New to weight training

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Alexandriakay676
Alexandriakay676 Posts: 56 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
47, female, walked into my local YMCA weight room for the first time yesturday. Had a printed out workout routine in hand and gave it a go. Thankful it was not too busy so i could figure out machines etc. Easily one of the largest people in there, and was not a fan of the wall of mirrors. Looking for suggestions, tips and folks interested in supporting me on this new step.

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  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    No one cares your size or what you look like in the mirror. They’re in there working out just like you.
    TheY is great! Don’t hesitate to ask weight room staff for help or reminders or suggestions. They’re kinda bored a lot of the time, waiting to be needed.
    Also ask about any wright room classes. Our offers “women on weights” class a few times a year.
  • Thehardmakesitworthit
    Thehardmakesitworthit Posts: 838 Member
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    I agree with ^^ above poster... it is hard at first to change your self talk but you can do it! Have fun with it....and remember as you look around the room...you are doing something alot of folks cant/wont do and that is very cool indeed!!!!!! Have fun with it! What a great act of self love!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    No one cares your size or what you look like in the mirror. They’re in there working out just like you.
    TheY is great! Don’t hesitate to ask weight room staff for help or reminders or suggestions. They’re kinda bored a lot of the time, waiting to be needed.
    Also ask about any wright room classes. Our offers “women on weights” class a few times a year.

    Yes, I took the “Women on Weights” class at a Y years back. It was great! It was a small group class with an excellent trainer for very cheap. She said her goal was to get us to feel comfortable walking into any standard gym and being able to workout. For someone with "new place anxiety" like me, that was just what I needed to hear.
  • tess453
    tess453 Posts: 121 Member
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    This is very timely, I'm seeing a new trainer tonight to help me mix up my exercise plan. I only ever really do cardio and occasionally tit around with some free weights. But my weight loss has plateaued and I don't feel like I'm toning. Got 1 stone left to lose.

    Any advice for someone new to weight training. Should do mixed sessions or aim to do a set amount of pure weight training a week?

  • Justin_7272
    Justin_7272 Posts: 341 Member
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    It's much better to get into weight lifting with a structured plan, rather than just moving to random machines here and there. Plans help maximize your progress, minimize wasted time, and reduce chances of injury, to name a few benefits. There are also a ton of people that can help you with whichever route you choose. Thumb through a few here;

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    You'll notice many programs include compound exercises (particularly squats and deadlifts); this is because these are considered full body lifts and thus beneficial to multiple areas of the body (as opposed to concentrated lifts like curls).

    I recently started All Pros, which seems to be a well-rounded beginners' program with fairly simple lifts that require minimum equipment (I do all mine with dumbbells and a bench, though barbell may be preferred for some of the lifts). All Pros has boatload of info available and online support (tips, Q&A, etc) through this forum.

    Strong Lifts 5x5 also has a lot of support, and Strong Curves seems to be popular among women.

    Regardless of which you choose, spend some time researching a few so you can get a handle on your goals and how to achieve them.
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,045 Member
    edited July 2019
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    Justin_7272 wrote: »
    It's much better to get into weight lifting with a structured plan, rather than just moving to random machines here and there. Plans help maximize your progress, minimize wasted time, and reduce chances of injury, to name a few benefits. There are also a ton of people that can help you with whichever route you choose. Thumb through a few here;

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Definitely this!

    Also, don't be discouraged if you see the scale jump up several pounds. Water retention when starting a new exercise is normal, but it can discourage people. The scale always goes up by 4-5lb for me after every lifting session, and I've been lifting for years.
  • MrsReeves711
    MrsReeves711 Posts: 15 Member
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    Great job!

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