WOMEN - Strength Training - How often?

remaho80

Hey there! I'm new to MFP and I'm looking for some fitness tips. I joined MFP last month and for the past 4 weeks, I've used the elliptical 5 days a week for 30-60 minutes. I know I need to add some strength training stuff in there, but I'm not sure how often I should be doing it. Five days like the elliptical, but with different muscle groups each day? How do you fit it in?

nokittyno

I am not an expert, so we'll let other people chime in here, lol,

But I do strength usually 2-3 times a week, with cardio. I have read numerous times to do cardio after weights, as it seems to prevent full benefits and such.. So I follow that; however, when its leg day - I do cardio first, because in no way can I run after doing sets of squats, hack squats, calf raises, etc.

I basically split mine into two categories: Leg Day, Upper Body day. Some people do like a 5 day split, say.. Bic, Tris and Back, then Shoulders etc etc and so it goes. I do what works for me, and that's a two day split. I never work the same bodypart the next day this way and get adequate recovery.

But everyone's different.. I had to tinker for a long time to find out what worked for me..

lynnie_1

I would like to know as well. I am currently running on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day and have been lifting weights after but not sure how much I should be doing!

kathrynthomas5

I find with weights it's best to have a day in between to let your muscles recover. Maybe 3 times per week. It's also good to change your weights routine after 4 to 6 weeks as your muscles don't respond as well after long periods of the same exercise.

UpToAnyCool

bump

nokittyno

I am not an expert, so we'll let other people chime in here, lol,

But I do strength usually 2-3 times a week, with cardio. I have read numerous times to do cardio after weights, as it seems to prevent full benefits and such.. So I follow that; however, when its leg day - I do cardio first, because in no way can I run after doing sets of squats, hack squats, calf raises, etc.

I basically split mine into two categories: Leg Day, Upper Body day. Some people do like a 5 day split, say.. Bic, Tris and Back, then Shoulders etc etc and so it goes. I do what works for me, and that's a two day split. I never work the same bodypart the next day this way and get adequate recovery.

But everyone's different.. I had to tinker for a long time to find out what worked for me..

Also I should mention one of my favorite sites is, http://forum.bodybuilding.com/?welcome=true I am not a BodyBuilder or anything but you can find almost any bit and piece of information about strength training, equipment, what it does - how to do it, lots of info, I recommend it to everyone. If I hadn't found that I would of invested in some cheap Alex Bench and Gym combo, but I ended up buying a Power Rack, Dumbbells and a bench. It's actually an addicting site.. I alternate everyday between it and MFP. Lol

HolleeERL

I do an upper body strength workout after my 30-45 min run usually every other day. If I work upper body one day, I'll do legs the next giving each muscle set at least one day to rest and repair.

Kaldrmjolka

I usually do strength training 3-4 times a week for 15 minutes on the Wii. (after using the elliptical)
I switch from cardio to focusing on upper and lower body. When I'm doing cardio I add in weights so I'm not just swinging my arms around.

srp2011

I take a weightlifting class that works all parts of the body, and I go 2-3 times a week. Sometimes I'll do cardio on those days, sometimes not, because it's an hour-long class and sometimes wipes me out. You definitely don't want to work the same muscle groups with weights 2 days in a row, they need time to recover, so if you do want to do weights every day along with the cardio, alternate muscle groups as someone else suggested. Or do full body on alternating days, with no-weight days in between.

Samerah12

Well hey there neighbor! (I'm down in Moscow)

I just signed up for a runners strength training class and she wants us to do 4 days a week. Monday lower body, Tuesday upper, Thursday lower, Friday upper.

Previously I was doing whole body strength once a week and then a bunch of cardio the rest of the week and I was pretty happy with that.

Hope that helps!

purroxide

Strength training is a really important part of your exercise routine. Here's some information that my personal trainer emailed to me:

"For every kilo of muscle, your body must burn at least 50 – 70 calories extra per day, just to keep that kilo of muscle alive. We're not talking about big, bulky muscles here - it's the lean muscle mass that gives you shape and tone."

He incorporates weight training into my hour-long circuit training every time I go to the gym, but 3 times a week is what's recommended and you only have to do 15 minutes of actual weight training for it count but make sure your heart rate is up and your body is warm first or you can do some serious injuries, the same goes for stretching afterwards.

Grab yourself a couple of low weights to begin with (I started with 2kg but not everyone uses kilograms as their standard unit of measurement) and just google basic weight training. Most of the time I'll do 50 shoulder presses, 100 jabs (50 each hand) which is like punching a boxing bag, 50 bicep curls and 50 V's which is where you start with your weights by your legs and keeping your arms straight, you raise them out in a V in front of you with your wrists facing the ground.

My trainer mixes it up of course, but these are the ones I do at home when I don't have a session

nwestemeier

You should do your cardio always after weights even when its leg day otherwise your won't get your full potential from strength training. Also you should do weights 3-4 days a week. If you keep your heart rate up by doing circuit training you can burn as many calories if not more then cardio alone. Muscles burns more fat calories, so if you really want to lose weight and keep it off push your weights more than cardio. Always give your muscle group a days rest.

nokittyno

You should do your cardio always after weights even when its leg day otherwise your won't get your full potential from strength training. Also you should do weights 3-4 days a week. If you keep your heart rate up by doing circuit training you can burn as many calories if not more then cardio alone. Muscles burns more fat calories, so if you really want to lose weight and keep it off push your weights more than cardio. Always give your muscle group a days rest.

I agree, but I pull out the same reps at the same with doing cardio before/after. Actually, I seem to do better on leg days doing after cardio, usually super pumped and warmed up. SO, contrary to what I do - do cardio after(lmao, I'm just different..)

nokittyno

Also, random moment.

Almost 90% of the time I post something on a forum thread, I am the LAST TO REPLY, as they seem to die off. It is a strange occurrence,.. Me killing threads. Lmao. Oh well.. Thought id share to no one in particular.

Febgirl

I'm in no way an expert but I do some sort of strength training every time I work out. As long as it's not the same muscles each day then I don't think there is any disbenefit, and the benefits are well worth it.

nokittyno

I'm in no way an expert but I do some sort of strength training every time I work out. As long as it's not the same muscles each day then I don't think there is any disbenefit, and the benefits are well worth it.

Phew..

Also to note, even if you don't do alot of strength body weight condition is good too. Say doing Push ups, because it works your back shoulders and arms, or Pull ups or chin ups, those are great exercises too. Even body weight squats, lunges, etc - but the problem with bodyweight alone is your body will probably condition itself to the movement, so that's when weights usually become more vital as you could push out say endless Pull ups(I couldn't luckily and then would need the addition of a dumbbell or weight plate to add resistance.

My 2 cents. ..again ..

AshleyR84

If you are trying to lose weight (not build muscle mass), ideally you should target each muscle group 2-3 times per week. Every other day - you should have a rest day inbetween to recover. A total body workout can be done in 20-30 minutes. Think about doing exerises that target multiple muscle groups at one time - ie squats and lungs for the legs, push ups for the chest, rows for the back, shoulder presses and pulldowns for the arms. Doing "complex" exercises like these work the largest muscle groups but you will also work the smaller ones at the same time. Don't waste your time doing sets of bicep curls! If you use a gym and are scared to do these kinds of exercises on your own, try using the resistance machines for the same exercises. 2 sets of 8-12 repetitions is a good way to start, but you've got to feel a burn!

You should always get a warm-up before strength training. 5-10 minutes of moderate work on a cardio machine will do the trick, or a few minutes of jumping jacks, mountain climbers and other drills will work as well. It's best to save your full cardio workout for after using the weights/machines though - doing cardio first burns up all the energy stored in your muscles and weakens them. You might find that by the time you do the weights/machines, you're feeling pretty tired and may not be able to do the weight or as many repetitions as you could/should.

If your goal is to build muscle mass, then a spit routine is what you need. Building muscle requires lifting heavy weights (3 or more sets, maxing out at 5-6 repetitions) and the muscles worked need more than one day of recovery. This also means that you are lifting weights 4-6 days a week, always working a different muscle group. Each muscle group only gets targeted 1 to max of 2 times a week.

It really depends on your goals, but I would say for most of the population, a total body strength training workout should be done with moderate weights 2-3 times per week.

Hope this helps!

chevy88grl

Due to a bulging disc in my spine, I only go to the gym (or workout) 3 days a week. Since I can't handle anything more right now, I do cardio AND strength training all 3 days. I can only do machines, so each day I pick 3 different machines and I do those 3 that day along with cardio. Next time I go, I pick 3 different ones than the other day. I usually try and do one day of Tae Bo too.

I do make sure I give my muscles one day to rest in between workouts - they need time to heal and repair.

erinhale

I do an upper body strength workout after my 30-45 min run usually every other day. If I work upper body one day, I'll do legs the next giving each muscle set at least one day to rest and repair.

The wii is a game, not an exercise. I am a professional and if you want weightloss, then 3-4 times a week is ideal. And don't use the machines, use you free weightsd and your self. Yu should check out my blog because I go over this in super detail.

Samerah12

The wii is a game, not an exercise.

Ah, psh. My mom lost 45 lbs (off a 5'2" frame, she's down to the 130's now) with Wii exercises, mostly zumba. My stepdad's lost a similar amount (though he's like 6'1") and EA sports is about the only exercise he gets. It really works for some people. There isn't only one correct way to exercise and something is always better than nothing.

remaho80

And don't use the machines, use you free weightsd and your self.

This is good to know, because I can't really afford a gym membership right now! I'll check out your blog when I get a chance.

Thank you everyone!

I use the Xbox 360 Kinect Your Shape game/workout and it's great. I mostly use it for toning (squats, lunges, etc.) and it has some good cardio stuff too. My elliptical is first choice, but Your Shape is a decent alternative. Not as much calorie burn, but still something.

namrettik

I'm trying to start Strong Lifts 5x5, and it calls for strength training three times a week on alternating days. Cardio isn't necessary, but if it's done, do it after strength training or on your days off.

ColoradoRobin

Exercises that target multiple muscle groups are great, such as squats, lunges, planks and push ups. If you have trouble with normal push ups, try doing them leaning against a wall or counter. As you get stronger, move to a lower counter or table, and finally to the floor. Push ups from the knees don't work your core muscles as well, and in my own experience they didn't make me much better at normal push ups. Resistance bands can be an inexpensive way to add resistance to your exercises. The New Rules of Lifting for Women is an inexpensive book on the subject. I also have Weight Training for Dummies, which is very comprehensive.