Weight lifting

Calamitycazza

I've been doing cardio for a while now, and now I've lost a fair amount of weight, I want to start toning my body. I lift with dumbbells and do crunches, squats etc (there is a lot more i do i just cant remember). I do 15 reps of each exercise and 3 sets as a circuit. Will this help me tone and should I drink protein drinks. I do at the moment, but is it actually benefiting me?

I can try and list the routine I do if it helps!!

elroberto78

It depends. At the 15th rep are your muscles fatigued to the point you can't do any more? If not you may be using a lighter weight than you need. Once you go above half a dozen reps the most important thing is how does the muscle being worked feel. Does it burn? Are you able to push out another rep? Does the muscle ache a little for the next 24-48 hours? If so then you've done the required amount of exercise to stimulate muscle growth (Don't worry, you're not going to turn into Schwarzenegger in drag!), you'll also receive a small boost to your metabolism for several hours after the workout so you'll burn more energy when recuperating and any additional muscle will also cause your base metabolic rate to increase. But yes, lifting the weights will help.

Personally, unless its on legs (which I only increase after I reach 15 reps) I would increase the weight you use on any exercise when you are able to go to 10-12 reps. If you cannot perform 6 reps at the new weight then drop back down a bit. And as you are doing 3 sets I would recommend you do the first set very light just to get blood flowing to that muscle area, the 2nd set at a moderate weight to get your mind/muscle connection going (as you are performing the movement concentrate on the feel of the muscle during the contraction) and then for the 3rd set with the muscles sufficiently warmed up do them as heavy as you can safely perform to the required rep range. Try and do them at a steady even pace on the way up and on the way down and really feel the muscles working. And don't just give up at an arbitrary number. Only give up when you are unable to perform another repetition of the exercise, not because the muscle is burning. And I would recommend either doing your weight training before your cardio or do them at separate times.

I hope that helps you.

Calamitycazza

Thank you, that is very helpful! I find that when I'm doing the, sometimes it aches, but im able to perform more, sometimes it really aches but I can squeeze in a few more, and sometimes it doesnt! But i find with pretty much most of them, I dont ache the next day!

Domineer

It depends. At the 15th rep are your muscles fatigued to the point you can't do any more? If not you may be using a lighter weight than you need. Once you go above half a dozen reps the most important thing is how does the muscle being worked feel. Does it burn? Are you able to push out another rep? Does the muscle ache a little for the next 24-48 hours? If so then you've done the required amount of exercise to stimulate muscle growth (Don't worry, you're not going to turn into Schwarzenegger in drag!), you'll also receive a small boost to your metabolism for several hours after the workout so you'll burn more energy when recuperating and any additional muscle will also cause your base metabolic rate to increase. But yes, lifting the weights will help.

Personally, unless its on legs (which I only increase after I reach 15 reps) I would increase the weight you use on any exercise when you are able to go to 10-12 reps. If you cannot perform 6 reps at the new weight then drop back down a bit. And as you are doing 3 sets I would recommend you do the first set very light just to get blood flowing to that muscle area, the 2nd set at a moderate weight to get your mind/muscle connection going (as you are performing the movement concentrate on the feel of the muscle during the contraction) and then for the 3rd set with the muscles sufficiently warmed up do them as heavy as you can safely perform to the required rep range. Try and do them at a steady even pace on the way up and on the way down and really feel the muscles working. And don't just give up at an arbitrary number. Only give up when you are unable to perform another repetition of the exercise, not because the muscle is burning. And I would recommend either doing your weight training before your cardio or do them at separate times.

I hope that helps you.

Great insight! I haven't began weight lifting yet but since I am 40lbs away from my true goal weight, I think its time. Thank you for this information

elroberto78

No probs. If you're lifting weights I find it best to focus on what you're doing. Learn how your muscle works through the movement (and make sure you're using proper form on the exercise, if you're not sure of this then Youtube has lots of form guides for most exercises) and get to understand how it responds. By going slow (4 seconds up, 4 seconds down) you'll involve progressively more muscle fibres with each rep and ensure it's weightlifting, not weight throwing)

And don't worry if you don't ache the next day, it may be a sign that you can recover quickly from the workouts.