resources + thoughts on how to start lifting weights (if you want to lift weights)
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Hi friends! Before I dive in, I just wanted to remind you all that my first online cooking class after a long summer hiatus is coming up this Sunday (September 21) at 2p EST! It is “Three One Pot Meals” and we will be making:
Chickpea + Spinach Rice
Italian Sausage + Farro Stew
Green Chile Braised Chicken Thighs with Pinto Beans
A portion of proceeds will be going to The Sylvia Rivera Food Pantry.
Sliding scale starting at $40 up to whatever you want.
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ SIGNUP RIGHT HERE!! ⬅️ ⬅️ ⬅️
➡️ ➡️ ➡️ FAQs + MY VIDEO LIBRARY + EVERYTHING HERE! ⬅️ ⬅️
No, this newsletter is not about weight lifting.
But it is about feeling more connected to our bodies and each other, usually in the form of cooking and eating. But there are so many ways to feel connected to our bodies and each other. For me, one of those is lifting weights (longtime readers know that I’ve been passionate about lifting weight for a while).
Last week I got a text I loved from a friend asking for advice on how to get started lifting weights. In the spirit of community, I thought it might be fun and helpful to share my response with you all, too.
If you’re not into lifting weights, skip this! I’ll be back next week with more food stuff. But if you’re curious, and especially if you’re curious and nervous, then I hope hearing more about how I got started weight lifting (and continue to enjoy it) will be helpful for you, along with all the resources I share below. I also hope if you’re already into lifting weights, you’ll share your thoughts + resources in the comments (they’re open to everyone today, not just paid subscribers).
WHY
Being strong — and doing the things to get and stay strong — has been so empowering for me and has helped me feel at home in my body. I also think it's really fun and I look forward to lifting weights (maybe I'm just a jock??).
There’s a lot more, of course. If you have time/interest, here is the long form essay I wrote all about powerlifting — how I got into it and why and what I feel about it all etc. — for an essay collection that
curated. You can also listen to the audio version here. And I made an entire podcast season about lifting and got to interview amazing people. You can check those conversations out right here:
HOW + WHERE
But onto the nuts and bolts of lifting!
I think learning to lift safely/in a fun way is different for every person and it’s helpful to think about how you best learn things in general. I'm a visual learner and definitely a social person, so I loved working with a coach.
If you have the time/means/access, I think working with someone in person, especially at the beginning, is really the best way to get started. This is extra important if you don’t have any strength training history because it’s way easier to learn good form and what works for your body rather than having to unlearn poor form or potentially even getting injured. Working with a pro in person is a way to stay safe! This could be one-on-one or in a group setting (for example, this amazing gym offers an intro course!!).
Just like finding a therapist (or a friend or a date!), you might have to try out more than one to find the right fit. It’s also worth narrowing your search to what’s most important to you. For example, here’s a list of trauma-informed weightlifting coaches.
And here are a bunch more options that are geared towards 🏳️🌈 + 🏳️⚧️ communities:
OutBox in Brooklyn, NY
CrossFit Exit 19 in Kingston, NY (inc. free Sober Strength classes)
Grounded Training + Fitness (with Carley!) in Kingston/Highland/Rosendale, NY and also online
Sweat Club in Tulsa, OK (they also offer online coaching)
Team Lis Smash Strength Training in Atlanta, GA
Rain City Fit in Seattle, WA
RadicallyFit in Oakland, CA
Queer Strength PDX in Portland, OR
Here is a list of USA Weightlifting clubs that are BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ owned.
And here is an ‘Inclusive Fitness Finder’ from OUT Foundation (includes a map and listing of gyms/coaches that have committed to being inclusive of LGBTQIA+ folks)
Know of other great gyms / coaches / resources? Tell us in the comments!!!
HOW I GOT STARTED
The main things that really helped me when I got interested in powerlifting was talking to my friend Molly who was already into it and reading Casey Johnston's digital book LIFTOFF: Couch to Barbell. Casey also has a newsletter all about strength stuff that's really great and a big archive of posts that are helpful to look through. She also has a new book out that I somehow still haven't read yet, but I am eager to! I also got to interview Casey for my podcast, which was awesome and we even lifted together once when I was in LA (fun!).
I saw my powerlifting coach Matt in person every week for three years but he's moved on from coaching, which coincided with me being ready to take a break from super heavy lifting and competing.
WHAT I AM DOING NOW
These days I have been using an app called Stronger By The Day for my programming and I go to a gym near my house and listen to music and lift — I love it! I think I will definitely compete again one day, but for right now I feel really happy staying strong rather than getting stronger. I’ve also been playing a bunch of tennis and farming more so my body is plenty busy. Taking a break from competitive powerlifting has been the right choice for right now.
I would *NOT* start with the SBTD app if you don’t have more experience first. Meg Gallagher, who runs that app, also has a free course you can check out (scroll down here — I can't seem to find a specific link just for the 'Before the Barbell' section). It looks like you have to just sign up for it and then it gets sent to you. I will say, I don't love (or endorse) the weightloss-y vibe of her website....BUT I do think her app is amazing and she's very good at explaining strength training!!
Can I help you find something useful?!
Here’s my video library of 125 cooking classes!
Here’s my all-time favorite class: a tour of my kitchen and also my mind! It includes a 2+ hour recording and an incredibly detailed companion document that details all of the tools, ingredients + more I use (it's over 20 pages long!), plus a ton of tips for day-to-day cooking (lots of mini recipes within).
Check out my ShopMy page for my favorite kitchen tools, ingredients, and even clothing items — it’s all there!
And I catalog all of my favorite books right here at bookshop.org.
Want a great recipe every Tuesday with a ton of notes for ways to riff on it? Become a paid subscriber today!
Yay lifting! 💪 I have been lifting for a while now but I always like to see posts like this encouraging others to give it a go (especially with a coach/trainer). Also, Casey's book is GREAT!
Shout out to Pioneer Valley CrossFit in Northampton, MA. They offer welcoming CrossFit classes, open gym space and a Queer Barbell coaching program to help people learn.