How do I start using weights in the gym?
I want to gain muscles so I can look and feel better, I'm tired of having a bit of a belly. The problem I always had is my lack of confidence in performing exercises with weights. I always ask too much "What if my form is improper?" and many over-asking questions. And how do I make the case to my community assistant that I won't harm myself or anybody by using weights. I want a source that can teach me how to use weight properly, how much weight I should start on, how many reps, and what exercises.
Try Bodybuilding.com.
A good beginner program I've heard if Mark Rippetoes 'Starting Strength'.
If you google 'Bicep exercises bb.com' or 'Triceps exercises bb.com' one of the first results should be bodybuilding.com.
If you click it it will take you to a page showing a list of exercises for that muscle part and there are filters to the side you can use to narrow down your search.
The main muscles you should always target and train are Chest, Biceps, Triceps, Legs, Back and Abs.
There are Compound exercises and then there's Isolation.
Isolation is an exercise where the weights only target one muscle, compound is when they target multiple.
Bicep curls are isolation, and deadlifts, which target legs, lower back and a bit of shoulders, are compound.
Start with a very low weight you could easily lift.
The idea is to get a feel for it and make sure your form is at least 90% correct.
If you're worried your form is bad because you can't see yourself doing it, you can ask for help at the gym, or find a mirror at the gym or if you're working out at home record yourself doing it.
The exercises on the bodybuilding.com website will show you the correct form.
Once you have perfected your form, move up to a weight you think you could do with still near-perfect form. Make sure it's at least a moderately challenging weight.
If you cannot do the weight with at least 80% good form, it is too heavy. Take off 1-2lbs of weight.
As you may already know, diet is important.
Gaining muscle is about 80% diet, 10% weightlifting, 10% sleep and other things e.g. drug use, alcohol, etc.
Why are you worried about hurting others?
The only reason you might drop the weight or accidentally be swung across the room by it would be if your form is very bad and the weight is far too high.
Just start very low on the weights so it would be impossible for this to happen.
rafaelmp91
Hummingbird
Joined: 21 Oct 2016
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Posts: 20
Location: Brazil - RJ - Rio de Janeiro
If you go to a gym, there will be professionals that will give you the right way of doing the exercises and equipments for better doing.
I very recommend you go to a gym. I got 5 months working out at gym and it's much better than doing at home. My muscles are growing relatively fast, cause I eat a lot of protein after training. It's useful to study things related to working out, it will make you have better results.
I found 'The New Rules of Lifting Supercharged' book helpful. It categorises exercises into push, pull, squat, hinge, lunge, single leg and core exercises so you do compound lifts that mimic everyday functional movements rather than taking an isolating muscles body building approach- this means you only need to train for a short time 2-3 times a week. It includes programmes starting from a basic level that tell you what exercises to do and how many sets and reps in each workout and all the exercises in each category are well explained. I have it on my kindle fire hd and there are even videos for most exercises. There is also a detailed warm up and guidance on things like wait times between exercises and choosing a weight to begin with.
Keep it simple. Don't try and do 5 exercises per muscle group. I'm working, or will be working on working my muscles twice a week. I get the best progress doing this. I'll post what I do.
Monday
curls(standing medium pace turning as I come up in order to hit both heads of the bicep)
seated dumbbell shoulder press(easier on shoulders than using barbell)
Dumbbell flat bench press(again easier on shoulders)
Tuesday
Sumo Deadlifts
Wednesday
Rest
Thursday
Squats
Friday
Repeat Monday's workout
Rep range for squats and deadlifts is 4-6 reps for two sets. I do this for two reasons. 1. My legs grow without much effort and 2. heavy deads and squats raise my blood pressure because of how much they tax the nervous system. So, I keep the reps light on these.
For everything else, I use a rep range of 8-12 for 3 sets not counting a warmup set, or two. I rest 3 minutes in between sets, but 4 minutes when I'm doing squats or deadlifts.
Once you can get all the reps in at a given weight, up the weight. So if you can get to curling 30 pounds for three sets of 12, up the weight by 5 and do 35 the next time you do curls. If you can't get 3 sets of 8 or a above, the weight is too heavy. For barbell exercises, add 10 pounds instead of 5.
I feel so weak and scrawny compared to my other peers. I don't know what I can do any more. I kind of exhausted all my other options. I'm very wobbly and uncoordinated with weights and I'm afraid of having this be forever. I really do want to be stronger and have more muscle though.
I can't find any proof that somebody else with this rare disorder went on to achieve what I want. I wish I had more freedom and comfort in myself.
I feel socially uncomfortable.
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