More Strength Training as Approaching Goal Weight

bruceseverson

I recently began adding more strength training to my exercise regimen, since I am now within "shouting range" of my goal weight. :-) Started a circuit of upper and lower body, with relatively low weights and lots of reps (usually 3-5 sets of 20). I plan to increase the weight as I build up my strength. I am doing this 3 times a week for now, with at least 1 rest day in between. My cardio and aerobic I am doing about 4-5 days a week.

Just wondering if anyone else has had any experience doing this at this stage and can share any of their experience...


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christina_michelle

BUMP!

hush7hush

Definitely interested in your answer.

LJCannon

I just tried adding more Strength Training to my Curves Circuit last month. I will let you know what the measurements say next week.:happy:

DiggNationFan

Good luck with it! I haven't tried what you are doing. But from what I understand, low weight with lots of reps isn't as effective has higher weight, lower reps - unless it's just toning and exercise you're after. From what I understand you need to aim for a weight where you are comfortable doing approx 8-12 reps. Then after 3 sets being pretty tired out of training that muscle. But I suppose everybody does it differently and it can be varied.

buckyswider

that's an excellent strategy. In fact, for anyone starting out, I'd recommend you "bookend" your diet with strength training. For the first month, I did a high intensity weight circuit three days a week- about thirty minutes a pop, with no rest between exercises. There's a couple pieces of pop literature around on this- google "the fat burning furnace" and "the four hour body". They lay out the basics, but I discovered that it wasn't the be all and end all. I eventually plateaued with both weight loss and strength gain (i.e. adding more weight to the stacks), so then I started intense cardio 5x a week, with a brief lifting set 1x per week (1 rep focusing on each of the major muscle groups). I just passed my goal weight, and my intention is to go back to the 3x a week strenghth routine, but the weather is so nice all I've been doing is bicycling 6-7x per week. If it rains, then I'll go to the gym and hit the weights.

I'd definitely suggest some sort of body compositon study at this point, to see where your body fat percentage sits. (It's nice to have that baseline when you start, too). The best and easiest (but not cheapest) is probably the "bodpod". Not that strength training can really by the "wrong" thing at this point, but you definitely want to make sure you focus on the right things as you approach your goal,be it more fat loss or more muscle gain.

bruceseverson

Well, I met with my trainer today and weighed in after 2 weeks (missed last week due to the Memorial Day holiday). Lost 4.4 pounds and 3.5 inches, and finally broke the 200 pound mark! More importantly, I think, I have noticed some "reshaping" going on, with inches lost in my waist and neck, no more inches lost in my hips or chest or thighs. I went over my new strength training regimen with him, and he approved of what I am doing, with the addition of some other exercises for specific muscle groups that I have noticed weaknesses in. He suggested continuing with this until my strength and endurance increases, and then adding weight as I desire to increase muscle later. Sounds good to me! In the meantime, I am now only 21 pounds from my goal weight. :-)


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