Not sure what kind of routine to adopt

Larrytheloungelizard
Larrytheloungelizard Posts: 8
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there lovely people!

I'm a 20 year old female from the UK. 6ft tall, 10st, measurements 33-26.5-40 (massive hip bones). I'm looking to improve my strength, firm up some and get some more muscle tone going on. I have strong legs but my upper body strength is practically nothing (enough to carry my 8 year old cousin or big sacks of dog food around, but not enough to do any serious weights). For the last years or so I've just been doing 1 rep of 50 on every machine in the gym at about the 50 or 60 mark for legs and 10 or 20 for upper body. I did nothing but run before that. I've slacked off recently because I'm in the last year at Uni and prepping for teacher training so I don't have a lot of time. I still do 50 body weight squats and 50 calf raises a day.

I really don't have a lot of strength at the moment (enough for my sedentary lifestyle, but I'm pretty weak in the gym). I struggle with 10lbs on a bar whilst doing squats. I'm on 4lb dumbbells, 3 sets of 20 curls and extensions. I've asked for advice on how to build up my strength in a few other places and people just say to go in with really heavy weights - the problem with that is that I literally just fall over like a turtle that can't right itself. I know there probably won't be a visual difference with smaller weights, but I just need a way into moving away from the weakness. I don't want to be a body builder, it'd just be nice to pick up the smallest bar in the place without staggering around like an idiot.

My diet is pretty good, fruit and vegetable based. I eat too many fruits in ratio to my vegetable intake which I'm working on. I eat lean protein like fish, chicken and turkey with my evening meal. I'm making the transition from white carbs (rice, bread, pasta) to whole grain. I only drink green tea and water. I do still eat junk food occasionally when I have essays due in and as I live at home I sometimes run out of my own shopping and eat what my parents are eating (lots of red meat and white carbs) but I'm trying to change that.

Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Since you want to gain strength and work on your muscles, I would try a program like SS(Starting Strength) where you start lifting light and eventually lift heavy as you gain strength. Also pick up the book, New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    If your eating a deficit your not going to look like a body builder. Eating at a maintenance/surplus you won't look like a body builder so I really wouldn't be concerned about it.

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