My girlfriend has coerced me in to joining the gym, the main driver is so we can all go swimming on a Sunday morning, which is fair enough, so that’s once a week sorted.

So I need something to do another 2-3 times a week so I don’t feel like I’m being mugged. Preferably something that’ll help my cycling.

I already commute to work by bike 2-3 times a week, got a turbo + sufferfest at home and do about 6 hours off road a week.

I was thinking some power/strength work but have genuinely no idea where to start.

The internets so far seems to suggest dead lifts and squats but again, no idea on things like how heavy to start and how many to do. Is the gym likely to have someone to give pointers/starter guides?

Lots if questions, but I’m flippin clueless (and rather intimidated by the while thing)

Find whichever one of the Les Mills “Body……..” classes you like and admire the scenery.

+1 Les Mills – Body Pump is a great class, as is Body Combat.

Shirley there’s an option to be assessed / tell them what you want to work on and they sort you out a programme?

The internets so far seems to suggest dead lifts and squats but again, no idea on things like how heavy to start and how many to do. Is the gym likely to have someone to give pointers/starter guides?

seems like a good place to start to me. how heavy? piece of string etc.

they should do, don’t forget – you’r a cyclist not a bodybuilder so don’t be put off/ intimidated in to lifting too much.

See what the gym can offer- I got an assessment/intro session from mine and it was well worth it. Wasn’t throw-away-money cheap, but meant I got more from the sessions.

Teaches you how to use the machines right too, which can be useful so you don’t become this guy:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-z9lkn3W_M[/video]

“Les Milfs” ?

Interessant

The internets so far seems to suggest dead lifts and squats but again, no idea on things like how heavy to start and how many to do. Is the gym likely to have someone to give pointers/starter guides?

definitely the way to go. I would recommend the book Starting Strength by Rippetoe. Inexpensive on amazon kindle store. It will tell you everything you need to know about starting weight training. With this book and the vids online you could teach yourself how to do it (I would recommend filming yourself if you do this though and posting the vids on the Starting Strength forum for feedback). You could also get someone to teach you, I would not count on anyone at the gym knowing how to do it properly though especially if it is one that is full of cardio machines! You could always find a reputable instructor outside of the gym though for a few sessions.

Teaches you how to use the machines right too

doing anything with machines would be a complete waste of time for what you want IMO

Strengthen your core with a bit of upper body work. If you do all that riding and sufferfest(like properly) on the turbo then that’s where I would start. The other guys are correct in that emphasise to the instructors that you are a cyclist.

zilog6128 – Member

doing anything with machines would be a complete waste of time for what you want IMO

Can’t agree with that… Machines don’t give the stability benefits of free weights but there’s no real question that they’re beneficial. And since the OP mentioned starting on squats, a press is a very simple, repeatable way to get into that. And a lot of people find that simply more satisfying- exercises you do are better than exercises that you don’t.

Ok, I will concede that the leg press is the one machine that is not completely pointless 😆 but I would maintain you are better off learning to squat especially if you are deadlifting (which you should IMO). Certainly if you do a lot of cycling and are just looking to complement that you don’t need to spend a lot of time in the gym doing a bunch of different stuff, just keep it simple with squats, deads, bench and pull-ups. IMO, of course.

I reckon, if the question was “I want to get into weightlifting, where do I start”, I’d agree, but when the question’s “I guess I’m going to the gym, I have no idea what to do” then they make a lot of sense… There’s a reason most people only ever do machines tbh- easy to get caught up a bit in the enthusiast/experienced mindset maybe?

My current regime- which I call “undemanding dumbbell reps while watching Dr Who”- is pretty rubbish, but still better than “eating biscuits while watching Dr Who” Likewise my machine circuits that I used to do weren’t as good as time in the weight room, but were better than the more likely alternative of nothing at all.