Anyone go from a class junkie to heavy lifting?

KarenSmith2018

You will look good naked lifting but not be able to eat all the food. Strength training doesn't really burn that many calories. A progressive lifting program will help you recomp your body further and challenge you.

I am also a great advocate of CrossFit for challenging you, building strength, muscle, defining muscle, confidence building, learning new skills etc etc etc. But it only works if you are the type of person that can deal with someone else doing your programming for you and not know what is coming up until the day. I have mastered a pull up and can now do a 10kg weighted single. I have learnt olympic lifts, i can almost back squat 1.5x my body weight and i can deadlift 2x my bodyweight. My running has improved as i have better physical stamina as well as a better mental game.

Mikkimeow

YES. I started out in zumba. Took a few years to transition to bodybuilding then eventually powerlifting. I knew I was officially done with classes when a friend suggest we try something at our local gym, Genesis, called group "Power". It was described as a lifting class. I thought, oh right up my alley. LOL

It was a cardio lifting class. You lift light weights while doing cardio moves. I was horrified and left 20 minutes in after the instructor repeatedly mentioned "toning"

Jambalady

Mikkimeow wrote: »

YES. I started out in zumba. Took a few years to transition to bodybuilding then eventually powerlifting. I knew I was officially done with classes when a friend suggest we try something at our local gym, Genesis, called group "Power". It was described as a lifting class. I thought, oh right up my alley. LOL

It was a cardio lifting class. You lift light weights while doing cardio moves. I was horrified and left 20 minutes in after the instructor repeatedly mentioned "toning"

How did you wean yourself off classes to bodybuilding? Just reading up and starting a program? Trainer? The class you described is essentially what I take now. Cardio strength training. Lots of pushups, weighted squats, dumbbell presses but non-stop cardio style.

MeanderingMammal

hollyhom wrote: »

But to be serious, I got back to the gym maybe 2-3 years ago consistently and since taking these bootcamp classes, managed to really increase my strength and core (compared to where I was). I didn't drop any pounds but went down at least a size in clothes.

Now I'm feeling like I've hit a plateau and want to push myself to exercise more effectively. Like the energy spent in these classes doesn't quite equal what the results should be. I want to lose a bit more fat and get stronger and we never really do anything in the classes but higher reps with the same size weights. I'd like to be able to do a pull-up, lean out my legs a bit, and generally just expend less energy on the cardio aspect which seems to be draining me from increasing on the strength side.

So from those objectives, you're on the right track around wanting to do some strength training. In identifying the most appropriate approach, you're then into how you're motivated and get the most from your training.

With some reasonably generic objectives you've got a wide range of options available to you. I'd note that if you've hit a plateau then look to your diet, not your training.

Personally I'm not an advocate of crossfit, for a number of reasons, but I'm not going to add to the debate here. It tends to be a very polarised discussion.

If you are strongly motivated by training with others in a class context, look for something that's more circuit based. Over here there are several approaches; British Military Fitness is the biggest brand. Those are generally bodyweight and plyo based, structured around the types of training in military environments.

If your gym does TRX classes then that might be worth a look. They're generally more strength focused, but again in the group context.

With all of this it's about self reflection, what do you need to do to maintain sufficient frequency and progression.

tammie614

hollyhom wrote: »

I'm a class junkie. I like the social environment of a class setting and being around other people makes me more competitive. I have tried getting the Starting Strength books and 5x5 app and I can't seem to get myself motivated when I am by myself. I'll do it for a couple of weeks and then I get bored and distracted. Anyone able to get past the class mentality, the need for others to push them, to start weight training on their own? I have not found any heavy lifting type classes near me or that fit my schedule.

*Raises hand* in the very beginning of my journey i was a class junkie. Kick boxing, step, bodyworks (With 2.5 and 5 lb weights), boot camp,etc.

now i only take 1 class a week on saturdays because i love the teacher, the workouts are never the same and i'm hurting afterwords. lol the other days i lift/HIIT/do circuits on my own.