The n00best N00b in the World

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Plant_Op

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I'm very new to the gym world, and to strength training. I have recently lost 47 pounds on a cutting programme, but I was losing muscle bulk, so now I want to increase muscle again, before I tackle the excess body fat again. My BMI is pretty spot on (22.3), but I still have excess torso body fat.

After losing the weight, I changed my diet again a few weeks ago to include more protein, and more calories. I eat 5 - 7 times per day, starting with an oat porridge breakfast, and eating more lf cottage cheese, chicken breast, fish, steak, lf dairy, egg whites, etc. I also try to eat my regular five portions of fruit/fresh veg each day, nuts/seeds, fish, and w/m bread or pasta in the morning/early afternoon.

I am a 44 years old male, new to fitness, born again healthy(ish) person. I was running cross country a couple of times per week, but I joined a gym four or five weeks ago. Since then, I have been aiming to use it 4 to 6 times per week. I now alternate between cardio sessions (treadmill, bike, cross trainer) and strength training sessions (a circuit of resistance machines only). I am tracking the weights on the machines, I warm up with each one on lighter weights, then aim for 2 to 4 sets of 7 or 8 reps at my maximum weight. I am slowly increasing the weights. My goal at the moment is to bulk - I want to maybe cut again later, once I have regained and increased muscle mass.

My questions are: 1) does my programme sound sensible enough?, and more importantly, 2) how do I start with free weights - I have never lifted a bar or a dumb bell in my entire life! I don't know how to use a bench. I feel such a n00b, that I don't want to make a fool of myself in the gym. I am also very worried about hurting my back - I suffer from back pains, which is another reason that I have so far stuck with the machines only. In summary:
  • I am 44 years old male, BMI 22.3, weigh 147 pounds.
  • I have a bad back - I do use weight machines, but with care.
  • I know NOTHING about free weight lifting - utter complete bench virgin.
  • I don't understand gym jargon - I need an idiots guide to simple but safe free weight lifting for the newbie.
Thanks guys...
 
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first off, BMI is useless. a tall anorexic woman has a great BMI. a super lean heavyweight bodybuilder's BMI shows he's morbidly obese.

Bodyfat % is a much more useful figure.

Free weights are god for building a fit body. machines only isolate the specific muscle, with a limited range of motion...meaning no stabilizer muscles get used...then when you try to lift free weights, you injure yourself, or just have no control over the weight and have to reduce poundage to sub-optimal loads just to control it.

Since you joined a gym, ask them if they have an on-staff personal trainer would could set you up on a full body program.

I'm not sure what your back problems are, and if they are really something to worry about with weights or not. in fact, if your doctor and trainer say you can do squats and deadlifts, it'll help strengthen your lower back (which is usually how people end up with back lower backs...weak muscles, they try to lift something with the back instead of legs...and something gives..either a disc or a muscle tear).

www.exrx.net has instructions for all the common exercises. you'll really wanna stick to bench press (barbells and dumbbells...alternating between them), pulll ups, squats, deadlifts, military press, abs, and then the occasional one or two isolation exercises, like calf raises, bicep curls, etc.
 
the personal trainers I talk to always say to use free weights as well as machines. For body builders and athletes they recomend using free weights alot more. for people who want to get toned rather than have gains they recomend the machines more than free weights. I used both in my workouts, and I like it that way.
 
entrailsgalore said:
the personal trainers I talk to always say to use free weights as well as machines. For body builders and athletes they recomend using free weights alot more. for people who want to get toned rather than have gains they recomend the machines more than free weights. I used both in my workouts, and I like it that way.
Click to expand...

no offense, but 'getting toned' has absolutely d**k to do with machines vs. free weights.

in fact, you'll get more 'toned' with free weights.

know why?

CUZ TONING IS A MYTH!

all 'toning' means is you're shedding bodyfat to reveal the muscle underneath. that's it.
there no 'rep ranges' for toning. there are no 'toning exercises'.

machines have their place, mainly for isolating a few muscle groups, or for people with injuries...or to beef up weak muscles so you can do free weights more confidently/safely.

if a PT told me that machines would help a person get toned better than free weights, I'd kick them to the curb and strip them of their "weekend trainer certification" they don't deserve.
 
LOL Malkore!!

"Toning" is a word that was made up to convince girls to lift weights. :p
"I want to be toned, not muscular" -- Sure, ok. Just lift this dumbell thingy like I show you, and pay no attention to the big guy over there doing the same thing, you're doing it a special way that will "tone" you. ;)
 
Thanks for the replies!

Yes, I should really talk to the gym staff - but its just so embarrassing not knowing anything! I did pick up a book yesterday - the Idiots Guide to Fitness ... actually, it does answer some of my questions - I even ventured into the free weights end of the gym and try some arm curls with dumb bells - scarey stuff ;)
 
Good for you!

Don't feel embarassed at the gym, everyone has to start somewhere. It's not the people who don't know anything and ask questions who end up looking like morons, it's the people who don't know anything and act like they know it all that look like morons.

Besides, no matter how little you think you know, the gym staff have seen others who know even less, and they don't think anything of it. I promise.
 
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