Strength training help

hayleyrue

I am a 21 year old women and I have been lifting weights since Junior highschool so I am no beginner. I have tried both high weights w/ low reps and low weights w/ high reps. I just started going back to the gym and have seen some results, but I am wondering if maybe I need to change up my routine. How can I be sure I am doing the right things? I switch off and on cardio days and weight lifting days every other day.. also making sure I do some cardio on days that I lift weights. I am just curious as to what every one elses routines are and what has worked for them.

firstsip

Low reps at high, progressive weights. Not overdoing cardio the same day as lifting.

Be mindful of your thinking of "I'm not a beginner." I lifted weights back in middle school and high school for track, and everything form stretching techniques to "recommended" routines was pretty much incorrectly taught to all of us on the teams, and that was only about a decade ago.

Being more serious about weights now, what I know now compared to even three months ago (and I've been lifting seriously for over a year now) is huge. People go through lifting weights for years before figuring out, "Wait, I was doing this wrong" or "I was taught wrong" or "OH, now I get it."

hayleyrue

Low reps at high, progressive weights. Not overdoing cardio the same day as lifting.

Be mindful of your thinking of "I'm not a beginner." I lifted weights back in middle school and high school for track, and everything form stretching techniques to "recommended" routines was pretty much incorrectly taught to all of us on the teams, and that was only about a decade ago.

Being more serious about weights now, what I know now compared to even three months ago (and I've been lifting seriously for over a year now) is huge. People go through lifting weights for years before figuring out, "Wait, I was doing this wrong" or "I was taught wrong" or "OH, now I get it."

I know what you mean. I've always thought I knew what I was doing, but I'm starting to think I was taught wrong. I just don't know what to change to get the best results.

Stage14

I would recommend following a progressive full-body lifting program. I know you aren't a true beginner, but try out something like Strong Lifts 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting for Women. It will give you a set of good compound moves and make sure you're progressing regularly.

Also be careful that you aren't doing too much cardio and that you're giving your body rest days to repair itself. Personally, I find I prefer to do my cardio after lifting on the same day most of the time, but I only do 30ish minutes of cardio at any given time, and even if I'm doing it on "rest days" from lifting, I never do it on two rest days in a row. That's what works best for my body to keep my workouts effective. You have to figure out what works for yours, but make sure to listen to it.

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

In general less reps with more weight, eating enough protein and calories, not doing aerobics or stretching excessively before strength training and mixing up the type of exercise you do for the muscle group can all be solutions for common problems people have trying to strength train. However, its very hard to know what may be an issue without knowing exactly what you are doing, frequency, what you are eating, exercises with set and rep #'s, seeing you exercise, etc... a personal trainer visit may be in order.

MrGonzo05

I am a 21 year old women and I have been lifting weights since Junior highschool so I am no beginner.

A more reliable gauge for strength is how much weight you can lift with the standard powerlifting movements. Squat, bench press,and dead lift. You can lift for your entire life and still be a novice, in terms of strength.

I am just curious as to what every one elses routines are and what has worked for them.

I'm doing ICF Novice 5x5. It has been effective for me.

Unless you're sure you are ready for a more advanced program, follow a good novice program. A program that is too advanced for you will slow your progress.