Reccommendations for Beginner Weight-Lifting.

[soulwings]

I'm new to weights.
I want to make my arms stronger. How many sets/reps would you reccommend for a beginner? Also, how much more do you decide, as it gets easier?

[KajunDC]

A good place to begin would be buying the book, "New Rules Of Lifting" by Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Shuler. It is filled with tons of great information to help you understand what to do and why as well as giving some great lifting routines.

Also Tom Venuto's e-book "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle" is a great resource.

It is very important to thoroughly educate yourself on the what and especially the how before jumping into something as both potentially beneficial and potentially dangerous (if done incorrectly) as weight lifting. And there is simply not enough time or space to properly educate you here.

If you do weightlifting wrong, you can end up with arthritis, muscle damage, nerve damage and ligament damage. You can end up with chronic shoulder problems, knee problems, neck problems, back problems, elbow problems, ankle problems, headaches... I think you get the point.

Believe me, I am not trying to scare you off resistance training. It is my favorite form of exercise and I lift 3 days a week and have for the last two and a half years. But if you are not very conscious of proper lifting form and technique, you really can set yourself up for some nagging long term problems, or worse. (I see those guys in the gym every week.)

Do some research with books and online for proper lifting form first. Then its time to focus on how much/ how often.

I really hope this helps and good luck.

[mmam5]

Thanks Kajun!

If you're a woman - the New Rules of Lifting has a women's copy also...

Some exercise websites I use and have benefitted from:

ExRx

Got Built?

Cathe Friedrich has some great "Gym Styles" DVD's that you can do at home... she pays close attention to detail and would be beneficial for beginners ... I use her Back/Shoulders/Biceps and also Chest/Tricep DVD's when I can't get to the gym.

[Leo41]

I want to begin strength training, and I just bought a DVD "Shaping Up with Weights for Dummies" by Tracy York because I wanted to be sure that I was doing the exercises correctly. It's a great video (got good reviews on amazon.com) because she explains and demonstrates carefully and includes tips for working harder after a time. I really recommend it.

[inatic]

Originally Posted by soulwings

I'm new to weights.
I want to make my arms stronger. How many sets/reps would you reccommend for a beginner? Also, how much more do you decide, as it gets easier?

you do wt lifting to get stronger all over, build muscle all over not just 'tone' your arms.

New rules of lifting is a good intro book. i hear the womens one is pretty good.
Do get educated on proper technic but Kjdc, dont scare our friends..People learn form and technic with practice.

Got built is a great program. she has an intro routine as well.

[inatic]

poke around here too

Getting started
training

[soulwings]

Thanks guys. Inatic, how long have you weightlifting?

[inatic]

seriously lifting and knowing what im doing about 3-4 yrs. The last two yrs with my coach, Erik ledin (see my siggy) and then prior my training partner trained me.

[FitnessWanabee]

First thing:

Get down and give me 20 pushups. Until you can do that, no point to moving on to dumbbells or barbells.

[inatic]

Originally Posted by FitnessWanabee

First thing:

Get down and give me 20 pushups. Until you can do that, no point to moving on to dumbbells or barbells.

Um, no! Many people can push or pull wts but not do push ups..Personally my shoulders dont like push ups

[Pleiades]

Originally Posted by FitnessWanabee

First thing:

Get down and give me 20 pushups. Until you can do that, no point to moving on to dumbbells or barbells.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I hope you were trying to be funny, and failed.

[FitnessWanabee]

Originally Posted by inatic

Um, no! Many people can push or pull wts but not do push ups..Personally my shoulders dont like push ups

The humble push up is an exercise anyone should be able to do. I'm really shocked at how many people have a problem with this one.

[stargrabber]

Originally Posted by FitnessWanabee

The humble push up is an exercise anyone should be able to do. I'm really shocked at how many people have a problem with this one.

I can only do a few regular ones and about 15-20 on my knees but guess what??? I can squat 125lbs and RDL 110 so don't use push ups to measure a persons strength

[FitnessWanabee]

Wow, I'm getting blasted on here.

[nonstickpam107]

Originally Posted by FitnessWanabee

The humble push up is an exercise anyone should be able to do. I'm really shocked at how many people have a problem with this one.

Well, then, let me REALLY shock ya! I lift weights with the help of specially made 'velcro' type gloves. Why? Because I have crushed bones in the lower thumb region and in the hand itself. If I had read this FIRST (instead of listening to Ileen and Cindy) it would have 'doomed me'. So...keep being 'shocked' (cuz I'm STILL shocked and so are about 40 doctors and surgeons...I also am missing 1/2 lung, and 1/2 leg and am over 50 and have five autoimmune diseases).

Most of the 'gimps' who run in my circle also "have a problem with this one".

Pam

[KajunDC]

Originally Posted by FitnessWanabee

Wow, I'm getting blasted on here.

Don't take it too hard. It can happen sometimes on here. But the push-up can be a difficult one to master for many people early on, especially since it calls upon so many different muscle groups, any one of which can be weak enough to prevent the press. The legs are generally a stronger group making lifts and squats easier while the upper body can be much weaker making certain exercises impossible in the beginning. Good thing is that over time doing other upper body exercises can get people to the point where they can finally do that elusive push-up.

Also, some exercises can cause problems for certain parts of the body, especially shoulders, elbows and knees. This can often be a result of improper form & technique which has damaged the joints over time. That's the reason why, while I'm not trying to scare our friends , I am trying to emphasize the importance of learning proper form as improper form can do quite a bit of damage in a relatively short period of time. It's that important.

And there is that segment out there that have physical issues that will prevent them from ever being able to do certain exercises. But when asking questions on this board they generally point out those issues at the time.

Take care.

[FitnessWanabee]

I guess I take for granted how easy pushups are for me.

[mmam5]

That's ok - I'm up to 5 real pushups now (with a small amount of shoulder pain) ... but can also do 3 sets of 2 chinups, and rackpull 225# and I'm just a 128# weakling ...

Learning proper form, and also proper nourishment to feed those muscles, tendons and joints is also key ...

[WATCH-ME-SHRINK]

Originally Posted by KajunDC

Don't take it too hard. It can happen sometimes on here. But the push-up can be a difficult one to master for many people early on, especially since it calls upon so many different muscle groups, any one of which can be weak enough to prevent the press. The legs are generally a stronger group making lifts and squats easier while the upper body can be much weaker making certain exercises impossible in the beginning. Good thing is that over time doing other upper body exercises can get people to the point where they can finally do that elusive push-up.

Also, some exercises can cause problems for certain parts of the body, especially shoulders, elbows and knees. This can often be a result of improper form & technique which has damaged the joints over time. That's the reason why, while I'm not trying to scare our friends , I am trying to emphasize the importance of learning proper form as improper form can do quite a bit of damage in a relatively short period of time. It's that important.

And there is that segment out there that have physical issues that will prevent them from ever being able to do certain exercises. But when asking questions on this board they generally point out those issues at the time.

Take care.

KajunDC, I have always respected your diplomacy.

[Screamer]

Originally Posted by FitnessWanabee

First thing:

Get down and give me 20 pushups. Until you can do that, no point to moving on to dumbbells or barbells.

I'm weight training to advance to 20 pushups. If I'd have read this 4 years ago I'd be a real mess right now.

[hummingbird11]

Awesome info, thanks!

Originally Posted by inatic

poke around here too

Getting started
training

PS: I can't do push-ups either, but I LOVE Cory Everson's Get Hard upper body workout!

[hummingbird11]

Originally Posted by mmam5

Cathe Friedrich has some great "Gym Styles" DVD's that you can do at home... she pays close attention to detail and would be beneficial for beginners ... I use her Back/Shoulders/Biceps and also Chest/Tricep DVD's when I can't get to the gym.

I ordered these last night from Amazon! Thanks for sharing this info!
Did these help you develop those beautiful muscles in your new avatar?? WOW!!

Hey soulwings! I've seeing you around and you ask some great questions!
btw, I also have Cory Everson's Get Hard Arms (VHS) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!

XO,
HB

[soulwings]

^

[mmam5]

Originally Posted by hummingbird11

I ordered these last night from Amazon! Thanks for sharing this info!
Did these help you develop those beautiful muscles in your new avatar?? WOW!!

Hey soulwings! I've seeing you around and you ask some great questions!
btw, I also have Cory Everson's Get Hard Arms (VHS) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!

XO,
HB

Thanks!! I started with Cathe's DVD's, then got hooked up to GotBuilt and Stumptuous in the last year ... Working on leaning down from my mini-bulk last winter ... I'm truly addicted to lifting, it's interferring with my running

[inatic]

you've made awesome progress in the last yr marci!!

[mmam5]

Thanks Ileen for so many things!

It's been fun watching you too