Beginner Strength Training Group

[Stachey]

Is there any interest in a strength training motivational group for beginners?

For any other kind of exercise like walking or biking or dancing, etc  I am very self motivated but when it comes to strength training I just lose interest so fast.  After years as a desk jockey, only my mouse muscles are in good shape.

I read that it is important to do strength training 2 days a week, every week.

Is anyone interested in starting a group to cheer each other on?  Keep each other accountable?  Give each other tips? At least until we develop the workout habit.

[brute]

I'm happy to provide what motivation I can. While I'm not a beginner anymore, I do remember the struggles of getting started and keeping it going regularly. I can also give advice on routines here and there, I've trained many athletes at this point and am always happy to talk programming.

[GuitarStv]

I'm happy to provide what motivation I can. While I'm not a beginner anymore, I do remember the struggles of getting started and keeping it going regularly. I can also give advice on routines here and there, I've trained many athletes at this point and am always happy to talk programming.

Ditto.

[Tay_CPA]

Sure, I'll join in! My boyfriend and I just joined a gym and he is teaching me how to lift weights. We've been about five times now and I absolutely love it! Some initial advice that's been helpful to me is before heading to the gym, decide what area you will work on that session (legs or chest or back, etc.) and keep good records of your workouts. I see very few people in the gym with notebooks, but I would highly recommend bringing one along to record the following:

1) Type of workout (and since I've never been a gym person, I'm pretty specific, whether it's free weights or a machine, what height or setting I put the machine at, etc.) - such as chest press, incline press, squats, deadlifts, etc.)
2) Weight (can also include details like, 15lbs each hand)
3) Number of reps in each set

An entry in my notebook might look something like this:

Chest press (flat on back, free weights)
10lbs each hand x 20 (then a check mark for how many sets of 20 reps at 10lbs in each hand I did)
15lbs x 20 (check mark)
20lbs x 10 (check mark)

It's nice to have this record for the next time we do this exercise, so I know what weight to start with, and to try to improve upon what I did the time before.

When you say strength training, are you referring to weight lifting, or some other types of training as well? I'm a beginner too so just want to clarify what you mean when you say strength training! :)

Maybe we can track progress with something like total inches each month? I can post the criteria for that if you're interested. Otherwise, we could just post about accomplishments, new workouts we tried, etc. Looking forward to being in this motivational group with you, Stachey! And Brute and GuitarStv, thanks for the offer to help with advice as well!

[GuitarStv]

Keeping a written record is vitally important if you want to progress over time.  People who don't keep records or stick to a plan tend to be prone to never really progressing very much.

[Stachey]

Thank you so much brute and GuitarStv!!  That's great to hear!

Tay_CPA  welcome!  I really like your notebook idea!  Originally I was thinking in terms of weight lifting but am more than interested in hearing about other forms of strength training.

I read that yoga can't be used as a substitute for strength training because it doesn't work the joints and muscles enough.  Any thoughts?

[Tay_CPA]

Keeping a written record is vitally important if you want to progress over time.  People who don't keep records or stick to a plan tend to be prone to never really progressing very much.

Thank you for confirming that! It definitely has already helped me progress (even in a short time). Seeing what I did the week prior is good motivation for lifting a bit more each time, like I'm competing against my past self :)

[Tay_CPA]

Thank you so much brute and GuitarStv!!  That's great to hear!

Tay_CPA  welcome!  I really like your notebook idea!  Originally I was thinking in terms of weight lifting but am more than interested in hearing about other forms of strength training.

I read that yoga can't be used as a substitute for strength training because it doesn't work the joints and muscles enough.  Any thoughts?

I'd be interested in hearing about other forms as well (I'll leave that to the other two posters here), but for me, lifting has been a good place to start. It's something I never thought I'd enjoy, but it makes me feel strong and accomplished each time! Which makes me want to keep going back.

As for yoga, I go once a week sort of as a supplement to my other workouts. It's a "breathe and flow" class, so not as intense as other forms of classes, but it still requires strength in both muscles and joints. I enjoy it because it's relaxing, somewhat challenging, and involves a lot of stretching. I'm not a trainer so I can't comment on the use of yoga for strength training, but I just really love yoga classes and think it's a nice thing to work into your routine if you can! If you live anywhere near a Prana store, they offer free classes :) I live up the street from one so that's where I go. Yay for free things :D

[katesilvergirl]

I'm a very haphazard exerciser (bike commuter, casual Ultimate frisbee player, home yoga) and was just about to add strength training, so I would like to join!

The notebook is a great idea because I have a really hard time remembering what exercises to do (or not do) each time. We have a gym in our new apt. building so no real excuses any more.

Is 2 times per week a good amount to shoot for? How many days off should I take between each work out?

[brute]

I'm a very haphazard exerciser (bike commuter, casual Ultimate frisbee player, home yoga) and was just about to add strength training, so I would like to join!

The notebook is a great idea because I have a really hard time remembering what exercises to do (or not do) each time. We have a gym in our new apt. building so no real excuses any more.

Is 2 times per week a good amount to shoot for? How many days off should I take between each work out?

You can make excellent progress on 2 days a week. I prefer training 4-6 days a week, but I really wouldn't suggest that starting out. For two days a week, you'd want to do a full body routine, so squats, pressing, rowing/pulling. Maybe some arm work, probably some ab/core work. 1 day on 2 days off is fine to start, or just pick a couple days and go for it each week.

Strength training shouldn't need to take very long as first. 3-5 working sets per movement is plenty to start with, so you should be in and out in under an hour. Do your best to make progress each session. Progress can be anything from adding even just one more repetition or adding 5 pounds to the movement. Put in work, make steady progress, and before you know you'll be stronger than ever. And don't worry about accidentally getting too big (not that anyone has mentioned it yet, but just in case) It's pretty well impossible to get larger than you want without chemical assistance.

[smedleyb]

I started doing 60 push ups a day three years ago when I began my own journey to greater physical strength.  The motivation was easy (getting old, tired of feeling weak, and MMM told me I would look unbelievably sexy). But it was the discipline -- the daily commitment to getting stronger -- that proved to be decisive.  I don't think I missed more than 30 days that first year.   Fast forward a couple of years, weight training is an integral part of my weekly routine (4 days, religiously, and hiking 1-2 days for a touch of cardio). 

Just do something everyday, and watch it transform your life.   Lets fucking do this.

[GuitarStv]

I'm a very haphazard exerciser (bike commuter, casual Ultimate frisbee player, home yoga) and was just about to add strength training, so I would like to join!

The notebook is a great idea because I have a really hard time remembering what exercises to do (or not do) each time. We have a gym in our new apt. building so no real excuses any more.

Is 2 times per week a good amount to shoot for? How many days off should I take between each work out?

I agree with brute.  The average person will make really big strength improvements over the first three months especially, and they will gain strength the fastest by working out more often.  Three days a week or a day on/day off kind of schedule works very well during the early stages.

Eventually the amount of time you need to recuperate between workouts will depend on your diet, fitness/strength, the other activities that you do during the week, and your exercise selection.

I'm a big proponent of simple barbell training.  Starting Strength is an excellent place to begin.

[Tay_CPA]

Is 2 times per week a good amount to shoot for? How many days off should I take between each work out?

BF and I have been going three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) and that's perfect for me. The first time we did legs and then chest/arms two days later, we were SO SORE. Everywhere! It's a good kind of sore, but starting out you may want to take a few days in between each workout to let your body recover. I know I needed it. I like rotating the focus area for each workout, instead of working my whole body in one session, but everyone is different - it should be what works best for you.

A good book to check out is Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Body. It has tips on the slow carb diet, different workouts for different parts of your body, and how to build muscle. Reading certain chapters of that book got me excited to start lifting and working out more!

[Tay_CPA]

And don't worry about accidentally getting too big (not that anyone has mentioned it yet, but just in case) It's pretty well impossible to get larger than you want without chemical assistance.

Thanks for this. As a woman, this is something I was concerned about. But after doing some reading (and now hearing your comments) I realized that I shouldn't be worried. I'm probably not going to get huge - just stronger and more defined (hopefully!)

What are your thoughts on protein intake and how it plays into building muscle/recovery? Any good, reliable reading you could recommend on that? I've upped my protein a bit by adding in shakes and other sources of protein, but haven't done much reading on this topic and would like to better use food to fuel my body, so any tips or advice would be much appreciated! (Sorry if this is a dumb request that I should just be Googling instead - there is just so much info out there!)

[GuitarStv]

I've always gained muscle well on a 30-30-40 split of protein-fat-carbs (by calorie).  In the early stages I don't think that protein intake is as incredibly important as it's often made out to be.  Most people eat a lot of protein in their regular diet (if you're vegan, or vegetarian, or follow some sort of weird dietary restrictions . . . this isn't you).  Focus on eating a large volume of real foods first rather than chugging back powders and pills.  To gain muscle you need to increase the calories you're eating.

If you really feel that you need extra protein, Dairy is a great source.  Chug some milk after your workout.  Eat some cottage cheese.  Have some Greek yogurt.

[brute]

And don't worry about accidentally getting too big (not that anyone has mentioned it yet, but just in case) It's pretty well impossible to get larger than you want without chemical assistance.

Thanks for this. As a woman, this is something I was concerned about. But after doing some reading (and now hearing your comments) I realized that I shouldn't be worried. I'm probably not going to get huge - just stronger and more defined (hopefully!)

What are your thoughts on protein intake and how it plays into building muscle/recovery? Any good, reliable reading you could recommend on that? I've upped my protein a bit by adding in shakes and other sources of protein, but haven't done much reading on this topic and would like to better use food to fuel my body, so any tips or advice would be much appreciated! (Sorry if this is a dumb request that I should just be Googling instead - there is just so much info out there!)

Not dumb at all! So, my wife lifts with me, deadlifting 245, squatting 185 for sets of 6 and benching 100 pounds for sets of 5 at about 130 pounds bodyweight. She has gotten some fantastic muscle tone doing this, lost most of her belly fat, and is even more feminine looking than before she started lifting. She hasn't lost any curves, her arms and upper back look amazing in a dress, and she finally feels confident in a 2 piece swimsuit.

As for protein, my recommendation is shooting for 1g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. I think the official number is 0.72g per pound, but personally I'd rather take in more protein than carbohydrates. Check this for a real study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22150425  I like shakes for upping intake, but I've found that if I use more than about 25g of whey at a time that it converts to sugar via gluconeogenisis (yes, i obsessively check my blood sugar, I was type II diabetic before i dropped the weight and started exercising). When it comes to normal protein sources (meat, fish, etc) there's no real limit to how much the body can process at once given that it digests pretty slowly.

[Tay_CPA]

I've always gained muscle well on a 30-30-40 split of protein-fat-carbs (by calorie).  In the early stages I don't think that protein intake is as incredibly important as it's often made out to be.  Most people eat a lot of protein in their regular diet (if you're vegan, or vegetarian, or follow some sort of weird dietary restrictions . . . this isn't you).  Focus on eating a large volume of real foods first rather than chugging back powders and pills.  To gain muscle you need to increase the calories you're eating.

If you really feel that you need extra protein, Dairy is a great source.  Chug some milk after your workout.  Eat some cottage cheese.  Have some Greek yogurt.

Great, thanks for the tips! No pills at all, just whey protein powder and water right after a workout, and then sometimes we make more of a "milkshake" with the powder, milk, peanut butter, bananas, and other fruit. But I do agree, calories should come from actual food, not supplements. Thankfully, we do eat plenty of real food (meat, eggs, veggies, some fruit, some carbs - not much processed stuff) :) Good to know that it's the calories that need to be increased to gain muscle, not necessarily just protein.

[Tay_CPA]

Not dumb at all! So, my wife lifts with me, deadlifting 245, squatting 185 for sets of 6 and benching 100 pounds for sets of 5 at about 130 pounds bodyweight. She has gotten some fantastic muscle tone doing this, lost most of her belly fat, and is even more feminine looking than before she started lifting. She hasn't lost any curves, her arms and upper back look amazing in a dress, and she finally feels confident in a 2 piece swimsuit.

As for protein, my recommendation is shooting for 1g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. I think the official number is 0.72g per pound, but personally I'd rather take in more protein than carbohydrates. Check this for a real study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22150425  I like shakes for upping intake, but I've found that if I use more than about 25g of whey at a time that it converts to sugar via gluconeogenisis (yes, i obsessively check my blood sugar, I was type II diabetic before i dropped the weight and started exercising). When it comes to normal protein sources (meat, fish, etc) there's no real limit to how much the body can process at once given that it digests pretty slowly.

Awesome, thank you! That's all very helpful, especially hearing about your wife's experience and so many positive changes. 245 deadlifting - wow, very nice! I tried 100 this past weekend (just to see if I could do it, didn't think I could) and was completely shocked that I could do about 5 reps of that :D I'm at about 140-145, 5'9", so hearing that someone at 130 can lift heavy weights like that is very inspiring :)

The info about protein intake is helpful too and I'll be sure to check out that study. Congratulations on dropping the weight after finding out you were diabetic! Way to make a negative situation into a positive one. Sounds like that's what got you into a fitness routine? If so, how did you motivate yourself to stick with it?

[brute]

Not dumb at all! So, my wife lifts with me, deadlifting 245, squatting 185 for sets of 6 and benching 100 pounds for sets of 5 at about 130 pounds bodyweight. She has gotten some fantastic muscle tone doing this, lost most of her belly fat, and is even more feminine looking than before she started lifting. She hasn't lost any curves, her arms and upper back look amazing in a dress, and she finally feels confident in a 2 piece swimsuit.

As for protein, my recommendation is shooting for 1g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. I think the official number is 0.72g per pound, but personally I'd rather take in more protein than carbohydrates. Check this for a real study http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22150425  I like shakes for upping intake, but I've found that if I use more than about 25g of whey at a time that it converts to sugar via gluconeogenisis (yes, i obsessively check my blood sugar, I was type II diabetic before i dropped the weight and started exercising). When it comes to normal protein sources (meat, fish, etc) there's no real limit to how much the body can process at once given that it digests pretty slowly.

Awesome, thank you! That's all very helpful, especially hearing about your wife's experience and so many positive changes. 245 deadlifting - wow, very nice! I tried 100 this past weekend (just to see if I could do it, didn't think I could) and was completely shocked that I could do about 5 reps of that :D I'm at about 140-145, 5'9", so hearing that someone at 130 can lift heavy weights like that is very inspiring :)

The info about protein intake is helpful too and I'll be sure to check out that study. Congratulations on dropping the weight after finding out you were diabetic! Way to make a negative situation into a positive one. Sounds like that's what got you into a fitness routine? If so, how did you motivate yourself to stick with it?

So, I started out around 360 pounds at 6'4", then found out I had damaged my health. I dropped 150 pounds in 13 months with diet and taking walks sometimes. But, I hate feeling small (long story, but lets say I'm big on anti-bullying campaigns) So I got in the gym, got a little bigger and stronger, and then I met a behemoth of a man who loaded the bar up until it bent over his back, who lived in the corner of the gym with the squat rack and deadlift platform, chalk, heavy metal, and blood everywhere. Ok, so not blood very often, just if he scrapped his shins on the bar. He got me started powerlifting, then I met some people who competed in strongman. I did my first contest, could barely lift the implements, but had a blast. I've been hooked ever since.

But mostly, it's the challenge, results, and seeing progress every week that keeps me going. There are weeks I don't feel like it,  but I get through on habit or having someone else around to call me and tell me to get in the gym.

[katesilvergirl]

Thanks everyone! I'll check out the sources and try to get a schedule written up for myself this week. I like the idea of one day on and one day off (depending on how sore I am at first!).

[Stachey]

Wow! You guys are a great resource.  I'm also glad to hear we can exercise without bulking up.

I was going to start with free weights and I have a timed arm workout app that has:

overhead press
bicep curls
tricep extension right and left
bent over row
front raises
reverse bridge dips
push ups

Can you recommend any other arm/ upper body exercises? 
And what should I do for leg exercises (using only free weights or body weight for now).
Thanks a lot!

[brute]

Wow! You guys are a great resource.  I'm also glad to hear we can exercise without bulking up.

I was going to start with free weights and I have a timed arm workout app that has:

overhead press
bicep curls
tricep extension right and left
bent over row
front raises
reverse bridge dips
push ups

Can you recommend any other arm/ upper body exercises? 
And what should I do for leg exercises (using only free weights or body weight for now).
Thanks a lot!

So, I'm not a huge fan of normal triceps extensions. You're pretty limited on progression there and it gives some people issues with tendonitis. But that being said, they're kind of fun, just don't try to go real heavy with them. My upper body work looks like this

Pick one:
Bench Press
Overhead press
Log press (don't worry about this, strongman equipment but it's a lot of fun)

Pick one:
Bent over barbell row
1 arm dumbbell row
barbell shrug

Pick 1 -2:
Close grip bench press
dumbbell overhead press
JM press
skull crusher
triceps push down with bands
push ups
behind the neck press

Pick 1-2
barbell biceps curl
dumbbell biceps curl
Lat Pulldown (you can rig a rope and pulley over a squat rack for this)
hammer curl
concentration curl

So there's my usual selection for upper body. I tend to rotate through those ever few months to keep from getting bored.

[Tay_CPA]

Can you recommend any other arm/ upper body exercises? 
And what should I do for leg exercises (using only free weights or body weight for now).
Thanks a lot!

Sounds like you've got plenty of arm/upper body workouts to start with! Chest flys and hammer curls at some point might be good too. Maybe be careful with the "timed" part of the app - I don't know for sure, but I don't think you have to be pumping out tons of reps in a short burst of time to get the effects of lifting. Personally, I like taking my time to work on the proper form and not feeling rushed, especially with free weights.. just something to think about!

As for legs, this is what I've started with:

Squats (using a bar with weights on either end, but squats on your own without any weight is probably fine to start with, to get the form down)
Deadlifts (again, using a bar - I don't think this would do much for you without any weights though?)
Lunges (holding a dumbbell in each hand)
Hip abduction (machine)
Hip adduction (machine)
Some other stuff I can't think of right now because I don't have my notebook with me XD

Squats and lunges can easily be done with just body weight, and I'm sure the guys here have some other recommendations (this is just what I've tried so far).

[brute]

Lower training sessions pick from these

Deadlift day:
We deadlift. that is all. Axle, barbell, whatever is around. Deadlifts are meant to be heavy. Not hurt yourself heavy, but I prefer to keep it in the range of 5 reps per set

Leg day

Squat - every time.

Pick 1
Front squat
Goblet squat
Safety squat bar squat - my current favorite
Lunge

Pick 1
Romanian or Stiff legged deadlift
good morning

Some sort of calf work
Abs

[JoRocka]

And don't worry about accidentally getting too big (not that anyone has mentioned it yet, but just in case) It's pretty well impossible to get larger than you want without chemical assistance.

Thanks for this. As a woman, this is something I was concerned about. But after doing some reading (and now hearing your comments) I realized that I shouldn't be worried. I'm probably not going to get huge - just stronger and more defined (hopefully!)

What are your thoughts on protein intake and how it plays into building muscle/recovery? Any good, reliable reading you could recommend on that? I've upped my protein a bit by adding in shakes and other sources of protein, but haven't done much reading on this topic and would like to better use food to fuel my body, so any tips or advice would be much appreciated! (Sorry if this is a dumb request that I should just be Googling instead - there is just so much info out there!)

It's laughably difficult to get big as a woman.

First it's a fear- and then it's a road block.
I've been trying to get big for almost 4 years now.

Still small :(

I'd really recommend a beginner program instead of trying to cobble one together- try Starting Strenght, new rules of lifting or strong lifts.

Something basic.

Don't worry about isolation splits (think- bi's tris- back and chest days) that eats up a lot of time and unless you're training to be on the stage- completely unncessiesary. It's more important to build a strong base of of STRENGTH and technique- which go hand in hand and can be done with more simple workouts built around compound lifts. (Squats, deadlifts, pull ups, bench- rows.)

People want to make lifting harder than it needs to be.  Pick a program you like- do the program- do not flag. Do not deviate. Just do it. Rain or shine- motivation or not motivated- do the program.  You'll see success.

success = motivation = motivation = success.

Self serving circle jerk of win.

[brute]

And don't worry about accidentally getting too big (not that anyone has mentioned it yet, but just in case) It's pretty well impossible to get larger than you want without chemical assistance.

Thanks for this. As a woman, this is something I was concerned about. But after doing some reading (and now hearing your comments) I realized that I shouldn't be worried. I'm probably not going to get huge - just stronger and more defined (hopefully!)

What are your thoughts on protein intake and how it plays into building muscle/recovery? Any good, reliable reading you could recommend on that? I've upped my protein a bit by adding in shakes and other sources of protein, but haven't done much reading on this topic and would like to better use food to fuel my body, so any tips or advice would be much appreciated! (Sorry if this is a dumb request that I should just be Googling instead - there is just so much info out there!)

It's laughably difficult to get big as a woman.

First it's a fear- and then it's a road block.
I've been trying to get big for almost 4 years now.

Still small :(

I'd really recommend a beginner program instead of trying to cobble one together- try Starting Strenght, new rules of lifting or strong lifts.

Something basic.

Don't worry about isolation splits (think- bi's tris- back and chest days) that eats up a lot of time and unless you're training to be on the stage- completely unncessiesary. It's more important to build a strong base of of STRENGTH and technique- which go hand in hand and can be done with more simple workouts built around compound lifts. (Squats, deadlifts, pull ups, bench- rows.)

People want to make lifting harder than it needs to be.  Pick a program you like- do the program- do not flag. Do not deviate. Just do it. Rain or shine- motivation or not motivated- do the program.  You'll see success.

success = motivation = motivation = success.

Self serving circle jerk of win.

Seriously, I'm appropriating this.

And I can't agree strongly enough about finding a good beginner routine. I wasted a lot of time early on doing cool sounding stuff that got me nowhere. Starting strength is excellent

[JoRocka]

And don't worry about accidentally getting too big (not that anyone has mentioned it yet, but just in case) It's pretty well impossible to get larger than you want without chemical assistance.

Thanks for this. As a woman, this is something I was concerned about. But after doing some reading (and now hearing your comments) I realized that I shouldn't be worried. I'm probably not going to get huge - just stronger and more defined (hopefully!)

What are your thoughts on protein intake and how it plays into building muscle/recovery? Any good, reliable reading you could recommend on that? I've upped my protein a bit by adding in shakes and other sources of protein, but haven't done much reading on this topic and would like to better use food to fuel my body, so any tips or advice would be much appreciated! (Sorry if this is a dumb request that I should just be Googling instead - there is just so much info out there!)

It's laughably difficult to get big as a woman.

First it's a fear- and then it's a road block.
I've been trying to get big for almost 4 years now.

Still small :(

I'd really recommend a beginner program instead of trying to cobble one together- try Starting Strenght, new rules of lifting or strong lifts.

Something basic.

Don't worry about isolation splits (think- bi's tris- back and chest days) that eats up a lot of time and unless you're training to be on the stage- completely unncessiesary. It's more important to build a strong base of of STRENGTH and technique- which go hand in hand and can be done with more simple workouts built around compound lifts. (Squats, deadlifts, pull ups, bench- rows.)

People want to make lifting harder than it needs to be.  Pick a program you like- do the program- do not flag. Do not deviate. Just do it. Rain or shine- motivation or not motivated- do the program.  You'll see success.

success = motivation = motivation = success.

Self serving circle jerk of win.

Seriously, I'm appropriating this.

And I can't agree strongly enough about finding a good beginner routine. I wasted a lot of time early on doing cool sounding stuff that got me nowhere. Starting strength is excellent

Have at it my friend!
Exactly. People waste all their newb gains in other shit. If I could go back and be 18 I'd eat like a fucking horsey weight gain be damned and lift my ass off. I lifted as a kid.  But not when it counted. I'm a good size and reasonably strong but newb gains...  Always wasted..  Take advantage of the linear gains and lift lift lift.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[JoRocka]

Wow! You guys are a great resource.  I'm also glad to hear we can exercise without bulking up.

I was going to start with free weights and I have a timed arm workout app that has:

overhead press
bicep curls
tricep extension right and left
bent over row
front raises
reverse bridge dips
push ups

Can you recommend any other arm/ upper body exercises? 
And what should I do for leg exercises (using only free weights or body weight for now).
Thanks a lot!

If you aren't doing a gym thing and don't have access to a barbell,  try you are your own gym, body by you or convict conditioning.  Get on a program. Don't waste this time.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[Tay_CPA]

Have at it my friend!
Exactly. People waste all their newb gains in other shit. If I could go back and be 18 I'd eat like a fucking horsey weight gain be damned and lift my ass off. I lifted as a kid.  But not when it counted. I'm a good size and reasonably strong but newb gains...  Always wasted..  Take advantage of the linear gains and lift lift lift.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice, JoRocka! Please tell me more about these newb gains... is it that you are able to more quickly work up to lifting heavier weight in the beginning before potentially reaching some sort of plateau? In a short time I've already noticed myself being able to lift more than I did during the previous workouts and it's pretty exciting! BF is a good motivator and always telling me to try the next weight up for my last set, to see if I can do it. And when I can, it's the whole success=motivation=motivation=success concept you mentioned :)

[JoRocka]

Have at it my friend!
Exactly. People waste all their newb gains in other shit. If I could go back and be 18 I'd eat like a fucking horsey weight gain be damned and lift my ass off. I lifted as a kid.  But not when it counted. I'm a good size and reasonably strong but newb gains...  Always wasted..  Take advantage of the linear gains and lift lift lift.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice, JoRocka! Please tell me more about these newb gains... is it that you are able to more quickly work up to lifting heavier weight in the beginning before potentially reaching some sort of plateau? In a short time I've already noticed myself being able to lift more than I did during the previous workouts and it's pretty exciting! BF is a good motivator and always telling me to try the next weight up for my last set, to see if I can do it. And when I can, it's the whole success=motivation=motivation=success concept you mentioned :)

No problem. One of my passions is picking things up and putting them down!  When you are new to lifting. (or an older lifter who stopped for years and came back) you find your progress very linear. So each time you come in you can consistently add weight. Depending on your genetic potential and test and recovery this can last 6 to 9 months plus or minus.

After that it may take you 3-6 months to add ten pounds do to a lift. It took me almost a year to add ten pounds to my deadlift max.

So newb gainz is really that beautiful period when you can lift and lift and lift and every time you step to the weights you feel like you have a new personal best.

Then ay some point it ends. And if you want to get stronger you gotta grind and fight. Lol but. If you're sick like some of us... You love it.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[frogger]

I'm in! I'm still pretty much a newb (and enjoying those newb gainz at the end of last year) and working through the New Rules of Lifting for Women stages. I say working through but I pretty much finished Stage 1 and then never got consistently into Stage 2. Though with summer arrived and my days more open than they used to be, I'm ready to start again.

I'm planning 2-3 days/wk at the gym, biking to the gym for my warmup (and back with my legs burning), and some mountain biking every week for fun and variety. The book I got also emphasizes the importance of eating enough calories and aiming for a 40/30/30 carb/protein/fat. I was hitting my calorie and macronutrient goals pretty consistently as well, using MyFitnessPal to track, so I'll try to get that going again. Anyone want to join me on MFP? I'll try to remember my username.

Tomorrow I'm planning to get the book out again and look up the exercises in Stage 2. I had them all written out at one point, and I do track my workouts after the fact in an Excel sheet, but I remember Stage 2 getting more complicated (I might have to YouTube some of them), so I'll have to get a dedicated notebook for gym time. I should be all ready for my first Stage 2 workout on Thursday!

[Sailor Sam]

I'm going to take part. I love lifting, especially Olympic style. I always make good progress with a trainer, but flail and then quit when left on my own. Mainly because I earned myself a chronic back injury about 5 years ago. My spine won't tolerate much flexion, or anything beyond body weight squatting.

Just this Monday I tried starting the Stronglifts 5x5 routine, cautiously dropping down to body weight squats and empty bar rows. Except my cautious approach turned out to be way too optimistic. I went home with an ominous throbbing in my spine, and spent today lying on my face.

If anyone has a good beginners routine, that uses big compound movements, and doesn't involve bending over to pick things up, I'm all ears.

Also, lift with your knees! Don't hurt your back! Because it sucks!

[JoRocka]

I'm going to take part. I love lifting, especially Olympic style. I always make good progress with a trainer, but flail and then quit when left on my own. Mainly because I earned myself a chronic back injury about 5 years ago. My spine won't tolerate much flexion, or anything beyond body weight squatting.

Just this Monday I tried starting the Stronglifts 5x5 routine, cautiously dropping down to body weight squats and empty bar rows. Except my cautious approach turned out to be way too optimistic. I went home with an ominous throbbing in my spine, and spent today lying on my face.

If anyone has a good beginners routine, that uses big compound movements, and doesn't involve bending over to pick things up, I'm all ears.

Also, lift with your knees! Don't hurt your back! Because it sucks!

sorry about your back that's poopy.

If the bar is still to much- I would recommend practicing the movement with a broom stick- or PVC pipe.

and really if you're having a hard time with your spine doing basic things like bar lift offs the floor for a dead lift- more physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding muscles might be in order. #notadoctorthisisnotmedicaladvice

[frogger]

Finally got into the gym! The (free) fitness center where I work has morning and evening hours M-F over the summer, nothing in the afternoon or weekends, so I decided to go in the morning and be productive instead of waiting to the evening and maybe not going at all for several days.

I did the B workout for Stage Two of New Rules for women. I did the A workout some weeks ago to practice the moves and establish starting weights/levels, so I did the same for B today. I only did one set of each exercise today instead of two, but it was tough and long (took almost an hour!). I'm going to start into a real routine with tracking on Monday. I'm planning MWF, except some Wednesdays I'll be meeting with a mountain biking group, so I'll skip the gym those days.

This weekend I'm also planning to get my food plan going again and start tracking. I've been bad about cooking since the weather got hot, so I need to batch cook and get it over with. And I want to get out on my bike now that it has stopped raining!

[brute]

Finally got into the gym! The (free) fitness center where I work has morning and evening hours M-F over the summer, nothing in the afternoon or weekends, so I decided to go in the morning and be productive instead of waiting to the evening and maybe not going at all for several days.

I did the B workout for Stage Two of New Rules for women. I did the A workout some weeks ago to practice the moves and establish starting weights/levels, so I did the same for B today. I only did one set of each exercise today instead of two, but it was tough and long (took almost an hour!). I'm going to start into a real routine with tracking on Monday. I'm planning MWF, except some Wednesdays I'll be meeting with a mountain biking group, so I'll skip the gym those days.

This weekend I'm also planning to get my food plan going again and start tracking. I've been bad about cooking since the weather got hot, so I need to batch cook and get it over with. And I want to get out on my bike now that it has stopped raining!

Congrats on getting into the gym! Biking is excellent too. Stick with it and you'll love the results.

I hear you on the cooking. I like making heavy winter food more than summer stuff. I try to cook outside most of the time in the summer, keep the house from heating up as much.

[GuitarStv]

Finally got into the gym! The (free) fitness center where I work has morning and evening hours M-F over the summer, nothing in the afternoon or weekends, so I decided to go in the morning and be productive instead of waiting to the evening and maybe not going at all for several days.

I did the B workout for Stage Two of New Rules for women. I did the A workout some weeks ago to practice the moves and establish starting weights/levels, so I did the same for B today. I only did one set of each exercise today instead of two, but it was tough and long (took almost an hour!). I'm going to start into a real routine with tracking on Monday. I'm planning MWF, except some Wednesdays I'll be meeting with a mountain biking group, so I'll skip the gym those days.

This weekend I'm also planning to get my food plan going again and start tracking. I've been bad about cooking since the weather got hot, so I need to batch cook and get it over with. And I want to get out on my bike now that it has stopped raining!

Cycling is very different than heavy weight lifting.  Why not keep the MWF workouts and bike on your off days?  That's pretty much what I do these days . . . it lets me get 2-300 km in during a week while also squatting and deadlifting.

[Tay_CPA]

I'm planning MWF, except some Wednesdays I'll be meeting with a mountain biking group, so I'll skip the gym those days.

Cycling is very different than heavy weight lifting.  Why not keep the MWF workouts and bike on your off days?  That's pretty much what I do these days . . . it lets me get 2-300 km in during a week while also squatting and deadlifting.

Sounds like it's only some of the weeks she'll be missing Wednesdays at the gym to meet with a mountain biking group :)

Frogger, congrats on getting into the gym! Especially one that's free!! :D Which parts of the workout did you enjoy the most? (I haven't looked up that program yet, but I'm curious which particular workouts/moves people like the best!)

[frogger]

I'm planning MWF, except some Wednesdays I'll be meeting with a mountain biking group, so I'll skip the gym those days.

Cycling is very different than heavy weight lifting.  Why not keep the MWF workouts and bike on your off days?  That's pretty much what I do these days . . . it lets me get 2-300 km in during a week while also squatting and deadlifting.

Sounds like it's only some of the weeks she'll be missing Wednesdays at the gym to meet with a mountain biking group :)

Frogger, congrats on getting into the gym! Especially one that's free!! :D Which parts of the workout did you enjoy the most? (I haven't looked up that program yet, but I'm curious which particular workouts/moves people like the best!)

Correct. The group meets twice a month on Wednesdays, and I'm a newbie to trail riding as well, so the last thing I need is to try that after logging a full body workout. It'll be kind of like interval training, which this stage is starting to work in to the routines. Eep!

Officially started tracking stage 2 workouts as of today! Man, I am weak, but that means there's lots of room for improvement. I'm not sure which of the exercises I like most right now--a lot of them are new--but I'm weaker in the hips/butt, so anything lunge-ish is tough, ab stuff is all right, and I really like deadlifts.

[Jeremy E.]

I'll join in, currently I'm just focusing on powerlifting myself

[frogger]

Just finished workout three of stage 2 yesterday. I'm off schedule, but it's okay, because on Tuesday I went mountain biking and needed Wednesday as a rest day. That was intense and I'm totally going back!

I'm trying to push the weight up every workout, basically try a little heavier for the second set for each exercise unless I'm already feeling like I can't finish. Eating is hit and miss--not enough good stuff, too much impulse bad stuff. I really need to start tracking that as well, but I probably won't until after the 4th of July because there's a bunch of travel coming up for me the next week and a half. Plus, I'm only going to squeeze in like one workout next week. Having the fitness center closed on the weekend is kind of a drag, but you can't really beat the price.

[mynewchoice]

Count me in as well.

I had just shared on another thread that I have foolishly put back on a lot of the 70 pounds that I had lost mainly just through walking and eating properly, and that my entire family just recently started biking together for some cardio.  I have lifted off and on over the years, and was a huge fan of the Stronglifts 5x5 program so I am planning to start with that again.  For those looking for routines, you can also download the BodySpace app from Bodybuilding.com and browse through the many routines that they have.  For me, I need to build up and start with something manageable otherwise I know that I let my work schedule create excuses before I have gotten to the point where the workouts become more of a habit--and Stronglifts is perfect for me.

My wife had lost a great deal of weight about 6 years ago and has kept it all off, and has been lifting consistently since then.  She just recently had surgery so she is still recovering and cannot be working out.  Her greatest challenge has been eating enough, as she has been vegetarian and I would say now is much closer to being vegan as she has cut out all dairy as well.  She gets frustrated as she has been lifting for so long and is not happy with her muscle definition or size, and I suspect a big part of that is due to her food intake.

Earlier today we were at a fitness expo and watched the powerlifting competition that was taking place, and needless to say that we both loved it!  We had so much fun watching and talking to some of the participants and their support teams / coaches that we both looked at each other on the drive home and said we wanted to enter a contest. 

To those starting their journey, keep up the great work!  It has been great reading about the progress that you guys are already making.  And to those experienced lifters that are here, thank you all for participating and sharing your wisdom with the rest of us.  I loved seeing a couple of people mention powerlifting too, I may be picking your brains soon!

Thanks,
mnc

[Lagom]

Hooray! Lifting is awesome! I was a skinny-fat nerd for 30 years before I wised up. I know it can be hard to get going, but it's amazing how fast you can progress. It's been two years since I got serious and now almost everyone I know, including family who should know better, act like I have always been a gym rat. "Well, you are naturally big and strong, but I just don't have the time..." Weird feeling, since I was most definitely NOT big and strong almost my entire life, and I still have mild body dismorphism over it. But similar to those who can't believe you can save more than a small % of your income, getting fit is something anyone can do.

Also, since it was never explicitly stated in this thread, Starting Strength is a book that is an excellent place for beginning lifters to start. You can easily go through a year or two following that program before you need to switch to something else.

[SoccerLounge]

First off, respect to Brute: strongman competition is the shit. Almost as close to a test of genuine functional strength as you can get, though powerlifting is pretty cool too :)

I'm in kinda a strange position, so I'm posting on the Beginner thread. I have a modest background in lifting, but I'm now doing very different workouts to help rehab from some old injuries that wouldn't quit flaring up. It's almost like starting from nothing, and the weights are pretty light. It really puts a fresh perspective on things -- oh, and shows that you can still see some gains even when "only" lifting light!

There's still nothing like walking into a gym, strolling past all the people using the cardio machines, and heading right to the squat rack. Even if I nowadays proceed to put some pretty light weight on the bar. ;)

[katesilvergirl]

Just completed my first workout from New Rules for Women. I really like that book - thanks to those who recommended it!

I couldn't do all the exercises (I kept falling off the dang exercise ball), but it feels great to get started. I never stick with stuff all the way through so I am excited to try to hang in there through all seven stages. I couldn't even do five real push-ups today so I am also excited to improve in strength.

[brute]

So, who has made progress? Who hasn't? What kept you from being the strongest version of yourself? How we can crush it?

[SoccerLounge]

So, who has made progress? Who hasn't? What kept you from being the strongest version of yourself? How we can crush it?

I see I'm not the only (casual) Elliott Hulse watcher around here ;)

I'm continuing to make steady, gradual progress. Which is kinda dull to write about, so I don't. :)

[Stachey]

I'm not doing too great in the strength training department.

I can always motivate myself to do other types of exercise like walking or dancing but I find it sooo difficult to do strength training.  I always find a million other things to do instead.  So then when I do the strength training I'm rushing through it and end up injuring myself which makes me exercise even less than before.  Arggghh!

I'm thinking of trying yoga because I think I might be able to do that more consistently. 

[SoccerLounge]

I'm not doing too great in the strength training department.

I can always motivate myself to do other types of exercise like walking or dancing but I find it sooo difficult to do strength training.  I always find a million other things to do instead.

What kinds have you tried? I ask this because a lot of the time, the common and excellent advice for cardio (find a kind of cardio you like the best and mostly do that - in my case fairly aggressive uphill hiking) also applies to strength training. Regular weights, calisthenics, kettlebells, improvised-weight stuff.. there are a lot of options out there. If you dislike free weights, maybe try switching to a bodyweight program, or etc?

[Stachey]

Thanks SoccerLounge!  I never thought of that (like I said...I'm very, very, very new to strength training).  I had it in my head it would have to involve repetitions with heavy weights.

I'll do more research.  What is a good resource to find out more about calisthenics?

[SoccerLounge]

www.exrx.net is a good resource to poke around for all kinds of exercises. They have lists broken down by body part, then ways to strength train that body part with weights, machines, bodyweight, etc. It's not a program or anything - more a directory of the stuff you could put together to make a program - but it's very useful all the same and there's a ton more info, calculators and so on. I'm sure others will chime in with their suggestions too.

And just as an aside - it's not true that the only way to work out with weights is just to go heavy. In some circles it's the 'thing' to claim that only heavy intense low-rep workouts are any good. In reality, most people who aren't trying to be pro powerlifters or bodybuilders will see results from using slightly higher reps and somewhat lighter weights, etc (so long as it's still actually a challenge at the end of the rep range!)