Strength training - advice for a newbie

[BoxOfCats]

I’m 44 and just started lifting weights a few months ago. I had previously done a lot of cardio, Pilates and Body Pump classes (low weight, high rep). With the help of a personal trainer I’ve been learning some of the basics with weights, e.g, squats, hip thrusts, etc. Progress has been good so far and I’m motivated to keep going!

Wondering if anyone else who has been on a similar journey has any advice. What do you wish you’d known when you started? What have you learned along the way?

My main bit of advice would be to work with a PT, and you're already doing that, so that's brilliant!

Progressive overload over time is important, but some Instagram vids say you should be increasing your load (weight, or reps, or sets, or tempo) every week, but that's way too intense for me. So go at your own pace, it's not a race. Your PT will help you with this of course Consistency is everything

One of the best bits of advice I got is to slow down. Don't blast through your reps - pace yourself, really think about what muscles you're working and whether you feel it in the right place

Enjoy it! It's such a great investment in your health

I found weights a little bit dull so unsurprisingly tended to be a bit intermittent so didn’t feel much benefit.

My gym has got some new e-gym equipment which gamifies the experience as well as automatically setting the equipment for my height and repeating strength assessments regularly. I’m actually enjoying weight machines now

Concentrate on your form and leave your ego in your locker. You see far too many men (it's always men!) who are doing say, bicep curls where they're using their whole body to swing a heavy weight up rather than doing the correct movement with a smaller weight. But also, don't be afraid to put the weight up and push yourself.

Use free weights rather than machines where possible. You engage more muscles, particularly your core, to help stabilise your body. Also, machines make you move in a way that suits them rather than in a way that suits your body.

Set yourself some goals - squat your own body weight, deadlift 1.5 times your body weight, do at least one pull up.

Any PT who talks about 'toning up' should be shot.

Learn Olympic lifting, it is so satisfying when you get it right and it makes you feel awesome.

Thank you! Interesting about the free weights @MagpiePi, I’ve just moved house and gyms and the new gym I’m going to now is much busier so that would certainly be easier. Also I am 5”2 so some machines literally feel like they’re made for giant men.

I’ve had to ditch the personal trainer due to moving, have been wondering if I should find a new one or just carry on y myself, I think based on the above I will look for someone new until I build my confidence a bit further. And intrigues to try Olympic lifting!

Yes focus on technique
I have been lifting for a few years but occasionally take foundation classes to ensure that I don’t get into bad habits .
I used to dislike strength training but I love it now .

Sidenote- Body pump causes so many injuries because of the high rep at high tempo . Technique is often compromised

The best thing I’ve done recently is ditch count g reps and replace with strict timing - and set intervals on my Garmin for 40 secs work and 40 secs rest. It generally works out around 10-11 reps of most exercises. But my God it focusses the mind and stops me dithering so much between sets. I can now fly through workouts and as they take less time I’m less likely to make excuses about not having enough time!

I try to increase weights every month - if I can’t do it immediately I just do the middle set at the higher weight. Then next time, first 2 sets etc

I have to walk a fine line between doing some meaningful work and progressing and not having my knees or back give out from old injuries that flare up if I go too hard.
So if I am increasing weight I tend to do it over several sessions. eg. If I am doing 5 x 5 and I can do all 5 sets fairly easily, the next time I will do 3 sets at the same weight then the last 2 at a higher weight. The next session I would do 2 sets at the original weight and 3 at the higher weight, then the next session, all 5 at the higher weight. It's not a strict rule and I sometimes do start with a higher weight from the off, or just increase the weight for the last set, but I find it better mentally not reducing the weight.

I've been with my trainer for 3 years . He's 2 years younger than me(61) so really understands older people. My strength is amazing and he swaps me between strength and endurance training every 3-4 months. He keeps me going as I always have a session to come back to after a holiday so stops me avoiding the gym. I use "the gym group" and we have a great atmosphere. Loads of my neighbours go too so we will be the strongest street in town!

Also I am 5”2 so some machines literally feel like they’re made for giant men.

They are! I'm 5'6 and have to set most machines to smallest/lowest settings, so I can totally see how shorter people might struggle.

My advice is to follow a structured program and track your reps and weights. There are tons of apps, I use just ChatGPT, works fine. Much more efficient than just going to gym and seeing what you fancy doing today. I have increased my weights considerably since I started properly tracking.

"And intrigues to try Olympic lifting!"

That is all about technique.

As MagpiePi suggested, work on things like squats and deadlifts with free weights at the gym rather than machines.

When it comes to technique for Olympic lifting then I would strongly suggest that you seek out a club or trainer who is experienced in this rather than just some PT who does general gym work.

Some places (at least in London), have women only training sessions and you will be taught proper technique.

Then practice your technique with just an empty bar (or even a wooden broom handle!).

Many CrossFit gyms have training sessions for lifting. If you search for a local CrossFit gym and see if they have a class called something like 'Lifting Club' or 'Barbell Club' etc.

You will likely get a good basic introduction to how to safely do Olympic lifting at one of these sessions.

Thank you. Oh I hadn’t thought of using AI to track, I’ve been using an app but it’s a bit confusing to use!

Have to admit I use a good old fashioned note book to track weights and reps.

One thing I do is to vary the weights/reps for each exercise, so one session I will do that exercise (let's say shoulder press) at a lighter weight but for more reps, then the next session I will lift heavier weights but for fewer reps. This means you are working both fast and slow twitch muscles.

A PP mentioned this, but it helps me to know which particular muscles an exercise is supposed to be working (there's loads online about this) so you can feel if you're doing it correctly.

Thank you for all the advice!
I’ve just started with an online coach this week. He lives locally so we will still meet once month in person. He’s created a structured workout plan for me which is good!