Just starting doing some strength training and feeling a bit lost … any suggestions for who to follow? Workouts? An app? Could anyone cast an eye over my current routine?

[PicklePalace]

I’ve recently started lifting some weights - it’s been 3 or so weeks now and I’m going to the gym every other day. I’m in my 50s, a normal weight, so my goal is to build some strength basically

I have cobbled together a sort of routine with the help of chat chippy tea and my daughter but it feels a bit haphazard .. could anyone have a look and tell me if it’s total rubbish? It’s around 35-40 mins in total

warm up
Heel walking
diagonal toe taps
Travelling press up walkouts

3 sets of reverse lunges holding a weight

3 sets of raised leg hip thrusts with a weight

2 sets of standing side raises - dislike these. I don’t want rotator cuff issues so I’m wary

3 sets of Russian twists holding a weight

2 farmers carry’s

3 sets of bicep curls

then onto the machines where I do the abdominal machine (2 sets of 10), various leg machines and the shoulder pull down

is this ok? Is it enough? Should I download Caroline girvans app or something? I read a lot about her being good

any advice appreciated thank you

it is a bit all over the place. Legs, biceps, abs all in one go. If I would go every other day, I would to probably lower-upper split. So for example:
Monday: chest (bench / incline), back (rows / pulldown), shoulders, arms
Wednesday Quads hamstrings glutes plus core.
Friday repeat upper
Sunday lower

ChatGPT is actually really good for such advice, you can also tell it what equipment your gym has and it will do an exact program for you. And if you let it know what weights and reps you did, it will also make a progress plan.

I don’t know but I just love the way that auto-correct turned chatGPT into chat chippy tea! 😂😂😂 or maybe it was a dictation issue but still 🤣

I use the hevy app to plan workouts based on muscle groups/ equipment. Would recommend.

@Tashface ah that’s what I call it for my own entertainment 😅

@HeidiLite. That’s exactly how it feels - like I’m doing anything and everything so thanks for that advice

I also use Hevy - when I started, I was rehabbing an injury and just had the same 6 starter programme for six weeks, 3x a week. I only used machines and dumbbells to begin with. I increased weight or reps (progressive overload). Once that got boring, I asked the gym owner to help me build a new plan and show me how to use the barbells (bench, squat, lunges, deadlift etc). I just picked a quiet morning to ask!

I now have several saved workouts which I rotate, usually focused more on upper/lower body or mid section etc. I still try to improve my reps or weight, but it’s much slower going after a while.

My advice would be to ease into it for a month or so, then try to work so that you are nearing failure at the end of each set, whether that is from high weight or high reps. I do recommend taking creatine and being mindful of protein intake for recovery (great for all women over 35ish, but especially in conjunction with weights).

Well done and hope you enjoy it - I have been so pleased to reduce my back and joint pain and get all around stronger. I love seeing some of the women in my gym making gains (there is a rockstar woman in her 60s who cranks out pull ups - life goals!)

Have a look at megsquats shes great:
https://megsquats.com/

I love Chat Chippy Tea!

Nobs is a good app. There are beginner to advanced workouts, home and gym, easy to follow and videos for instructions and form.

Another beginner question - what do you actually use at the gym to tell you what to do next? Do the apps show you a programme or do you have something like a recipe where you press a "next" button?

Another rec for Hevy - I don't use its pre-set programmes but they look fine to me.

@PicklePalace I agree your programme is a bit all over the place. I start with a brief warm up (cat/cow, world's greatest stretch, arm circles, that sort of thing) but mainly use the first set in each exercise to warm up for that exercise - I want to start fresh.

Then I would do the biggest exercise for whatever muscle group I am training that day, then the second biggest, then anything else, then core. So tomorrow, I will do pull ups (the big one), some front lever or cable row (horizontal pull, but that's not my focus right now), maybe some other back, bicep curls or bicep holds on the bars, core. Then leave the "pull" muscles (back and biceps) for 2/3 days and return to them. If you look at Hevy it will give you splits like this in the pre-set programmes.

You do want to be fresh for the big compund lifts and rtest well between them, so your programme seems very long to me for 40 mins, and is also in a random order.

@olderbutwiser the apps work in different ways - Hevy gives you a list to work through with little videos and notes (but I would always google a new exercise to get some proper human tips as well). I have a weekly plan that I tweak sometimes, and work out my own splits as I (now, finally) know what works for me (60 later this year, and with variable PT work pattern, so I plan rest days carefully).

Have a look through the threads here for other recommendations - I know people rate Before the barbell (insta).

Brilliant on starting!! Keep going 😀

I also rate Hevy (so much so I pay for the full version).

I love Henley Fitness on instagram- aimed at beginners and has a free programme to get you started.

When I started going I booked a few sessions with one of the personal trainers. She designed a programme for me & made sure I knew what I was doing.

You need to follow a well structured programme.

Check out…

• Growingannanas
• Heather Robertson
• Caroline Girvan

@olderbutwiser I decide what muscles I want to target, and then as @MsMartini says, start with bigger ones and move to smaller. However, I may vary my plan depending on how busy the gym is and what equipment is available. if your gym also gets busy and you know which machines are most in demand, always good to consider what the alternatives are, so you don't need to stand around waiting.

I loathe and detest the gym, so keep it as simple and quick as possible. I got a programme from a PT which is basically one session legs - weighted squats, then all the machines - one day pull, and one day push. Works all the major muscle groups but properly each time. I can be done and dusted in 30 minutes, which is about as long as I can bear to stay in the hellhole.

Thanks for all the comments - really helpful

I’ve downloaded Hevy and I’ve spoken once more with chat chippy tea and now have what I think is a much more cohesive and streamlined plan
… how does this sound?

🟩 WORKOUT A — LOWER BODY (40 mins)

Warm-up (optional but recommended)

• 5 min brisk walk or cycle

1. Leg Press (Machine)

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60–90 sec
Notes: Slow down, don’t lock knees

2. Glute Bridge / Hip Thrust

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60 sec
Notes: Pause 1 sec at the top

3. Seated Hamstring Curl (Machine)

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60 sec

4. Step-Ups (Low Bench)

Sets: 2
Reps: 8 each leg
Rest: 60 sec
Notes: Keep height LOW, control the movement

5. Calf Raises (Machine or Dumbbells)

Sets: 2
Reps: 12
Rest: 45 sec

Optional Finisher (if time)

• Incline walk: 5–8 mins

WORKOUT B — UPPER BODY (40 mins)

Warm-up

• 5 mins easy rower or arm circles

1. Chest Press (Machine)

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60–90 sec

2. Seated Row (Machine)

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60 sec

3. Lat Pulldown

Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60 sec

4. Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Sets: 2
Reps: 10
Rest: 45 sec

5. Tricep Pushdown (Cable)

Sets: 2
Reps: 10
Rest: 45 sec

6. Core — Dead Bug OR Plank

Sets: 2
Reps: 8 each side OR 20–30 sec

does this sound more like it? I went to avoid squats , barbells and anything that might cause rotator cuff issues!

Might it not be easier to just follow one of Caroline’s programmes. So many to choose from, each has about 50 sessions that target all areas.

I originally had a similar routine @PicklePalace - you may find in time that as you increase the weights and go to three sets of each exercise, you will need a longer rest period between sets - I then struggled to fit everything into an hour or so. I’ve now split it into two lower and two upper body workouts which I can fit in much easier. Not that I’ve been to the gym for weeks!

On a quick look, that looks loads better.

There are some tweaks I might suggest (no shoulder exercise for eg - you help prevent injury by getting strong - but I understand you may want specific advice if you have RC concerns, as a beginner), and I agree about the rest periods - but if you are confident doing those exercises for now, then try it and see how you go. If machines and areas are busy you can swap out and learn more gradually....Have fun 😀

looks good! I missed the rotator cuff concerns. I have found bench press exacerbates my RC issues but floor press does not. I think shoulder press was an issue for me - but maybe just be super careful about depth.

I’d advise not expecting to enjoy it. Just get in and get out asap.

Looks much better! Hope you enjoy, getting stronger is so much fun.

I rate Kaleigh Cohen strength on YouTube. Much more chatty and encouraging than some. Lots of variety and cute dogs.

Im peri/ almost post menopausal , hypermobile, reviving from cancer treatment and needed a lot of structure and instructions and something for bone density

I bought power happens a year ago (Stacy sims / Hailey happens fitness) and really rate it. Beginner 1 and now beginner 2. It’s x3 resistance sessions and two different cardio per week (one hiit, one sit) for 12 weeks. Either 60 mins or shorter 30-40 min session every day. Additional optional core and mobility sessions. Beginner 2 moves onto plyometrics for bone density. Linked to a calendar, it either plots it on the calendar for you to follow or you can pause it and work through at your own pace. Videos and instructions for every move. You join a Facebook group for questions you need help with or message people via the app. Regular zoom recordings about nutrition and various other things (you can send questions for zooms in) which are all stored on the app to listen to again. For a one off payment, which you can repeat, I think it’s worth its weight in gold.

Can be done at home or gym; you ideally need a bike or rower for the cardio, but you could also probably skip or run on the spot tbh. If an exercise is on gym equipment, there’s a home dumbbell version to switch to. Beginner just needs weights and bands - short ones and some longer ones.

I’ve just beta tested a new advanced express which I really liked; didn’t think I was at that level but I am now. I’ve bought a shoulder add on course that runs alongside it all to help stabilise and tone shoulders as mine are particularly hypermobile - and need to start tbh!

I actually now use it as a distress tool as i just go into the zone. You can play a podcast or your own music at the same time.

For me this is preferable to the gym as I don’t have a lot of time and need to be able to just quickly squeeze a session in. I’ve now bought a TRX - advanced seem to use this. There’s also a trx course you can buy.

Basically 2 courses have lasted me the year. I’ve gone back a repeated blocks and they suggest cycling back anyway. It’s very good for slowly building tendon strength before building muscle which can be an issue for menopausal women. Other online courses were too hard for me.