Do-it-yourself Weight Training Basics
By Brie Evans, Wellness Coach

I intended to pull together a coherent and entertaining piece about the dos and don'ts of strength training and include easy at home exercises but during my research I discovered so many excellent resources I realized it was impossible to condense all of them into a single article so I've highlighted three of my favorites.

Book It
My very favorite book for people just starting out is Teach Yourself Visually: Weight Training. If you prefer to work out in the privacy of your own home or if you're on the go and in need of a hotel room workout, consider this book. You'll learn the difference between a rep and a set and how much weight is safe to lift. Step by step instructions guide you through dumbbell, barbell, exercise tube and exercise ball workout routines. The book includes easy-to-follow descriptions and photographs of each exercise and provides beginner, intermediate, advance and stretching routines. Three years into this and I still use the book as a reference guide regularly.

Bookmark It
About.com offers free online workouts including "cardio, strength training and flexibility workouts for all fitness levels." You'll find workouts for abs, total body, upper body, lower body as well as pilates and yoga moves. You'll also find ideas for different cardio workouts you can do at the gym.

Another site I visit often is sumptuous.com, penned by weight loss success story, Krista Scott: "If you're a woman who's always secretly eyed those dumbbells but has always had some dummkopf tell you, you would 'hurt yourself,' 'get too big,' or gawd knows what other idiocies, this is a good place for you to start finding out the truth and to learn to love the iron. What you'll find is good, basic advice and information grounded in research and experience, as well as a woman-positive sensibility which takes you seriously as a budding iron lover..."

On why she's driven to share here knowledge, "There is a distinct and shameful lack of information geared to women weight trainers. Most so-called general information about weight training assumes that women are merely smaller men, or trivializes women's efforts by telling them not to lift heavy. Mainstream women's fitness magazines are woefully lacking in serious information, and some of them are downright incorrect in the advice that they prescribe.

"There is NO evidence that women's weight training programs should differ from that of men's, aside from possible minor form modifications. There is NO evidence that lifting tiny weights for ridiculously high reps will do you any good, or in fact do anything at all besides waste your time. Every substantive research study has shown that women do not turn into freaks or hurt themselves by lifting weights seriously. In fact these studies show just the opposite: women gain muscle, lose fat, and greatly improve their physiques and general health. Furthermore, women tell me all the time about the confidence, inner strength, and sense of empowerment they have gained through weight training."

Krista Scott's ad-free site delivers readers "a comprehensive, noncommercial website that aims to educate and support women who are interested in lifting. Knowledge is power, girlfriends."

How to find a personal trainer: Network with friends, gym employees and gym members. Do your due diligence. Ask prospective trainers for references and call them. Safety First. Be sure the trainer is credentialed, insured and trained in CPR and First Aid. Where there's a will, there's a way. If money is tight, most trainers are willing to train 2-3 people at a time and usually have a list of clients searching for workout partners.

On Your Mark Get Set, Go!
When I first started weight training, I did a lot of research and then a lot of experimenting with different exercises. Some felt right, others hurt. Anything that caused me pain, I forwent. Because there are so many different exercises to choose from that target the same muscle group, there's always an alternative exercise that will provide a pain free workout.

As much as I love researching stuff on my own, I wanted to make sure I didn't kill myself with the weights and that I was performing the exercises safely and correctly. I decided spending money on two sessions with a personal trainer would be a worthwhile an investment. But I was intimidated about the process of finding a trainer. There were so many people to choose from and everyone's brochure made them sound terrific. I sought out friends I knew worked with trainers either currently or in the past. I spoke with gym employees and members and settled on someone who came highly recommended by a friend I trust.

When the clock struck twelve, Cinderella turned into a pumpkin without enough money to continue on with her personal trainer but I had enough confidence from the sessions to continue on my own. I didn't do everything perfectly at first and I couldn't get through my sets but eventually everything fell into place and I got into a good routine. Weight training is critical to women's health and fitness and is something every one of us can master. Nothing feels greater at the end of the day than knowing I did right by my body and set the best example possible for my child.

Brie Evans is a freelance writer and wellness coach. You can reach Brie at cbccwellness@zoominternet.net