Ok, I'm not particularly competitive about this, but... I need some fitness goals.
I move a lot. For the past 2 years, I had access to an Olympic pool. I went from considering swimming a chance to splash around to putting in two sets of 2 km each day. I think I'll have a pool and a weight room again in about a month. I'd like to make the most of this but I'm not certain what my goals should be. I have almost unlimited time to dump into this, but I'm also old. I don't particularly feel old, but I'm at the stage in life where impressing others isn't much of a motivation, but topping my personal bests is a way to convince myself that I'm not dying... yet.
Any advice?
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[–] NateThomas1979 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
The books are a good start. I wouldn't say you NEED a trainer by any means. Usually my clients for example are needing a little extra umph to get them motivated and you don't seem to need that at all.
For picking goal weights, I would suggest starting light and figuring out your max. Do you have someone who can spot you through some reps for a couple of times?
Any gym is going to try to sell you on a trainer, my thoughts were just that they would be able to tailor make a plan for you vs. doing a generic SS workout or 300 workout etc.
If you are in your 40s you're still young enough to do whatever you want. Do you want to bench 315? How about squat 405? What impressive goals do YOU want?
For starting to lift after not lifting, I would suggest picking around 50% of what you think you can lift for the first rep of any new exercise. Warm up with that and then depending on the ease or difficulty of the movement, assign a weight in which you can lift for the desired repetitions.
There is a correlation between repetitions and results. These are all based upon the weight you lift being only able to be lifted for those amount of reps before muscle failure. The repetitions are:
So pick a rep for what you are trying to gain. If you have had a coach, I'm guessing you've been trained in some movements already. I'd start with those.
[–] pitenius [S] ago
Well, I'll get a trainer. Right now, I lost my pool but gained a cook. (Bad combo.)
I'm not sure what I want. Bench 300 might be funny. I've run a 5'10' mile. (Sadly, I think those days are behind me...) I worked out swimming, to some degree. (I was coached in a more cardio-based sport until I developed some knee problems...) Is there some kind of benchmark among lifters, like a "triple double" or a "hat trick"? Lifting is kind of new for me.
Your reps to effect bullets are most illuminating! Thank you!
[–] NateThomas1979 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Here's a great standard list for you to try to hit to start off with link
This could give you a good idea of where you want to try to hit.
If you like Cardio, you might like rowing. That can be fun, relaxing and kind of imitates the idea of a pool with repetitive strokes.