Things I've Learned About Strength Training

135

Replies

  • Hotrodhoodlum
    Hotrodhoodlum Posts: 148
    Research Research Research Research Research Research b4 you attempt a work out program . I see many people lifting weights and have no idea what there doing . Wrong form , working small muscle group b4 large group . I see the same person doing the same exercise every day I go the gym , this is useless !! your muscles need time to repair. I have a friend he spends 3 hours working out 5 days a week. This is absurd , max time a day should be 45 min to 70 min work out , get in get out over exercising will hurt you and burn you out ..
  • regina2063
    regina2063 Posts: 203 Member
    I want to start lifting weights...What do you mean by Stronglifts 5x5....
  • butjuli
    butjuli Posts: 56 Member
    Great post! I'm a former athlete just returning to the lifting scene, and have really been looking for some advice on a program so thanks for all the great info!
  • Gwendalyne
    Gwendalyne Posts: 287 Member
    Very True!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    I want to start lifting weights...What do you mean by Stronglifts 5x5....

    Google it. It's a program based on old tried and true linear progression methods.
  • ❤lindsay❤dawn❤
    ❤lindsay❤dawn❤ Posts: 443
    Great post... Thank You...

    : ))
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I want to start lifting weights...What do you mean by Stronglifts 5x5....

    It's a routine - google it for info.
  • alrv
    alrv Posts: 6
    Bump
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
    #13 Strength training will make you feel fantastically awesome and is an awesome stress reliever!!!!
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    I just started Strong Lift 5x5 (Previously did New Rules of Lifting for Women). I love it. So simple.:heart:
  • jenalderman
    jenalderman Posts: 411 Member
    1. Unless you are an experienced lifter, do not create your own program. Great programs, created by professional strength coaches, have already been created...do one of those.

    2. Do not do a program you find in a body building magazine. Bodybuilding programs are pretty much useless for beginners since they contain high sets, high reps, and a lot of isolation exercises.

    3. Compound exercises are key. Learn how to squat, deadlift, bench press, and row. With those 4 exercises, you will get the body you want.

    4. Heavy weight, lower reps > low weight, high reps.


    5. Form is key. Take time to perfect your form, your joints will appreciate it.

    6. Ego is the cause of most injuries.

    7. You will not gain significant muscle mass unless you exceed your recommended caloric intake.

    8. Women will not look like men if they lift weights. Women who do look like men take steroids and estrogen blockers (or they really are men in women's clothing).

    9. Have a plan. If you go into the gym without a plan, you'll limit your results. Stick with a routine for at least 6 weeks to see if it works for you. If its working, don't change it until it stops working.

    10. If you show me a fitness study, I'll show you a contradicting study. What may work for someone else, may not work for you. Fitness is an imperfect science, there is a lot of trial and error to find what works best.

    11. A thousand crunches a day will not get you a six-pack, but a good diet will.

    12. You will keep the weight off longer if you lift weights. The more muscle you have, the more resting calories you burn.

    Feel free to add more to help inform! :)


    Thank you so much for the advice! I am nearing the end of my weight loss journey and have just started working on definition. This is a great starting point! Thanks for sharing.
  • HugznKiki
    HugznKiki Posts: 170 Member
    This is greatly appreciated.....I used to be a woman who was afraid to lift because I already have a lot of muscule mass...and my fear was that I would become bigger ;D since I have incorporated the lifting....I have been leaning down nicely....you absolutely right...what works for one, doesn't necessarily work for the another!!!! Great read!!
  • costanzofamily
    costanzofamily Posts: 1
    How are you all logging your strength training - the choices I found did not match my work out.
    Thanks
  • CookieCrumble
    CookieCrumble Posts: 221 Member
    Thank you very much.
  • regina2063
    regina2063 Posts: 203 Member
    Is the Stronglifts 5x5 and New rules of Lifting for Women .....a DVD that you buy....
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    How are you all logging your strength training - the choices I found did not match my work out.
    Thanks

    You can log it under the cardio section (its either under "Weight Training" or "Strength Training"). If you're talking about your individual workouts to keep track of progress, I use Fitocracy, but there is also JEFIT and Bodybuilding.com has easily the best tracker (with neat little charts and graphs).
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Is the Stronglifts 5x5 and New rules of Lifting for Women .....a DVD that you buy....

    You can get strong lifts from stronglifts.com...completely free program
    New Rules of Lifting for Women is a book. You can buy it online or at your local book store.

    Both require access to heavy weights.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Is the Stronglifts 5x5 and New rules of Lifting for Women .....a DVD that you buy....

    5x5 is a routine. Google it, write it down if you need to... no need to buy anything.
    NROLFW is a book.
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
    Great Post!!
  • deekaydee
    deekaydee Posts: 158 Member
    Is the Stronglifts 5x5 and New rules of Lifting for Women .....a DVD that you buy....

    Stronglifts is a free download. Google it. It comes with a 'tracker' spreadsheet and a rather lengthy manual. The manual is wordy and 'gimmicky', but once you figure out the basics of the program, you're golden. There's not much on proper form, however, so I strongly recommend doing your own research on form, getting a trainer, etc. Don't underestimate the importance of proper form, which is HARD to do if you don't know what you're doing.

    New Rules is a book, about $16 on Amazon. He does a better job of describing form for those lifts (but still might be useful to get some outside help from a trainer or youtube videos).
  • deekaydee
    deekaydee Posts: 158 Member
    Is the Stronglifts 5x5 and New rules of Lifting for Women .....a DVD that you buy....

    Oh, and there's also a SL5x5 download for your iPod/iPad that I LOVE. Super easy to use and great at tracking your progress.
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    Is the Stronglifts 5x5 and New rules of Lifting for Women .....a DVD that you buy....

    Stronglifts is a free download. Google it. It comes with a 'tracker' spreadsheet and a rather lengthy manual. The manual is wordy and 'gimmicky', but once you figure out the basics of the program, you're golden. There's not much on proper form, however, so I strongly recommend doing your own research on form, getting a trainer, etc. Don't underestimate the importance of proper form, which is HARD to do if you don't know what you're doing.

    New Rules is a book, about $16 on Amazon. He does a better job of describing form for those lifts (but still might be useful to get some outside help from a trainer or youtube videos).

    Also youtube Mark Rippotte (he wrote Starting Strength...essentially the Bible of weight training) and he has great videos on how to complete the exercises. I thought I was deadlifting right until I watched his video and found out my form was all sorts of jacked up...with the correct form I instantly added 50lbs to my deadlift.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    1. Unless you are an experienced lifter, do not create your own program. Great programs, created by professional strength coaches, have already been created...do one of those.

    2. Do not do a program you find in a body building magazine. Bodybuilding programs are pretty much useless for beginners since they contain high sets, high reps, and a lot of isolation exercises.

    3. Compound exercises are key. Learn how to squat, deadlift, bench press, and row. With those 4 exercises, you will get the body you want.

    4. Heavy weight, lower reps > low weight, high reps.

    5. Form is key. Take time to perfect your form, your joints will appreciate it.

    6. Ego is the cause of most injuries.

    7. You will not gain significant muscle mass unless you exceed your recommended caloric intake.

    8. Women will not look like men if they lift weights. Women who do look like men take steroids and estrogen blockers (or they really are men in women's clothing).

    9. Have a plan. If you go into the gym without a plan, you'll limit your results. Stick with a routine for at least 6 weeks to see if it works for you. If its working, don't change it until it stops working.

    10. If you show me a fitness study, I'll show you a contradicting study. What may work for someone else, may not work for you. Fitness is an imperfect science, there is a lot of trial and error to find what works best.

    11. A thousand crunches a day will not get you a six-pack, but a good diet will.

    12. You will keep the weight off longer if you lift weights. The more muscle you have, the more resting calories you burn.

    Feel free to add more to help inform! :)
    Sounds exactly like information that I would post! Excellent!

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • katetaylor999
    katetaylor999 Posts: 54 Member
    Brilliant thread full of great advice. Thanks for sharing what you've learnt with us, and hopefully saving some from some very painful ones
  • tjortegon
    tjortegon Posts: 26
    8. Women will not look like men if they lift weights. Women who do look like men take steroids and estrogen blockers (or they really are men in women's clothing).

    My husbands biggest fear.... I'll have to prove him wrong... I'm a secretly strength training so far he's loving my shoulders.... :)
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    Dead on.

    There should be a section on the forums somewhere for general advice and this should be in it...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    If you're in a gym, there shoukd be a personal trainer around there somewhere. Some gyms offer a free sessions to start, if yours doesn't then pay for one. You'll thank me later ;). And you don't need a personal trainer for every gym session, just once every few weeks to show you how to use the weights properly and show you different exercises.

    Good luck!
    THIS. I have several clients that I only meet with once a month. I see them in the gym a lot, but I'm not training them personally when they are on their own. When they need a new program, I write it up then spend an hour with them going over execution and making sure they are using enough weight to ensure it's enough.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • 2hmom
    2hmom Posts: 241 Member
    Thank you. I need to frame #10!
  • allynady
    allynady Posts: 59 Member
    bump
  • adamsilva
    adamsilva Posts: 261 Member
    well said.
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