A lot of people are intimidated when starting on weight training. They may have heard stories about people getting hurt. Women may be horrified at the thought of building large muscles if the wrong exercises are used. Here is a list of weight training tips for beginners that apply to both men and women;

1.  Use Dumbbells Instead of Machines

Dumbbells are the best option for weigh training. This is one of the most important weight training tip for beginners. This is because dumbbells force your muscles to build strength as well as balance. Lifting a dumbbell up and holding it there requires the support of many small muscles. Machines are not able to offer the same degree of stimulation.

2.  Avoid Weight Training on an Empty Stomach in the Morning

A lot of people prefer to finish off their exercises in the morning. Morning exercises do have a tremendous psychological benefits. Avoid doing weight training on an empty stomach in the morning. You should take a scoop of whey protein with water. This only applies if you are doing weigh training first thing in the morning. It does not apply if you do it after breakfast as you have already eaten a meal. The same goes when doing it at any other time of the day.

3.  Follow a Structured Exercise Program

Beginners should get hold of a structured exercise program. The program should give you instructions on which exercises to do along with the number of sets and reps for each weight training exercise. Without a structured program to follow, beginners would very unlikely see any progress.

4.  Record Exercises Done

Make a note of the sets and repetitions done for each exercise. This allows you to measure progress and make improvements. Beginners should inculcate these good habits. This is the only way to measure progress.

5.  Use First Month to Establish Weights

Beginners who have never done weight training are not able to assess their strength levels. As such, they do not know the optimum weight of the dumbbell for each workout. An optimum weight is one which is challenging and yet not unsafe. When the weights are too heavy, one would try to lift it with awkward form. Most men overestimate their strength and most women under-estimate it. As such, men should be cautious and women should be more daring with selecting weights.

6.  There Would Be 3 Weight Sets for Your Exercises

You would probably need 3 different weight settings to get an optimum workout. Usually, the weight of the dumbbells for leg exercises would be the heaviest. Shoulder exercises would need the lightest weights. Weight loading for back and the chest exercises  would be somewhere between. I have seen beginners use the same dumbbell for shoulder, chest and leg workouts. This can be unsafe and ineffective as one is not using the optimum weight to work the muscles.

7.  Watch Rest Intervals

Rest between 1 to 2 minutes in between each workout. Do not get distracted. Be focused on your exercises. Most beginners are guilty of not following this.

8.  Exercise at least 3 Times a Week

You can do weight training up to 3 times a week. Ideally do it on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday could be rest days or for cardio exercises.

9.  Better or Equal Weights Carried

There must be progressive increase in your loads for each exercise. As an example, assume you did 3 sets of exercises for your shoulders at 2.5 lbs. You managed to do 8 repetition for each set. The same workout in the next exercise session should be better or equal to the last workout. In other words, you should either improve on the amount of weight carried or the number of reps done. Most beginners get stuck carrying the same weights for months and wonder why they are not seeing weight loss.

10.  Observe Strict Form

Keep your back straight and chest out at all times. Most beginners do not pay attention to this. Your structured program should advise you on proper form for each exercise. Consciously keep track of your form. When people compromise on form, they get ineffective results or end up getting hurt.

11.  Do Not Jerk When Lifting

When the weight are too heavy, one will jerk to lift the weights. Most beginners are guilty of this. The jerking action is unsafe as it could cause you to get injured. Lift the weights in a slow and steady way without having to jerk. If you need to jerk to lift the dumbbell, it is probably too heavy and you should reduce the weight.

12.  Warm Up Before Lifting Weights

Warm up until you are just beginning to break a sweat. At this point, you are ready to start your exercise. Cold muscles can result in injuries. Beginners usually take warm ups lightly and end up getting hurt in the process.