Get Started with Weight Training

We hear you, it can be tough to convince yourself to hit the gym and start lifting weights, even more so if you are new to it. With this in mind, we have put together the perfect guide for anyone hoping to start weight training and build strength or muscle mass.

 

Purchasing Weight Training Equipment

 

When first stepping into the weight room at your local gym, the array of options and abundance of seasoned gym goers can seem daunting. Therefore, a good first step could be to purchase your own Weight training equipment to get started. This will allow you to familiarise yourself with the proper form for the exercises as well as building your confidence.  Home weight equipment, such as weights, weight benches, Weight bars and weight racks can all be found on our website at reasonable prices. There are also weekly workout suggestions on the JLL Fitness social platforms so you are never short of exercise ideas. Being able to explore all of their features and options, from the comfort of your computer or phone is a great way to shop. Fortunately, home fitness equipment is much more reasonably priced than commercial equipment. Home fitness equipment generally takes up less space and is still built to high standards, but with less intense use in mind.

 

How To Choose The Right Weight Training Equipment

 

When choosing new weight training equipment, the majority of items available are usually very versatile. Traditional items such as; Dumbbells, Kettlebells, Barbells will enable you to train most muscles in your body with the use of various different exercises, so selecting any of these will be beneficial. As you become more comfortable, you can add more pieces of equipment to your collection to ensure you never get bored. At JLL Fitness you can also find adventurous pieces of equipment to keep your workouts fun such as Weight Vests, Slam Balls and Ankle Weights. An excellent item to begin your weight lifting journey with is our 20kg Dumbbell/Barbell set. Available in either cast iron or vinyl, this set will give you the best of both dumbbell and barbells whist giving you the ability to adjust the weights to match your progress. You can find them here

 

We’ve created a table below outlining the advantages and disadvantages of some home gym essentials, take a look below

 

Plan Your Training Goals

 

What’s that famous saying? If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. This rings true when it comes to weight training! The first step is to identify where you need to improve. If you want to build all round muscle mass, you should plan to target all muscle groups evenly throughout the week. Whereas if you feel your legs need a bit more work than your upper body, ensure that you slightly prioritise these areas when planning your workouts. Having a good idea of what you want to do at the start of the week can be beneficial as you spend less time at the start of each workout doing this. By researching what body part each exercise targets, you can confirm at the start of each week that you have planned to target the areas you need.

 

Record Your Weight Training Progress

Using a fitness journal to record your lifts and output after every workout, allows you keep track of your progression from session to session. This is the easiest way to know whether you are making strides towards your fitness goals or whether you need to push yourself harder. Progressive overload is one of the main components involved in building muscle. This process involves making each training session slightly harder than the last one. This can be achieved by increasing the weight used, adding more repetitions, reducing rest times or performing the exercises slower.

 

If you constantly perform the exact same workout week in-week out, your body will quickly adapt to this level of stimulus and your muscles won’t grow. So, documenting your workouts will allow you to keep track of your progressive overload easily and you can walk into your next exercise knowing exactly what to do.

 

Workout Out Your Strength

A good way to put yourself off weight training is by going too hard too quickly. It only takes one rep to injury yourself and the risk of this is vastly increased if you are not performing movements with the correct form. So, when first starting out, concentrate more on correct form with a weight that you can do comfortably and then gradually increase the weight.

 

Another quote you may be familiar with is “Consistency is Key” and with this in mind, it is important to ensure that your workouts are sustainable for you! It is much better to have 4 days of moderate workouts, than one intense workout that puts you out for the rest of the week trying to recover. Once you are confident and know your body’s limits, by all means push yourself, but make sure you are ready.

 

 

 

Additional Tips For Progression

 

We have some tips for you that will help you build muscle AND boost your confidence at the same time:

 

Eat right: You can’t build muscle without protein, so make sure you’re eating enough of it every day. We recommend eating a high-protein diet that includes plenty of chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans.

 

Get enough sleep: Sleep helps your body repair itself after exercise, so try to get at least 8 hours each night.

 

Whether you’re trying to get into better shape or looking to gain muscle mass, weight training is not just a full-body workout—it’s also a way to feel healthier and more energised. Whatever your goals may be, our guide will help you choose the right type of weights to help you achieve them.