[theredphoenix] Female that wants to start weightlifting

[d3li9ht]

Hi theredphoenix -- I just read your thread; I'm also doing plank, although a bit different from yours (I think?); yesterday I did 45s for 10x - it was quite hard. I also want to be able to do a proper push up, but now I'm still only doing wall push up; maybe I should start some inclined push ups too...

I want to ask about the proper push up; is there any other thing I should be careful other than the shoulder blades? I haven't heard about it before

Let's get through the last week together!

[theredphoenix]

Yes those pesky shoulder blades XD! Hi d3lig9ht! I've actually been following your thread already (cough cough, stalker, cough) Planks really seem to help with press ups so that's awesome I think i can only do half a minute right now, so you're doing better than me .

 

I was reading up on it recently (press ups that is), and i've found out a couple of things: Doing press ups on your knees is fine, but the problem is it throws your form off, so you're better doing incline push ups where possible - i need to change this, think i'll start using my kitchen counter!). Also i've started learning to pull my shoulder blades back as i go down, instead of relying just on my arms to get my down, and also it turns out i've been having my hands too far forward - looks like they need to be right under your shoulders. Although in terms of if your elbows should be tucked in or at a 45 degree angle - it seems to vary... Anyhow, good luck with your press ups!

 

I think it'll take another week and i'll be there . I'll post up a video when i can do one as inspiration to my future self ^___^. Also i just found out that the next challenge is november 11th, so i think i'll just keep working on achieving these goals until that date (hopefully i can reach them with the extended time!). Although not sure how that's going to work in terms of levelling and such... Are you supposed to go up a level every three weeks? 

 

EDIT: Oh also - i'm changing my goal from saving up for a holiday to a £1000 rainy day fund... As much as i want to go travelling, i should really make sure i'm secure first

[DarK_RaideR]

Great stuff, great progress too. Handstands, planks and core strength in general are areas I'm also aspiring to improve, so I'll be keeping tabs on you

[theredphoenix]

I tried to link you back but i can't find your main thread! You have so many! Let me know and i'll tag you back

[DarK_RaideR]

Right now it's this one.

[jaex]

Looks like you are doing quite well!  And man planks are great.  Hard, but great.  As someone else who need to work on the core muscles, those and push-ups (or press-ups depending on ability) are perfect.  Keep up the good work!

[theredphoenix]

I have a confession to make... I completely failed at this challenge... 

 

I got through a lot of it and was doing really well, but suddenly got really ill with the flu and was out of it for a week. BOOM suddenly it came to excuses time of "Oh it's okay i'll pick it up again next week when i'm feeling better."

 

And time got away from me

 

But soon I'm hoping to do an epic respawn! I'll keep you guys updated if i do. I had a sudden realisation where my circumstances have changed, and the possibility of joining a gym could become a reality. I think this will really help, because I was getting discouraged that I'm really so weak, that even doing the bodyweight training to try and work up to push ups - I wasn't making much progress due to finding them so hard to do =.=, and the day afterwards even though i was finding my core and legs were sore, my arms just weren't even though i was completely focusing on them. 

 

I'd really like to start going to the gym and hitting the weights. I'm sick of being weak, I want to start getting to a new, stronger me! 

 

This is all going through, but I promised myself to try out my new train journey travel for a week and see if i am going to have enough energy to go to the gym before going all in..

 

Ashamed and signing out for a hopefully brighter future soon - Elyse

[Phoenix Rising]

Hey Red Phoenix,

Don't be ashamed about things not working out, sometimes life's like that. You need to pick yourself up, work out what you can adjust to lessen the chances of it happening again and look forwards to the future you. Looks like you are already on your way to do this so i look forward to your respawn.

[theredphoenix]

thanks for the support, but it's hard not to feel embarrassed  haha! I'm trying to look into ways to improve this, but all the people I live with are super nerdy and sit at desks all day, and therefore don't move much -so it's hard to get support from them. I know they'll fully support me going, but they'll lull me back into the comfort of being on a computer haha! Wish I had someone near me who wanted to do the same...

 

The other thing is, if i find I break my routine, it's really hard to just start again, and I end up putting it off. I want to put in a fail safe of doing this - I'm thinking of setting up a buddy of mine, who texts me on my workout days, and I have to pay them money if I haven't gone and it's not a rest day, and i'm not ill haha! She'll definitely but up for that ^________^

 

On a slightly different note - I still am super eager to start weight training and getting stronger, but even though I've read tonnes about it i still feel completely lost - whether that's from getting in the way of muscley guys in the gym (no offence, i just don't want to be in the way), to how to pick a routine to am I even doing it right!? Anyone got any tips?

 

I've heard a lot of good things about the 5x5 stronglift workout - which sounds great, but I might hog the machine doing that many, because you have to rest for 1:30 in-between (Plus, I'm really weak, I don't want to piss people off if i can only raise the bar, and they want to get on with doing their 'serious' stuff). And on that note, if I can't raise the bar (which I've heard can be really heavy) is there a dumbell approach I can take, or is it better to work up to it on the weight machine things? 

 

At any rate, I think if i can get going to the gym to work, my whole goal for the six weeks will literally be to just turn up to the gym and follow the routine. If i can make that into a habit, I can start adding all the other stuff on afterwards (Oh, and the BEFORE picture and measurements, for inspiration)

 

thanks for all the help, and sorry for the information overload!

[theredphoenix]

Okay it's happened -I have a gym membership

 

Although the route to getting it was slightly disappointing . I was thinking about going to the gym all day, and was really excited. Got my work finished early, got all my kit together and shot down! They said on the phone before that I could go try the gym out for ten pounds - which would come off of the joining fee if i decided to go all in - which was reasonable enough. But then they made me sign so many pieces of paper and kept me waiting ages, that I just really wanted to get going, and at the end of it all this sales guys was like "and if you'll just fill out the rest of your details and we can set up your monthly subscription". I explained that I was only here to try it out today (even though i had ever intention of making the leap the next day), and said i had only come out to try the gym today - and he said it was only allowed to guests of people already subscribed at the gym . After all that time making me wait.

 

Left a bit of a bad feeling, because I like the place well enough and it wasn't over crowded, but i feel like this guy was looking at me like i was his next salary bump. Bit disappointing. However I did go on to do a nice workout . Still I've decided to refocus my goals which are simply:

 

GO TO THE GYM ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS AND SUNDAYS - CHALLENGE FOR SIX WEEKS. 

STR: 3|STA:3

 

BONUS: TAKE YOUR 'BEFORE PICTURES' AND MEASUREMENTS

WIS: 2|CHAR: 2

COMPLETED

 

I want to keep things simple, and am having my only requirement to be to 'turn up' - even if I only do ten minutes! I think I'll leave sunday as a splash about, easy cardio day . And i'm going to put off doing any free weights for now until i feel more comfortable. 

 

It's time to start building some great, long-lasting habits

 

Challenge Started: 19th Jan 2015 

 

WEEK ONE:       Mon (X) Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK TWO:      Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK THREE:  Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK FOUR:    Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK FIVE:      Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK SIX:        Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

 

 

Also note to myself - some things I need to buy for the gym:

 

Hairbands 

Water Bottle

Some sort of logbook for keeping track of my workouts

Upgrade my armour - Proper Shoes and Workout Clothes (This will be my treat if I manage the six weeks)

[Achaedia]

As a former soldier in the army, I have tips for push-ups!

 

1) If you can do one single push-up, think of something you do several times a day (after eating, walking by the closet, commercials) and every time you go to that place/do that thing, do one single push-up. This improves push-up skills really fast. If you can do more than a push-up the rule is to do as many as you can do comfortably each time you do [thing]. 

 

2) If you can't do even one single push-up, do incline push-ups (against a chair or table or whatever you have). Do as many as you can each day until you can do a single real push-up. 

 

3) If you can't do incline push-ups, do knee push-ups until you can do an incline push-up, then do incline push-ups until you can do a single real push-up. 

 

Anyway, I think just turning up is a good first step Good luck with your reboot!

[theredphoenix]

Thanks for the advice! My longer term goal is definitely to be able to do proper push ups, but for now i'm going to try and keep things simple and build up some good habits . I'm also hoping that after I've been using weights for a little while, I'll be able to make faster progress with the push ups than before, and I won't get as discouraged. 

 

Either way I had a nice rest day! Little bit sore but not too bad! Hoping to try out the squat rack tomorrow if i'm feeling brave haha! My little gym logbook came, so I'm hoping to start posting up my workouts and -if i remember - what I've been eating. I'm hoping to do my measurements and post up my before pictures soon, 

[theredphoenix]

What. A. Day... And boy are my limbs a-shaking!

 

This is a good day! I wrote down all of my workout, everything I ate, and took my before pictures

 

This is the day summed up:

 

 

 

WORKOUT - (weight/reps)

 10 minute warm up

Pectoral Machine - 10/5, 10/3, 5/8, 5/7

Leg Extension - 10/10, 15/10, 20/10, 25/10, 30/6

Low Row - 20/10, 25/10, 30/10, 30/8

Leg Press - 30/10, 40/10, 50/6, 50/6

Shoulder Press - 5/6, 5/6, 5/4

Lat Pull Down (<3) - 20/6. 20/10, 20/8. 20/10

A nice loooong stretching sesh

Light swim :3

 

Oh, just a quick note to say that all of these might look a bit light - i was trying to find out what my starting strength was, so each time I was able to get up to 10 reps without dying, I added more weight ^_______^

 

I was also wondering if anyone could answer - I know nerd fitness really promotes doing free weights... But can I still achieve my goals doing machine workouts?

 

Wanted to go on the squat rack, but there was one guy on it the whole time and I convinced myself I'd jump on when he got off... Which was the whole time i was there! Also i kept looking at it all through the time I was there, trying to find what was wrong with the picture when I realised... It's a smith machine! Not the normal free weight one D:! Which i'm really disappointed about because i've heard they're not as good, and that's the only one my gym has. 

 

The only other route to go it dumbells/free hand weights but I don't know which ones are good to do

 

Also for personal interest, I wrote down what I ate today to see how many calories I ate... Which I thought would be wayyy under, because I'm pretty skinny.. turns out I was wrong! Here's a look into my current poor diet (which i want to start fixing after this challenge is over )

 

DIET: (calories)

Bowl of cereal - 350 

Small glass of apple juice - 50

ham and mustard sandwich - 330

walkers ready salted crisps - 524 (whaaat? won't be buying those again!)

hot chocolate - 75 (bought for me as a treat from one of my friends, not usually in there ^_________^)

Banana - 81

Brown bread and nutella - 240 (had to eat something before i worked out, but this isn't usually here)

1/2 Pizza - 724 (What O.O? HOW MUCH?)

 

Total: 2301 calories!

Not quite sure how I'm eating more than my RDA (and not particularly healthy food at that) and i'm underweight.. Is it a metabolism thing?

 

Anyway! I call that progress!

 

WEEK ONE:       Mon (X) Wed (X) Fri () Sun ()

WEEK TWO:      Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK THREE:  Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK FOUR:    Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK FIVE:      Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

WEEK SIX:        Mon () Wed () Fri () Sun ()

 

Oh! and for anyone who can still be bothered to read, I also took my measurements (cm):

 

MEASUREMENTS

Neck - 30

Chest - 77

Up. Arms - 24

Forearms - 20

Waist - 65

Thighs - 54

Calves - 34

[Achaedia]

I think it looks like a really successful day! Anyway it's better to go light to learn your limits then go overboard and have difficulty moving the next day and never wants to do it again. John Berardi says that a good workout is one that leaves you able to do the next one. 

[theredphoenix]

Here's my before pictures!  Took a lot of courage for me to do this, but it's done. And hopefully in a couple of months or a year, I can look back and be glad I did this . Sorry for the huge picture size! you might have to zoom out a bit for this one

 

 

 

 

On a side note - My starting strength book came today! And i also read/watched some stuff that answered the question I had on free weights vs machine weights, and now i'm more determined than ever to get the courage to try them out! I think I'll be going out with some friends friday night, which means I won't be coming home at all after work - So i'm having my work out day on the Saturday instead, which works well enough because Sunday is all cardio. Happy to have had the confidence to do this - Soon it shall be goodbye to weak old me, and hello to the new toned healthy me! Nice to finally have some stats to my name

 

BONUS: TAKE YOUR 'BEFORE PICTURES' AND MEASUREMENTS

WIS: 2|CHAR: 2

COMPLETED

[theredphoenix]

Okay so... Today was really hard.

 

 

It started off really, really well! Everyone at work is great and I've been doing some really interesting stuff. My boss liked my work (which i went out on a bit of a limb with, so it was 50/50) and has given me time just to "mock up some more similar stuff". I got right into the zone all afternoon and blasted music, and got tonnes done. Skipped out on the party tonight because I just felt so good and so pumped, there was no way i couldn't take today as the sign to start doing free weights at the gym. I read "starting strength" on the train home, I lip sang and half danced/power walked home, and all but dashed out the door with my gym bag...

 

And then er.. Things got a bit more difficult. 

 

I did my usual 10 minute warm up on the treadmill which felt pretty good, I've always enjoyed running. All the while, eyeing up the squat racks and weight bars, and thinking -"i deserve to be here as much as anyone else", and "you just need 10 seconds of courage". And i did it! I found one of the weights bars that no one was using and feebley struggled for several minutes trying to return the 10 kg weights someone had left on either end... Put I was there! Ready to do (what i thought i remembered as barbell rows, but I actually believe were deadlifts), did a final form check and boom! Did five reps, and sat down for my minute and a half rest, proud that I'd achieved what I'd set out to do.

 

Then these two guys appeared behind me - and honestly, I don't know whether or not they really were smirking and laughing at me or not, or if I made it up in my head because I was nervous - But i swear I could see them exchanging glances and hushed words... Whether or not it was about me i don't know - But i guess it didn't look great being thin as a pancake, and the only girl in the weights section sitting by one of the only (now empty) weight bars in the gym (of which there are already very few of). 

 

I continued to try and work through my set, but it got more and more distracting. I kept wondering if my form was right, I think my spine was curving inward too much, and all the while being really, really aware of the whispering and looks behind me (which now i say it, sounds ridiculously paranoid). But i finally finished my set, and summoned up another 10 seconds of courage to ask the guy at the squat rack if i could work in with him, because it was the only other equipment I could really use. And he wasn't mean or anything, but he just plainly said "No, it'll be really awkward because I'm doing heavier weights. You can use it in 10 or 15 minutes", but at the time it felt like a slap in the face. 

 

I kind of meekly looked around the rest of the gym to see everything else I either didn't know how to use or was taken, and not feeling like asking anyone else... I tried to pick up the pieces of my withering self esteem and all but crawled back to the machine weights. I kinda fumbled around with a few of them, but I couldn't get the images out of my head, and I got really chocked up and-

 

basically ended up making a bit of a dash for the door to try and hide the fact that I was crying... Ran back grabbed my stuff, jumped in the shower and had a really long cry. I can't tell you why, it wasn't even that bad.. but i felt so humiliated and completely out of place - after being so excited about trying it out, and having such a great day. 

 

I'm still... crying about it now... It's really embarrassing  

 

10 seconds of courage didn't work. It's going to take a lot for me to go on sunday now. That was... really hard for me. And there's no one in the house tonight to comfort me, because they've all gone to a concert. 

 

Breathe. I know it's going to seem silly tomorrow... but right now I could really use a hug.

 

You guys are really a great part of my day though. I love getting to read everyone's stories but... today just wasn't my day i guess. 

 

[Achaedia]

Oh no don't be embarrassed! I had to start lifting at an all women's gym because I was afraid of working out with dudes. You made a good start and you should be proud of your courage! And if you can't do it again for a little while at least you made that first step!

[theredphoenix]

I wish I had a woman gym close to me, to offence to guys but it can feel pretty intimidating haha! Had a good think about last night, and I know that my nerves got the best of me but... I went in the weight room! I did five sets of five reps with the bar! I can't wait to try the squat rack tomorrow.. Maybe I'm not going to be doing the whole 5x5 stronglift workout right away, but if i just keep trying out the excercises when they're free, and making myself more and more comfortable over the next few weeks... I'll get there. I'm still determined. It's time to get strong thanks so much for the support. 

 

some things to remind me where i've come from and where i'm going

Oh also - does anyone know how to get this thread moved to the current recuit challenge? I don't think anyone's finding this because it's still in an old section of the forum, and i could use the support  

 

Thanks!

[Loren Wade]

I wish I had a woman gym close to me, to offence to guys but it can feel pretty intimidating haha! Had a good think about last night, and I know that my nerves got the best of me but... I went in the weight room! I did five sets of five reps with the bar! I can't wait to try the squat rack tomorrow.. Maybe I'm not going to be doing the whole 5x5 stronglift workout right away, but if i just keep trying out the excercises when they're free, and making myself more and more comfortable over the next few weeks... I'll get there. I'm still determined. It's time to get strong thanks so much for the support. 

 

some things to remind me where i've come from and where i'm going

Oh also - does anyone know how to get this thread moved to the current recuit challenge? I don't think anyone's finding this because it's still in an old section of the forum, and i could use the support

 

Thanks!

Hey there!

 

Someone pointed out your thread to me because you wanted it moved to the current challenge. I would suggest starting a new thread instead of moving it across challenges. PM me if I can help any further!

[theredphoenix]

Thanks for the advice! I've relocated to here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/60015-theredphoenix-taking-flight/