders width with toes SLIGHTLY point out. Once you move down into the squat shoot your knees out! Making the knees go father apart. Now that you have a bar with weight doing the squat, once you move down, PAUSE of 2 secs. then shoot right back up. Keep a straight back and SHOOT up off the HEELS.

    PS: also look into Dead Lifts

    Thank you:glasses:

    ...100-200 lunges? Seriously?

    OP: NROLFW, Stronglifts, Starting Strength...all good places to start. You will need to add weight, although learning proper form with just bodyweight is a good place to start.
  • steve_mfp
    steve_mfp Posts: 170 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME8gEN54Ao

    six part series. they also have a series on deadlift and bench.

    For glutes, no one knows more than this guy:

    http://bretcontreras.com/

    I've used his techniques to increase my glute strength for squats and deadlifts. good stuff.
  • BossLadyDSimp
    BossLadyDSimp Posts: 257 Member
    I would watch some videos that talk about form and follow along with no weight and go from there. Want to make sure you are doing ir right before you do it heavy

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  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    buy and read either new rules of lifting or starting strength.

    i wonder if those are available on ereader? b/c I'm fairly certain i can get my hubby to buy me a tech tool for reading but not an actual book. strange but true. men are so techy these days, and literacy has fallen by the wayside, no?

    Yep, definitely. Also, you can just put the "Kindle" app on your iphone, ipad, computer, w/e.
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    Okay, so I heard if you want a fabulous behind you need to squat, lunge and do jumping jacks. But where do i start? Do I need weight for my squats or start without? And how many sets and reps? Same for the lunges.. I have no idea what I'm doing here, please help!
    You can buy videos that wil lshow you how to do the exercise. The cons with that are you may or may not be doing it wrong. My suggestion, hire a personal trainer. That way you know you are doing it right!
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    Start slow. Work LEGS 3 times a week.

    Start with body weight workouts then move to weighted.

    (squat info) Keep feet shoulder width with toes point SLIGHTLY out. Once you move down into a squat, shoot your knees OUT. Make the spread between your knees wider once you squat down.

    First do " Air Squats" - Get LOW as you can when ever you do a Squat. You can also intensely modify this workout by jumping up i the air once you complete the squat.

    Second " Lunges" no less than 100 - 200. No weight. When you do these of course make sure you step out far and your knee Must Touch the ground. Its best to keep you hands on your head while doing this. Then once your body can make a easy simple movement of the lung, then move to weighted lunges. For you ( 20 -35lbs) then to more weight if and when your ready.

    Third. " Squat w/ weight " Like I said before keep knees shoulders width with toes SLIGHTLY point out. Once you move down into the squat shoot your knees out! Making the knees go father apart. Now that you have a bar with weight doing the squat, once you move down, PAUSE of 2 secs. then shoot right back up. Keep a straight back and SHOOT up off the HEELS.

    PS: also look into Dead Lifts

    Thank you:glasses:
    :noway: Dude....yikes, start slow? She wont be able to walk after all that.....
  • MaritzK
    MaritzK Posts: 66 Member
    Hey! I started with 2x25 squats without weights (although in a lot of pain afterwards) and lunges where 3x15 each side. When you feel you can do more, do more. You should be able to do the last squat or lunge properly but not be able to do a single more, then you have the right intensity ;) Good luck! :)
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
    buy and read either new rules of lifting or starting strength.

    i wonder if those are available on ereader? b/c I'm fairly certain i can get my hubby to buy me a tech tool for reading but not an actual book. strange but true. men are so techy these days, and literacy has fallen by the wayside, no?

    I have New Rules on my Kindle. I take my Fire with me to the gym. Comes in handy. I can look at my workout and have an app to log what weights I do.