Female Lifters: Lifting vs Circuit Training

SnowballsMom805

Hey there! I have been reading all the awesome posts about women lifting weights and have really appreciated them all. I wanted to get back into lifting. I made an attempt a few years ago to do one of the www.stumptuous.com but I was not very consistent with it. After that I would lift with my husband once a week but have not lifted for several years now. I wanted to know how to choose between doing circuit training and weight lifting? I work out at the YMCA in DC and its very crowded. We have a very small free weight area and its always packed to the brim. I wanted to get back into lifting and I tried going in there with my husband and felt so nervous and intimidated by all the guys, I never went back. However after reading all the posts about female lifting I actually really want to overcome my fears and get back into it. How do I know which book to get?

I am looking into the weight lifting programs that some of the female weight lifters have recommended such as Strong Curves or the New Rules of Lifting for women. Also is there something wrong that when I have tried to lift in the past I would feel kind of like I was not working hard enough? If I do a Body Pump Class, a Spin Class or 1 hour on the stair master I will be exhausted and sweaty at the end. However when I have weight lifted I felt fine and never really got sore or sweat real hard. Anyway I am hoping that looking into the books that have been recommended and see if that might help.

Second Question - What is the difference between weight training and circuit training? I thought I understood it but now I am confused. Are they the same thing or when you talk about a circuit with weight training is that a different thing all together? Im sure the books would explain this but I was wondering if I am just missing something basic here.
However I remember hearing about circuit training being a way to combine getting cardio and strength in an efficient workout. I wanted to know if any of the female lifters out there do circuits or not? And is there any real benefit?

SnowballsMom805

Also I want to be able to do a pull up for years now and I hope through weight lifting I can finally make that happen.

AllanMisner

NROLFW is a great program to use. At first, start out with very low weights, get used to the movements with good form and then slowly progress. Another advantage of starting low beyond learning the movement, is that most of the guys won’t be using the dumbbells you’re using. You’ll get to a point where you’re really struggling to maintain form on the last rep or two. Then you should see strength gains. Don’t worry if you’re not “feeling it” afterward or the next day, being winded or having DOMS are not requirements for building strength. Getting stronger is.

Generally, weight lifting is when you do a set, rest, then do another. Most programs have you doing anywhere from 1 - 5 sets of each exercise. A circuit usually entails moving from exercise to exercise with no rest between (some allow a rest between each circuit). Circuit training is intended to get your heart rate up while you lift and can allow you to get in more work in a shorter period of time. I think there is a time and place for each. If you’re looking to build strength, I’d stick to standard weight lifting and do sets in the 3 - 8 repetition range.

To get to where you can do pull ups, you have to do pull ups. Most trainers start folks out with ring rows to build back strength. Then move to assisted pull ups (machine assisted, bands, or get your husband to help by lifting your feet as you pull). If you’ll stick to the assistance needed to do 2 - 4 reps, you’ll build strength, more reps will require more assistance and won’t get you there as fast. Slowly reduce the assistance as you get stronger. Once you’ve trained for a couple of months, you can throw in negatives (again staying in the 2 - 4 rep range). When you’re doing negatives, focus on the region of the pull-up that gives you the most trouble

Enjoy!

Allan Misner
NASM Certified Personal Trainer (Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutrition Specialist)
Host of the 40+ Fitness Podcast

lynnej73

SnowballsMom805 wrote: »

Also I want to be able to do a pull up for years now and I hope through weight lifting I can finally make that happen.

I want to do one in the worst way too! No advice to offer. I just got excited to see someone else with that goal lol. Getting ready to jump into a weight training routine this week and reading through posts for encouragement. Leaning hard towards aworkoutroutine. The beginner one. Good luck!!

kshama2001

Re: circuit training, "New Rules of Lifting for Women" says, "The machine circuit has its origins in marketing. Health clubs could entice members more easily with sleek, shiny machines than with lumps of inert and intimidating iron in the form of barbells and dumbells. Machines helped them get people in and out of the gym more efficiently.

...it's better than nothing, but there are far better ways to use your time and energy."

Re: not feeling like you got a workout - you likely were not lifting heavily enough at the end of your set.

Re: crowded, yes, all the Y's I've gone to have been unpleasantly crowded at peak times. Can you go off peak? I like the hour before close.

Guys likely won't be using the dumbbells you'll start out with. I grab a bench at the heavy end of the dumbbells rack - the guys at my gym aren't using the 115 # dumbbells either, and that bench has been free every time but once in the last two months.

mrp56839

lynnej73 wrote: »

SnowballsMom805 wrote: »

Also I want to be able to do a pull up for years now and I hope through weight lifting I can finally make that happen.

I want to do one in the worst way too! No advice to offer. I just got excited to see someone else with that goal lol. Getting ready to jump into a weight training routine this week and reading through posts for encouragement. Leaning hard towards aworkoutroutine. The beginner one. Good luck!!

Make that 3 of us! I did some assisted pullups a few weeks ago and felt a little badass when he had to lower the assisted weight. I can only imagine the badass feeling of doing it all under my own strength. I really have no other reason for wanting this goal. Lol

lemmie177

SnowballsMom805 wrote: »

Also I want to be able to do a pull up for years now and I hope through weight lifting I can finally make that happen.

Like others have said, best way to do a pullup is practice! I found that doing assisted pullups (w/ bands) did not help. Negatives (where you use a stool/chair to get your chin over the bar, then descend slowly under your own power) were what really got me to my first pullup. I followed the plan at 50pullups.com and just got up to 8.

As for not being tired after a workout, I felt the same way when I first started weightlifting, even with an established program. At the beginning, you're simply not moving much weight (not doing much work, relatively speaking), so its actually a great time to really perfect your form and lock in good habits. Just focus on progressing the weights over time, you'll have plenty of opportunity to be sweaty and exhausted later . Nowadays, my strength workouts absolutely wipe me out.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

lemmie177 wrote: »

SnowballsMom805 wrote: »

Also I want to be able to do a pull up for years now and I hope through weight lifting I can finally make that happen.

Like others have said, best way to do a pullup is practice! I found that doing assisted pullups (w/ bands) did not help. Negatives (where you use a stool/chair to get your chin over the bar, then descend slowly under your own power) were what really got me to my first pullup. I followed the plan at 50pullups.com and just got up to 8.

As for not being tired after a workout, I felt the same way when I first started weightlifting, even with an established program. At the beginning, you're simply not moving much weight (not doing much work, relatively speaking), so its actually a great time to really perfect your form and lock in good habits. Just focus on progressing the weights over time, you'll have plenty of opportunity to be sweaty and exhausted later . Nowadays, my strength workouts absolutely wipe me out.

This. Completely.

Sumiblue

Yup. Practice chin ups & pull ups & you will get there. This time last year I could do one, now I'm up to 4, 5 on a good day.

SnowballsMom805

Thanks everyone I really appreciate all the advice. Im still trying to decide between New Weight Lifting Rules for Women versus Strong Curves. Has any one done either of these programs?

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SnowballsMom805

Great point! Thanks for that suggestion