Calling all weight lifters

[fiona3932]

I'm a student that's fairly new to the whole "gym" thing but thanks to my Fitbit i've been consistently going for 4 months now and it's making me feel so much better.

However, I'm a fairly skinny and weak female, who's now fed up with cardio and really wanting to put on some muscle and get some curves. I've been doing some ab stuff in the privacy of my own flat and have been going to a LBT class once a week recently but what I really want to do is go into the weights area... That would be fairly straight forward if I weren't so self conscious/intimidated by the idea of it and doing thing's wrong in front of people.

I was wondering, how did you get into lifting weights and where did you get your knowledge from?

[SunsetRunner]

Lifting weights correctly is crucial to building muscle AND preventing injury.  Is there a trainer at the gym you could hire for a couple sessions so you can learn the exercises and the proper form?

[Dominique]

@fiona3932: check discussions such as this one that mention The New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves. These are two often mentioned and praised books specifically aimed at would-be women lifters that would be a good starting point.

I agree with @SunsetRunner it would be a good idea to hire a competent trainer to learn how to perform the main lifts with good form. You can pretty much start with a very limited number of major lifts like squats, deadlifts, benchpress and overhead press. Make sure you follow a program with built-in progression and keep a log of what you are doing.

Maybe a friend of yours is already lifting and could accompany you in the beginning, if you find the weight area intimidating?

[A_Lurker]

@fiona3932- same answers as others have given.  I've used the New Rules book (working through it again after a long break from lifting).  If you can afford a trainer to start with getting an introduction to the free weights area and some tips on your form it would likely be worth it.  I work out at home, and although I know over the years my form wasn't (and probably isn't) perfect, I have never injured myself lifting.

I gave someone a tip the other day, if you want to see if it's something you might be interested in.  Go to abebooks.com and look for a used copy.  You can look through it, there is some great advice, even if you decide to go the trainer route.   https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&an=&tn=New+Rules+of+Lifting+for+Women&kn=&isbn=

[LilLash]

I absolutely love The New Rules of Lifting for Women and would recommend it to anyone. Get a copy, it's definitely worth it.

I've also used muscleandstrength.com. They have videos for each move so you can see what you're supposed to be doing. You can narrow down by categories and experience levels as well so you can have a variety of workouts.

Best of luck!

[hannah1993]

Yes lifting weights is essential!!! (If not even more than cardio . I got into weights a couple years ago when I also got fed up with cardio.

My tips would be to start with all big muscles at the start of the session (so do like deadlifts and squats first) and work towards your smaller muscles.

Also when some girls lift weights they lift too light ( I used to do this) and so end up doing like 50reps! So don't fall into this trap as it is not optimal for muscle growth (and hence fatburn when sedentary). Do like 6-12 reps and 3 or 4 sets.

You will know you have the right weight/rep combo when the last rep is the very last you can keep good form on.

also make sure you rest your muscles for at least 24 hours and feed them lots of protein so that they can repair themselves.

you should book yourself with a personal trainer to show you the specifics of the weights area and how to lift safety. You will soon feel at home there

Good luck!! 🙂

[SunsetRunner]

Once I decided I wanted to start lifting, I started looking in forums and asking questions just like you're doing here. However the two I found the most useful were the MyFitnessPal blog and community, and BodyBuilding.com's articles and forum too.

If you've not found already, BodyBuilding.com is a brilliant website, any question you have can go into the search bar and there's so much information for you.

Another way I find workouts, get tips and keep inspired, is though the YouTube channels I follow. Many have sit down chats about building muscle and nutrition, and also full gym workout videos, tips on form and how to create your own routine based on what you want to achieve. Simply search a few questions in YouTube and you'll soon find people that you want to follow. I often take my phone into the gym with me and follow along, and I am seeing results and becoming more confident!

[lmlt]

I love weights more than I do cardio hehe.

I watched a lot of videos to learn, asked my friends and other people at the gym about my form. If you're too shy then finding a personal trainer would be better. Compound exercises are good because they work multiple muscles. Also try to separate your workouts by the muscles you are working. For example I do cardio one day, legs + glutes + abs another, and then chest + back + arms another day.

Don't go too light on weights but don't go too heavy that your form is ruined since form is crucial to prevent injury and gain muscle. After a good workout session eat your protein to help repair muscle fibres and to assist in building new ones. Always get enough rest too. If you can't get enough protein in your diet or just want more than get supplements like protein powder. 🙂

[lmlt]

I love weights more than I do cardio hehe.

I watched a lot of videos to learn, asked my friends and other people at the gym about my form. If you're too shy then finding a personal trainer would be better. Compound exercises are good because they work multiple muscles. Also try to separate your workouts by the muscles you are working. For example I do cardio one day, legs + glutes + abs another, and then chest + back + arms another day.

Don't go too light on weights but don't go too heavy that your form is ruined since form is crucial to prevent injury and gain muscle. After a good workout session eat your protein to help repair muscle fibres and to assist in building new ones. Always get enough rest too. If you can't get enough protein in your diet or just want more than get supplements like protein powder. 🙂

[Dominique]

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@lmlt wrote:

Don't go too light on weights but don't go too heavy

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Lifting too light tends to be common with women (unfounded fear they’d become "bulky" like a male bodybuilder), while lifting too heavy tends to be a male thing (ego lifting).

[lmlt]

@Dominique Absolutely true. I used to go light because I was afraid to become bulky but then I realized that to become THAT bulky, the bulkiness I fear, I needed a very vigorous training regimen - like body-building regimen haha. After that realization I lift 10 lbs each arm now. Not that much but it's enough for me to get me sore. Not too heavy, not too light... just perfect that when I do my last set my muscles are sore BUT my form is still perfect.

I did make a mistake of lifting too much at the beginning (free weights + machines) because I thought "Heavier weights, less reps and sets" but that was incredibly harmful for me because my form was bad due to the heaviness of the weights and I injured my hamstrings a few times.

🙂

[Corney]

fiona3932  I would advise asking for some help from a personal trainer.  The newest theory on weight lifting is to pick a weight that you can lift 6 times and continue with that weight until you can lift it 12 times once, then increase the weight to something you can lift 6 times and use that weight until you can lift it 12 times once, and repeat by increasing the weight.  The old theory of doing 3 sets of 10 reps is out of favor except for highly trained lifters.  Avoid full squats, they are killers on your knees, half squats are the only thing I would do.  Good luck!

[WavyDavey]

It's easy to feel intimidated at the gym. But here's the thing: the people that know what they're doing are just minding their business to get through their workout and get out of there. People that THINK they know what they're doing are the ones that are looking at other people. What's the old saying "those that matter don't mind, those that mind don't matter."

I would look into compound exercises, like squats, deadlifts, shoulder press. These will allow you to work groups of muscles instead of one at a time. And I respectfully disagree with the statement about half-squats. All exercises must be performed with a full range of motion unless an injury prevents it. Half squats only work a portion of the legs and not really the glutes or hips. Do what works for you, but over the years I've seen a lot of folks limit their progress by not using a full range of motion.

There are a lot of good instructional videos on youtube. The Starting Strength ones are top notch as far as using proper form. So watch some videos, then get into the gym, put on your mp3 player, and keep your nose on that grindstone!

[GershonSurge]

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@Corney wrote:

fiona3932  I would advise asking for some help from a personal trainer.  The newest theory on weight lifting is to pick a weight that you can lift 6 times and continue with that weight until you can lift it 12 times once, then increase the weight to something you can lift 6 times and use that weight until you can lift it 12 times once, and repeat by increasing the weight.  The old theory of doing 3 sets of 10 reps is out of favor except for highly trained lifters.  Avoid full squats, they are killers on your knees, half squats are the only thing I would do.  Good luck!

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This is the exact formula I discovered worked well for me when I started lifting last summer. When I get to 12 times, I find increasing the weight to the next size dumbbell, barbell or hole on the machines and doing six reps is as easy as doing 12 reps with the lower weight. If it's too much on the barbell, get a couple 2 1/2 lb wrist weights and put them on the barbell.

I agree with @WavyDavey  about working all muscles in the full range of motion. I went to a massage therapist recently to check my muscle development, and she said I am one of the few who developed the full range of muscle movement.

I personally do full squats. If my knees hurt, I stop immediately, but they seldom do. An alternative for those who go to the gym is to use a leg press machine with lighter weights.

[emili]

I trained with a trainer for two months- just to learn what to do and how to do it and break me into the "weights zone" without feeling out of place. Once I felt comfortable I set out on my own. I will tell you that I actually preferred working with a trainer, but that's neither here or there. I also watch what the lifters who actually know what they are doing do and I try to mimic that. I have asked questions (not a lifter alive that won't engage in conversation about lifting and show you some stuff) and ignore the ones who are there to stare at themselves in the mirror. All you have to do is go one time and do something. You will see its no big deal and become more comfortable. I would also encourage you to invest in gloves. Holy wow did my hands hurt before I got wise.

[ProtienWarrior]

I found myself becoming truly interested in weight lifting after i became a dad. I started listening to podcasts like 3DMJ coaches, and Mike Isratel to really get a better understanding of what I was doing in the gym. Past few years I've just truly got into the groove and fell in love with it, making it a focus in my life, the rest is just great results when you fall in love with it.