New to the gym, advice would be great!

[blueshirt2003]

I am unsure what I should be doing in the free weight area. I know that someone mentioned there is a women's lifting book but I don't recall the name. I am worried about lifting improperly and injuring myself.

Also, can I choose any combo of cardio, weight lifting (the bars and barbells), weight machines or should I pair only one type of weights with the cardio?

[mrshandy]

The new rules of lifting for woman. It's a great place to start.

[secretlyevil]

Oct 29, 2014 4:24:30 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

The new rules of lifting for woman. It's a great place to start.

Everyone I know has raved about this series. Gives you everything you need.

[chitownbelle]

Does the gym offer a free personal training session? Or can you afford to buy one? A proper intro would be nice so you can get an idea of what will work best for your goals.

[Stingyshark]

I'm the odd man out on this, but I didn't like NROLFW.
I used some of Jamie Eason's plans and/or things I found on Bodybuilding.com & simplyshredded.com

[gt7301b]

I suggest starting with a couple personal training sessions or even group classes to work on form. The instructors in a good class will help you with your form and usually willing to take a few minutes after class 1:1 if you need it.

[lizzard]

I also didn't like NROWL. I ended up saving up and buying a 12-session personal training package ($900) at a small gym. It was worth it 100%.

[blueshirt2003]

Oct 29, 2014 6:10:10 GMT -5 chitownbelle said:

Does the gym offer a free personal training session? Or can you afford to buy one? A proper intro would be nice so you can get an idea of what will work best for your goals.

No they don't offer a free one but I'll look into it. Thank you.

[itsme]

I did a few weeks of New Rules of Lifting but was bored with it and really didn't understand what the lifts were or how to do them. I watched YouTube videos but still was a bit lost. I lift now but with coaching. I would suggest trying a few personal training sessions and lifting sessions so you are familiar with lifts and form and to find out what will work best with your goals.

[shorewife]

I agree with others that if you really are new to lifting you need some personal instruction as to what to do and how.

[chitownbelle]

Ditto, I would not start NROLFW on your own without already feeling comfortable with lifting and proper form. Reading, looking at photos and watching videos is not the same as someone watching and perfecting your form, such as a trainer. NROLFW is also a stricter program that you may find boring if you are just starting out. Depending on what your gym has to offer, it would be nice to get a feel for what is there and what you enjoy. Try some different classes and see what works for you. Don't limit yourself to what NROLFW sets forth quite yet, explore the gym for a while.

[cransplash]

Oct 29, 2014 4:24:30 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

The new rules of lifting for woman. It's a great place to start.

This.