Weight Lifting Anxiety

Squats, deads and presses involve some fundamental movement.

Will you perish if you don't do them? No.

Yet your quality of life (mobility, stability, grip strength, cognition, etc) will improve because of exercises like these which make your body push, pull, hinge, lift, lunge, twist and squat (MFPers: did I forget any of the "functional movements?" 🤔)

Your body can also benefit from accessory exercises but I don't have the knowledge to say whether it's helpful to pursue them exclusive of the fundamental exercises.

If your concern is form, then perhaps check if your gym has a trainer you can leverage for some of your sessions (especially as you ramp up your weight). Either that or see if you're allowed bringing your own trainer with you to the gym.

Resembles my 50 year history of workouts with DBs and cable machines (after four years of undergrad with coach Ted Newland at UC Irvine and the luxury of a relaxed if impecunious academic lifestyle thereafter). Big barbell lifts require coached skill and would be inadvisable without - everything listed in the OP looks well-rounded "full body" and should be done manageably with a gradual build up - an experienced trainer or a video-coached program if there's no previous coaching would be advisable, to get form right and be able to think and plan coherently about rep ranges, sets, and tempo - knowing you're doing it right is anxiety-reducing as well as common sensible. (My "anxiety" would be about too many days a week without rest breaks, and the internally competing metabolic demands of intense resistance and intense endurance / cardio. The larger question is sustainability of the regime over time.)

You don't have much lower body stuff in there.

If you're worried about needing a spotter, there really isn't much that can go wrong with a deadlift. Even if you have to drop it, it's not from a great height and it's not going to squash you. You get a lot of bang for your buck with a deadlift and you can video yourself to check form. But no exercise is the be all and end all.

Squats are good, but can carry more risk. If you wanted to try squats with a bar then you can always squat to a box or bench if you are worried about failing at depth. That said, there are loads of other squat variations. Make sure your form is good with bodyweight squats and then maybe move to goblet squats with a dumbbell. I would recommend you try to incorporate some form of squatting.

I don't bench press. Maybe my PT will program it at some point but at the moment I get plenty of work from push ups, dumbbell presses etc. If you wanted to try a bench press but don't have a spotter there's always the Smith machine, I suppose.

All of that said, you want to enjoy your exercise. If something fills you with anxiety you are likely to over-think it. If I over-think, something usually goes wrong. It's good to push at your boundaries, but only you know what is a sensible push and what is way too far.

@JamesyPaylor One of the most incredible benefits of challenging yourself to grow by weight lifting is that your mind and confidence are challenged and grow as well!

If you add in deadlifts, I would suggest trying a hex or trap bar if you have access to one. The deadlift was a tough movement for me to learn personally and I feel much more comfortable with a hex DL.

As you gain comfort with your dumbbell routine, it would be awesome to add in work with a barbell as well.

There are SO many lower body moves you can incorporate. Happy to help if you want more help!

Believe in yourself! Know that you are on a journey and it is a physical and mental one and it will help you in all areas of life!

rabatin1 wrote: »

This is quite a long/complex program.

I suggest you start with bodyweight only or light weights, in front of a mirror if you can, so you get the form right and it feels comfortable. Watching good YouTube videos by professional physio therapists also helps, so would a good personal trainer.

Once you are comfortable with the form, you can slowly increase weight.

I think most people as they start out go way too heavy or try to do too much in a short time.

I know that doing light weights might feel strange if everyone around you is lifting heavy - but it's best to ignore that.

And if you get tired, stop (or reduce weight) - don't let the form suffer and don't risk injury. Injuries can happen easily with bad form.

I agree with another comment on lower body. Your lower body exercises will provide stability to your entire posture (not just the size of your quads).

Evidence shows injury risk increases from poor load management not "form".

A movement by itself is not dangerous & telling a person if their "form" is off they can be injured easily is a nocebo effect and harmful inself.

Your suggestion to use appropriate weight and volume is correct and good advice and follows proper load management.