Even if you haven't lifted weights consistently when you were younger, don't think that it is too late for you. There is no deadline that anyone has to start lifting by. It might be intimidating to walk into a college gym as a beginner and be around people who look huge, but everyone has to start somewhere. I had an image that guys who lifted weights were these big, ripped, burly men and that I would get weird looks for walking into the gym looking so thin without much muscle.
Even without any prior experience, anyone can hit the gym at any age to start lifting. It's okay to start out with lightweight in order to get the proper form. Once getting down the form then it's all about pushing yourself to increase the weight in small increments. It is important to make sure that the form is correct before starting to pull heavy weights because if you are lifting a lot of weight with a poor form this can end up doing more harm than good.
Machines are also a great way to get started because instead of having to balance your whole body, the only focus is on the form of the movement of the machine and the muscles that are being worked. If you are able to afford it, hiring a trainer for one session can go far in terms of getting the correct movements. After this one session, you can take what you learned and incorporate it into your personal workouts.
Lifting doesn't just help with becoming more muscular, if you are someone who is looking to lose weight, lifting can assist with this too. Lifting can help turn that extra fat into muscle, in doing so this will cut the fat and will help in terms of being in better overall shape.
In addition, if you don't want to join a gym because of the money it costs, or because the hours don't sync up with your schedule, you can always invest in some weights and dumbbells and start with a home gym. More and more gyms have extended their hours during the week to 24 hours to be able to accommodate people who work late or have to go into work early in the morning. It is all about staying dedicated even when not feeling like going to the gym at the end of a busy day.
The reason why I am writing this is to say that is possible for anyone to start, and not to feel intimidated about starting without experience, once upon a time we were all there. The difference will be noticeably quicker than you might think, as long as you are able to get to the gym on a consistent basis anywhere from 3-5 days with proper rest in between is perfect. Remember, you don't have to be "The Rock" day 1, it takes time but with persistence and dedication, anything is possible. Eating a healthy diet with the proper nutrients can also help in making progress with lifting.
