Fitness

I sometimes get so frustrated when I go work out and hear the woman still touting the "small weight multiple reps" philosophy of weight training.  How do we "average Joanne's" who don't have "PT" behind our names tell these women NO!!  DON'T GO THERE!!!  Use those heavy weights - Use those Free Weights  USe those muscles!!!  YOu aren't going to be big and bulky and look like a weight lifter. 

I so want to say something but the one time I did comment to someone that her lifting 2lb weights at super fast reps wasn't really effective since alot of the movement was momentum but she was so closed to any suggestions and basically said because her boyfriend did weights I didn't know what I was talking about and she didn't want to get all buffed -- I walked away and just said ok

So how do you if you do try to suggest to someone to toss those pink db's in the trash and go for the real weights??

lovelynamazin, i think the best thing to do would be to lift heavy weights reguarly, but not put a terrible amount of energy into sculpting that perfect biceps shape or back muscle distribution--just stick to basic lifts that target the major muscle groups, so that you maintain your muscle and keep your metabolism working in your favor while you shed fat.

when you're all svelte and at your goal weight, that's the time to consider doing a million kinds of crunches or calf work or triceps-focused moves. 

i mean you can do whatever makes you happy, i'm just saying this would be the most efficient use of your time.  weighted squats, weighted lunges, standing presses like military or push press, any kind of barbell/dumbbell row, deadlifts.  best of luck!

Original Post by spirochete:

Original Post by lovelynamazin:

 

i'm so happy that i found this thread. this is my very dilemma. i do own the pink weights (literally). i was really afraid that i would gain mass even though i've heard that it's fairly difficult for a woman to get big. with the 5lb weights i felt like i could literally do them forever (way too light, i know). so i've just began with the 10lb weights. i also didn't want to begin a weight program before i reached my goal weight. i figured that i'd get my body fat down and then lift. didn't want to have muscles bulking up arms that were already fairly meaty. i'm looking for definition and good muscle tone. am i going in the right direction?

Basically here are the rules of fat loss in order of importance:

1. clean up your diet

2. LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS

50. (cardio)

thank you so much for the advice. now how can i tell if a weight is heavy enough to be considered heavy for me? 10lb weights eventually become heavy. basically, what i'm asking is how many reps should i be able to do with a heavy weight?

Original Post by yeeha:

Original Post by spirochete:

Original Post by lovelynamazin:

i'm so happy that i found this thread. this is my very dilemma. i do own the pink weights (literally). i was really afraid that i would gain mass even though i've heard that it's fairly difficult for a woman to get big. with the 5lb weights i felt like i could literally do them forever (way too light, i know). so i've just began with the 10lb weights. i also didn't want to begin a weight program before i reached my goal weight. i figured that i'd get my body fat down and then lift. didn't want to have muscles bulking up arms that were already fairly meaty. i'm looking for definition and good muscle tone. am i going in the right direction?

Basically here are the rules of fat loss in order of importance:

1. clean up your diet

2. LIFT HEAVY WEIGHTS

50. (cardio)

yep, just what spiro said. good definition and muscle tone comes from having strong muscles and less fat covering them. i was getting a little bigger for a while, but now i've stopped growing (and i'm definitely not meaty), even though i keep lifting heavier weights. i'm focusing more on fat loss, but the way i'm doing it is through lifting and doing a little (not a lot) of high intensity interval training (hiit). keeping the diet clean is the hardest part, but it is essential. don't try to wait until the bfat is down before lifting - it's the best way to get it down!

thanx for the pointers. gonna give it a shot. gotta find a nice sweaty gym. i never liked the feel of a bally's or any cutesy gym. i want it to be all about sweat and grunts!

caloriecountingme

that sounds like the plan for me. such great advice here! i'm so glad i found you all!

my next question is what role does calisthenics play in gaining a toned well defined body if any...

Original Post by lovelynamazin:

thank you so much for the advice. now how can i tell if a weight is heavy enough to be considered heavy for me? 10lb weights eventually become heavy. basically, what i'm asking is how many reps should i be able to do with a heavy weight?

3 sets of 8-12 reps is ideal. If you can do reps within that range, that is good. If you get to 12 and you feel like you can do more, the weight is too light. I know that isn't an exact answer but everyone is different

Original Post by spirochete:

Original Post by lovelynamazin:

thank you so much for the advice. now how can i tell if a weight is heavy enough to be considered heavy for me? 10lb weights eventually become heavy. basically, what i'm asking is how many reps should i be able to do with a heavy weight?

3 sets of 8-12 reps is ideal. If you can do reps within that range, that is good. If you get to 12 and you feel like you can do more, the weight is too light. I know that isn't an exact answer but everyone is different

 What I like to do is pyramid weights.  My 1st and 3rd set are say at 10 lbs my 2nd set will be 12 or 15 just a bit heavier - I'll do 12 reps for 1st and 3rd set and 8 - 12 for middle set when I can do 12 reps with ease on the middle set then it is time to make that weight my start and end set and add to the middle again.  Usually the first couple times doing the higher weight my 2nd and 3rd sets won't be the full 8 - 12 reps sometimes I'll only get about 6 - 8.

Hi,

I frequented calorie count.com last year... lost a bunch of weight, fell off the wagon... forgot my account info... and here I am again. I have some weight to lose... again. Thank goodness I did not gain it all back this time... ahem... :) BTW- I am Michele.

I have been weight training on and off for 16 years. When I was very young and skinny I was one of those ladies. I was afraid to lift and I was afraid of bulk. I quickly learned from the trainers at my first gym that women usually do not build like that. We do not have the size or the testosterone to get that big w/o drugs.

I do see many women lifting reeaallyy light with high reps. It is interesting to me that women of all ages do this. Not just teenage young ladies but women in the 20's-probably 50's to 60's as well. I have to admit when I see this- I smirk. (Not as much with the older ladies).

I am just starting up again and I am not afraid to lift heavier. I do not love the phase where the fat is not yet off and I do usually feel a bit bulkier if you will. (I am getting though this phase right now). I have been weight training for about two months now. I also try to do alot of cardio. I do what I call "two a days". I have a gym at work. I do 1/2 hour of cardio during lunch. Then I go to the gym on my way home from work. I do on average another 45 min. of cardio then 40 mins. of weight training. I split up my body parts. I lift for my upper body on one day, the next day I lift for my lower body and so on. I am already seeing results. I am so happy that muscles have memory!

Currently there are not many women that are lifting free weights at the time that I go to the gym. It is me and the guys. I notice the men... mainly men that are teenagers to 20's and 30's sneaking peeks at me. I think that they are curious... I look young for my age and they probably wonder how old I really am? It is actually quite funny!

I can't wait for the fat to come off. I think that I have already lost some of my weight since my clothes are getting loser since I started working out again. I hate to admit it- I did not weigh myself until about 1 month into working out. I knew that I had gained weight and I was mad at myself.

I just had my first weigh-in after working out a 6 day week. I did not lose any weight and I was very good with documenting my calories etc. I am eating all the right things. I decided that rather than worry about the scale- I will measure myself. I will keep track both ways. Right now I am making muscles! Yeah!

Sorry for the long winded post. It is good to be back!

Original Post by lovelynamazin:

my next question is what role does calisthenics play in gaining a toned well defined body if any...

 "calisthenics" is sometimes a misunderstood term.  according to merriam-webster, it's:  systematic rhythmic bodily exercises performed usually without apparatus, which is more like boot camp (hopping in and out of a tire obstacle, monkey bars, climbing up walls, conditioning exercises in general).  sometimes, though, people use the term to refer to "cardiovascular exercise," which is really just any activity that raises your heart rate a considerable amount, and an activity that you could sustain for some period of time longer than 10 seconds.

all physical activity burns calories.  the more work you do, the more calories you burn.  however, there's no metabolic advantage to cardio--that is, you can do all the cardio you want, but  once you stop moving, your metabolism goes back to normal (i mean, in general.  obviously if you're constantly moving, you'll have a faster metabolism; but i'm speaking overall).  weight lifting is different bec you burn calories for hours (up to 48 hours) after the workout bec 1) your metabolism is running faster, burning more calories and 2) the muscle that you do build/maintain requires more energy/calories to sustain than the rest of you.  this is why many people focus on strength training (a better bargain than cardio). 

but it's not like you can weight train for long periods of time.  after an hour, you're basically on overdrive and not reaping any additional benefits.  plus weight lifting doesn't burn lots of calories while you're doing it.  so some people like to combine both into their weight loss regime.  cardio IS overrated.  but is it worthless? i don't think so.  

I have to jump in here. I am also a freak about feeling people are always watching me at the gym. I wear my ipod and a vacant expression to be left alone. Its my time to decompress my day. I'm not sure i'd want anyone offering me advice either.

@dbackerfan and caloriecountingme

i appreciate the knowledge.  i'm really trying to go far with this.

I think the one thing that women need to understand about weight training is how vital it is for optimum health. It helps in the fight against osteoporosis, it  increases the Metabolic Rate (adding muscle increases our metabolism naturally), it helps to burn more calories throughout the day because each pound of lean muscle mass burns 35-50 calories per day and strength training can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. All this being said, women have to be willing to push themselves while weight training to reap all these positive benefits. I've been working with a personal trainer for three months and he has taught me to not "fear weight training" the way I used to. I aim for three sets of each set and I almost always push myself to failure. The day I set down those pink dumbbells was the day the I really began strength training.

Wow, you are pretty wrong in the way you view yourself.   Men love fit bodies (if that's what your going for), they just don't want the curves to go away.  But buff and curvy are what it is about.

I have many male friends that don't love me for my mind they adore the body I wear.  As for the mind that comes after first initial attraction!

I really wish I had some of you ironettes at my gym! I go to the gym by myself, but am so worried about hurting myself with bad form that I tend to stick to the machines. Pictures can only do so much for me when reading up on exercises, I'm definitely more of a hands-on person who needs to see it and do it and have someone critique me. I worked with a PT for a couple of months, but was none too impressed with her. I think she kind of made up my workouts as we went, with no real plan in mind. My main goal is to lose inches (weight has never been a good indicator for me), but I only saw improvement once I started counting my calories, after working with her for a month. There are never any women in the free weight area, and I have yet to see a guy who is approachable enough to ask for advice. I am making some progress, since I do stick with heavier weight for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, but I feel like I could be getting so much more out of my workout if I had some help.

Hi there dbackerfan and lovelynamazin..dollface here after an absence of some days..got busy ..yes exercising..and lifting some pretty heavy for me weights.I am so rusty and out of shape I have to start off embarassingly light..but what the hay..muscle memory brings you back 3 times faster than starting from scratch they say..am noticing clothes fitting better already although no weight loss to speak of yet..too impatient.

To answer the question on how many reps on the heavy weights..the answer is : work up to 12-15 reps each of 3 sets (that would be a total of 36 to 45 in all with a minutes or even 30 seconds of rest in between)..the rule is that you must go to muscle failure with the weight..if you can no longer do a perfect repetition then that is as many reps as you can do with that weight and they telll me not to increase the weight until I can do that number of reps and sets perfectly with no failure..in other words when it is too easy to do, that's when you increase and that's the number..is that helpful I hope..if not let us know and we will unconfuse ya..I just did my first 'good' sets of PLANKS today!! Side and front ones..ouch..held them for 90 seconds though..(I will feel this tomorrow for sure) Hi there to all and thanks for all being such nice peoples (as my hubby says, being cute_)also helpful, friendly, and interesting..Best to all and i'll keep you posted on MY ever so meaty arms which will hopefully be at least 'cut' better soon although I know nothing will make them look like skinny chicks, even at my best shape my arms are big (but they say, quite attractive..but not skinny..its GENES) I was practically dead with ill health (sorta self induced a while back and I was SKINNY..but my arms they were a chubby!

Original Post by mruxton:

I really wish I had some of you ironettes at my gym! I go to the gym by myself, but am so worried about hurting myself with bad form that I tend to stick to the machines. Pictures can only do so much for me when reading up on exercises, I'm definitely more of a hands-on person who needs to see it and do it and have someone critique me. I worked with a PT for a couple of months, but was none too impressed with her. I think she kind of made up my workouts as we went, with no real plan in mind. My main goal is to lose inches (weight has never been a good indicator for me), but I only saw improvement once I started counting my calories, after working with her for a month. There are never any women in the free weight area, and I have yet to see a guy who is approachable enough to ask for advice. I am making some progress, since I do stick with heavier weight for 3 sets of 10-12 reps, but I feel like I could be getting so much more out of my workout if I had some help.

hey mruxton - not sure if you've considered this, but you might see about getting a book like The Body Sculpting Bible for Women or The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Each has detailed descriptions and pictures of all the exercises you would want to work with (and the finer points of form and technique) and offers specific routines that you can work through. I started out with the Body Sculpting Bible and had great success - no PT required :) . I liked it because I could learn at my own pace, through a bit of trial and error, to see what felt right and what I needed clarification on - eventually I moved on to putting my own workouts together, but I really benefited from the foundation I got from the book. If nothing else, sources like these will get you started in the right direction so that you know what questions to ask, and can then pursue your answers either through asking someone or doing your own research online. I think that a lot of people around here are 'self-taught' through a combination of individual research and talking to people on CC. Either way, sounds like you're on the right track already - just need a little direction. Whatever you do, keep it up!

Edit to add: I guess I skimmed your post and didn't see that books weren't so useful for you - sorry for the poor advice!  Hopefully you can find something closer to what dbackerfan recommends below.

mruxton -- I learned to do weight lifting at a class at the local comm college.  It was really cheap too compared to a personal trainer or even a gym membership.  It was a one credithr class for $45 for 12 weeks.  The first couple classes the instructor showed us the machines and how they worked and then helped us design programs and then helped us with our form - I have taken classes for 2 years now and she still will stop me and redirect me when she sees I'm doing something wrong.  I think its better than a personal trainer.

Thanks to yeeha and dbackerfan for the tips. I might try one of the books mentioned, since I have heard very good things about both of them from women in this forum. It would be good for reference, if nothing else. And I'm actually a grad student, so I might look into what classes are offered at my university, or even at the community college that's also nearby. I hadn't even thought about that, even though they're both in my backyard! Great advice, thanks to both of you.

Everyone else: amazing as it may seem to some, you're all very inspirational and motivating! I was afraid to even hit the weights (even machines) before I started lurking here, but now I feel like I can do it too. Please keep posting, it really helps those of us who are a bit timid when it comes to lifting!

I admit I've in the past be a pink dumbbell girl. I'm all better now. It wasn't cause read this post  but, someone else just said  "Hey it's impossible to get big and muscley when you have a calorie deficit."  I've given heavy weights a try and not turned back. lol  I've even done my part to spread the word about the high rep low weight Myth as being a bad idea. 

It makes since to  not to do high rep with low weights now. I see how you could just end up spending ALL DAY trying to burn some cal. doing that. For me it's all calories burned and the more muscle working the more cals burning.

So, I use 3-10lb wieghts during my body sculpting class but we use a slow to medium pace followed by a pause in the middle, holding the weights in some tortuous position , then back to slow to medium paced reps until my arms are about to fall off!  Is that not effective either?....I have a hard time believing that smaller weights are useless?...I'm usually sore by the time I get home and I would consider myself moderately athletic, moreso than most office workers at age 33.