Learning to Lift Safely

Lifting weights can seem intimidating at first but is truly a gateway to strength, confidence, and well being. If you've ever felt hesitant about lifting weights, you're definitely not alone. Let’s chat about how to safely lift weights, listen to your concerns, and most importantly, build both strength and confidence as you embark on this journey.

Many of our members start lifting from scratch with us, adapting to all sorts of physical, emotional and general life considerations.

One of the most significant hurdles we face is often rooted in our mindset. The fear of injury, or the intimidation of a weight room can hold us back. Here’s a little secret: the mind tends to limit us long before our bodies ever do!

It’s about listening to the parts of you who are trying to keep you safe, whilst also learning to trust that both can be true at the same time - it can feel hard, and still be safe. In our own way, befriending what feels challenging.

When we approach weight lifting with the mindset of “this is hard, but I’m capable,” we start to unlock incredible potential within ourselves. Allow yourself to acknowledge the fear—it's perfectly normal! Know also that your body is going to experience this differently from your mind. Your mind can logically understand you're in no danger, but your body is experiencing 'stress'. It needs repetitions to learn these physical sensations are ok to feel.

Start with the Foundations: Movement Patterns First

Before you even think about adding weights, let's focus on training at an appropriate intensity. Understanding proper movement patterns is essential for ensuring you’re lifting safely and effectively. With us, everyone focuses on some foundational movement patterns, and we often modify these to find the version best suited for you:

1. Squats: This compound movement is fantastic for building strength in your legs and glutes. Start with bodyweight squats, focusing on posture—your chest up and hips back.

2. Deadlifts: A foundational strength exercise that engages your entire body. Start with light kettlebells or even just a broomstick to practice your form. Keep your back flat and hinge at the hips—think of pushing your bottom back as if you're closing a car door with it.

3. Bench Press: This strengthens your arms, chest, and core. Mastering this bodyweight movement first will pave the way for adding resistance as you progress.

4. Rows: This movement can help balance out pushing exercises like bench presses, as well as our daily life movements that have us hunched over.

Focus on perfecting these movements with lighter loads. The more comfortable you become, the more your confidence will soar—and that’s when the exciting part begins! (or at least, I believe so)

Gradually Increase Intensity

Once you feel solid in your movement patterns, slowly introduce additional weight to your routine. There’s no need to rush! Listen to your body and increase the load at your own pace. A good rule of thumb is the 2-5% rule—if you feel ready, increase the weight by a small percentage and see how your body reacts.

And here’s the exciting part: with each successful lift, you’ll notice both physical and mental transformations. Your muscles will get stronger, yes, but so will your resolve. You'll learn to trust how to do it, when to go up/down/stay the same, how to safely fail.

I can pretty much guarantee you that you'll be doing something you thought was always going to be physically impossible for you - in a much shorter time frame than you think.

It's all for You.

Remember that every journey is unique - we never assume your goals, what it feels like to be in your body, or how you're experiencing something. It’s important to listen to your body and respect its signals. Some days will feel like you could lift a truck, while others may be more challenging. That’s all part of the process.

If something feels particularly hard, embrace it! It’s an opportunity for growth. Befriend the discomfort as it often indicates that you’re expanding your capacity. I think of it like a flower blooming; we can expand a little, rhythmically over time.

Lifting can be many things, and at its heart is can also be about empowering ourselves and reshaping how we perceive our capabilities.

You’re capable of so much more than you realize, and every lift can be a celebration of that strength—both in body and mind. Cheesy, but true.

Try an intro session or discounted trial week with us today.