8 Important Tips for Beginner Weightlifters

By Kate Harveston

Whether your ultimate goal is to bulk up or just do some toning, maybe you’ve decided to give weight training a go. You’ve made an excellent choice! Weight training is a great way to tighten and tone muscles while burning fat. In fact, each pound of fat you replace with muscle tissue burns fat nearly twice as quickly as its lipid counterparts!

Like any exercise program, gaining proficiency in weight training takes time and effort. Avoid getting discouraged when your biceps don’t suddenly bulge overnight. Instead, follow these practical tips to make weight training another part of a routine that you maintain for a lifetime.

Ease Yourself In

As gung-ho as you may feel about your weight training regimen, do remember that biting off more than you can chew can lead to disappointment — or worse, injury. Start small and ease your way into your new weight training routine to avoid these issues.

Remember, though it sounds contrary, you can begin your weight training routine with no resistance at all. Master moves such as squats and lunges sans weights first to guarantee proper form prior to adding weights into the mix. Once you do introduce weights, begin with a low weight that you can easily perform eight to 10 reps with, even if that means starting with only two- to three-pound weights and moving up to heavier weights as your strength gradually increases.

Set and Track Manageable Goals

Setting reasonable weekly and monthly goals will help to keep your devotion to weight training on track. Establishing overly lofty goals can lead to frustration and abandonment of a program.

If you’re adopting a weight lifting program to shed pounds, keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up only a fraction of the volume. So consider skipping the scale and switching to taking body measurements or simply noting how well your clothes fit to get a true picture of your progress.

Fuel Your Muscles

Though resistance training improves your strength, maximizing your iron-pumping results means paying attention to your nutrition as well. Hungry muscles perform less effectively, and heavily taxed muscles require proteins, vitamins and minerals to heal.

Aim for getting more protein in your diet for muscle repair by upping your intake of lean proteins such as those found in chicken and fish. Vegan weightlifters should incorporate more whole grains, nuts and legumes to boost protein intake. In addition, adding a quality vitamin and mineral supplement ensures muscles have the nutrients they require to grow stronger.

Talk to a Trainer

Nothing derails fitness goals like getting injured. If you’re a complete newbie to weights, take advantage of a session or two with a certified personal trainer to learn the dos and don’ts.

Many gyms offer new members a complimentary training session or two, so take advantage of these offers. Even advanced exercisers can benefit from occasional training from a pro to master new moves and try new fitness tips.

Mix It Up

Don’t confine your weight training routine to the suggested circuit set up by the gym. Mix up your weight training routine often to keep it fresh and relevant to your goals.

Time-pressed individuals, for example, can maximize their gym time and calorie burn by incorporating full body movements such as a squat combined with an overhead press or lunges with bicep curls. Weight trainers also pursuing marathon goals benefit from routines that work muscles not ordinarily used to perfect their physique.

Push It Good

Once you’ve gotten into a regular weight training habit and mastered the moves, go ahead and push yourself a little! Doing so doesn’t mean grunting like a gorilla as you attempt to heave a too-heavy weight. Pushing yourself can mean simply lifting one more pound or completing one or two extra repetitions.

Also, consider adding a bit of cardio to your weight training routine by moving quickly between upper and lower body exercises, keeping you pumping iron while the opposing muscle groups enjoy a rest.

Listen to Your Body

Whether you’re weight training or performing any other type of exercise, listening to your body remains key to preventing injury. Everyone has days when we feel on fire at the gym and others where we feel as limp as a pair of abandoned athletic socks.

On days that your body simply can’t perform at peak levels, forgive yourself, and rest assured that you can come back and hit the gym harder tomorrow. Also, be careful exercising when you feel sick. Most experts agree that exercising remains okay with a simple head cold confined to the ears, nose and throat. However, those with the flu or abdominal woes should postpone their workout until after recovery.

Rest and Recovery

Speaking of recovery, lifting weights involves tearing microscopic rips in muscle tissue, and when these rips heal, the muscle becomes stronger. However, taking adequate time for rest is the only thing that allows this healing to occur, so avoid going hard too many days in a row. Schedule regular rest days where you can let your muscles and joints heal, replacing your weight training with non-weighted mobility activities or yoga.

Celebrate Your Strength!

Weight training can build great muscle and streamline your physique! Plus, the endorphin rush keeps you feeling good hours after you hit the gym. Harness that energy and celebrate your newly developed strength!

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