My completely subjective experience with, and advice for, starting a strength training program (as an absolute beginner)

[all]

@lifeunlocked This is such a useful post!

Its so easy to get overwhelmed with finding the ~perfect~ program/diet/routine when the most important thing is just starting with something.

 

[lifeunlocked]

@all Glad you got someone out of it! And yes, just go out there and pick something!!

 

[ysam44]

@lifeunlocked That broom idea is brilliant

 

[lifeunlocked]

@ysam44 Thanks!

 

[phausof]

@lifeunlocked Are you me? I told was overwhelmed with everything and eventually settled on PPL and downloaded the same app. And then am also only doing three days a week to build a habit. I am on week 4 and going to keep going til Week 6 at three days a week. I have had to modify some of the exercises due to limited at home equipment but I do have a bar and bench and dumbbells. No squat rack though so unfortunately I am just doing goblet squats for now.

This is a fantastic write-up!

 

[lifeunlocked]

@phausof Thanks so much! Also, a fist bump to you, as a fellow PPL beginner! We got this!

 

[andywatson]

@lifeunlocked This is awesome and I wish I'd seen this when I was starting. Good job and THANK YOU! I just recently just got brave enough to do BB overhead press... OMG! that feeling is amazing isn't it?! I was always afraid those where just for the gym bros and I should stick with dumbbells.

I'm following a program with Nia Shanks that has been awesome. She really focuses on the big lifts for a 3x a week all over workout. So far I've really enjoyed it and have seen more progress than the other programs I've tried. Although have wanted to try a PPL split, I just dont have that much time.

 

[lifeunlocked]

@andywatson Yes! Overhead pressing seriously makes me feel like a superhero!

And, no worries on your program- do what works! I only do 3 days a week of PPL, and it hasn’t stopped me from making progress! Thanks for the kind words!

 

[gonzalio]

@lifeunlocked This sound so much like my experience maybe 8 years ago when I first started! Main differences:

• I was getting my information overload from Nerd Fitness, not Reddit
• Step 1: I picked Stonglifts 5x5 (which is just 3 days a week)
• Step 2: There's a great app for SL now, but not back then, so still had to do more manual tracking. Now is great though - tells you what to do and when based on your past workouts!
• Step 3: I took 4 weeks, not 2!
• Step 4: My gym had fixed weight barbells so I used those - started my deads on 30#! Same amazing Hercules moment when lifting the official bar for OHP, though.

Having never even set foot in a gym before, I needed something that was as simple as possible, and this really worked for me. Glad to hear you've made so much progress, and that you've been able to build up so much confidence - and to the bar in everything!

 

[lifeunlocked]

@gonzalio Wow, thanks so much. Honestly, this comment means so much to me! I considered Stronglifts 5x5 (as well as ice cream fitness novice plan, and GZCLP, and Ivysaur’s 4-4-8, and everything else I read about on here) but, as I said, I just picked SOMETHING, and committed to learning my first set of exercises. So far it’s working. Super cool to hear from someone with 8 years of experience!! Thanks for your kind words

 

[gonzalio]

@lifeunlocked You're welcome! I really enjoyed reading your post - so much so that I recommended it to someone else who's just getting started as a good read! Sometimes people can get so passionate about which program people ought to start with, but starting at all is really the most important. I've got the rest of my life* to make improvements!

 

[loraine]

@lifeunlocked I'm definitely Team just pick something. I'm on strong lifts atm. I know it's super unpopular but it seems good for me at the moment (only been lifting for 3 weeks) and the app and it's simplicity gave me that last push to see it

 

[lifeunlocked]

@loraine Absolutely, picking something was somehow harder than sitting down to learn the exercises. I’m glad you’re doing something that works for you!

 

[ccscott61]

@lifeunlocked Lol, two weeks? It took me the best part of a year to figure out how to make deadlifts work for my body Well done on your weight loss and fitness journey!

 

[lifeunlocked]

@ccscott61 I won’t lie, deadlifts make me the most nervous! I am still very cautious with them- I would rather do 15 reps of a lower weight than try for a 5 reps of a higher weight. A video from Athlean-X really helped me understand the movement (understanding that the first part is like a leg press, and the second part is the hip drive).

I guess the way I wrote it makes it sound like I’m some kind of savant- I’m not. I had been going to the gym since last December (with a break of a few months during the peak of corona, when it was closed). I had been taking the exercise classes offered by the gym, and learned the basics of the hip hinge movement from the classes in which we used kettlebells.

So, the intensive two weeks of form-research came after I had been working out with the classes/using the machines at the gym. Hopefully that makes more sense!

 

[ccscott61]

@lifeunlocked Yeah, don’t worry, it did come through, I just find it kind of hilarious it took me that long. I’ve got a hypermobile back, and in the end, the thing that enabled me to keep my back in the correct position was keeping my feet really close to each other. I still can’t squat to save my life - I can do up to 40kg with perfect form and then it all goes downhill from there! Might check out those videos to see if they’ve got any tips I can steal.

 

[apolloxlvii]

@lifeunlocked Thank you so much for this post! It’s actually relieving to see stuff broken down. I think I’m definitely stuck in the “analysis paralysis” phase

 

[lifeunlocked]

@apolloxlvii You’re really welcome!

 

[glorow]

@lifeunlocked Thank you!! This is truly why I come to reddit (and this sub specifically). This is exactly the kind of support and info I need for where I'm at right now. I'm so impressed with your will power and diligence!

 

[lifeunlocked]

@glorow You’re welcome, and you got this!