New here...starting afresh.

[debraguk]

Stats:

Current weight = 188.6lbs
Goal weight = 115lbs

Height = 5ft 1in

Age = 32

 

I am looking to join a new gym and to move from cardio machines to free weights. The new gym will give me an induction and workout a routine for me.

What exercises should I be doing? I have been looking at starting strength, just nervous to go into the free weights lol

[JPrev]

Don't be nervous - have someone show you some basic form and then go to town.  Everyone is so focused on themselves at a gym that they don't have time to concentrate on others.  For exercises, keep it simple to start.  Have a pushing motion (like bench press or push ups), a pulling motion (like pullups or rows), something for your abs (like planks), and something for your legs (like squats or lunges).  Boom - a simple, well rounded program to start with.  You might add more exercises down the road, but for now keep it easy and get comfortable with one exercise for each of those categories: pushing, pulling, abs, and legs!

 

Lifting will help your overall fitness, but losing fat is all about calorie deficits.  Gotta burn more than you take in.  The easiest way to achieve that is to watch how much you're eating in the first place.  If you have the time, keeping some amount of cardio in your program would be good as well.  Maybe do it on your rest days, or after your lifting on the same day (you could do it before, but your form might suffer dangerously).  There are numerous paths to fitness, but if you want to get the fat off quickly while picking up some nice adaptations along the way, the best method is some combination of watching what you eat, strength work, and cardio!

[Dradis]

What JP said.

I'd done a bit of weight work at home and bodyweight stuff at home before i got the courage to do it at a gym. There was no need to be scared at all, in fact i think the barbell crew are the most friendly at my gym. I was chatting to a beefy chap the other day and he was top, very supportive. They've all been noobs and they all respect the fact you've chosen the "iron" path.

 

If you look at vids online and learn as much as you can you'd be better than 80% of the people in the free weights area at my gym. Most people just faff around without much of a clue as far as i can tell.

Nobody looks down on you for using just the bar and nobody ever said anything to me for using up the 1 squat rack for bar-only squats. They've all been there.

 

I chose stronglifts over starting strength as the lifts looks slightly easier. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

[debraguk]

thanks guys

 

I actually meant stronglift not starting strength lol

[lyricalsharon]

I started weight lifting heavier this year (rather than lighter weights with more reps), and I specifically started Stronglifts this challenge. I have noticed a difference already since the beginning of this challenge. The squats really work things. I personally also do additional core/ab work, but that's because I still can't squat with weight yet, and the rest of my weights are not super heavy yet.

I second what they said. Learn proper form, because that will help you progress better with less chance of injury, and make the most of each exercise.

Also, I like compound exercises, stuff that uses multiple muscle groups at once. (Part of the reason I like Stronglifts).

If you're going to do muscle-group specific exercises, make sure you start with exercises that use the larger/primary muscles first, then the secondary muscles. Ie., I'd do bench, lat pull down, then Bicep curls, then tricep press.

(That's what I learned anyway, ppl can correct me if I'm wrong).

All that to say, I like Stronglifts because it gives structure and routine and I can see definite progress, which helps me stay motivated.

Sent with a flurry of little thumbs and dog hair.

[Granny Nogg]

New here too, Debra. Best of luck to both of us. Great advice from everyone!

[CrazyMags]

Just wanted to add, like it was said above, if you are wanting to lose fat and "weight" it is mostly diet... but you may also find that as you gain muscle, your body fat % will decrease more than you will see reflected on the scale, as muscle weighs more than fat...

If you are like me, what I realized as I started lifting, the scale wasn't as important to me as how I looked in the mirror.... So even if I'm only down 8-10lbs after a year, my body shape has changed so much, it LOOKS like I've lost more...

Just something to think about!

Sent from Tapatalk, all errors are the app's fault! ;-)

[An1me]

Hey fellow shortie! (I'm 4'11") I have found that weights have changed the way fat disappears from my body. Before when it was mostly cardio, I'd lose in my chest and thighs first, then hips and waist. This time around, it's been hips and waist first, which I'm really happy about (lost 9.5" overall since mid-July). I use the women's nerd fitness academy dumbbell division workouts these past few months and it's been great for me. Anyway, my point is you'll be glad you did it, not only does your body shape change, but you get Wonder Woman strong as well! Grrr!!! Let us know how things go!