Strength training question

serindipte

Current goal: Preserve muscle mass, potentially build some (I know it won't be much by eating in a deficit, but I'm going from total couch potato, so hoping for the 'newbie gains')

Program SW: 212 lbs
CW: 202 lbs
Height: 5'4"
Age: 45
Food diary open to the public (Not looking for advice on 'eating clean' or anything of that sort)
Currently going into the third week at the gym.

I have been doing a circuit of 12 reps on each machine for one set, hitting all the muscle groups. I'm increasing weight each time as I am able so that I'm really pushing to finish the last two reps. No rest from one machine to the next. I plan to eventually add more sets, but don't have a set time/weight on doing that.

I'm following that by a round on the treadmill (time varies and I'm more using that to make sure I'm hitting my step goal rather than for intense cardio)

From what I've researched, and please correct me if I'm wrong and include sources, 12 reps seems to be in the sweet spot between 'high weight, low reps' (LR) and 'low weight, high reps' (HR). LR should help me preserve as much muscle mass as possible, yes? From what I've read, both options will help promote weight loss, but I'm more likely to lose primarily fat with LR vs HR.

Today, one of the trainers at the gym tried to convince me I should lower the weight and go HR, then went on to give his reasons and it was enough to have me second guessing myself. I came home, researched again and I'm still drawing the same conclusion as I had before. But, I am open to further explanation on exactly what LR entails. If I'm only doing one set.. should I back down so I can do more sets? Where is that optimal setting for my current goal?

I do know that anything I'm doing at this point is much better than what I was doing two months ago (which was zero exercise and binge eating), so I'm not overly concerned, but I do want to work towards being more fit, stronger, and, as previously stated, making sure I'm losing mostly fat and preserving as much muscle as possible.

Thanks in advance for any input!

serindipte

Bump for morning input

ElizabethKalmbach

It kind of depends on your total training volume. You're doing 12 reps per set, which is higher, but we don't know how many sets you're doing.

I generally do 5 sets of 5 reps with a minute to minute and a half rest in between, because I'm working on maintaining strength. The "sweet spot" between strength and hypertrophy I've always referenced has been 6-8 reps, with 8-12 being on the high end (especially with no rest between sets) geared toward building muscle volume, and requiring a lower weight than what can be performed with 5 reps and longer (1.5-3 minute) rests.

I kind of like this infographic for explaining the difference:

https://www.granitenutrition.com/workouts/2017/1/9/strength-vs-hypertrophy

Elijah8468

I'd say sweet spot is 6-8 reps. For strength gains just start an progressive overload on your lifts. Adding weight or reps every week.

MattHilburn

May I suggest mixing it up a little. Your body is great at adapting to what you do. If you do the same thing every time your body will not be responding like it did in the beginning. If 12 reps is your sweet spot then stay there for most of your workouts. But I would look at doing an occasional workout of 5-8 reps with a little heavier weights and an occasional workout with 15-18 reps lower weight.

cwolfman13

serindipte wrote: »

Bump for morning input

First off, your rep range isn't going to dictate faster or slower weight loss. Also, doing 1 set of 12 reps isn't really going to be hugely beneficial...I'd recommend moving to 3-4 sets and taking rest in between sets. The rest is where you recover in order to be able to perform the next set.

12 reps is on the high end of hypertrophy/physique work and moving into muscular endurance territory. LR is typically 1-5 reps at a high % of your max and is the optimal strength range. I would consider 8 reps to be the sweet spot for a combination of strength and physique.

As per the advice of my trainer, I don't really live in any one rep range...no need to "specialize" unless you want to or are looking to power lift or bodybuild. I usually have a day where all of my compounds are heavy LR...a day when my compounds are in the 8 rep range, and then a day with my trainer that is usually a mix of a lot of different rep ranges...like we might go heavy and LR on squats and deadlifts and moderate on bench or something and then high rep muscular endurance for some of the accessory work.

Cherimoose

If you ask 10 trainers, you'll get 10 different opinions. But the studies i've seen say that any strength training program prevents muscle loss during weight loss, regardless of reps used. So the "sweet spot" is that you're doing strength training as opposed to not doing it. For general fitness & strength, try to follow a proven, structured program, like one from this post.

serindipte

Thank you all for your responses! You've given me a lot to think about and some ideas to try.

DancingMoosie

I would like to add that as soon as you get comfortable with machines, you should try some free weights. Free weights and compound moves work more muscles at once and use the stabilizer muscles and core.