The Beginners Guide To Lifting Weights – Home Or Gym

It’s still a big misconception that lifting weights, heavy weights, will make you bulky or ‘manly’ which seems to be the main reason why most women avoid doing it.

However, this is absolute nonsense! The images you see of ‘bulky’ women online…this DID NOT happen overnight or by mistake. These women will have been training HARD for years and years and be eating in such a calorific surplus in order to gain this extra muscle.

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People like you and me who go to the gym 4, 5 or even 6 times a week for an hour or two, WILL NOT end up looking like this! We have put together this beginners guide to lifting weights to help you on your journey.

Stats

According to the National Centre for Health Statistics, out of all the women who go to the gym, only 20% will start lifting weights as a form of strength training because they don’t want to look big and muscly. Whereas, more women will use weights when doing a workout at home – partly due to feeling more comfortable and also due to the weights being lighter.

This is such a shame because lifting heavier weights is an amazing way to loose fat, look lean and to get fitter and get stronger…for both men AND women. Who says women have to be these fragile little things who don’t belong in the free weights section at the gym – or who lift heavier weights at home?!

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I mean, you don’t have to lift weights at all if you decide you want to go to the gym. There are many amazing ways to get fit just by using your bodyweight such as doing HIIT circuit workouts. (High Intensity Interval Training). You obviously can use weights and equipment if you want, but basically you workout as hard as you can for up to 30 seconds per exercise to get your heart rate up quickly. It’s great for fat burning and you can be done in 20 minutes!

The Benefits

Weight lifting, or resistance training, will help you to build lean muscle mass which not only keeps you healthy, it also means you will speed up your metabolism which means you can eat a tonne more food and not get fat or put on weight! Who doesn’t want to be able to eat whatever they like and not gain an ounce of fat??

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The reason many of these social media influencers can do the 10k calorie challenges on YouTube and not look much different is because they have been able to speed up their metabolisms by building so much muscle…not that we are condoning trying to EVER eat that much food.

Lifting weights also has many other health benefits which include – a decreased risk of osteoporosis, reduced back pain and enhanced mood. 

Here are some tips on how you can get going…

Wear The Right Shoes

When lifting weights, it’s important to wear the right kind of foot wear. Trainers with a flat sole are the best, especially on leg day when you need to be as stable as possible. You don’t have to spend a fortune on your trainers, just get something comfortable and flat with some support, especially around the ankles.

The most popular trainers for weight lifters seems to be Adidas trainers as they offer comfort and support but the cheaper brands like Skechers also do a very comfortable range that are perfect for lifting in.

Invest In Basic Equipment

Some people might tell you that to be successful and to see progress when lifting, you need to have all the right gear to do so. However, this is NOT the case. The only 3 items we will advise you get are…

Foam Roller

This will help to prevent injury. It’s advised that you foam roll before and after, especially on leg days. The foam roller will help to get in to the deeper muscle tissue, stretching and massaging your muscles aiding in the prevention of post-workout soreness.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are great to use for warming up to activate the muscle you are about to work but they are also a great tool to have in addition to weights.

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For example, perhaps you want to use the Abductor machine to work your glutes but it’s super busy (or you don’t have access to the gym). That’s OK, if you have your resistance bands with you, all you need to do is find a spot on the floor, bend your knees up to your chest, (heels not far from your bum, feet together), loop the resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees and while keeping your feet together, push your knees apart. You should feel this in the sides of your glutes, like a slight burning. This essentially does the same thing an Abductor machine would do.

Barbell Squat Pad

These are ESSENTIAL if you intend on doing any kind of barbell hip thrusts. It will save your hips from being badly bruised (especially if you are quite a boney person). Simply slip the pad over the bar with the open side facing away from you and start lifting.

Together, these items shouldn’t cost you more than about £20. They are SO important, especially the foam roller so if you can only afford to get one, the foam roller is a must!

Start Out Light

When it comes to using free weights, start off by lifting a slightly lighter weight and see how it feels. Start off lower, get the correct technique, then try lifting slightly heavier. If you think you can lift 10kg weights, try using 6kg to begin with and master that first.

Look in the mirror and watch your form as you lift the weights. Then, when you feel comfortable, move up to the next weight and see how that feels. If you can get to 12 reps with a weight, try going a little heavier. If you can just about do 8 reps, that is the right weight for you. Then, when that weight feels easier or you can do 10 or more, up the weight…and keep on going.

One really great piece of equipment you should look to get when starting out is a set of kettlebells. They can be used for so many different exercises at home or at the gym. Plus, there are a tonne of videos on kettlebells for beginners online. Which, if you don’t have a personal trainer, is a great place to start learning and teaching yourself.

OK, so this one isn’t practical at the moment due to the Corona Virus, but when they do re-open again…

Many people, especially those starting out, are intimidated by the machines at gyms. When all you need to do is ask some one to show you how to use it. The fact is, these machines are actually safer than using the free weights because you can’t drop the weights. The weights are all fixed in place so dropping them won’t cause you any injuries.

Just remember, everyone started out where you are now at some point. Others will be more than happy to help you out if you aren’t sure how something works. That’s also why they have the staff there at the gyms to make sure the equipment is being used correctly.  

Plan Ahead

Having a plan always makes thing easier, same goes for your workouts. You could talk to a personal trainer at your gym to get a basic plan of action. Or, you can do your own research and put something together yourself.

Many people you see, especially on Instagram, won’t post their entire workouts so you might not see the full picture. The best thing to do when starting out is to talk to a professional. Maybe get one or two sessions booked in with a trainer to ensure you have the proper form.

Goals

Once you have your goals in mind, start to make your own plans to suit you. Or follow the guide your trainer has given you. Many people will write down a plan of action before they go. This avoids wasting time not knowing what to do next. Others, will make up a weekly or monthly plan and separate it into body parts for each day.

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So perhaps Monday would be leg day, Tuesday would be chest and shoulders and Thursday would be back and arms. This way you ensure you’re hitting each body part throughout the week. Overdoing one area will hinder your progress!

Avoid Injury

This might seem really obvious but it’s so easy to do, especially when you start to lift heavier weights. Avoid making any jerking movements while holding/lifting weights as this is VERY likely to cause you to injure yourself…and perhaps others as well. Be aware of other people in the gym and their proximity to you.

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For example, look around before you start moving long barbells so you don’t clobber someone with it. Definitely DO NOT start swinging weights around at any point! You could easily hurt some one or it might swing out of your hands and cause damage to the equipment.