Advice, please, for a mom who used to be strong

92019start

I’m not a beginner weight lifter, but I haven’t done much for years since competitive rowing in college. It was easy enough then to follow the coach’s program, but not knowing the philosophy and science behind it all, I'm not sure how to restart.

Me:
35 Years old female
118lbs, 5’6”
Goal: be strong enough to haul around my kids, and all their ski gear, and my screaming two year old to bed when he won’t cooperate. (Strength gains!)

I was pretty strong for my size back in the day, and I’d like to have that kind of fitness again without gaining weight.

What’s the optimal spacing between weight lifting workouts? Every three days? Can I do cardio with it? I love running, walking and elliptical. Can you recommend a program (link please)? Can I just do my favorite exercises to failure three times, focusing on legs twice a week and arms once a week?

Can I keep my calories the same as I’ve been eating? Not looking to gain muscle mass, just to be stronger.

Please share tips and advice...and yes, I did try searching but I’m looking for specific advice. Be kind to me

Thank you all!

livingleanlivingclean

Hi!

You'll be wanting to find a progressive lifting program - if you go to the gaining weight/bodybuilding section of the forum, and check out the stickied threads, there should be a link to a great thread on various training programs. Pick one of those!

You could eat at maintenance - this would be somewhat of a recomp, where you could change your body composition (less fat, a bit more muscle) without changing weight.

You can still do cardio - it's great for fitness - just make sure you account for it in your calories (you'll get more food, yippeeee!)

TavistockToad

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

ecjim

I would do a full body 3X5 /5X5 program like Starting Strength or Greyskull - 2- 3X per week - Squats/ Pressing/ pull/ deadlift - you probably keep your cals the same or add a bit maybe 200 /day experiment with that - Eastcoast Jim

DancingMoosie

Stronglifts 5x5 is a strength program that runs 3x a week. You can do cardio in between strength days if you want.

canadianlbs

92019start wrote: »

Can I just do my favorite exercises to failure three times, focusing on legs twice a week and arms once a week?

you can, but not knowing what your favourite exercises are makes it hard to know how far they will take you towards the kind of strength that you want.

with that said, sure you can, although most beginner programmes stick to defined set/rep structures rather than making failure the measuring point. then you progress either by adding more weight in a consistent fashion, or by adding more reps or sets in a consistent fashion.

on eating, you sound to me like you're pretty thin already if 118 at 5'6". so most new lifters have a 'newbie gains' period where they'll progress without needing to change their eating. but given your starting point i don't think taht will take you very far. more a prediction than a prescription, but i'd be surprised if you didn't end up needing/wanting to eat more than whatever you're eating now.

also, just a heads up: expect to get a little heavier if you ARE doing it right and achieving your strength goals. really nothing dramatic, MAYBE a pound a month or something if you're super duper successful. but i'm saying it just because i can't imagine where a woman who's 5'6" and 118 could have anywhere to go but up, in that respect.

disclaimer: i've got no grounds for saying any of the above in the accreditation/professional sense. i'm just commenting from general experience of being an amateur lifter myself for the past 3.5ish years.