Weight training for beginners

[HomerPigeon]

I started going to the gym a few weeks ago as I decided I need to do weight training to really change my shape. Previously I'd only been doing cardio (spinning, and some running). Now I've been gym-ing for a bit, I'm wondering if it's really possible for a "beginner" to make any serious fitness gains without a personal trainer?

I've been doing the weights routine the gym person did for me for a few (about 7) weeks, increasing the weights (rather than the reps) as I can. I go 3 times a week, which is about all I can manage (single mum, work FT). But I can't really feel much improvement (I still feel really puny). I have asked twice for a new set of exercises but tbh it's a bit of a palaver, as every time, they require you to book for this, and then sometimes they're not there when you turn up.

I don't mind too much about weight loss but would like to lose some inches and build muscle. I am 5'5" and 9 stone 12. Waist (natural waist) is 30 inches, and round the fattest part of my waist (where your jeans waistband sits) is 36 inches! I make that 6 inches of flab I want to lose! Amazingly, I wear size 10 clothes though having taken these measurements, I'm not sure how I fit into them.

I can't afford a PT but am wondering if there's a good book I could get, to learn more about which combinations of exercises will work best for the areas I want to improve. Any recommendations? Or any weight training/fat loss suggestions generally?

check out Jamie eason on bodybuilding.Com she has a 12 week training course, sorry can't remember n name of it but that was brilliant for me, I showed definition after 2 weeks!

Homer, you may start to enjoy the 'body screaming next day' thing,aka DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness.

It's a weird not well understood thing.

Usually if you do something regularly it stops hurting so much quite quickly, probably a few weeks?
I honestly can't remember, starting from scratch for me was over 20 years ago.

I guess if it's sore, at least I know I worked hard enough!

I have looked at the Jamie Eason programme and it does look good. Only problem for me is that it builds to 6 days a week in the gym, which isn't realistic for me. I might try and break down the weight training into 3 sessions and see if I could follow a modified version like that.

HomerPigeon some people do have poor technique but equally I think going regularly, listening to the instructor even when you can tell he is saying something for someone else's benefit and really keeping in tune with how the movements feel on your body mean you can avoid injuries.

I have poor technique for lunges so most the time I do lunges with no weights so I can concentrate on getting the correct movement.

Some of the people with poor technique are lifting a weight too heavy for them. Someone up thread mentioned the quality of the instructor and I must admit the guy I know at the moment is very good. He does watch everyone.

Have you tried kettlebells? I can't reccommend Marianne kane's youtube channel and blog highly enough (myomy.tv).

A firm believer and advocate of women's strength training with excellent how tos

I noticed a difference when I followed the program in The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

I can also recommend You Are Your Own Gym which I use as an iPhone app but I think it might also be a book. No equipment needed!