women who lift heavy - how did you start?

I did thinner leaner stronger programme.
I started with the empty bar but made quick progress, that’s normal in the first few months.. Follow the instructions on whatever programme you pick. There’s loads of beginners programmes, doesn’t matter too much which one you pick. I’ve never had a trainer. I looked up some of the lifts on you tube. I got really into lifting and started following some people on the interwebs. Four years on and I’m still lifting.

I tried figuring it out on my own without success. I tried a couple personal trainers but really didn’t feel heard or like their hiit workouts were something I liked. I started to turn the corner when I met a non-conventional persona trainer. He definitely pushed my abilities (without asking too much) and he introduced me to lifting weights, equipment outside of cardio, and a little kick boxing. I started to workout more comfortably on my own. About a year later, my friend introduced me to a guy (now boyfriend) at the gym to workout with. We did his workouts for a couple years. He has stopped going to the gym but I am a (little) beast in the gym now. Throughout all of this, I transitioned from cardio that I felt obligated to do to cardio I enjoy. I like hiking, mountain biking, and snowboarding. I still don’t like hiit workouts, lol.

claireychn074 wrote: »

I got a trainer, I had an active shoulder injury and other old injuries that like the flare up so I thought I’d better get some pro advice. I saw a strength and conditioning PT, and he’s now my weightlifting coach as I got totally hooked!

Exactly the same here, bar the injury history.

Doubled my squat in 6 months from 25kg to 50kg (knee issues so we are being VERY conservative)
Conventional deadlift went from 45kg to 77.5kg (just over body weight).
Sumo deadlift went from 25kg to 75kg.
Most accessory lifts at least doubled, some much more than that (e.g. dumbbell row went from 6kg to 17kg)

StrongLifts 5x5

ETA: independently (using videos to check for form) and had a gym membership at the time .

That was eons ago. Pandemic Me has a home gym with an aquabag, KBs, DBs, medicine ball and various other heavy things. But I prefer calesthenics-focused programs for now.

I started with stronglifts 5x5, lifting at home. I started with a cheap "starter" weight set with a standard bar and 100lb of weight. I have since upgraded to a set with an olympic bar and 300lb of weight. I am definitely an amateur - my numbers don't come anywhere near competitive lifting numbers!

I watched countless bodybuilding.com/exercises videos to check form (they have since made it so you have to have an account in order to watch the example videos, sadly) and recorded myself lifting for form checks.

I still do form checks, because it can be easy to fall into bad habits without noticing. I also use a mirror so I can correct myself while lifting.

I've never been able to afford a personal trainer and could only afford a gym membership for like a year - the in-home equipment was a better investment for me.

I would recommend starting with a lifting program - there's a great list here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

There are some very educational resources stickied on the forums and the group Eat, Train, Progress, though largely defunct now, still has loads of really valuable information: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/10118-eat-train-progress

CaffeinatedConfectionist wrote: »

I started with stronglifts 5x5, lifting at home. I started with a cheap "starter" weight set with a standard bar and 100lb of weight. I have since upgraded to a set with an olympic bar and 300lb of weight. I am definitely an amateur - my numbers don't come anywhere near competitive lifting numbers!

I watched countless bodybuilding.com/exercises videos to check form (they have since made it so you have to have an account in order to watch the example videos, sadly) and recorded myself lifting for form checks.

This is basically my story too although I've never done Stronglifts because I can't bench press due to a rotator cuff issue. I started with a cheap 10 lb bar since I didn't know if I'd stick with it, moved up to a 30 lb bar, and now I have the 45 lb bar.

I had tried at one point to get a few sessions with a personal trainer to check form but no one will work with me once I disclose that I have hypermobile joints. Fortunately my physiotherapist was really good about helping me, she's thrilled that I lift.

I had been doing some kind of strength training for at least 5 years and wasn't new to lifting, but new to heavy lifting. Started with New Rules of Lifting for Life--for us people a bit older and injury-prone. I think that was about 4 years ago at 41 years old. Moved on to New Rules of Lifting for Women. After that, moved on to Strong Curves, then followed the programs in Glute Lab, and am now a Booty by Bret member (pay a monthly fee for his programming).