​Simple Tips To Start Weightlifting For Your Best Life

Simple Weightlifting Tips

As we continue to share ideas to help you move more and move well today, we want to share some simple tips to start weightlifting for your best life. Just in case you are new to my blog I want to let you know that weightlifting is one of my favourite things to do. I have been lifting weights for almost 40 years and it has changed my life. 

So, if you are looking for an activity that will not only help you move more and move well maybe it is time for you to consider weightlifting.  Maybe you want to take your health and fitness into your hands, if so welcome and be sure to let us know your thoughts on the simple tips to start weightlifting. 

When I first began down the path of weightlifting, I was extremely uncomfortable about joining a gym. In fact, I went 3 times to the gym and only got to the front door. I was not comfortable going in because I was about 100 lbs overweight and felt like I didn’t fit. All those hard bodies made me feel like I shouldn’t be there. This of course was not true. When I finally got my gym membership everyone in the gym was great and supportive. Over the next year I learned how amazing weightlifting was for me, enjoyed every single minute of this journey for me, reduced my weight by 100 lbs, and felt great. The gym experience and weight training is something that I continue to do this. 

It doesn’t matter whether it’s the first time you are considering weightlifting, or you are restarting a weightlifting program. Regardless, the important thing is that you’re here now, and wanting to make a change. 

Tips To Begin A Weightlifting Program

1. Start Slow - this is the most relevant tip you can follow, and why it is number one. You may hear the idea of lifting heavy or go big or go home.  Yes, heavyweight is ideal for building strength, muscle, and even burning fat to an extent, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. It was built brick by boring brick. Start slow and begin where you are is how you must look at this adventure. Each workout is the stepping-stone for something bigger. Each 1-lb sized plate adds up to progress and ultimately achieving the goal you set out for yourself. Have patience and train consistently.

2. Begin With A 3 Day A Week Schedule - ideally, when you are new to weightlifting, a 3-day full-body workout is best. It gets your body accustomed to the kind of stimulus, offers sufficient recovery and helps you develop the habit of weightlifting. 

3. Start With Compound Lifts- For at least the first 8 weeks of training, make the squat, bench press, and deadlift your three go-to movements. Gradually, afterwards, you will add other movements including but not limited to rows, shoulder presses, and arms. 

4. Sleep Enough - the amount of sleep you get is related to the rate of your recovery as well as your capability to work out to your full potential. If you work out first thing in the morning, lack of sleep the previous night not only kills motivation but also may be downright dangerous. Muscle rebuilding doesn’t occur in the gym, it happens during sleep and active hours.

5. Do A Few Days Of Cardio - Most days of the week you will want to go for a walk. This is where you want to move more and move well, simply get out and move. Since you are weightlifting 3 days a week use the other 4 days to include some moderate to high-intensity cardio. Meaning a couple of days a week you can begin to do a walk/run and a couple of days do high-intensity training. 

6. Do Not Stretch Before Your Workout – Warm Up - now this might be a surprise to some of you. You want to warm up your body for your weightlifting session. Use the warmup to prepare your mind and body for the workout. Stretching before a workout was a common practice many years ago however this thinking has now changed. “Recent studies caution people away from stretching before workouts, suggesting it actually impedes your body’s performance. According to this research, runners run more slowly, jumpers jump less high, and weightlifters lift more weakly by stretching, without significantly insuring against injury during their exercise.” (source)

7. Consume Enough Protein - One small way to improve body composition is by consuming enough protein. Proteins are the building blocks of muscle tissue, so when testosterone does signal for muscle synthesis to ensure, you have enough raw material handy.

8. Track Each Workout – be sure to track each workout. What exercises were included that day, what weight was used per set and how you felt during that day’s session. This helps to see the progress you are making. 

9. If In Doubt, Get A Trainer - if you wish to have as little downtime as possible, hire a personal trainer from inception. This will reduce your learning curve and allow faster progression as well as expert guidance.

10. Stretch At The End Of Your Workout - this is important for joint recovery, stretching the muscle fascia and promoting blood flow to and from the muscles.

There you have it our Simple Tips To Start Weightlifting For Your Best Life. Practicing weightlifting using these tips will take you a long way to success in your health and fitness journey. 

Share any ideas or questions in the comments. 

Be sure to get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you. 

I have been coaching/training women for over 20 years, helping them find their inner athlete, get in shape, reduce their weight, learn how to weight train and develop a health/fitness mindset. You can learn more about my coaching services here

If you are looking for a proven system to learn how to begin a healthy weightlifting program we recommend the How to Eat Move and Be Healthy Book by Paul Chek - We have been using the Chek Holistic Lifestyle Coaching system since 2008 and this book is a staple in our health and fitness library 

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