Weightlifting 101: preparation and programs

When diving in to the world of weight lifting, it is better to be prepared. Navigating the pitfalls and setting yourself up for success will mean less time spent training and faster results!

Weightlifting Preparation

When it comes to any endeavor you are about to embark on, it is always best to be prepared, and I think the words of Winston Churchill say it best......He who fails to plan, is planning to fail.

With that in mind, the first step I would consider is what your goals for a weight lifting program are, and the expected outcome of engaging in that program.

Is it your intention to build muscle, burn body fat or increase your overall strength? Were you looking to achieve a long term goal, for example putting on 10kg of lean muscle mass or reducing your body fat percentage to the point that you have defined abdominal muscles, or is your goal a short term one, such as having the energy to walk up stairs without running out of breath?

Weight training has an advantage over many different fitness training protocols in that the results can be more easily defined, with incremental improvements in the amount of weight lifted and the amount of repetitions completed in a specific timeframe easily measured.

On the flip side of this is the fact that weight training has so many different aspects it can be very overwhelming for a beginner to get their head around. Should you do compound or isolation movements? Do you work the whole body in one workout, or break down your workouts into specific body parts over a number of days? Should you use free weights or machines?

The questions can be mind boggling for a new trainee starting out on a weight lifting journey to get research, and can confuse or intimidate someone into not starting at all.

That's where the help of a Personal Trainer or Gym Instructor can often be great, to work with a client to mind map their goals and have clear aspirations, so that planning a weight lifting program can feel a whole lot less daunting. Having said that, not everyone has the money to invest in one to one training services on top of a gym membership, and therefore another road block often comes up.

Taking all of these things into account, in my experience the best way to start is to sit down with a piece of paper and jot down your thoughts to make the picture a bit clearer.