New to Strenth/weight training

jabbajuice
jabbajuice Posts: 17
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys!

So I've been doing some strength training for the past two and half weeks but I kind of just went with it and I'm not too sure if I'm doing it right, even with some research and googling that I've done. I also took out cardio from my routine just because it kind of bores me. I basically just do a full-body strength workout I found on 'FitnessBlender' on youtube three days a week or sometimes I will do an arms/legs workout depending on what I feel like doing haha. Right now, I've only been using 5 ibs but I just recently started reading that a people recommend doing heavier weights and less reps so I'm a little confuse because I see a little bit of both. So I was wondering if I should be using heavier weights and whether I should be doing the same routine (which is still challenging for me) those 3 days a day or if I should be doing different muscle groups, and just ANY other advice you might have for me! Thank you!!

Replies

  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
    recently started reading that a people recommend doing heavier weights and less reps so I'm a little confuse because I see a little bit of both. So I was wondering if I should be using heavier weights and whether I should be doing the same routine (which is still challenging for me) those 3 days a day or if I should be doing different muscle groups, and just ANY other advice you might have for me! Thank you!!

    If you're interested in building strength, keep the reps low. Around 5 reps is a good starting point. A lot of good beginner programs recommend 3 sets of 5 reps per exercise. As you get more fit you can go to 5 sets of 5 reps. Later, when you're advanced, you can fiddle with all kinds of variables. But keep it simple to start. Heavy weight, low reps, increase the weight as often as you can (ie every workout at the beginning).

    I think you're on the right path with the 3 full body workouts. It's more efficient and more effective. Isolating individual muscle groups in a workout is kind of silly for most folks. There aren't very many sports or basic human activities that come to mind that require a single muscle group in isolation. Functional, full body movements are the way to go in my opinion.
  • Chickee8586
    Chickee8586 Posts: 155 Member
    A good starting book is New Rules of Lifting for Women. It's a progressive program that lasts 6+ months. After that, you could start over and just be at a higher weight for the training, or move on to another program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts. New Rules has a group on here, you could check it out and ask more questions before making a decision on it.

    There are a number of programs (some apps for phones as well) you can use. Some are available on the web, others you would need a book (like New Rules).

    As for the cardio, it's not absolutely necessary, but I put in a 5 minute cardio burst between some sets of weights.

    I prefer full body workouts myself. My off days are about 30 minutes of cardio.

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