Anybody else resisting strength training?

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lindaroto
lindaroto Posts: 6 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do cardio (walking) 6 days a week, and yoga X 3. But I'm losing some muscle mass along with my fat. I know I need to do some strength training, but have not found any that I enjoy. So I'm just doing it. But know for me it's not going to be sustainable if I don't like it. So I'm interested it what others like to do for strength training, and why they like it. Thanks.
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  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Gosh no - it was revelatory to me

    I'm traditional though - I'm at the gym and in the free weights section, as well as the TRx and cables (well I was before tendonitis but I'm working back there) - It makes me feel strong and amazing .. well it does after .. during I just feel like I can't do it a lot of the time

    Why don't you try nerdfitness bodyweight exercises? Or you are your own gym?

    They might help

    you will always lose muscle mass when in defecit - but progressive resistance helps minimise it
  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
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    It was a revelation to me as well, esp. after losing about 70+ pounds and seeing saggy skin. I wished I had started earlier--at a minimum, when I started to lose weight. I think if you find an actual program that is verified to help you progressively gain strength/muscle (i.e. Stronglifts, Starting Strength, Strong Curves, New Rules of Lifting, etc.), you can measure your progress better (plus it ensures that you are working out all muscle categories), and you might be more excited about doing it regularly.

    If you just wing it, esp. if you're new and don't know if what you're doing is actually achieving anything, you may end up overemphasizing some sets of muscles while not working others, leading to imbalances and problems later on.

    Compound lifts (i.e. bench, squats, overhead presses, deadlifts, chin-ups...) work multiple muscles and are the best overall lifts for both bodystrength and efficiency (less time to work all muscles).

    Once you see you're making gains, it's pretty addictive. There's no downside to lifting, as long as you use proper FORM (most important) and follow a good program. Start now.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
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    I started completely fresh 15 yrs ago. I was afraid of the gym, intimidated, and I knew I was not very strong. I did know I needed to do this, so that was motivation enough. Took a few weeks to start to enjoy it, and the gains I made became addictive to the point that now I rarely miss a workout with weights. Cardio on the other hand, is now a bore :)
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    You really don't need to do that much (as in stay in the gym lifting for hours). You should find a way to do it though. Compound exercises, 2-3 sets, 8-12 reps, 2-3 times a week, progressively increase the resistance.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I did at the beginning too as I enjoyed cardio so much but in maintenance I started realising I had to do some form of strength to build muscle mass and improve my bone density - that'll help us age better/healthier...
    so give it a try and stick to it, you will come to really enjoy it especially when in as little as a month of being consistent you will be proud of the muscle/firmness you will have already achieved. To me that is all I needed to keep going :smile:
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    When I first started resistance training I was intimidated by free weights. So I bought a set of resistance bands and used those for a long time. Now I use dumbbells and maybe one day will advance to using a barbell...maybe.

    Right now I have an arm that had to have surgery due to a severe arm/wrist fracture so I am back to using my resistance bands again.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    lindaroto wrote: »
    I do cardio (walking) 6 days a week, and yoga X 3. But I'm losing some muscle mass along with my fat. I know I need to do some strength training, but have not found any that I enjoy. So I'm just doing it. But know for me it's not going to be sustainable if I don't like it. So I'm interested it what others like to do for strength training, and why they like it. Thanks.

    Yoga is strength training. Maybe you need a more challenging class?
  • mochapygmy
    mochapygmy Posts: 2,123 Member
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    Perhaps you would enjoy TRX or a Group Power strength class if you enjoy classes. I agree a short program 2-3 times a week is all you need to retain LBM but a progressive program will do so much more for you.

    Personally I love powerlifting. I love being one of the few women in the weight room, love my program, love seeing my progress. Love the bar on my back and in my hands. Love it even when it is hard. Love what it has done for my body.

    Personally I don't think yoga is strength. I take 3 advanced yoga classes for flexibility, balance and relaxation.
  • whatatime2befit
    whatatime2befit Posts: 625 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I agree with those above, strength training has done wonders for my body. I lost 40 lbs with cardio alone, but never saw as much physical changes as I did after starting lifting. I lost 45 more after beginning lifting. I wish I had started lifting sooner.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    This is me... ~hangs head in shame~
    I do body weight stuff now. For Christmas im getting 4 30-minute sessions in the free weight room at the y with a trainer. The new me will be a beast in 2016. Lamb to lion!!!
  • C_Stretton
    C_Stretton Posts: 201 Member
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    A number of years ago, a friend recommended that I check out New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. It absolutely changed the way I thought about lifting weights and working out. It's a great starting point and does a fairly good job of addressing fear of the gym and lifting, as well as explaining why, especially as women, we should lift.
  • kes840
    kes840 Posts: 66 Member
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    I got a trainer, just knowing I wouldn't do anything on my own and feeling the need to see progress and avoid hurting myself. It's not as expensive as it might be because it's a small group session. Kind of interesting. I see what the guy is having other people do and think "OMG I hope he doesn't make me do THAT." At the same time, part of me is saying, "Gee I wonder when I'll be able to do THAT." Inspirational really.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    I don't enjoy resistance training, but it's good for you and makes you a better runner, so I suffer through.

    I like using kettlebells the best, but I use a combination of barbells, dumbells, medicine balls, and fixed machines. I make sure I have good music with me.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    C_Stretton wrote: »
    A number of years ago, a friend recommended that I check out New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. It absolutely changed the way I thought about lifting weights and working out. It's a great starting point and does a fairly good job of addressing fear of the gym and lifting, as well as explaining why, especially as women, we should lift.

    They've brought out a new, supposedly friendlier and easier version

    I think it's called strong
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Yup

    http://www.amazon.com/Strong-Workout-Programs-Metabolism-Strength/dp/1583335757
  • spring_bunny
    spring_bunny Posts: 3 Member
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    I think body weight excercises are great. I know I'm pushing previously neglected muscles to work hard and I feel stronger already. I used to despise planks and pushups because I was so weak.

    So to challenge myself, I started out just doing pushups, planks and ab strengthening exercises, trying to increase reps. Then last week I bought a dip stand for about $100 and have been using it all week. I'm really liking it. I can barely eek out one dip so far. Like I said, I am pretty weak, upper-body wise. But I'm doing lots of reverse rows, leg raises, etc to build up my strength using the stand.

    I swear my body had already changed and I'm just getting started. Maybe it's posture or something, but I see a faster change in the mirror then I ever did with cardio. Once I become strong enough and body weight no longer provides enough of a challenge, I'm sure I will naturally progress to wanting to add weights.

    My goal is to eventually be doing dips, and then move onto chinups/pull-ups. The only thing is this might not do much for lower body strengthening, but since I have really strong legs I can accept that for now.

    Look up some videos. Might be what you're looking for to get started too.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I love it, but I didn't like it when I was aimlessly wandering through the gym trying out machines or doing the few barbell exercises I'd been taught years before, without really knowing what would be useful. Once I had a program I understood, had learned proper form (including on the major barbell lifts) and had some goals -- mostly just increasing the weights and actually logging and tracking them, but also improving form -- I started to really like it. It makes sense, as competing against myself and having goals have always been what gets me into fitness things.
  • eikalipse
    eikalipse Posts: 21 Member
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    do you have to lift stuff or bodyweight exercises will do? if mostly all you need is abit of definition and help with weightloss or just have to go to gym and lift heavy. For some of us that are not in the lightest form, doing pushups alone is quite challenging. Same as lunges, squats etc. Piyo ?
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    make unboring with ear buds and music or some show you like off of youtube from your phone.
  • Talan79
    Talan79 Posts: 782 Member
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    It took me a while to get in the weight room. I only did cardio and was skinnyfat. I felt uncomfortable starting. But once I started leaning out I loved it. Doing weights has really changed my body. And now I'm addicted.

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