Tips for a girl beginning heavy weightlifting?

I agree - find a structured programme to follow. I'm personally don't SL5X5 because it's just 3Xper week and easy to follow. I'm really enjoying it and definitely seeing results in terms of both strength and body composition even though I'm still eating at a deficit to drop the last few lbs/decrease my BF%. Look up stronglifts.com - it's free, there is an app for you to record your workouts and there are videos to show you correct form. I can highly recommend it but you need to do a little research and find what works best for you - the best workout routine is one you can stick to!!
Good luck with your goals.

Stronglifts 5x5... in my opinion... tops NROL (for women).
Easy to remember... a free app... awesome bod.

xcalygrl wrote: »

I started out with NROLFW (news rules of lifting for women), but I didn't much enjoy it. I quickly switched to Stronglifts 5x5. That kept my interest much better because it was simple and short but effective. I also like that it has an app to use to make tracking workouts that much easier.

If neither of those appeal to you, there are others out there. Starting Strength, Ice Cream Fitness, All-Pros Beginner, and a plethora of options on bodybuilding.com.

^^^ this is me too. I started with NROLFW and printed out the two workouts, took them to the gym and found a muscled trainer to just show me the individual moves. But as I went on I found it took too long and got too complicated. Now I've switched to Stronglifts, and as I have limited time in my morning gym visits this fits well. The moves are basic, but that's all you need. I may well switch to All Pros Beginner routine as I like the progression - SL I find I am struggling to add weights, and the fractional plates at my gym keep disappearing!!!

strong lifts 5x5 by far...

Sorry to hijack but I have a question too. Did you all do stronglifts with a personal trainer? Or did you just walk into a gym and figure it out? I'm too intimidated to do that!

I wouldn't be able to do it at home because I don't have a bunch of weights.

armydreamers wrote: »

Sorry to hijack but I have a question too. Did you all do stronglifts with a personal trainer? Or did you just walk into a gym and figure it out? I'm too intimidated to do that!

I'm not a woman, [insert "deal with it" gif here] but I'm gonna go ahead and answer this anyway.


If you can afford a trainer for a month or so, that would be great. Just be sure (s)he is willing to show you how to perform the lifts correctly and correct any errors on your part. If the trainer, when you talk to him/her (BEFORE PAYING), tries to talk you out of the program - provided, of course, you don't have any pre-existing injuries that might make this program a bad fit for you - find a different trainer.

Strong lifts...but kudos to you for starting....I love women that lift!

+1 for StrongLifts and +1 for Alan Thrall videos.

I know that it can be very intimidating to just walk in and get started on a program without someone there to help, but trust me, the first time is the hardest and it only gets easier.

I would highly recommend getting a trainer even if it's just for a month or so to get your started. To get a good one, maybe try and find a gym near your that's more of a weights/powerlifting gym, (rather than a chain gym) as they're more likely to have trainers who are experienced in lifting.

I never enjoyed gym/phyiscal activity until I started weight training and now I love it! Good luck with it

^^^^ This. So this.

Quick personal story. I fell in love with the gym near my work.
I told the manager I wanted to get into SL5x5, but I needed some help. So, he set me up with one of the trainers, who "knows stronglifts".
Yeah, about that.
He's a nice guy, and he knows a lot about kickboxing. But... all I learnt from him was how to put the barbell on the squat rack (sort of) with the movable pins. He put me on tabata cardio... ok. I was put on the hamstring pully machine (I don't know what it's called)... and a bunch of other machines. Even though I specifically asked to learn SL5x5... nope, I'm too weak for that, and need to do these other exercises first before attempting anything else. Totally ignoring the fact I had just leg pressed 120kgs 10x. Yup, too weak (:P)
Oh, and he doesn't correct people when the row with bad form - especially when he's training them, and it really irks me.
Did I mention he's a nice guy, and he knows a lot about kickboxing. But after 2 sessions with him - I still wasn't doing what I wanted to do.

I spent months on Youtube - all the videos (Alan Thrall and Chrissie (Long polish name that I can't remember)...need a special shout out. See also The Buff Dudes, & the Art of Manliness.) Men's Fitness, and the bodybuilding.com website are also great. Followed the instructions - joined the group on here... and viola. I LOVE IT. I wish I could do it every day - instead of 3 days a week.

Anyway, the point is, don't be afraid to do it on your own.

Use a progresive program (+1 for SL5x5 but ther eare other programs which you may want to investigate).

Tips:

• Form! above all else, form.
• You will need to eat, at least maintenance preferably above to progress past the initial neuromuscular adaptation phase and build muscle.
• Consistency is important - just keep going. Find a program and a way of fueling that program and then just stick at it. If it is working, just keep doing it.