Lift Weights to Lose Weight

LessthanKris

I just finished my last workout of Jillian Michael's Body Revolution today. I am going to do another round in January but am looking on making a workout schedule for the weeks until then. I have an old Kathy Smith DVD called LIft Weights to Lose Weight. It has 2-20 minute workouts, one for upper and one for lower body and a seven minute ab workout. On the intro, she says to give your muscles at least 36 hours rest between workouts. There are two levels to each workout, one with lighter weights and more reps as well as pulsing, and one with heavier weights and a recovery period.

It is an old DVD so I am thinking no one is probably using it anymore but I have a few questions that maybe someone could help me out with. First, is 20 minutes for upper or and 20 minutes for lower body twice a week enough to make an impact or should I do 40 minutes three times a week? Also, I have other Jillian DVDs I was going to use (30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30) and since she does short circuits I was wondering if that would be okay or should I really be resting those muscles completely and just focus on cardio?

So Schedule One would look like:

Monday- Upper Body 20 minutes
Tuesday-Lower Body 20 minutes
Wednesday-Run
Thursday-Upper Body 20 minutes
Friday-Lower Body 20 minutes
Saturday-Run or Cardio DVD

Schedule 2:

Monday- Upper and Lower 40 minutes
Tuesday- JM DVD
Wednedsay-Run
Thursday-Upper and Lower 40 minutes
Friday-Run or Cardio DVD
Saturday-Upper and Lower 40 minutes


I like the shorter workouts because I have to get it in during naptime and have time to take a shower. I think I could squeeze the extra 10 minutes in if need be though. Sorry so long but any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

WalkingAlong

I would just do the Kathy Smith program as directed, adding in all the cardio you want but not more weight session. Kathy knows what she's doing. That is an old DVD and I think since then the thinking is that maybe 48 hours is enough rest, so maybe change that part if you want. But I wouldn't start adding in JM or doing the KS ones double (40 mins.) It probably won't hurt you but muscles improve in the rest time so it may not help you, either.

If you feel that the DVD isn't challenging enough at its original 20 mins., I think you'd gain more by using heavier weights than by doing it twice through.

LessthanKris

Oh the 40 minutes would be the one upper and one lower body workout not doing the upper body twice in a row. I will probably just find something else other than JM since she does use weights though.

WalkingAlong

Oh, I see. I think you'd be fine with either of your plans, now that I look at them. I know nothing about the JM DVDs, though. If they really work your muscles, I'd skip them for now and focus on KS and cardio.