Calling all weight lifters

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anels449
anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Normally I stick with my cardio classes and jogging, but since I've reinjured my knee, and to stay motivated and active, I figure this is a good push to start trying out the weight lifting area. It's so alien to me; I usually tend to avoid it altogether. I don't even really know where to begin or what would be a good schedule to follow.

So do you guys have any suggestions for a beginner weight lifter?
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Replies

  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    or New Rules

    Close your eyes and pick one.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    or New Rules

    Close your eyes and pick one.
    Any of the above would be a great starting point. All of them were designed by experienced lifters who've done the research and have plenty of time under the iron to back it up.
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Do you belong to a gym or do you work out at home?
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
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    Thanks guys, I'll look into them!

    I belong to a gym, so all the gym rats in the weight area intimidate me haha! I always run right to the treadmill or my classes, completely avoiding that area haha!
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
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    Normally I stick with my cardio classes and jogging, but since I've reinjured my knee, and to stay motivated and active, I figure this is a good push to start trying out the weight lifting area. It's so alien to me; I usually tend to avoid it altogether. I don't even really know where to begin or what would be a good schedule to follow.

    So do you guys have any suggestions for a beginner weight lifter?

    The fact that you have an injury and thus only then will approach weight lifting, I have a feeling you have a few of the common misconceptions here. You need to be lifting heavy, and the ideal lifts in any good program will have you doing heavy, compound lifts involving multiple muscle groups. This is ideal, don't shy away from it, but be mindful of your injury. If anything it will help you recover better.

    The programs others mentioned are ones I would point you to, Starting Strength is the defacto beginner program. You can read more about it, and fitness in general here (and I recommend reading top to bottom, no matter what you think you know): http://4chanfit.wikia.com/wiki/Harsh's_Worksheet_(WIP)
  • alexveksler
    alexveksler Posts: 409 Member
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    I recently discovered how to introduce weight lifting and my cardio workout at the same time. Before I did 60 minutes of elliptical training. After getting off the machine, it is difficult to continue weight lifting. What I ended up doing few weeks ago is do my cardio in 2 sets. I do 30 minutes. Then stop and do a weight lifting set. After I do another 30 min cardio. Then I complete my second weight lifting. It works better for me.

    With that said I alternate my weight lifting exercises with pushing and pulling. Pushing sets are: chest, triceps, shoulders. Pulling sets are: biceps and back. Alternating these will allow your muscles to recover from fatigue.

    So, for example I do 30 min cardio, set of shoulder exercises, another 30 min cardio, and complete with chest,

    Just my $0.02 Good luck
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    ^^What they said about a program. I don't know if your knee injury allows training, but most of these programs incorporate full body compound lifts. Many if not most knee injuries originate with an imbalance of your leg muscles, primarily between the hamstrings and quads, and it is of CRUCIAL importance if you have to adjust the program to take care of the injury, that you do it in such a way that you equally train the hamstring and the quads and glutes. Balance is key.
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
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    Normally I stick with my cardio classes and jogging, but since I've reinjured my knee, and to stay motivated and active, I figure this is a good push to start trying out the weight lifting area. It's so alien to me; I usually tend to avoid it altogether. I don't even really know where to begin or what would be a good schedule to follow.

    So do you guys have any suggestions for a beginner weight lifter?

    The fact that you have an injury and thus only then will approach weight lifting, I have a feeling you have a few of the common misconceptions here. You need to be lifting heavy, and the ideal lifts in any good program will have you doing heavy, compound lifts involving multiple muscle groups. This is ideal, don't shy away from it, but be mindful of your injury. If anything it will help you recover better.

    The programs others mentioned are ones I would point you to, Starting Strength is the defacto beginner program. You can read more about it, and fitness in general here (and I recommend reading top to bottom, no matter what you think you know): http://4chanfit.wikia.com/wiki/Harsh's_Worksheet_(WIP)

    I've always said I should start weight lifting, I just never know where to start haha, so thanks! Looks like I have some reading to do at work tomorrow :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    Thanks guys, I'll look into them!

    I belong to a gym, so all the gym rats in the weight area intimidate me haha! I always run right to the treadmill or my classes, completely avoiding that area haha!

    you'll be an intimidating gym rat in no time!
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
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    Normally I stick with my cardio classes and jogging, but since I've reinjured my knee, and to stay motivated and active, I figure this is a good push to start trying out the weight lifting area. It's so alien to me; I usually tend to avoid it altogether. I don't even really know where to begin or what would be a good schedule to follow.

    So do you guys have any suggestions for a beginner weight lifter?

    The fact that you have an injury and thus only then will approach weight lifting, I have a feeling you have a few of the common misconceptions here. You need to be lifting heavy, and the ideal lifts in any good program will have you doing heavy, compound lifts involving multiple muscle groups. This is ideal, don't shy away from it, but be mindful of your injury. If anything it will help you recover better.

    The programs others mentioned are ones I would point you to, Starting Strength is the defacto beginner program. You can read more about it, and fitness in general here (and I recommend reading top to bottom, no matter what you think you know): http://4chanfit.wikia.com/wiki/Harsh's_Worksheet_(WIP)

    I've always said I should start weight lifting, I just never know where to start haha, so thanks! Looks like I have some reading to do at work tomorrow :)

    Better late than never, good luck, and stay safe.
  • TxAlpha
    TxAlpha Posts: 180 Member
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    Nothings sexier than a toned feminine woman......
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
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    ^^What they said about a program. I don't know if your knee injury allows training, but most of these programs incorporate full body compound lifts. Many if not most knee injuries originate with an imbalance of your leg muscles, primarily between the hamstrings and quads, and it is of CRUCIAL importance if you have to adjust the program to take care of the injury, that you do it in such a way that you equally train the hamstring and the quads and glutes. Balance is key.

    I was jogging with my dog and she tripped me up. So to avoid falling on her, I stepped with my left leg, bending my left knee too far over to the right, then bending it backwards because I fell. Swollen and can't put any pressure on it at all at the moment, so a full body weight lifting program probably isn't in the cards just yet. Whether or not there was an imbalance I couldn't tell you, but I for sure will be paying more attention to this now and making sure to balance everything out. Thanks!
  • anamikaraks
    anamikaraks Posts: 59 Member
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    I am doing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I had a trainer go over the first exercises with me so that I was sure I wouldn't hurt myself. Now I actually enjoy it!
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
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    I recently discovered how to introduce weight lifting and my cardio workout at the same time. Before I did 60 minutes of elliptical training. After getting off the machine, it is difficult to continue weight lifting. What I ended up doing few weeks ago is do my cardio in 2 sets. I do 30 minutes. Then stop and do a weight lifting set. After I do another 30 min cardio. Then I complete my second weight lifting. It works better for me.

    With that said I alternate my weight lifting exercises with pushing and pulling. Pushing sets are: chest, triceps, shoulders. Pulling sets are: biceps and back. Alternating these will allow your muscles to recover from fatigue.

    So, for example I do 30 min cardio, set of shoulder exercises, another 30 min cardio, and complete with chest,

    Just my $0.02 Good luck

    That's actually not a bad idea! Once I am fully recovered I think I'll start doing that! :)
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys, I'll look into them!

    I belong to a gym, so all the gym rats in the weight area intimidate me haha! I always run right to the treadmill or my classes, completely avoiding that area haha!

    you'll be an intimidating gym rat in no time!

    *lifts heavy object, grunts loudly, drops object, struts around*

    Oh yes, I'm ready for it. :)
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
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    Nothings sexier than a toned feminine woman......

    Word. Trying to look at this as a blessing in disguise, even though the pain keeps clouding it haha!
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    Options
    I recently discovered how to introduce weight lifting and my cardio workout at the same time. Before I did 60 minutes of elliptical training. After getting off the machine, it is difficult to continue weight lifting. What I ended up doing few weeks ago is do my cardio in 2 sets. I do 30 minutes. Then stop and do a weight lifting set. After I do another 30 min cardio. Then I complete my second weight lifting. It works better for me.

    With that said I alternate my weight lifting exercises with pushing and pulling. Pushing sets are: chest, triceps, shoulders. Pulling sets are: biceps and back. Alternating these will allow your muscles to recover from fatigue.

    So, for example I do 30 min cardio, set of shoulder exercises, another 30 min cardio, and complete with chest,

    Just my $0.02 Good luck

    That's actually not a bad idea! Once I am fully recovered I think I'll start doing that! :)

    I wasn't gonna jump on that guy, but no you do not want or need to be doing some kind of bizarre split cardio around weight lifting. Strength training should be done prior to any cardio activities, as it is silly to fatigue yourself prior to doing something where you will need to push yourself as hard as you can, to progressively lift more. It should be the bulk of your workout with cardio being the minority.

    Read over the page I gave you, and most of the links to routines will outline this.
  • anels449
    anels449 Posts: 3,187 Member
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    I am doing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I had a trainer go over the first exercises with me so that I was sure I wouldn't hurt myself. Now I actually enjoy it!

    That's fantastic!! :D

    I know once I get into the swing of a routine I'll start to enjoy it, it's planning out and starting the routine I gotta get at haha!
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Using Free weights will be more beneficial to you and your body than using machines. Free weights you work more muscles because you are balancing the weight on your own plus lifting the weight so you get a more balanced work out and you don't end up with a weak/dominant side. That being said I also LOVE using the TRX basically it uses your own body weight as resistance and you can increase or decrease the resistance with your stance or position. Good luck I'm not going to be much use as far as resources go since I use a PT. I will say that since working with the weights I feel better and know my body is getting much stabler and stronger.
  • alexveksler
    alexveksler Posts: 409 Member
    Options
    I recently discovered how to introduce weight lifting and my cardio workout at the same time. Before I did 60 minutes of elliptical training. After getting off the machine, it is difficult to continue weight lifting. What I ended up doing few weeks ago is do my cardio in 2 sets. I do 30 minutes. Then stop and do a weight lifting set. After I do another 30 min cardio. Then I complete my second weight lifting. It works better for me.

    With that said I alternate my weight lifting exercises with pushing and pulling. Pushing sets are: chest, triceps, shoulders. Pulling sets are: biceps and back. Alternating these will allow your muscles to recover from fatigue.

    So, for example I do 30 min cardio, set of shoulder exercises, another 30 min cardio, and complete with chest,

    Just my $0.02 Good luck

    That's actually not a bad idea! Once I am fully recovered I think I'll start doing that! :)

    something I forgot to mention. 60 minutes on machine is awful long time to hang around if you don't watch tv or read book. What I ended up doing is grabbing a 20LB dumbbell. For you might want to start with 5 or 10. And I would do biceps, triceps and shoulders exercises while walking. At the beginning you would think this is a waste of time, but at the end of 60 minutes your arms and shoulders feel like you just got through lifting a car. :) It certainly dropped some fat of my arms and I still got my cardio in at the same time.

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