How do should I start off weight lifting?

Question

My doctor suggested for me to try weight lifting to lose some weight but I don't know what to do or how to start. Any tips on what I should use and a good work out?

Answer 1

Weightlifting or strength training is any exercise that moves your body through a range of movements against some kind of resistance. Regular strength training keeps the muscles strong which can help to prevent injuries and chronic joint pain. If you are living with joint pain, strengthening the muscles that surround that joint will help to take pressure off the joint and therefore reduce pain. Below are some tips for weightlifting.

1)Use the appropriate weight. The right weight is one that allows you to do the exercise for 10 repetitions with good form. Using a lighter weight and doing higher repetitions may not be challenging enough to your muscles to get the most out of your routine. Using a heavier weight may cause you to neglect your form which can lead to injury.

2)Once you find a weight where you are fatiguing on the 10th repetition stay with that weight until you can easily do 12 repetitions. Then go up by two to five pounds. Go up a smaller amount for smaller muscles like your biceps and go heavier for larger muscles like those in your back or legs.

3)With all exercises exhale as you lift the weight and inhale as you lower the weight. For most this feels opposite to what the body wants to do. However if you inhale and then lift the weight you can actually raise your blood pressure. By exhaling as you exert yourself and lift the weight you keep the body calmer by reducing the strain.

4)Move slowly. Take a four second count to both lift and lower the weight. Weight lifting should always be done slowly and with control in order to most effectively isolate the muscle and to prevent injury. Never try to combine aerobic exercise and weightlifting such as walking with hand or ankle weights. When you are doing aerobic exercise the goal is to move fast enough to raise your heart rate. However holding weights when moving this quickly puts too much stress on shoulder, knee and ankle joints and can lead to injury.

5)Make the movements smooth. Never use jerking or bouncing movements when lifting weights. This puts too much stress on the joints and if you are moving quickly and bounce you are not effectively isolating the muscles.

Answer 2

Start with a lighter weight and do a higher number of reps (like 20 or 30).

This way the exercise is more aerobic and your body will get accustomed to doing weights better rather than if you start out heavy.