Weight Training

kenziberry

Does anyone have any suggestions for good weight training programs for women. Really looking to get some more muscle and tone and definition.

does anyone have any good workout routines that i can start getting into.....maybe like a monday, wednesday, friday routine

I will do cardio tuesday and thursdays

Any suggestions are welcome....thanks

nena49659

I looked up weight training routines online. If I were on my home computer, I could tell you the website I use. If you like, you can send me a friend request and I can let you know this evening.

FrnkLft

Googling a routine is the worst thing you can do. You'll just find something to waste your time with.

There is no such thing as a routine "for women", that's just marketing. Besides, you need a program, not a routine. Check out Stronglifts 5x5 (free online) or Starting Strength (great book).

They both focus on the big compound movements that are the basis of any serious program, they are simple as hell, and you will hit your goals and get stronger. Your "tone" will come with building muscle (you're a woman, you won't get bulky even if you try), and your "definition" will come with your diet and loosing the fat around those muscles (google search "bodyfat %").

A great book that you should read with details on dieting and lifting for women is, New Rules of Lifting for Women.

Check out those programs and choose one. Pickup "New Rules..." if you want to learn more. You WILL thank me later

Also, feel free to hit me up with any questions you have.

mheebner

^^^ THIS ^^^^

Great advice !

nena49659

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

FrnkLft

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

Even program has multiple meanings, but I was trying to make a point by distinguishing between the two.

Cherimoose

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

I think what they mean is the typical "routine" online simply lists a bunch of exercises, often haphazardly combined, whereas a good program selects & combines exercises based on sound principles intended to minimize problems. Plus it elaborates on details like how to choose a starting weight, proper form, when & how to modify the exercises, and lots of other details.

OP - I don't think you can go wrong with NROLFW, I think many women will find it more interesting than Starting Strength, since it has more variety.

nena49659

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

I think what they mean is the typical "routine" online simply lists a bunch of exercises, often haphazardly combined, whereas a good program selects & combines exercises based on sound principles intended to minimize problems. Plus it elaborates on details like how to choose a starting weight, proper form, when & how to modify the exercises, and lots of other details.

OP - I don't think you can go wrong with NROLFW, I think many women will find it more interesting than Starting Strength, since it has more variety.

Ok.

Sorry to FrnkLft. I guess I am being a bit touchy lately. I thought you were just nit picking.

But, really. I do feel like I found a good program online. I kept asking around IRL and on MFP and wasn't really getting any helpful answers. So, I hunted something down online. I had to make some adjustments since I don't really have any way to do a couple things (like pull-ups).

mbergen3

My mother got me a book that seems to be a pretty good one. It's called strong women stay young by Miriam Nelson - it is mostly exercises with light free weights 10 lbs and under and ankle weights. It has a good basic routines - my mother has her book strong women strong bones - focusing on exercises that help bone density.

whierd

There are several that are good and will be beneficial to you.

Starting Strength (Also a great resource for general lifting knowledge)
New Rules of Lifting
Stronglifts 5x5
5/3/1

Or for bodyweight strength training

Convict Conditioning
Nerd Fitness

whierd

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

I think what they mean is the typical "routine" online simply lists a bunch of exercises, often haphazardly combined, whereas a good program selects & combines exercises based on sound principles intended to minimize problems. Plus it elaborates on details like how to choose a starting weight, proper form, when & how to modify the exercises, and lots of other details.

OP - I don't think you can go wrong with NROLFW, I think many women will find it more interesting than Starting Strength, since it has more variety.

Ok.

Sorry to FrnkLft. I guess I am being a bit touchy lately. I thought you were just nit picking.

But, really. I do feel like I found a good program online. I kept asking around IRL and on MFP and wasn't really getting any helpful answers. So, I hunted something down online. I had to make some adjustments since I don't really have any way to do a couple things (like pull-ups).

I find it hard to believe that you didn't get any helpful answers if you asked on MFP. Do you have a link to the original thread?

astrampe

My mother got me a book that seems to be a pretty good one. It's called strong women stay young by Miriam Nelson - it is mostly exercises with light free weights 10 lbs and under and ankle weights. It has a good basic routines - my mother has her book strong women strong bones - focusing on exercises that help bone density.

Light free weights 10lbs and under is not weight training.....

teaparty75

i used :Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body by Micheal Mathews ....it details a 12 week program - i'm on week 7 and loving it ....compound lifts really get your waistline together !!

nena49659

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

I think what they mean is the typical "routine" online simply lists a bunch of exercises, often haphazardly combined, whereas a good program selects & combines exercises based on sound principles intended to minimize problems. Plus it elaborates on details like how to choose a starting weight, proper form, when & how to modify the exercises, and lots of other details.

OP - I don't think you can go wrong with NROLFW, I think many women will find it more interesting than Starting Strength, since it has more variety.

Ok.

Sorry to FrnkLft. I guess I am being a bit touchy lately. I thought you were just nit picking.

But, really. I do feel like I found a good program online. I kept asking around IRL and on MFP and wasn't really getting any helpful answers. So, I hunted something down online. I had to make some adjustments since I don't really have any way to do a couple things (like pull-ups).

I find it hard to believe that you didn't get any helpful answers if you asked on MFP. Do you have a link to the original thread?

Really? No. And, I'm not going to look it up for you.

nena49659

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

This is the workout that I have tried. If anyone has an opinion as to whether or not it's any good, I'd like to hear it.

whierd

rou·tine
/ro͞oˈtēn/
noun
noun: routine; plural noun: routines1. a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program.

I think what they mean is the typical "routine" online simply lists a bunch of exercises, often haphazardly combined, whereas a good program selects & combines exercises based on sound principles intended to minimize problems. Plus it elaborates on details like how to choose a starting weight, proper form, when & how to modify the exercises, and lots of other details.

OP - I don't think you can go wrong with NROLFW, I think many women will find it more interesting than Starting Strength, since it has more variety.

Ok.

Sorry to FrnkLft. I guess I am being a bit touchy lately. I thought you were just nit picking.

But, really. I do feel like I found a good program online. I kept asking around IRL and on MFP and wasn't really getting any helpful answers. So, I hunted something down online. I had to make some adjustments since I don't really have any way to do a couple things (like pull-ups).

I find it hard to believe that you didn't get any helpful answers if you asked on MFP. Do you have a link to the original thread?

Really? No. And, I'm not going to look it up for you.

Really what? No need to get testy.

whierd

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

This is the workout that I have tried. If anyone has an opinion as to whether or not it's any good, I'd like to hear it.

I just skimmed it and overall it doesn't look too bad. I did disagree with a bit of the information there, such as the GI part, but overall it seems like a fairly good website.

nena49659

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

This is the workout that I have tried. If anyone has an opinion as to whether or not it's any good, I'd like to hear it.

I just skimmed it and overall it doesn't look too bad. I did disagree with a bit of the information there, such as the GI part, but overall it seems like a fairly good website.

You're right about the testy part. Sorry. Everyone here just seems to always question what I say. In my instance, I asked questions and didn't get an answer that I found helpful. So, I just did some looking around on my own.

Thanks for looking at it and giving me your opinion. I see your posts around quite a bit. You always seem to try to be helpful. I just sometimes get a little rankled (or, as MFP folks are fond of saying, butt hurt) about the delivery. I'll try to be a little less thin skinned.

iNkedFiTmama

I started chalean extreme back in June and its been amazing. I love love love lifting.

astronomicals

Picking one of the more common programs/routines gives you progression that is proven to work. Lots of programs/routines look good on the cover, but, they advance too quickly and run you right into a stall. There is a lot of thought that goes into increasing the weight you work with, in a well planned program/routine. That is why you dont just pick whatever looks good. You dont want too much volume (too many sets) and you dont want too little. You want to challenge yourself, but, you dont want to challenge yourself too much. A good profgram/routine will have you consistently making progress. A bad program/routine will run you into a wall and you'll have no choice but to back up or spin your wheels. Even a good program will run you into a wall evertually, but, you want to stave off that event as long as possible.

Serah87

New Rules of Lifting for Women, great book on lifting.

PixieAdele

I will do cardio tuesday and thursdays

In a lifting routine/program whatever you want to call it, your rest days should be rest days. If you have time do HIIT cardio after your weights session.

Cherimoose

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

This is the workout that I have tried. If anyone has an opinion as to whether or not it's any good, I'd like to hear it.

Some of the exercises i like, some i don't like so much. For starters, they include too many isolation exercises (only 1 joint moves), which aren't as effective as compound exercises (multiple joints move). For example the tricep extensions, bicep curls, leg curls, etc. - those are all redundant since those muscles are worked on the other exercises.
All in all, it's an old-school workout like something from a 1970s bodybuilding book.
And i won't get into the supplements they push, but they're completely unnecessary.

Check out New Rules of Lifting for Life. It's written for folks in your age bracket (but it's great for anyone).. I like its emphasis on increasing performance for outside the gym, not just building pretty-looking muscles.

JoRocka

OMG this isn't rocket science.

New Rules of Lifting for women
Starting Strenght
Strong lifts 5 x 5

google those.

learn how to do the following compound moves
squat
dead lift
bench
over head press
>include rows/pull ups/push ups to round it out.

that's ALL you need to know for right now. Seriously.

Google away- learn how to do them. this shouldn't be pushing up to 2 pages. There is so much information out there.

Learn
Lift
Go Forth-Be fabulous

FrnkLft

@JoRocka, That's exactly right. Just choose from one of them and you will be golden. And you can seriously listen to her... I mean this in the most respectful and genuine way possible, she has very, very nice curves, and a great behind. The kind of thing that every woman on this site talks about when they ask for "butt workouts". And she doesn't do "Brasilian Butt Lift Turbo 30 Minute Shred" crap. So listen, and listen good lol

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

This is the workout that I have tried. If anyone has an opinion as to whether or not it's any good, I'd like to hear it.

Simply Shredded is an interesting site. I've gone to it for a couple of articles, but there seems to be a fitness trend regarding routines for women, that have them doing all kinds of extra stuff... just because. This routine is actually pretty good though, it hits on the staple lifts, but honestly it still seems to be just a lot more complicated than it needs to be. I'm not a fan of "stages" or "periods", I prefer to just have a simple cycle with strength increases programmed in.

i used :Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body by Micheal Mathews ....it details a 12 week program - i'm on week 7 and loving it ....compound lifts really get your waistline together !!

Mike Matthews! This is where I started. That's a good book, similar to NROLFW, and his routines are fairly well laid out. I started on his book for guys, Bigger Leaner Stronger, and it was a good book to get me introduced to lifting. The key problem is that he has you hitting everything only once a week, and there is no planned incrementing with your big lifts. There's no reason that someone should be hitting everything only once a week, if you're not on steroids. It's fine, but you're leaving gains on the table... 50% more gains lol And incrementing only when you "feel like it" is fine as well, but it gives you too much room to waste time instead of getting to business and lifting heavier.

Also, in the book he suggests the 4-6 rep range for literally everything, including (I think) isolation. Keep the isolation in the 8-12 rep range, and your joints and tendons will thank me later. Isolation has a limited place in the gym, and shouldn't be used for strength, leave that to the compound lifts.

tawanda6329

I do the following 3 days per week (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday). I normally alternate them but I think I'm going to start combining them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn5yIqFeGlU&list=WLR7kcFbWP-IRn7y1LuNBTyofM7Z0eRylh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WptYxonF1I&list=WLR7kcFbWP-IRn7y1LuNBTyofM7Z0eRylh

teaparty75

@JoRocka, That's exactly right. Just choose from one of them and you will be golden. And you can seriously listen to her... I mean this in the most respectful and genuine way possible, she has very, very nice curves, and a great behind. The kind of thing that every woman on this site talks about when they ask for "butt workouts". And she doesn't do "Brasilian Butt Lift Turbo 30 Minute Shred" crap. So listen, and listen good lol

http://www.simplyshredded.com/the-ultimate-female-training-guide.html

This is the workout that I have tried. If anyone has an opinion as to whether or not it's any good, I'd like to hear it.

Simply Shredded is an interesting site. I've gone to it for a couple of articles, but there seems to be a fitness trend regarding routines for women, that have them doing all kinds of extra stuff... just because. This routine is actually pretty good though, it hits on the staple lifts, but honestly it still seems to be just a lot more complicated than it needs to be. I'm not a fan of "stages" or "periods", I prefer to just have a simple cycle with strength increases programmed in.

i used :Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body by Micheal Mathews ....it details a 12 week program - i'm on week 7 and loving it ....compound lifts really get your waistline together !!

Mike Matthews! This is where I started. That's a good book, similar to NROLFW, and his routines are fairly well laid out. I started on his book for guys, Bigger Leaner Stronger, and it was a good book to get me introduced to lifting. The key problem is that he has you hitting everything only once a week, and there is no planned incrementing with your big lifts. There's no reason that someone should be hitting everything only once a week, if you're not on steroids. It's fine, but you're leaving gains on the table... 50% more gains lol And incrementing only when you "feel like it" is fine as well, but it gives you too much room to waste time instead of getting to business and lifting heavier.

Also, in the book he suggests the 4-6 rep range for literally everything, including (I think) isolation. Keep the isolation in the 8-12 rep range, and your joints and tendons will thank me later. Isolation has a limited place in the gym, and shouldn't be used for strength, leave that to the compound lifts.

i wondered about the fact that you hit each muscle group only once week - wondered if it was enough .....i'm going to complete the 12 weeks and develop the "habit" but how would you tweak his schedule ???

contingencyplan

There is no such thing as a routine "FOR WOMEN." The idea that women need to train using completely different methods than men is one of the worst fitness myths being perpetuated today.

Starting Strength
New Rules of Lifting for Women
Stronglifts 5x5

mustgetmuscles1

Strong Curves is great book. Just came out this year and the programs and nutrition information is all current. It has a bunch of different programs to fit your needs.

This is just another option but you cant go wrong with SL5x5, Starting Strength or New Rules.

WhataBroad

I will do cardio tuesday and thursdays

In a lifting routine/program whatever you want to call it, your rest days should be rest days. If you have time do HIIT cardio after your weights session.

agree with this to a degree, HIIT after lifting is boss. You can do cardio on rest days but it's a good idea to keep it low impact; walking, swimming, biking

New Rules of Lifting is where I started... loved it. Get the physical book tho, not an ebook Strong Curves is my current love

Star_1234

bump