New to strength training!

Just a comment to some of the posters who are saying you need to get heavier and heavier weights or you won't keep getting stronger. That's a bit oversimplified and not quite accurate. You should still build strength as long as you are lifting. If you find your exercises are getting too easy and don't want to buy new weights, you can change the exercises around a bit to make them more difficult. It's not just how much you lift, it's how you lift it.

To give you a real world example... I can curl 40 lbs like it's nothing... yet on another exercise, a mere 10lbs is plenty. Try this if you don't believe me: while standing, hold 10lb weights with a reverse grip (palms facing behind you). Keeping your arms perfectly straight, lift the weight over your head 10 reps, 3 standard sets.

Just a comment to some of the posters who are saying you need to get heavier and heavier weights or you won't keep getting stronger. That's a bit oversimplified and not quite accurate. You should still build strength as long as you are lifting. If you find your exercises are getting too easy and don't want to buy new weights, you can change the exercises around a bit to make them more difficult. It's not just how much you lift, it's how you lift it.

To give you a real world example... I can curl 40 lbs like it's nothing... yet on another exercise, a mere 10lbs is plenty. Try this if you don't believe me: while standing, hold 10lb weights with a reverse grip (palms facing behind you). Keeping your arms perfectly straight, lift the weight over your head 10 reps, 3 standard sets.

That's a truly horrible example. Those two things don't even use the same muscles.

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Just a comment to some of the posters who are saying you need to get heavier and heavier weights or you won't keep getting stronger. That's a bit oversimplified and not quite accurate. You should still build strength as long as you are lifting. If you find your exercises are getting too easy and don't want to buy new weights, you can change the exercises around a bit to make them more difficult. It's not just how much you lift, it's how you lift it.

To give you a real world example... I can curl 40 lbs like it's nothing... yet on another exercise, a mere 10lbs is plenty. Try this if you don't believe me: while standing, hold 10lb weights with a reverse grip (palms facing behind you). Keeping your arms perfectly straight, lift the weight over your head 10 reps, 3 standard sets.

That's a truly horrible example. Those two things don't even use the same muscles.

Of course those two exercises don't use the same muscles -- that's the point. As I said, it's not just how much you lift, it's how you lift it. You can still exercise muscle groups with relatively small weights, even if you press, curl, etc. much larger weights for other exercises.

But, if you insist on an example that uses the same muscle group, here you go: so 100lb squats is easy for you now? try 1-legged squats with 10lbs.

You are confusing something that is difficult to do with something that actually makes you stronger. 10 lb weighted pistols won't get your squat up to 250. Adding 5 pounds to your squat each time you do it, will.

I don't have a gym membership either but I prefer to workout at home anyway. I started strength training about 3 months ago. Started with just body weight and strengthening my core. I used Scooby's core workout from youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOvo2PDmL0E). I think this will help you avoid lower back injuries. I did body weight and core training for about 30 days.

Once I felt ready to start lifting, there were several excellent beginner's programs, NROL, Starting Strength, StrongLifts and All Pro's Beginners. I chose AllPro's (from bobybuilders.com) because it was a full-body workout versus split (upper/lower) body workouts. I started with embarrassing, really low weights (dumbbells) in order to practice form and minimize injury. Did that for about 3-4 weeks and eventually started to increase weights.

Lifting has been the best decision aside from losing weight. Good luck.

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Hi! I started going to the gym more steady starting the beginning of this month. I am doing cardio but have been told to add strength training (as I don't want my arms to grow wings lol) and I want to tone my thighs as much as possible. I was 304 lbs and so lost 76 lbs and well I really want and NEED to tone up. I have started this part of the workout last week. I do 4 sets of 25 for each at 10-30lbs (legs I can do 50-70). I'm wondering if I am doing it correct or should I do more, I need help. I really have no idea but am willing to listen for suggestions.
Thanks!
The cardio I do is The Arc, treadmill and elliptical

For the month of March, I'm planning on trying to build some muscle. The problem is, being morbidly obese, I can't do a lot of moves, but I'm going to try SOMETHING. I think bodyweight exercise will be more than challenging. I recently found this and I think I might try it: http://www.dynamicsofmotion.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=L1-Ebook

Thanks loulamb7 for that Scooby link, I might be able to rotisserie myself!

Thanks everyone for some good links to check out!

if you want to work out at home you are going to need dumbbells, power rack, olympic bar, and weight plates….

Is joining a gym an option? This might be an easier option then building a home gym.

i would suggest lifting heavy with compound movements = deadlifts, squats, overhead press, bench press, rows, pull ups/chin ups…and work in the eight to ten rep range…four sets of each exercise.

You do not need all of that stuff (although it is fine to get if you want it and if you become a serious strength trainer you are likely to eventually acquire it).

One good resource not yet mentioned is Body By You by Mark Lauren - it lays out a good body weight based progressive strength training program that is accessible to the beginner (although I do warn you that as an author he can be a little irritating). Like a few others who posted before me I am doing the ChalLean Extreme video series with adjustable dumbbells and find it a very approachable progressive strength training program for the beginner as well.

Congrats on making the decision to get started!