Talk to me about weight training.

[fruitstick]

I'm 47, 16 stone, 5'7. Blood sugar and cholesterol slightly high.

I've recently joined a gym. I'm the past I ran (slowly) and did a half marathon 18 months ago but it all went to pot when my feet were buggered. Now I walk a lot and do yoga.

I want to do more weights. I need to lose weight but struggle with that.

I've been doing some of the machines in the gym but don't really know what I'm doing. The induction is more just how to use the machines than what I should be doing, how heavy.

Questions

• what should I be aiming for. At the moment I'm doing 30 reps (3x10 with rest in between) of about 5 machines. - I'm just guessing at a weight that doesn't feel easy but doesn't feel like I'll hurt myself.
• how often should I be doing this and should I do all the machines every day? How much cardio (bike) to add in.

How do you decide what routine to do. Are there any good apps/websites you would recommend.

Thanks @samthebordercollie I’ll check them out

I agree with Sam - Iron is slower, but be careful choosing your weights. Caroline uses VERY heavy dumbbells. Don’t even think of using anything nearly as heavy. Maybe try 3-5kg to start with, depending on your level of fitness.

However, I would do her EPIC Beginners programme first. Do it as often as you need to until you feel confident that you are doing the moves correctly.

I also think that Growingannanas is excellent. She does HIIT, both with weights and without. Her tabata sessions are particularly good for beginners. Her format is very similar to Caroline’s, ie very professional. And no chatter!!

To be able to lift challenging weights you need a strong core. Start off with:-

Bowflex 3-minute plank
Rebecca Louise’s Best Abs
C. Girvan’s Braced Abs & Core

Thanks @FlowerArranger i did look through some of the Iron program last night and definitely thought it would just break me if I did that intensity now. I did JoeWickes 20 mins body weight and got doms the next day without any weights …i keep trying with light weights but just find the muscle soreness too painful but I know it’s what I need as a woman in early 50s turning to blubber. I normally swim/cycle/run/walk.

@SpringMermaid987 - I would suggest that you work on your core first. See my suggestions above.

Then maybe try some of Rebecca Louise's short arm workouts with just 1.5 or 2kg dumbbells, for example:
Ageless Arms,
Bingo Wings,
Best Arms.

If this is still causing you pain, Lucy Wyndham Read has some very short arm workouts using body weight only.

@SpringMermaid987 apologies if I'm stating the bleeding obvious but you know the DOMS will go if you keep doing it? It's cos it's new to your body. So if you can get through that DOMS stage you'll then be able to progress without that kind of pain most of the time. A good relief from DOMS is the exercise itself.