I started lifting weights in my early 20s, fresh out of Army Basic Training and desperate to get stronger after realizing just how weak I was compared to my male counterparts. Trying to walk 12 miles with a 35-pound rucksack while wearing a suffocating weighted vest and carrying my rifle was more difficult than I had imagined. I knew I had to do something to improve my physical fitness before my first deployment to Iraq and doubling down on cardio was not the answer.
Everyone has their own reason for stepping outside their comfort zone and picking up a barbell for the first time. There’s always fear and awkwardness for a beginner. I personally had no idea where to start and I was convinced that I knew it all after reading a few “How to Lift Weights” articles online.
