Weight Training Guide for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know

You have just thought of starting a weight training journey towards keeping your body fit, but now you don't know where to start, how to start it, and some other couple of things that go with training.

You don't have to wake up any day and start going to the gym, no! Things will not work that way. This can be such a painful moment in your life. You will get astonished once you see those veterans, who have been in the game for quite some time, and you are like, do I even fit here? Will I ever achieve even half this?

Wait, one big mistake that you will ever make: never ever compare yourself with others in the gym. You will do what they do and work for them and fail to work on you. 

Back to our business! Before you embark on weight training as a beginner, there are several things you should know and have for you to train effectively.

Do you know a thing about these? Don't feel too low. It is something common with all beginners, and everybody was once a beginner.

That is why we have given it all to have this weight training guide for beginners to help and equip you with the necessary information and knowledge revolving around the whole thing. It is my wish that you will find it useful and of benefit to you. 

Here is an outline of what we shall expound on:

• What to know before you start training
• Understand why you are training
• Starter pack for beginners
• Where to start and the equipment options
• Recommended exercise
• Beginner weekly advanced workout program
• Focus and maintaining proper form
• Patient and consistency

1. What to Know Before You Start Training

The result doesn't show immediately

As you plan to start weight training, keep it in mind that the outcome takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight and so lower expectations to avoid discouragement and low self-esteem. You ought to keep pushing and growing strong every day. But avoid training for long because it also has its share. You will shrink your muscles instead of developing them. There are rules of activity and consequences of exercising for long hours. You can read more on the rules and effect of long training session here

Let veterans scare you not.

Your first day in the gym can leave you confused and intimidated at the same time. There you shall see huge and prominent people who have really grown muscles but still pressing harder. Focus on initiating a move towards increasing the size and shape of your body.

Offer a listening hear to your trainer.

I always recommend hiring a personal trainer for training by you. Personal trainers are mostly professionals equipped with vast knowledge and will do things the right way without guessing. They will show you everything, including the proper posture that will prevent you from getting injured; it is advisable to keep a trainer until you are naïve to train alone without making mistakes.

Strict diet work magic

There is a reason why bodybuilders adhere to a strict diet and recommend calorie intake. A perfect training plus a balanced diet combined with the right amount of calorie intake is equal to ultimate strength gain. Otherwise, however much you train, the result will make nothing less of either a skinny body or obese without the proper diet and calories.

Self-challenge is vital.

As you train, make sure you pose a challenge for yourself, but, of course, do it moderately. If your body is getting used to the same weight, increase it slightly, making sure you don't complete the set easily. Doing it slowly but steady will win you the outcome, so do what you are capable of.

2. Understand Why You are Training

One important thing to understand before joining the gym for training sessions is different training styles that will lead to different results. Supposing you don't know this, if you want to build muscles, you should concentrate on lifting less weight with more reps, but if you intend to develop strength, heavy weight lifting with fewer reps will work out correctly.

So know what you want and then adopt either of the styles depending on the result you want. Remember, with determination and commitments; the development will be forthcoming. Try to complete the set. That one rep that you want to ignore is what your muscles need to make the difference. So never assume it.

They always say NO PAIN NO GAIN. This means you must endure the pain for you to gain, and by gaining, we mean completing the set regardless of how exhausted you feel. If you think that lifting one more would mean your life, get a helping hand and this where a personal trainer comes in. They can be helping in such a situation, among many others.

3. Starter Pack for Beginners

We are used to associating different occasions with different dressing codes as well as other related requirements. I mean, you need to wear or carry things that rhyme we the events.  For instance, there is no way you can go to an official job in casual wear. It is not allowed according to the office culture. Gym is not an exception. Just like any other occasion, when going for gym sessions. There is a way you should dress and what you should carry with you. Here is the starter pack for you as a beginner.

Comfy workout wears

When training, you need to be comfortable and free for anybody's movement. The clothes you are in during the training session should not be too tight or too buggy. Wear simple clothes, and they should not necessarily be expensive. The word here is simple and free for body movements. Visit the favorite gym wear store for such incredible, affordable, and unique gym wear and make your first gym experience a memorable one.

Water bottle

If you ask veterans a critical thing that one should never miss in a gym house, you will hear them say water is essential of all. Why? If you are training seriously, you must be sweating profusely.  You lose too much water which should be replaced immediately. Your body is sixty percent water, and when you sweat a lot without replacing the lost water, you are threatening your health and the effectiveness of the training. This is why a water bottle is essential, and we recommend carrying your water just in case you find no water in the gym house and for other reasons like adding additives to the water.

Towels

Gym house is a communal environment and what should ring in your mind when you realize you are in such a place is the possibility of contract disease and germs while training. Indeed, in a place where everyone is sweating and sharing the same weight with everyone, don't you think there is a likelihood of contracting either disease or some germs?

This is why we recommend having a personal towel and, if possible, two pieces for use during training sessions.

You can use one of the two towels to wipe the weight, mostly on parts that people touch now and then since you can wipe the full equipment in. Do this before you start and after training to maintain hygiene. Then use the other piece for drying off your body, mainly your face.

Music and headphones

Having a workout music playlist and headphones during training is vital. Not only does it make you fresh all through, but it also increases your morale and keeps your training spirit high. Go for simple headphones, and don't complicate things. All we want is to play music as we train. Let your headphone be wireless so that you can have your phone placed somewhere for a free and more comfortable stay.

4. Where to Start and The Equipments Options

We all believe that a gym house is where people try getting that body shape of their dream. But would you be surprised if they tell you the gym house can be such an intimidating place ever? 

I know you are wondering, but here is the point: 

It wouldn't sound entertaining to go somewhere at the corner with strange and big machines in the gym and a couple of dumbbells. I mean, even though you are new to the gym, there will be that pressing urge to try any other machine you see there.

You will have your instinct telling that this or that machine is what will grow my muscles. But it will be an absolute waste of time and energy if you do that. You must start somewhere just like any other person.

As a beginner, you are advised to start with resistance machines. They can get you to know the muscles you are working and learn the technique without the risk of loading barbell guillotining on the bench.

With time you will get stronger and build confidence in the movement involved in gym life, and after that, you can leave the resistance machines behind and start training with free weight. Free weight will help you recruit more muscles and build extra strength to translate to the outside world.

You can start with a barbell if the kettlebells remain a hard tackle, moving on the bar when you want to file weight and significant gains in a real sense.

5. Recommended Exercise

If you use the internet to research, you may get bombarded with information by people who have made it telling you how they work. You won't achieve what they have achieved by jumping from one weight to another; they won't tell you is they started somewhere.

Here is a list of some work you can start with as you build strength

Pushups

Slowly but controllably do pushups. Go two seconds down and two seconds up. After one set, get your back on the floor and do the press.

Chest press

Lay your back on the floor, have your dumbbell, and do the press upwards slowly and controllably.

Squats

We recommend starting with no weight. After you are used, get your dumbbells and push up your butt back as you squat down, keeping the pressure off your knees.

Pull-ups

Pulls up is one of the Exercises that challenge every beginner. But challenge yourself and do as many as you can. If you find it hard, get help or use a chair to get you to the top and slowly lower yourself down and repeat the process.

Curls

Using the dumbbell, go slowly and keep your elbows against your sides, without using any momentum to help you do the curl. When you are done with the first set, go to the dips for the triceps.

Planks

While in the pushup position, but on your elbows instead of your hands, keep your body straight, hold up in that position for not less than thirty seconds.

These work out are tested and proven, and if you are consistent, you will get started sooner than later reach your goals.

However, if you try starting with a more advanced workout, you will probably get frustrated and get lost on the way.

6. Beginner Weekly Advanced Workout Program

Remember, as we said earlier, weight training is a gradual process. For the weekly work out, only do it after you have developed some strength from the previously discussed exercises

7. Focusing and Maintaining Proper Form

Assuming that you are no longer a beginner but an expert in making, you have learned the ins and outs involved in weight lifting. And now you are seriously focusing on increasing weight tremendously.

But are you able to do that by yourself without making mistakes that can cause you injuries?

That’s what we mean by focusing and maintaining proper form.

Let me congratulate you on making it this far, and you've not given up. Adding on another weight or set is always a great feeling and a wish for every other beginner. However, most probably, those weight additions come with some downsides at the expense of proper form.

The incorrect form is that one thing that will make your training ineffective. Proper “mechanics” are essential for weight lifting. Poor condition is inefficient and can lead to injuries and even working muscles that you didn’t want.

When you focus on maintaining proper form, the Exercise will work the muscles you intend hence making it focused and efficient. For instance, if you perform a chest press with incorrect form, you may be using your shoulder and triceps muscles and not the chest.

Regardless of the weight lifting goals you have, proper form is a crucial and crucial thing, and techniques are more effective than the amount of weight you use. In short, if you train poorly, don't expect the same results.

8. Patient and Consistency

Once again, not only in weightlifting but also in all other activities that yield some results will require you to be consistent and patient. There is nothing that works in the blink of an eye. That means that success is a gradual process. When you start weight lifting to grow some strength, let no one lie to you about any shortcut to that.  In other words, you don't expect to begin training, and within a few months, you wish to see the result. Ask the veterans, and you will be shocked by the amount of time they took to notice the change. But with discipline, focus, and consistency, eventually, the result with be forthcoming.

9. Safety Tips

When you start your weight training journey, it is common to make mistakes that would hurt yourself ample time. For you to avoid doing so, be vigilant by following the tips below:

• Perform every Exercise slowly and controllably while you pay close attention to details.
• Breathe in before you lift and breathe out during the lift. It is advisable to breathe out while working out and never to hold the breath.
• Ensure you have water with you during and even after training to keep your body hydrated.

Wrapping up

Weight training involves moving part of the body against resistance like weight or even your body weight. It is an excellent way to develop mass and make your muscles stronger. With weight training, you can do other things, including boosting your metabolism, healthier joints, and bones and help you burn more calories.

To use your training routine as a beginner, start with the primary workouts going upwards until you master the whole art. Then keep increasing the weight slowly to avoid injuries and ensure you work all your muscles groups for maximum strength and fitness.

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