How to Start Lifting Weights? page

[FairyRae]

My only experience is w/ bodyweight workouts thusfar, sometimes incorperating my 45 lb. son into the mix (deadlifts holding him, etc.) I have access to a weight room at our YMCA and would love to start adding in a lifting day each week to complement my LHT stuff.

What are the basic moves/lifts I should learn? (I know NOTHING about this...) They have weight machines as well as bars and such. Any helpful resources you have to recommend about getting started with this would be helpful! (FWIW, my goals are to get stronger and leaner...I'm female, but I don't think that makes much of a difference from what I've read...)

Thanks so much!

[Leida]

Find a copy of Starting Strength! It is a super-good manual that hits you on the head with safety tips.

How NOT to start (me) Read a "Sterngth Training for Women" book. All excersises were shown OUTSIDE the rack. So, I came to our small unmonitored gym at work. There was a bench in the sqt rack. I did not know it was removable. So, I pulled out the olympic bar, 7 foot long pole, that was too heavy for me back then and in the end perched it on the parrallel bars and squated there.... Then, I do not know how still I managed to put it back into the rack. I did not know how to re-set the rack for proper height or DL either. I SQT with my back to the hinges because the view out of the windows was lovely, I had a bar pass 0.5 wide...

So, I suggest Starting Strength and Strong Lifts 5x5 - simple, efficient and drive the points home.

[FairyRae]

Thanks Leida! I'm wondering if there is a way I can get started w/ this without buying a book...do you think that is just too risky/stupid? (I of course want to perform the exercises correctly.) I will look more into starting strength for sure! (I know there are forums online.)

[Griffin]

Download Mark's Primal Blueprint Fitness book. It has a great (and quick) program of Essential Primal Movements. It's got five (six if you include side planks) progressions so you can build up your strength.

Mrs. Griffin and I are both doing it twice a week.

It's just one more free service that Mark provides with MDA.

[FairyRae]

Download Mark's Primal Blueprint Fitness book. It has a great (and quick) program of Essential Primal Movements. It's got five (six if you include side planks) progressions so you can build up your strength.

Mrs. Griffin and I are both doing it twice a week.

It's just one more free service that Mark provides with MDA.

I love PBF for bodyweight stuff--I'm talking about lifting weights, not just doing bodyweight exercises. (I realize you can add weight to the bodyweight plan as well, but I want to learn about lifting weights using a barbell etc. as I have access to them and just want to widen my options.) Ideally the weighted work I would do would be complimentary/in line w/ the bodyweight stuff, as my goals are really to just get better at my yoga (esp. inversions, arm balances, etc--lots of bodyweight stuff there) and get stronger. I also would like to do fewer reps at higher intensity, which has me thinking I might really like adding a weight lifting session into my week. I also like to change things up a lot, so the more options I have the better, yk?

I was checking out this which is def. helpful: How to Gain Weight and Build Muscle | Mark's Daily Apple He mentions both starting strength and strong lifts as well.

Squats and deadlifts are absolutely required. No excuses. They engage the most muscles and produce the biggest hormonal response. They will be the bedrock of your mass building campaign. Most programs recommend doing squats every session, and I tend to agree. You can handle it. Deadlifts are a bit more taxing and so should be relegated to every other workout. So, one week you’ll deadlift once, the next week twice. You can also sub in power cleans for the occasional deadlifts (or do them in addition) if you’re comfortable with such a complex movement. Presses are paramount, both overhead and bench. I’d alternate both types of presses every session. Pull-ups are great, but weighted pull-ups are even better. Same goes for dips. Just try to get one pulling, one pushing, and one squatting exercise in each session.

I also have another question. I like the idea of doing slower, longer reps (3sec down, hold for a second, 3 sec up, etc) for fewer reps (kind of in line w/ Drew Baye etc--from what I've read he recs. 7-10 reps and just one set per session), while using a barbell/free weights etc... Still don't know much about any of this, but in the starting strength/5X5 style, are the reps done more quickly? What are the differences in outcomes of lifting weights more slowly, for fewer reps, vs. more quickly for more reps? I am also doing sprints/HIIT 1x a week, and will plan to do at least one bodyweight workout as well to continue those skills (along w/ my regular yoga practice and some static hold gymnastic stuff I'm working on.)

Any ideas/info would be helpful! I'm one of those less is more folks--if I can do something harder/more intense for fewer reps and get the same or better results, I'm in!

[BryanC]

I like, "The New Rules of Lifting". Very good, overall stuff. Since the original, I see they've also added others, like "NROL for Women", etc. If nothing else, it list basic stuff. It's based around (what they call) the 5 basic movements: Deadlift, Squat, Push, Pull, Twist.

[bcbcbc2]

The 'fives' programs are absolutely, clearly far superior in developing the ability to lift heavy barbells.

HIT will get you 100% of the health benefits and 90-99% of the performance benefits in daily life or sports with a lot less time invested.

slow speed of 3-3 or slower will also make it extremely unlikely that you'll hurt yourself while learning technique.

Here's a list of basics:
squat
straight legged deadlift or deadlift
bent row
pulldown or pullup or chinup
bench press
overhead press or shoulder press

here is a link to bench press technique. You can surf around for the other exercises.
Bench Press Video - Strength Exercise Video - Exercise.com

If you don't want to BUY a book you might want to check your local library.
They always have something with the basic exercise execution.

since you mention Drew have you looked at Baye.com ?
Lots of good info in the blogs and q+a but I don't think he has a consice beginner program.

[FairyRae]

Thanks a lot you guys, esp. for the list of basics! I will totally check the library for this stuff too-great idea.

Bcbcbc2, I'm excited to check those links. I've read a *little* on Drew's blog (after seeing a link from here) but I'll read more there as well. I actually tried doing some stuff on the nautilus machines (were pretty self explanatory) at the YMCA last night, at the heaviest weight I could lift, in that 3-3 slow manner for 7-10 reps, and am feeling pretty wiped today! Is this typical of HIT style training? (I *think* that was what I was doing... ) I like the idea of it because I'd rather do the minimum at higher intensity for this stuff, and feel that LOTS of reps of anything impacts my joints and ligaments in a negative manner (I have injured myself w/ overuse stuff, and probably improper technique) so this slower, lower rep stuff feels right to me right now.

Thank so much! I'm excited to learn and try more!!!! I'd love to learn more about the differences between things like 5X5 and Baye style stuff etc if anyone has more to share!

[CaveDweller]

Read this:

Guide to Novice Barbell Training, aka the Official RIPPETOE-STARTING STRENGTH FAQ - Bodybuilding.com Forums

Basically a write up of Rippetoe's "Starting strength". When you've read it, you'll want the book. Can't agree more with Leida. This will set you up for life, there are no complicated routines just big compound excercises and good technique. It really is that simple. If it doesn't work, you're not lifting properly or big enough or eating enough.

Check it out.

[iniQuity]

To add to everything before: StrongLifts.com: Gain Strength And Muscle While Losing Fat is what I used when I very first began eating primal. I really liked it. It encourages you to start with an empty bar, so I swallowed my pride and went for it. It felt silly at first (especially doing squats that way, with other guys around) but it will make you progressively stronger and will get pretty challenging quickly. In the event that you fall in love with it, as the resistance gets really taxing, it may be beneficial to go onto a 3x5 scheme (3 sets of 5 reps per movement/exercise) which is what the Starting Strength program is all about.

Note, those are "working sets" I'm not sure how many (if any) warm-up sets are prescribed in Starting Strength.