I have a gym membership, just started about 2 weeks ago. I've been sticking to doing cardio for at least an hour, and then the machines, full-body. Reading around the forums, I've noticed that many people prefer free weights, instead of the machines. I used to go to Lucille Roberts, so to go from a all-female gym, to a mostly-male gym has been quite...nerve-wracking to say the least haha. Anyways, there's never women by where the free weights and all the benches are, maybe one or two, occasionally. & those men watch them. =/

It's so intimidating! I'm not exactly an attention-seeker, especially when I'm sweating my butt off! I really want to use free weights though; I want to start doing squats and etc. So I've come up with an idea. I'm thinking about going to Modells, and buying a couple of free weights alone. But as I was thinking about it, I realized that my body is going to eventually get used to the weights so that'll end up being a waste of money in the end.

Do you suggest that I buy the free weights?

Money isn't really a problem, I just don't want to end up buying and buying and end up with a stack of dumbbells that eventually I won't need.

I wouldn't recommend buying them. You've got the membership & already at the gym. I know it is totally intimidating - I've so been there. In fact when I just started at my new gym I felt it all over again (just not as intense). I would suggest one of two things:

One: sign up for a couple of sessions with one of the personal trainers at the gym & get them to get you started on a weight plan

or Two: decide what you are going to do beforehand (so you don't need to hem & haw when you are there), walk over, grab the weights you need & then slip over to a discreet corner where you feel comfortable.

Either way, you'll benefit greatly from doing it & you Will become more comfortable over there. Most of the guys are great & are usually pretty engrossed in their own workouts. If they're looking they're just thinking "good for her".

It is hard to get started. Lifeguard has some good ideas. In my gym, they have weights in several different locations, so you might look around and see if there's more than one set. Also, you might try going at several different times - if that's possible - as there may be times when there are less guys there monopolizing the weights area. I don't like to go from the time school lets out til dinner time as the high school boys are there, and even if they don't tie up the machines, I can do without their language and horsing around. I usually go after work, and when there are guys in the free weight area(s) they're adults and for the most part interested in getting their workouts done and getting home. Whatever you do, keep going. Any exercise is better than no exercise.

Congrats on your new membership. May you get the most out of it.

Machines have their place, it's just that free weights rely on you rather than you relying on the machine, so you get more out of the movements.

Plan your routine, and be all business. The men will either be too busy to notice you or if they do, you'll earn their respect for knowing that free weights are where it's at.

BTW, why cardio before weights? Should be the reverse for best results.

Since money's not an issue, use it instead to book a pkg of sessions with one of the gym's personal trainers. That will be your escort into the lion's den, so to speak, and by the end of the 30 days, you will likely have formed a few friendly nods with the guys in the room bc they will probably chat up your trainer while he's in there with you, and that will carry over to you when you go it alone.

That's really true, about the money issue and the fact that it'll end up all adding up, but being that I'm 15, I don't think my mom would exactly want to pay for the training sessions. My gym doesn't do a monthly type of thing, they do 3 sessions for $90.

Thanks for all of the responses, I'm going to try to fight the nerves next time I go to the gym! I'll try to find a little corner to hide in haha.

Hello- I asked this same question a few months ago,
For me it helps to go on the weekend afternoons, when it is slow.
Just got to do it,
I had the same thing with working out @ women's workout world-now I am at the YMCA.
I take some light free weights over by the stretching area, (not really meant to do that, but oh well)

JerseyGirl - I've heard others say weights before cardio too. Why? My tendency is to do it the other way but only because I go to the gym early at lunch and grab the treadmill while it's free and then continue on to the free weights. The other way I'm afraid there won't be a treadmill when I want it. I'm happy to make the switch though, if there's good reason!

Elisa822, I wouldn't worry too much about cardio before weights. It's the way I usually do it, too, just because of scheduling. While I understand it's optimum to do it the other way around, sometimes you just can't. Also, you do need to do 5-10 minutes of cardio prior to weight lifting just to get your muscles warmed up so if it's hard to do that, lift weights, then get back on the cardio machines, if I were you, I'd stick with your routine if it's been working for you. You might eat a little protein snack prior to lifting weights. Cardio takes a lot of energy so giving yourself a little boost prior to lifting weights might make a difference in how much weight you can lift.

Not really. You need to get the synovial fluid flowing around your joints and your muscles warmed up, but cardio on a machine isn't the only way to do this. Doing body weight exercises like a series of leg cranks, some ab work and a light set or two of a whole body exercise is plenty.

Mel

I used to do my cardio before my weights, but it just tires out your leg muscles so that one can't lift as effectively as one might like. I switched to doing a quick 10 minute run before lifting, but I got lazy. Now my warm up is 25 reps with an unweighted squat bar before I start with my squats. It seems to be enough.

I often do cardio before weights, but I'm not lifting really heavy (I do a lot with core and balance) and don't do much of a lower body workout. If I do cardio after weights, then I don't get in my protein shake until nearly an hour after I lift. So, for me, this seems to work.

I could not do cardio before weights & get anything out of my weight workout. I am so sweaty & gross by the end of my cardio that I just feel nasty & want to get out of the gym. Plus, I'm ready for a break & I don't think I would push myself hard enough.

That's my problem too. My fbwo/cardio turns into a 2.5 hr event and while I guess I could stop and chug my smoothie and then do cardio, I don't see it working out real well that way!

I get warmed up by just running down the stairs to my basement, and bc I usually forget something, back up and down a time or two before I start lifting.

That's a good point. Actually, when I'm doing both on the same day, my cardio workout is lighter than it would be otherwise... I don't push myself as much as on days I'm not lifting. But I'm getting some more movement in, and that's fine for me.