I think most issues have been addressed very nicely in this thread.
The one thing I would add is to make sure you help her in the gym with her form and technique. A good training partner is a benefit for any new trainee. This will ensure that she doesn’t quit right away because of frustration or imtidation. Plus, it will give you a chance to get to know her better
And please don’t let her train like a wuss. Push her hard, and make sure she focuses on the muscles she’s working and not how her hair looks in the mirror.
Many thanks to all you who posted replies. Everything helped. I absolutely hate “girl training”. That being said, trying to introduce a lady to strength training is entirely new to me, so thanks again.
Tony G, I think I will see you this winter in Minas Tirith :). Good to hear from a fan of Tolkien. I think I will get the Roundtable articles out.
Tony, beefcake, Patricia, (and others) thanks for the advice on compound lifts. I was wondering whether I should start her there or not.
Cassanova, I like the way you think :). They call you that for a reason, huh?
Keep in mind that I’m not all for any huge dietary changes for newbies. Now, if they’re obese, sure. But not if they’re just “out of shape”.
As the newbie embarks on this new road of weight training, I’d throw in tidbits of advice regarding their diet. The first few sessions would be to focus on the training (form, etc.), since it’s such new territory. They’ll see results just from the training. During those first few sessions, I’d mention the importance of protein; and then carbohydrates and good fats, etc. THEN I’ll bring up the importance of a food log (“hey, you know we’re going to need to know how your body composition changes…that’s the fun part of all this…and to do this you’ll need a food log. I brought mine to show you…”).
The reason I do this? To really hit on my mantra that you’ll be doing this for the rest of your life. There’s no rush; no time limits or deadlines. And the learning curve is huge and different for everyone. Once the newbies realizes this? Oh, they’ll keep this up. AND it creates a huge change in their attitude towards weight training and diet.
I would exactly call a basic machine workout a “girl” routine. I’m also helping out a 49 year old man who has never been in a gym in his life. He’s never done anything remotely athletic either. He’s not obese but he’s got an easy 30 lbs around his waist that he needs to lose and he wants to put on a little muscle in the process.
He’s your typical American. His diet sucks. Doughnuts seem to be a staple but he’s coming along well using a combination of Cybex and free weights and (oh no!) the smith machine. He’s working out at the “most fitness” oriented of the gyms that I frequent which is right down his alley. Most of the clients are around his age so he’s in a comfortable setting where he can continue to make progress and hopefully not give up.
It also helps that he’s dating a woman with a BowFlex at her house. Whatever you think about their stuff (besides it’s badly overpriced in my opinion), this woman is a damn fine lady to be pushing 50.
MR - I think pounds are VERY important to a new person. Think of it this way - a new person is going to make BIG gains in poundages very quickly. This can be a huge motivator. The workout log will move up steadily week after week and they will be happy and motivated by the progress. Then, one day, they move from the machine to the free weights and BAM their poundages plummet and stay low while they learn how to balance the weights and stabalize a much lighter load. It can take WEEKS to learn to bench with freeweights after using a machine to bench. For a new person that can be the breaking point… or send them back to the machines and never try free weights again.
It is different if you have been lifting for a while and have to move back to machines. You are already used to lifting, happy with your progress and understand and are ready for setbacks. A person who has been lifting for only a few weeks or months may NOT be accepting of the same setbacks and could get discouraged and give up.
If she starts on freeweights she will become accostomed to the balance and stabalization needed from day one. You can always go to a machine later, but I don’t konw many people who have gone from machines to freeweights.
I only WISH I could convince my wife to go to my gym and use real weights. She goes to (gasp) Curves! My gym “intimidates” her. But I don’t give her a hard time cause as long as she does something I’m a happy camper.
Aragorn, I been training females for years and I train them like a male. I think they can put out a lot more then men also. I remember I was boxing with a 40 year old executive female at a corporte site and one of the males came up to me after the session and said “please don’t do that in the morning with her its scaring me”. I just laugh.
What he meant was a female shouldn’t be punching like a male. I think he works with her.
Anyways, the best thing to do is ease her way into to a program like “How to Build a T-Vixen”. So, that you don’t scare her off. Once you get her involved w/ the program she will get into it.
First off, I HATE not having access to a computer all weekend cause I miss out on so much.
ALright, with that being said:
Patricia,
I sooooo know what you mean in terms of “intensity” of workouts. I work at a corporate gym which is fine and dandy (although I am starting to think I would prefer a commercial gym) and I get so perplexed at some of the people here when they quote on quote “train”. There are so many men who are more concerned about watching the highlights on Sportscenter then concentrating on their next set and I think one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is when someone gets through with a set and then they go read the paper or magazine…ahhhhhhhh! I just want to yell, “hey, you can read that later…workout for God’s sake!!” BUt its kind of hard to say that to the CEP of the company…haha.
Also, I am so glad that you mentioned that you often recommend that having a seperate day for squats, deads, and bench press when training a newbie cause that is what I am doing with the women I am training at my gym. Most of them have never stepped foot in the free-weight area and I didn’t want to overwhelm them…so I made seperate days for squats, deads, and bench press to teach them proper form and what not. I have to say that it is REALLY awesome to see them deadlifting more and more weight each and every week and then to see men who squat in the smith machine walk past them is hilarious.
Aragorn (or should I say Strider),
Hell yeah, I will see you in December. Well, you got a TON of feedback with this thread and I hope you put it to good use.
