Yikes!

[HoliHormonalTigerlilly]

Just signed up to a month long fitness challenge at a local gym.

At 46 years old & a weights avoider, I feel it's now or never!

Thought I'd post my progress on here. Join me if you are doing something similar to kickstart 2022 & fancy comparing notes?

🏋🏻‍♀️🏋️‍♂️🏋🏽

Taking up exercise and weights in particular at around 48 was the best thing I ever did.

Enjoy!

I started weight training with a PT April last year and haven't looked back. It's tough but fun, and challenging yourself with reps or weights and beating personal PBs is addictive.

Good luck!

Go for it! I live lifting heavy.

Back to proper lifting after a bit of back spasm over Christmas. Training at 85kg deadlift - the aim is to get to a 100kg 1RM in 2022. Hit 95kg at the end of November so I’m on my way.

Really hope it's going to be addictive this time!

Had intro at the weekend & really aching 🥲

How can I avoid this? Do you gym people always just HURT?!

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly

Had intro at the weekend & really aching 🥲

How can I avoid this? Do you gym people always just HURT?!

No, not always. A new stimulus is the most likely to cause DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), and of necessity the intro is likely to be new to all the muscles so type of exercise and volume are all contributing to the ache. Keep moving as much as you can (even if it feels a bit sore), and stay hydrated as this will help to speed recovery. Stretching the muscles used after exercising usually helps, as does massaging the ones that hurt.

It will get better.

When I first started at the gym it was definitely noticeable that I was sore, but this is normal DOMs. I did lots of squats and lunges when I started and my knees were very sore, but this was because I just wasn't used to using those muscles.

As long as you are consistent and regular with exercise it gets better. Key is consistency.

I would love to do it but no idea how to get started. Looked for classes and groups but nothing around here.

@Summerhillsquare

I would love to do it but no idea how to get started. Looked for classes and groups but nothing around here.

Where are you?

Thanks @CovidCurious have been stretching & walking lots. Am back in tomorrow morning for a PT session 😬!

@LaChanticleer

Go for it! I live lifting heavy.

Back to proper lifting after a bit of back spasm over Christmas. Training at 85kg deadlift - the aim is to get to a 100kg 1RM in 2022. Hit 95kg at the end of November so I’m on my way.

Wow! Sounds heavy! 🏋🏻‍♀️💪🏽

Ahh that's great! It can be so much fun, especially if you keep track of the weights amounts so you know when you've got a PB! Stretching is great, also a foam roller is fantastic, painful to use but it helps loosen my muscles especially my quads and back.

Well have had my coffee & have my gym gear on. Wish me luck!

Any other gym newbies on here for a NYs kick up the bum? 🏋🏻‍♀️🏋🏻‍♀️🏋🏻‍♀️

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly

Are you still alive?

🤣 yes still alive @CovidCurious
Thanks for asking!

It was an exhausting session but pretty good fun. Feeling pleased to feel some strength in my flabby body again!

I am waiting for the aches & stiffness to kick in 😬

Excellent. Fingers crossed that any aches are less grim than the previous lot.

So far so good.
Thinking the aches may appear in the morning.
I'm planning a hot bath & early night!
Hope everyone's had a good day 🏋🏻‍♀️💪🏽

DOMS appeared today.
Slightly less so than the weekend.
Back in tomorrow 🙈💪🏽

All sounds good. I'm itching to get back to proper exercise. Recovering from Covid and have been getting muscle aches even from no exercise. After any actual exercise, however light, DOMS from hell show up. How crap is that?

What kind of stuff are you doing in your sessions?

I can't remember what all the exercises are called. I just follow the instructor.

There are squats, heavy balls, planks, Romanian somethings, pulling a weighted pulley in various directions and dumbells.

Have really done my back in this week. I don't know what to do. Why is exercise so painful?!

Sorry to hear about your back. If the exercise is done in a class environment then I would strongly advise you have a quick word with the instructor before your next session to explain about your back and ask for advice on dealing with it. Generally speaking if you are bracing your abdominals effectively and not trying to move too much weight for your capability then your back should be reasonably well protected. You mentioned a PT session, so if it's awkward to get advice from the fitness challenge instructor then ask the PT if you have another session coming up.

Exercise should not be constantly painful. I tend to work to a level where it can be uncomfortable while doing it (or I get the dreaded DOMS afterwards) but I've been doing it long enough that I know what levels of discomfort are tolerable for me, and, more importantly, are safe. At the beginning, though, I think the most important thing is to get the movement patterns right and find out what you enjoy. Pushing to any sort of limits comes later. Nothing is gained by "go hard or go home" if it results in injury or giving up.

I've been looking for a post like this!
I started with a PT last week, with just the intention of lifting heavy things and getting strong.
I've only had three sessions so far (and the weights haven't been that heavy) but I'm loving it. And the aches.
However if my PT sees me using my back in anything that isn't a back exercise, she stops me straight away. Sorry you've hurt your back OP.

Does anyone have any tips on finding a good friendly weightlifting gym? Any key words to look for on google?

I just go to Pure Gym as that's where my PT is and it's convenient after the school run.

The gym itself is great and staff are friendly and helpful. I only do classes in the evening as it's far too busy, I only enjoy it when it's quiet in the morning and you can check via the app how busy it is.

The range of equipment is fine for me as I vary my workouts, there's loads of things you can do just with a cable machine and you can target various muscles. I recently got ankle straps to target my glutes.

Thanks @Stellaris22 there's a pure gym not too far from me, I've been a member before but was never brave enough to venture into the weights section back then. Different mindset now though.
How often do you go?

I do four sessions a week, two with a PT and two by myself. I have workouts set by my PT which really help. I also do fitness classes, the Pump ones are great and I also do Bodytone and Legs, Bums, Tums. I'm trying Yoga in a couple of weeks which is a new class.

I go straight after the school run in the morning.