Weight Training - Where to start?

ssmaling
ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm wanting to start weight training as I want to gain muscle and burn fat. Also, I have just decided that I really want to be able to do pull ups. I want to train at home if possible. I just don't know where to start or what to do. Here are my details.

Female
29
5'1.5"
242lbs

I started my fitness battle at 315lbs, got down to 203lbs, went on vacation, had some health issues and got back up to where I am now. I really want to get back down to where I was at the beginning of the year. Please, any advice would be amazing. Check out my diary if you want, but I haven't logged since Thursday. I have my big girl panties on so no need to sugar coat anything.

Replies

  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great starting programme. With enough equipment you can do it at home for sure - I do! Also, Stage 6 in NROLFW is dedicated to getting you to do a pull up
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great starting programme. With enough equipment you can do it at home for sure - I do! Also, Stage 6 in NROLFW is dedicated to getting you to do a pull up

    Is there a book I can purchase or is that something online?
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
    Bumpitty?
  • shankasaurus
    shankasaurus Posts: 116 Member
    http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

    I think it's a book? I'm in the same boat. I'm interested in the concept but not really sure where to start.
  • shankasaurus
    shankasaurus Posts: 116 Member
    One of the reviews on amazon specifically mentions that it doesn't seem like a beginner's program.

    " One caveat: I think this book and its workouts is NOT for total beginners. In a way, you have to "arrive" at this book and the ideas it presents. I think if you were a newcomer to weight training you'd need some help with the exercises and proper form (particularly the squats and deadlifts, which must be done correctly to avoid injury)."

    I'm always curious how one gets past that initial beginner stage. Trainers? Youtube? Gym membership?
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great starting programme. With enough equipment you can do it at home for sure - I do! Also, Stage 6 in NROLFW is dedicated to getting you to do a pull up

    Is there a book I can purchase or is that something online?

    Yep - its a book. Check it out, maybe your local library has it?
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    I really like stronglifts as a beginner program.
    They have a free app and it is very simple and easy to follow.
    It also makes a really cool graph of your progress!
  • vlmay1955
    vlmay1955 Posts: 100 Member
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Womens-Health-Book-Exercises/dp/1605295493/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401158234&sr=8-1&keywords=big+book+of+exercises+women's+health
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
    One of the reviews on amazon specifically mentions that it doesn't seem like a beginner's program.

    " One caveat: I think this book and its workouts is NOT for total beginners. In a way, you have to "arrive" at this book and the ideas it presents. I think if you were a newcomer to weight training you'd need some help with the exercises and proper form (particularly the squats and deadlifts, which must be done correctly to avoid injury)."

    I'm always curious how one gets past that initial beginner stage. Trainers? Youtube? Gym membership?

    Exactly. Do I need someone to show me how to do them? Should I join the gym or can I do this at home?
  • ssmaling
    ssmaling Posts: 83 Member
    I really like stronglifts as a beginner program.
    They have a free app and it is very simple and easy to follow.
    It also makes a really cool graph of your progress!

    Stronglifts... can I access that on my laptop on instead of a cell?
  • Ilikelamps
    Ilikelamps Posts: 482 Member
    New rules of lifting or Starting Strength. Google Starting Strength and you'll find tons of info. Also, buy the book.
  • shankasaurus
    shankasaurus Posts: 116 Member
    I just came across this thread and it's amazing!!! Check it out, I added the NROL and Starting Strength to my Amazon wishlist.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1169757-i-am-the-woman-in-the-freeweights-section-of-the-gym
  • aylajane
    aylajane Posts: 979 Member
    Specifically for pullups... get one of those doorway things, and something called the "perfect pullup" - its a strap you hang from the pullup bar that "helps" you up. It has 3 resistance bands so once it gets too easy you remove a band and it gives you a little less help.

    Then, every time you walk past that doorway, do at least one pullup (as many as you can with the "helper"). All day. or dedicate a few times a day. Consistency and dedication. It took me about 3 weeks to do a single unassisted pullup this way (and I returned the perfect pullup thing for a full refund !). Then every time I walked past it, i did a pullup until one day I could suddenly do two of them! It only took me a month to work up to 5 pullups.

    Of course, I think part of it was not so much I was getting stronger, but I was also losing weight, so I was getting lighter :) Makes it easier of course! So keep working on that part too.

    Concentrate on using your back muscles in a traditional pullup, not your arms. Play with the chinups and stuff though too - they work mostly biceps instead but you will probably be able to do those much faster and more of them.

    Good luck! I love pullups and do them every day now. for fun.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    One of the reviews on amazon specifically mentions that it doesn't seem like a beginner's program.

    " One caveat: I think this book and its workouts is NOT for total beginners. In a way, you have to "arrive" at this book and the ideas it presents. I think if you were a newcomer to weight training you'd need some help with the exercises and proper form (particularly the squats and deadlifts, which must be done correctly to avoid injury)."

    I'm always curious how one gets past that initial beginner stage. Trainers? Youtube? Gym membership?

    Exactly. Do I need someone to show me how to do them? Should I join the gym or can I do this at home?

    I used YouTube and the book Starting Strength, which is basically a lifting textbook. New Rules is VERY MUCH a beginner's program. Its one weakness is that it does not have enough information on form. So if you use YouTube form videos and Starting Strength, study the lifts, and apply that to New Rules, you will be completely set.


    If you do not have a home gym with a squat rack or power cage, you will need a gym that has one or both of those. NOT a smith machine, an actual squat rack.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Things to google.

    NROLFW
    Stronglifts
    Big Four
    DOMS
    Foam Roller
    FORM< FORM< FORM< FORM
  • sticky130
    sticky130 Posts: 101 Member
    I joined bodybuilding .com. They have good plans for beginners, videos to follow to make sure you're doing everything ok. I started off with a beginner 1 week one and now I'm into week 3 of a 12 week plan. So far so good.

    I just have a set of adjustable dumbbells and a bench at home, in 4 weeks I've lost 4 inches so far and reduced my BF by 6% (to be fair there's a lot to lose lol)

    Nicky
  • quellybelly
    quellybelly Posts: 827 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary :)
  • vegasslacker
    vegasslacker Posts: 5 Member
    I think things can get way more complicated than they need to be when you are just starting out weight training. It can be very intimidating once you start evaluating programs. You can go on Amazon to take a look at the books out there like NROL for women.

    I started a program recently myself and found the one by Nia Shanks very approachable and user friendly. She has videos that tie to her program and they are broken down in a way that even if you know nothing you can still jump in. Her whole focus is to "train to be awesome" and not get hung up on distractions that don't matter to your growth and development.

    http://www.niashanks.com/
  • xWendyJonesx
    xWendyJonesx Posts: 266 Member
    I've just recently started exercising with kettle bells and dumb bells, I follow fitness blender workouts on you tube, they show me exactly how to do the exercises which is something I find useful, I'm really enjoying the workouts.
  • mjterp
    mjterp Posts: 650 Member
    BUMP
  • rachface1234
    rachface1234 Posts: 227 Member
    I really like stronglifts as a beginner program.
    They have a free app and it is very simple and easy to follow.
    It also makes a really cool graph of your progress!

    THIS! I just started stronglifts 5x5, completed my fourth workout this morning. It's very simple, two workouts (A and B) which you rotate, and you need to do it just 3X per week. You need to master five exercises. The info is free on the internet, and I 've been using the 5X5 app, and I watch some how-to videos here and there to make sure my form is where it is supposed to be. My gym (which is the cheapest most basic in my area) has what I need: barbells, plates, and a squat rack. Check out some of the groups: 5x5 for women, Eat Train Progress, they have some great info there on getting started and inspirational folks to help you out!

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