If you're a regular gym goer, what's your routine?

[losenotloose]

I joined the gym 6 months ago and have been going to classes (body pump and conditioning) 4-5 times a week. However, I'd really like to get into weight lifting but don't know where to start! I can't afford a pt and I've been given a routine from the gym staff along the lines of 3 x 10 reps of this machine etc but I still feel clueless! Help!

I do a weight routine based on the body pump class including squats with weights, back lunges, arm exercises for shoulders, back and bingo wings.. I’ve built up the arm weights and leg weights. I also do mat work for my abs and side and normal planks, sometimes mountain climbers etc. I use Body Coach ideas more for the mat exercises.

Well done for getting there 5 times a week, wish I did!

Well it's more like 4 times a week now! Do you use free weights or the machines?

Don't use the machines! You need to build the supporting muscles as well, free weights are the best for you. Get someone at the gym to show you how to do the exercises properly so that you don't hurt yourself, and start light light light. Don't feel ashamed of starting light while you get the technique down.

I warm up with 15 mins of hard cardio then I go to do squats with the olympic bar. It's usually 5 sets of 3-5 reps because I'm working on building strength, but at the end I'll take the weights off and just use the bar for a set of 20 to exhaust the muscle.

I'll then usually do bench press and follow that up with deadlifts. After that I rotate smaller excercises - tricep presses, pull ups, dips, front press, lat pull downs, lunges etc.

So it's usually warm up, the three core weight lifting exercises, plus 2 smaller target ones, then stretch it out. Don't overdo it or you won't want to do it again :)

To begin with I'd start with a full body workout routine. I usually use bodybuilding.com for ideas (and modify if I feel as many can be very male specific).
If you've done a whole body for 4 weeks you can progress to an upper/lower split etc.
Website above is very useful as it suggests alternative exercises. Eg I don't do bench presses with a barbell as I'm scared of dropping it on myself, I just use dumbbells.
You can look at the videos for proper form (or spend ages on youtube as well looking at people explaining every single one in great detail).

I'm doing Stronglifts 5x5 (stronglifts.com) at the moment because it's very straightforward - just 3 days a week, and 5 exercises to learn (barbell squat, deadlift, barbell row, bench press and overhead press). I got a trainer to go over the lifts with me first and I watch form videos on youtube. I'm two weeks in and feeling very comfortable in the free weight section. I'll branch out later when I feel I have the hang of the big lifts.

I can't recommend it more - seriously, give it a go, you'll feel amazing : )

@losenotloose an hour (or two!) with a PT will be the best investment ever if you are serious about working with weights. Yes, the online programs such as Stronglifts 5 x 5 are fine but only if you know what you are doing. There are so many people in my gym doing those programs and doing the exercise with incorrect form - its just asking for injuries.

A PT will make sure you do everything correctly and will program it right for you .

Most gyms will help you set up a programme for free when you join. try asking if they will do that.

If not other options are -pay for a PT for one session to set you up on a programme.

or google for various weight training programmes and copy them.

The main things to remember are the ideal weight for you is when you can do the last rep (aim for 10 reps) but it is a bit of a struggle - muscle fatigue so you couldn't comfortably do another one. It's a bit of trial and error at first.

Make sure your weight training is balanced - so if you are doing bicep exercise you need a tricep exercise in your programme to balance it.

Don't use machines unless you have been shown by the gym floor staff how to use it - again most gym staff are happy to do this if you ask.

I signed up to Alexia Clark's workouts. They're fantastic. Got me massively in great shape for my wedding, they're different every week so a lot of variety and made me feel confident with equipment in the gym.

Agree with pp about paying for an hour with a PT to show you how to do everything correctly. It's really worth the investment as if you don't have correct form you risk injury, and whatever you do will be less effective as well. I do this about once a year to make sure I haven't developed bad habits/ to give me some new ideas, and it costs me between £20-30 a time, so really not too extortionate, and worth every penny.

Thanks for the replies. I did actually have a session with a pt but not sure it was that helpful. May have just been that particular pt though! I might just have to start with the machines and go from there. I've had an induction so have a rough idea of how to use them.