weights and reps

carlotta

i am starting out in the weight, the machines are nautilus, and dont know how many reps and sets i should do. should i do the whole body work out with 1 set of 12-15 reps, then go back and do it all over again. kind of like in curves but without the running in between. or do i do 2/3 sets of reps? if i do the 2/3 sets, how long do i pause in between them? and should i do my treadmill BEFORE weights or after.

carlotta

i am starting out in the weight, the machines are nautilus, and dont know how many reps and sets i should do. should i do the whole body work out with 1 set of 12-15 reps, then go back and do it all over again. kind of like in curves but without the running in between. or do i do 2/3 sets of reps? if i do the 2/3 sets, how long do i pause in between them? and should i do my treadmill BEFORE weights or after.

yoginimary

Do a warm up, then weights first. You'll be fresh and able to push yourself further. Do a set of 8-12 reps. If you can make it to 12 without a complete struggle, go up in weight. Do 2 sets or more. You don't need to pause at all. I do the whole body because I only do it 2 times a week.

songbyrdsweet

It's a good idea to use more sets for larger muscle groups since there are more muscle cells and they take longer to fatigue. Perform 3 sets for chest, back, and legs. You only have to perform 2 sets to get the same results on your arms and shoulders. For 8-12 reps, 30-60 seconds of rest is appropriate, with longer rests for lower reps because you'll be using a heavier weight. If you want to go to the gym twice a week, go ahead and work the whole body both times. If you'd like to go three times per week, try dividing your workout into push exercises, pulling exercises, and then legs for your three different days. You can circuit train (like the stuff at Curves), but it makes more sense in terms of training to keep the reps higher and rests down to the time it takes to switch machines, ensuring that you aren't working an area two times in a row. It is more challenging cardiovascularly, but doesn't promote increases in bone density like heavy lifting does. All resistance training is good, so as long as you're doing it, you can take time to improve the form and function of your work outs.

firegirlred

Somewhere recently I heard that it takes two minutes for muscles to "reoxygenate." Many body builders swear by a 1 minute rest period between sets (max). I've also heard recently that studies show that waiting longer than a minute (up to two minutes) allows for a better workout.

With this information, I wait between 1 and 2 minutes to move on to the next set. Muscles are reoxygenated, and I still keep the tempo of the workout. Personal choice though.

The trainer I had 10 years ago would put me on the treadmill for 10 minutes, then have me workout weights/machines. The reasoning was that I was strength training, not losing weight. The body enters an anaerobic period after you work out for too long. The workout you do should reflect your goals.

10 minutes cardio followed by a weight workout = strength training

30-60 minutes cardio = weight loss

60 minutes or more cardio = endurance training

While the above is just ONE trainer's opinion, you should find what works for you.

One thing the trainer stressed was that each of the above workouts should be a single workout, and not combined.

But no matter what any of us say, consider trying different ways of doing things and deciding what works for you.

carlotta

thanks for all the info. seems to be a 'personal choice' thing. i really dont have much of a schedule for exercise, do it when i can. i can get in at least 30 minutes of cardio on the gym before i have to pick my children up from daycare. i guess i could do something like...m,tu,w,th cardio only and fri and sun weight training for right now. i could do sast as weights but i heard you should rest a day in between. although i see the same people everyday almost lifting weights (bulk).

OomarianneoO

Somewhere recently I heard that it takes two minutes for muscles to "reoxygenate." Many body builders swear by a 1 minute rest period between sets (max). I've also heard recently that studies show that waiting longer than a minute (up to two minutes) allows for a better workout.

With this information, I wait between 1 and 2 minutes to move on to the next set. Muscles are reoxygenated, and I still keep the tempo of the workout. Personal choice though.

The trainer I had 10 years ago would put me on the treadmill for 10 minutes, then have me workout weights/machines. The reasoning was that I was strength training, not losing weight. The body enters an anaerobic period after you work out for too long. The workout you do should reflect your goals.

10 minutes cardio followed by a weight workout = strength training

30-60 minutes cardio = weight loss

60 minutes or more cardio = endurance training

While the above is just ONE trainer's opinion, you should find what works for you.

One thing the trainer stressed was that each of the above workouts should be a single workout, and not combined.

But no matter what any of us say, consider trying different ways of doing things and deciding what works for you.

Oooh, this is great information. Thanks!

songbyrdsweet

thanks for all the info. seems to be a 'personal choice' thing. i really dont have much of a schedule for exercise, do it when i can. i can get in at least 30 minutes of cardio on the gym before i have to pick my children up from daycare. i guess i could do something like...m,tu,w,th cardio only and fri and sun weight training for right now. i could do sast as weights but i heard you should rest a day in between. although i see the same people everyday almost lifting weights (bulk).

Lifting everyday isn't synonymous with 'bulk'. I lift up to 6 days a week and I'm not 'bulky' unless I have too much body fat. The people you see lifting daily are working different muscles on each day. If they're not, they have no idea what they're doing, and you shouldn't pay attention to them. If you're doing two full-body days, take a couple days of rest between them to allow yourself to recover. It takes a specific type of training and a caloric excess to gain muscle mass, plus a TON of time, especially for a woman. Don't be afraid of hitting the weights several times a week once you've become conditioned.