Weightlifting
From how to get started to the types of exercises to master, here’s what you need to know if you're new to the weights room...
Taking the first step into the world of weight training can be a daunting experience. Confusing machinery that you’re not sure how to use. Mirrors EVERYWHERE. The unpleasant sounds of huffing and puffing and clanging metal thudding onto the floor.
But the whopping 4.5 million #weighttraining posts on Instagram – and the rise of group weight-training classes across the country – speaks volumes; the nation’s interest in what used to be seen as the stuff of pros has very much peaked.
So how do you get started if you don’t know your deadlift from your goblet squat? Take a look at these weight-training tips for beginners and get ready to see those gains…
What are the benefits of weight-training?
OK, as well as helping you to channel The Rock, there are several benefits of weight training. “Studies have shown that resistance training can benefit anyone, at any age,” says Emily Servante, personal trainer at Ultimate Performance. “It is one of the most effective methods for losing fat, improving body composition and maintaining a healthy weight.”
In fact, weight-training, when done properly, can be an effective way to future-proof our bodies as we age, explains Servante. She says: “Resistance training is crucial if you want to stay feeling healthier for longer. As we get older, the key benefits include increased muscle mass and strength, better mobility and functionality, improved bone density, better cognitive function and health, better metabolic rate, improved glucose control and a better hormonal environment.”
Links have also been made between increasing weight-training and the effect it has on other sports you might already be doing. A study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, for example, shows the positive effect increased resistance training has for runners.
And if that’s not enough to get you heading for the nearest kettlebell, a recent study in Brazil has revealed that upping your weight training has even been shown to help increase life span.
How to get started if you’re new to weight training
The key is to take your time when you’re new to the sport, explains Servante: “It‘s important to not jump right in and start lifting heavy weights. It might be tempting, especially if there are strong, experienced people around the gym lifting big weights but the best thing you can do is focus on yourself and go at your own pace.”
Sound advice if you want to avoid injury, but how do you know where to start? The key is to enlist the help of a professional, advises weight-lifting instructor and personal trainer at Girls Who Lift Abi Hardy: “Some one-to-one personal trainer sessions can really help increase your confidence and improve your technique lifting weights. I'd also recommend taking part in a beginner’s workshop, such as my two-hour Girls Who Lift one in south London.”
Not only will your PT be able to talk to you about what your goal is at the gym, but they’ll be able to advise you on technique.
Mastering the basics of weight training
You’ve made it into the gym and you’re raring to go, eagerly eyeing up the squat rack and limbering up for your first deadlift. But patience is key and taking time to perfect the basics will stand you in good stead.
“Using your own bodyweight and getting used to the correct technique before you begin to load the exercises with weight is beneficial,” explains Servante. “It might seem embarrassing at first to be lifting light weights, but mastering the technique and feeling the correct muscles working will benefit you in the long-term, with better results and fewer injuries and muscle imbalances.”
And if you’re unsure of the technique, be sure to ask your trainer. A good trainer will be happy to tailor sessions specifically for you.
Free weights vs. machines
Before you’re ready to get shredded, another consideration is whether to use gym machines or free weights/bodyweight. “Neither form of exercise is ‘better’ per se,“ explains Servante. ”Machines allow you to remain stable, meaning you can lift more and target the working muscles. However, more experienced lifters may be able to achieve the same effect with free weights as they have developed the required motor skills to reach muscular failure rather than technical failure.”
Hardy recommends using a mix of both, depending on your goal: “If you have instruction – either through a class or a PT – I'd suggest free weights as you have to use more muscles to do these exercises, so you get more for your money so to speak. For example, during a barbell shoulder press, you'll be using your core, leg and glutes isometrically (contracting the muscles while they remain still), rather than a seated machine shoulder press that isolates just the shoulder muscles. However, some machines can be good for beginners as they are generally easy and safe to use. They’re also good during rehab when people have an injury and need to target or stimulate a particular muscle.”
As with any new exercise, speak to your PT about what’s best for you. It might be that certain exercises work better for you as free weights, while the support of a machine can help you master others and target specific muscle groups more effectively.
How often should I be weight training?
The good news is that you don’t need to be training six days a week in order to see results. However, regularity, variety and efficiency are all key to see progress. “For most beginners, three to four one-hour sessions per week is going to elicit good results, so long as the workout is designed intelligently, executed progressively, and performed with purpose and intensity,” says Servante.
How should I structure my sessions?
Once you’re comfortable with the basics and ready to go out on your own, having a grasp of the types of programmes you can follow will be helpful.
“There are many ways of structuring your workouts – they’re called ‘training splits’,” says Servante. “The ‘body part split’ is one of them, which is where you have a dedicated ‘chest day’, ‘leg day’, ‘arm day’, and so on. This is one of the most common ways of spitting up your training over a week, and one that many reach for first.”
So, if you’re a newbie, is it best to split up your training this way? Not necessarily, she adds: “Realistically, the body part split (for example, chest day) should really only be the preserve of a small and elite group of lifters that can commit to six to seven sessions per week, and have the strength required to handle the high amounts of training that are necessary to progress. It is not a split for beginners.
“What is best for beginners – and something that we use with clients at Ultimate Performance – is a full-body split. Full-body workouts [see an example from Servante below] target all the major muscle groups multiple times over a week, as opposed to just once a week which is common with the body part split. The more times you can train a muscle group over a week, the more opportunities there are for that muscle to grow.”
Plus, performing an exercise more frequently will also mean that you’re more likely to master the movement patterns and become more proficient at the exercise far quicker than if you’re only doing it once a week.
What are some good weight-training exercises for beginners?
Hardy recommends some key exercise for starters: “Goblet squats and Romanian deadlifts are good because they get you used to feeling your hamstrings work. Glute bridges or single-leg glute bridges are great for firing up the glutes, too.”
What you may find is that some of the fundamental exercises that you learn at the very beginning will be the ones you return to time and time again – and eventually form the basis of your regular workouts.
So, what could a typical workout look like? Servante explains that she encourages clients to group exercises into supersets or paired sets: “At Ultimate Performance, we use a full-body training method built around the German Body Composition Training protocol. It is one of the most efficient and effective ways to structure a full-body workout. Pairing exercises together means you can effectively do double the amount of work in less time during your session.”
Your sets can be structured any way you like to create a full-body workout, but aim to focus on different body parts for each exercise so one muscle group can be resting while the other is working. For instance, pair upper- and lower-body exercises together, like a bench press followed by a squat. If you do two lower-body exercises back-to-back, such as lunges followed by squats, you’ll soon find you’ll fatigue and won’t be getting the most out of your workout.
Try the full-body workout that Emily has put together below, but remember, if you’re unsure, speak to a qualified personal trainer.
Emily Servante‘s weight-training workout plan for beginners
Superset 1 (repeat four times):
Barbell squats (10-12 reps)
Pull-ups (10-12 reps)
Superset 2 (repeat 3 times)
Romanian deadlifts (10-12 reps)
Overhead press (10-12 reps)
Superset 3 (repeat 3 times)
Incline biceps curl (10-12 reps)
Flat neutral bar tricep extensions (10-12 reps)
Superset 4 (repeat 3 times)
Reverse crunch (10-12 reps)
Lat raise with pulley on flat bench (10-12 reps)
