Beginner Training for Older and Semi-Older Folks

 Let's say that you have never really trained with weights, that you are in your 40's or 50's and you hover on being too heavy. You are a total beginner. Your Doctor clears you for physical activity, he even suggests that you join a gym.

You are fed up with yourself, and you want to do something about it.

You see an ad for a  local gym special and decide to join.

You have never even been in a gym, or it has been years since you have been in a gym. Gyms can be  weird, sometimes scary places if you have never been in one. Scary in the sense that there are all of these fancy machines and these people all around in their little groups that seem to know what they are doing, and hell, this task is so daunting, that maybe you shouldn't have joined in the first place!  WRONG. You can do it.

So you get your introductory lesson with  a personal trainer who can't squat their bodyweight and has a visor on and a pencil behind his ear and lots of gel in his hair and he has you stand on one leg and tells you that your CORE is weak. Shoot! you aren't even ready to lift weights, Joe Trainer says , you must do these bands and huge inflatable ball work and for this price and that price and this many lessons, the PERSONAL trainer can get you where you can lift some light dumbbells. Wrong.

Ignore him.  He just wants your money.

Here is what you do. LIFT WEIGHTS. 2 times a week.  For your cardio ? Ride a bike. Walk for 20 minutes on your off days. Start slowly.

We will  work the whole body 2x the first week.

Here is  the first week- I will progress you week to week,  have PATIENCE. Just 2x the first week, like Monday and Thursday.  Or Tuesday and Friday, something like that.

Have fun, screw it! Nobody is looking at you or even cares what you do. They are all looking in the mirror anyway.

Day 1 and 2

--- PICK WEIGHTS THAT ARE EASY, just a slight strain to start.  If you get hurt the first week, or sore or discouraged,  you won't go back to the gym. Each session should take like 30 minutes, tops.

Bike warmup- EASY, 5-10 minutes, just sweat, don't kill yourself.
Free hand squats 1x10- put your hands in front of you, lead with your butt first like you are sitting in a chair. Try to go parallel. If you can't, you will get there eventually.
Dumbell or machine press(shoulders) 2x10
Lat Pulls or one arm rows 2x10
Dumbell bench or machine bench 2x10
Dumbell curls 1x10
Triceps 1x10(machine or extensions)
5-10 minute bike cool down

There you go- get it done! You can do it, it is really no big deal. Just walk in and get to work. Next week, I will give you something different. DO IT!