I am a late 30’s male, I currently run 3 to 5k twice a week and I’d like to get into weight lifting - where should I start with regards to equipment and training?
Do you have any previous experience with resistance training? Or did you play any sports growing up?
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Id say - spend a month or two on the internet before you do anything. Spend hours on YouTube, read all the forums. And if something is still unclear after that, make a topic and we will figure it out.
Is this really your advice or sarcasm? If the former, I’m actually surprised after reading most your posts.
Anyway, I would respectfully disagree. I don’t think there’s any substitute for just starting. The answers tend to work themselves out. I’d be more likely to join a gym, at least early, than buy a bunch of equipment for my house. Figure out what you like first.
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Focus on your Bench, Overhead Press, Squat and Deadlift. Increase weight slowly and prioritize form. Everything else kind of just builds off of those foundational movements.
Also, eat more protein.
No it was an advice i believe in. If a person has NO CLUE, he doesnt even have questions. And i dont know how can we help when there are so many things to talk about that 10 books woulnt even cover it. When i first went to gym i had an old soviet book of exercises so i wrote them down, drew as good as i could so i can do em in the gym. Did all of them in like 5 hours and couldnt move for like 2 weeks. Anyways after that i at least knew the exercises. I am all about investing time to learn about stuff. Before i try anything new i Google all the forum posts, all the YouTube vids, i spend hours on every question i have or if i want to try anything. Nowdays its so easy. But when you put it like “i wanna start…what should i do” i kind of get the feeling the person is looking for a personal trainer or smth.
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Ok, that makes sense.
I just wouldn’t wait to know everything before starting anything, but now I don’t think that’s what you’re saying.
Eh, I read it the same way
And completely agree with you: doing NOTHING until you’ve spent a month or 2 online is insane. I’d much rather do SOMETHING and course correct as I learn, because there’s ALSO a lot of learning going on IN the doing.
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I’d argue that’s most the learning
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This is sound advice. If you have never lifted with weights before, most gyms will have an introduction to equipment, show you movements and even a simple program to get you started. Keep it simple at the start and focus on a few movements and learn to do them well.
Focusing on the basic movements is always a good place to start, but make sure you get someone to show you the movements properly and take time to learn the movements with light weights before you try to progress too quickly. Doing simple things like squatting with a broom stick or even no weights on ‘non gym days’ can really help learn a movement quicker. Its all just repetition.
Read this three times and then read it again. If this is something you really want to do then dont procrastinate, just get started and learn as you go.
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One of my mentors growing up was a big Star Trek fan and shared with me a Klingon proverb.
“In battle, make a decision. If it’s a good one: even better”
I love that proverb.
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I used to tell folks indecision was deciding to do nothing, and that was the only wrong decision. Didn’t realize what a trekky I was… and so much less eloquent
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When people start these types of threads, I think what they’re really looking for is a plan of action. E.g do x for 3 months, then y for 6 weeks, etc
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If you run twice 5k then twice going to the gym is fantastic for overal health and good development.
Go something along the lines
Squat, row, overhead press as day 1
Deadlift, chin, bench press as day 2
Target 3-5 sets per exercise, slowly increase the weight. I would not do more than 3 sets of deadlifts as running will be killing your hamstrings anyway.