I'm a weightlifting noob.

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kevinrbarger
kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm really thinking about adding a day of weight lifting to my regular exercise plan (which, at this point, only includes a 30-60 minute walk every day). The problem is that I have absolutely no idea how to start doing that. I don't really have the cash flow to join a gym. However, my apartment complex does have a small fitness center. Here is a pic:

XHQjg6M.jpg

As you can see, there aren't any free weights, but there is that weight machine. My question is, what can I do as a complete noob to weightlifting with it? Without hurting myself, that is.

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  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    The machine probably has instructions pasted to it? You could also grab the instructions online by noting the model. Would give a variety of exercises. Probably the riskiest exercise you'll run into with that is the incline bench. Just start off comfortable and slowly work up.

    That said, I'd rather do bodyweight and pick up a pull up bar for $20. Probably pick up a decent dumbbell set for < $50 used. If you have space, a used bench set can be pretty cheap too. I'd imagine a squat rack would be hard to work into an apartment setting, but maybe not?
  • kevinrbarger
    kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
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    The machine probably has instructions pasted to it? You could also grab the instructions online by noting the model. Would give a variety of exercises. Probably the riskiest exercise you'll run into with that is the incline bench. Just start off comfortable and slowly work up.

    That said, I'd rather do bodyweight and pick up a pull up bar for $20. Probably pick up a decent dumbbell set for < $50 used. If you have space, a used bench set can be pretty cheap too. I'd imagine a squat rack would be hard to work into an apartment setting, but maybe not?

    I'd have to look for a model number, but I know that there aren't any instructions pasted because I've looked. I mean, the use of the machine itself is pretty obvious, I'm just unsure how to begin? I mean, how do you judge how much weight you should be using? Is there anything I can do with the machine that isn't obvious? Which direction do I stand with the pull down thingie? How do you get your legs out of the leg curl thingie without ending up in floor? I mean, I think of myself as fairly intelligent, but this whole thing just boggles my mind.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Machines generally stink for fitness, but with some machines, you can improvise good exercises.
    Can you post another picture showing the entire weight machine? The right side of it looks cut off.
    What brand is it?
  • snowbear1005
    snowbear1005 Posts: 79 Member
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    Try searching you tube for demonstrations. That "pull down thingie" as you call it looks to me like a lat pull-down. The incline might be a chest press. Are there any pulleys attached to handles either at the bottom or top of the machine? You can do a lot with those for both upper and lower body.
  • halleymw
    halleymw Posts: 246 Member
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    Just pick a relatively low weight and see how many reps you can do. If you can do less than 5, it is too much, so back off a bit. If it is more than 12, then it is too light so go up a bit. Aim for doing 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps. Standards are something like 5x5 to be "lifting heavy", or 3 by 8-10 is another rep recommendation seen frequently.
    Mike
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
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    Learning about lifting and designing a strength training program -
    http://goo.gl/OX640r
    (NSCA Basics of Strength and Conditioning Manual PDF)

    +

    How to use a chest press machine - http://youtu.be/iJ7ee8pKJkA
    How to use a lat pulldown machine - http://youtu.be/UMC48BO-GQE
    How to use a leg curl machine - http://youtu.be/8XcVxzv_DBU

    And when all else fails: https://www.google.com/

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