Weight lifting total newb

AmyOutOfControl
AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I need some help starting a weight lifting routine. I am a woman well into her 40s who has never done strength training. I would like a safe and sane program I can follow twice a week without injuring myself. Are there any books or videos I could start with? A beginners weight training workbook or something?

Right now I run 20-25 mikes a week, yoga once or twice a week, and go to Pilates once a week.

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    edited October 2016
    The New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves would be good books. They do have routines but are 3 day full body. But theoretically you could make them a two day. You just wouldn't get the most out of them.

    ETA the link; http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you#latest
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    The New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves would be good books. They do have routines but are 3 day full body. But theoretically you could make them a two day. You just wouldn't get the most out of them.

    ETA the link; http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you#latest

    Some great programs in there. I prefer Strong Curves. I'm 41 and currently about to start a second 12 wks as soon as I decide which of the programs I'm doing next.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
    The best advice I can give to someone new is to concentrate on proper form and performing the lifts correctly before you start worrying about increasing the weight. Also, start light and work up as your body gets used to it. You don't need to be doing low reps and lifting to failure on day 1. Finally, listen to your body. Everybody says "no pain, no gain" but there are different types of pain and ignoring warning signs can lead to injury.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    starting strength by mark rippetoe is one of the best-known 'intro' books. it covers the mechanics and how-to of squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press and (i think) power cleans. it does have a section on programming, but i started out with stronglifts 5x5 as my programme (calls for pendlay rows instead of the power clean). so i just used ss as my reference source for insights into the 'why' of the form.

    ss was super-helpful to me for that first year. i just have a few caveats now:

    - his version of the overhead press has a (to me) completely overcomplicated extra bit where you're supposed to do something or other with your hips to initiate the drive up. i never got the hang of it, and didn't feel like constantly trying because it seemed like a good way to mess up your lower back if you were missing the point and not doing it right. so i just do a straight press instead and occasionally refer to the parts about grip, shoulder engagement etc.

    - the book more or less commits you to using low-bar form for the squat, and relying on hip drive. idk if i was just misinterpreting rippetoe but when i started to work with an actual trainer, he had to retrain me about certain habits that i'd developed by then.

    i guess tl;dr: i've got a few years on you, as i touched my first barbell a few months before 49. my entry point was stronglifts 5x5, with mark rippetoe's book starting strength as a reference point.

    and of course there's all kinds of people with form info and tutorials on youtube channels. but it probably makes more sense to wait until you know what your questions are before asking people for recommendations on that.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    A good program for your age group is New Rules of Lifting for Life (not to be confused with New Rules of Lifting). It's better for you than Starting Strength in my opinion.

    Another option is to hire a good personal trainer. They can create a customized routine and check your form.

    Once you're on a good strength program, you can probably eliminate the pilates if you wanted to. :+1:
  • Dhathri
    Dhathri Posts: 323 Member
    Bump
  • jasinwilliams
    jasinwilliams Posts: 6 Member
    A safe and sane program is in the book Body for Life by Bill Phillips. That's the book I started with when I started lifting weights years ago. The book isn't just for guys who are trying to get big; it's for anybody of any fitness level. The book gives you a program to work out six days a week, but if you only want to do it two days a week (one upper body day and one lower body day), it'll still be beneficial to you.







  • ROBOTFOOD
    ROBOTFOOD Posts: 5,527 Member
    Stronglifts 5x5, 531. Both have apps.

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