Women Strength Training

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New to lifting, what are the best moves I should do?

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deannajean72
deannajean72 Posts: 1 Member
in Social Groups
I have been going to the gym for a few months, and usually I use dumbbells and TRX straps but I really want to start weight lifting. I have friends that lifted, but unfortunately they aren't around to guide me. Any help with machines or moves to start would be great, thanks.

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  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    The general recommendation is to follow a beginner program that focuses on compound moves. Once you get those down, adding and trying different ones become easier. Look into stronglifts, starting strength, new rules of lifting for women, and ice cream fitness as options. Some involve books which help show how to do each move. There is also a great resource on bodybuilding.com that shows all of the lifts in their database. Plus there are some great ones on youtube for seeing how to do the lifts. if there are trainers at the gym you can also ask one to help with a form check to see how you are doing, or videotape doing the lift and post in one of the groups on here.

    Lots of options, just have to find one that catches your interest.
  • janet0513
    janet0513 Posts: 564 Member
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    DawnEmbers has some good advice. Try bodybuilding.com, the y have all different programs and they have a lot of videos and pictures. Try and work with a trainer if you can. A lot of gyms will offer some basic training for free. It is important to get the form down before adding weights. Most (not all) machines I stay away from because they can screw up form and you don't use stabilizing muscles. Compound exercises are definitely a good place to start.
  • Kriistabell
    Kriistabell Posts: 181 Member
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    Compound moves! Deadlifts (power and straight leg), squats (wide stance, narrow stance), lunges (forward and backwards).

    Choose 3 or 4 to do a day (3-4 days a week).

    3 sets of each with 6-8 reps and the most weight you feel comfortable with.

    Your first rep (before the 3 with weights) should be warm up rep in which you practice your form. Either use no weight at all or just the bar. Make sure you have the form down before adding weight because that'll be a sure way to hurt yourself.

    Track your personal records for each move and try to up it by a few pounds every few weeks or until you feel comfortable.

    This is a good way to start because compound moves will strengthen your full body and give you the fastest results. Once you feel more comfortable and are feeling stronger you can switch it up to focus more on specific areas and have leg and glutes day, back and shoulder day, arms and chest day.

    Hope this helps! :smile:

  • bmele0
    bmele0 Posts: 282 Member
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    I just started Stronglifts 5x5 and I'm making progress almost every week. It's pretty simple, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, rows, and included in both workouts is the squat. It tells me to increase the weight like every time, but I've been taking it slowly and doing the weight for a week or so until I feel comfortable.

    I started off with just a 44lb bar like 4 or so weeks ago and now I'm up to 70 lbs (except for my overhead presses, those are killing me). I feel like I could do more than 70 on some lifts, but like I said, I'm just learning right now and form is important.

    I'm thinking about just purchasing a couple sessions with a Personal Trainer and then again when I'm ready to take it up a notch.
  • DeniseFernandez2
    DeniseFernandez2 Posts: 1 Member
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    I'm new to weight lifting to gain muscle. I have seen results and I want to learn more about it. I work out 4x aweek. I do Cardio 2x a wk for 90 minutes. My trainer tells me one day for each part of the body will work best instead of overwhelming my entire body on one day.

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