Back in 2024, I got very into strength training. I was doing two or three ultra-challenging sessions a week, and I was in the best shape of my life.
But, on the subject of life, it got in the way, and after six months of lifting heavier and heavier weights, I fell off the weight training bandwagon and have scarcely looked at a dumbbell since. Instead, I jumped headfirst into running a half-marathon and getting so good at Pilates (an Audrey Hobart reference, for my fellow fans).
However, because I write about fitness on a weekly basis, interviewing experts for their advice on the best workout routines for women of all ages, I'm very aware that strength training needs to be in my routine. But anyone who has walked onto the gym floor and seen people repping heavy sets of deadlifts or quivering under a barbell will know it's intimidating for even a seasoned gym-goer to simply pick up a weight and start lifting it.
Instead of going it alone, for me, the key to beginner-friendly strength training is in group classes. When I'm in a group, I feel less pressure than working out one-on-one with a personal trainer, and less nervous than going solo.
Without guidance, I'm quick to place the barbell back on the rack and sheepishly make my way to the gym sauna, plus I'm wary of injuring myself if nobody is there to instruct on my form.
Group weight training
For me, group training is the way forward – and I'm not imagining the motivation group sessions provide, as Virgin Active's UK Weightlifting Lead Nick Parkes explains: "Group sessions provide structure, guidance, and accountability, which can reduce intimidation for beginners. They also create supportive environments where people learn proper technique and a better understanding of their own limitations, all while staying motivated by others."
© Getty ImagesI joined a group weights programme to relaunch my lifting journey, which sees a different move performed each day of the week for six weeks – for example, sumo deadlifts on Monday, bent over rows on Tuesday, back squats on Thursday.
The first couple of weeks were about building confidence and a solid base of the movement, the next four weeks were about slowly increasing the weight to find your new limit, so it's easy to track yourself getting better and stronger.
Plus, the familiarity of repeating the same move each week reduces the intimidation factor, which has been known to stop me from progressing to heavier weights in the past.
Sadly, training in a group isn't enough to sculpt the muscles of my dreams. We also need to train consistently.
It's not all about how heavy weights are
While it's supremely satisfying to note down how much more I was lifting week-on-week, it wasn't only the weight of the plates that was helping me to get fitter. Consistency is the most important element, according to Nick. "Strength gains come from gradual, repeated stress on muscles over time (known as progressive overload), not one-off workouts. Missing sessions frequently interrupts this process, making progress slower and less noticeable." That's me told.
How many weight training sessions do we need a week?
Nick says that a good starting point is to aim for two or three strength sessions a week as part of a wider fitness programme - going to other classes, long walks, and so on.
"Training two or three times weekly balances consistency with recovery, which is when muscles actually rebuild and grow," he explains. "It gives your body the right amount of stimulus without overloading too soon and risking extended periods of soreness or injury."
He adds that at the six-week mark, you could consider upping the ante with an extra day of strength training in the mix.
How quickly will I see a difference?
I'd love to say that after getting back to a strength routine, I saw an immediate difference in how I looked, but I know I need to be realistic.
On when we might expect to see results of strength training, Nick says that most people feel stronger and more energised within the first two weeks as the body adapts neurologically, while visible changes typically take between four and eight weeks, depending on consistency and nutrition.
Of course, strength training needs to be part of a bigger picture. "Adequate protein intake, good sleep, and hydration are your biggest contributors to progress," says Nick. "My key supplement is creatine, but of course, supplementation needs to be part of a balanced diet."
He adds that mobility work will support overall performance, so he recommends yoga sessions on top of strength training, as well as reformer Pilates to target smaller muscles.
The final word
I'm now on week six of the my weight training programme, and while I now feel confident in all the different moves (I still hate sumo deadlifts, mind you), I still want to attend the classes rather than lifting alone. So, I'll be signing up for the next six-week block too, building confidence and muscles with each week that passes.
