"Toning" aka fear of lifting heavy

SithZombie

I really want to start lifting heavy but I've got no clue what to do! I look at bodybuilding.com for dumbbell and body weight routines though!

hcoburn37

Honestly, I only do cardio workouts and crunches. The thought of weight lifting scares me. I have no upper body strength whats so ever. Anybody got advice how to start? I really like reading about the results you all had, I have hit a plateau doing only cardio.

SergeantSunshine_reused

I love to see all the ladies saying their waists shrunk while lifting heavy. IMO perhaps the best ab exercises are heavy squats and deads. You get more work stabilizing than you'd ever imagine.

YES! I am starting to get some ab definition and my only ab workouts are squats and deads anymore

MB_Positif

love love love lifting heavy! it has really taken me to the next level in getting the body I am after!

harrietlg

how did you know i had pink dumbbells.....

i totally agree i've been lifting weights for the past 2 weeks and though there has been no difference on the scales theres been a massive difference in my body!!!

Yanicka1

Low weights, high Reps if you go heavy weights low Reps. Tone maybe try Zumba

Low weight, high rep = waste of time
Zumba = good for cardio health but has nothing to do with toning
Low rep heavy weight = not a waste of time and results

jjblogs

HEY, I like my pink dumbells! hehe..j/k. I do like them, but only for certain kind of workouts (5's & 8's coming in handy for the 30ds). I lift moderately heavy at the gym, but am going to start really getting after it in about 2 weeks. I've been reading NRFLFW. Gotta get my head around all that before I take the big plunge.

Beeps2011

Being nervous about 'starting' cannot be enough of a reason to NOT improve your strength!

New Rules of Lifting for Women is popular (all over these boards) - check out the mfp groups "NROL4W" and "Women Strength Training".

Starting Strength (Rippetoe) and Stronglifts are also popular.

Catch the wave....

mlybrn

I'm about 7lbs away from my GW, and I've started doing weights to get toned and make my body 'look' better. No results yet of course, but I'm intrigued to see how it'll work out

BarbWhite09

I've seen you comment on other threads before & actually went to your profile just to see your main picture. I'm super jealous!

questionablemethods

Yup.

MrsCon40

Low weights, high Reps if you go heavy weights low Reps. Tone maybe try Zumba

FAIL. Not the point of this thread at all.

scott091501

Starting Strength by Rippetoe and a beginner 5 x 5 routine would fit. If you have to think of it as lifting like a boy than do it. Really gender should have no effect on how you lift. Hormones will handle how bulky you get.

Huffdogg

very well said.

TrophyWifeSass

*sigh* maybe if really heavy weights were pink more of you wouldn't be so hesitant about starting:noway:

sblair77

I lift heavy - for me :-P

Getting stronger and more lean every day

Kekibird

Spent the last year dancing 2x a week with one day of a strength training/cardio session.

This year switched to lifting 2x a week with one day of dancing.

Focusing more on strength than weight loss.

Slowly upping my weights as I find myself getting stronger. Went last night and feeling it today.

Feels good

NoAdditives

Honestly, I only do cardio workouts and crunches. The thought of weight lifting scares me. I have no upper body strength whats so ever. Anybody got advice how to start? I really like reading about the results you all had, I have hit a plateau doing only cardio.

Just start. The only way to get upper body strength is by strengthen your muscles. Start out wherever you have to. If that means lifting 10 pounds, do that until it's easy and you can increase the weight.

MrDude_1

YES!!! I approve this thread! lol

Being nervous about 'starting' cannot be enough of a reason to NOT improve your strength!

New Rules of Lifting for Women is popular (all over these boards) - check out the mfp groups "NROL4W" and "Women Strength Training".

Starting Strength (Rippetoe) and Stronglifts are also popular.

Catch the wave....

those are the two routines I was going to mention...
Starting Strength (Rippetoe) and Stronglifts are probably some of the most popular... and they both start out light enough for ANYONE.
not to mention, a newbie doing either one can get their workout done in about 35mins.. only 3 times a week.. and see REAL progress.

ladylu11

bump

kylesmommy89

ugggh I wish I had access to a gym!! Live out in the country and the gym in my town doesn't have daycare for my son. I wish I would have known about these kinds of results before I signed up for my spin class at school. I def would have went for a lifting class, instead! Oh well. I agree with low weight, high reps being time consuming, but I've had awesome results with my PURPLE dumbbells and Jillian videos. BUT, I know if I'm having good results this way, they'd be even better with heavy lifting. Maybe I can use an elective on a lifting class next semester.

savvystephy

Love lifting heavy! :-) Just got back from the gym doing just that!

red01angel

You ladies are SO hot! Keep up the wonderful work!

Tubby2Toned

Quiing

POW!

I love lifting heavy. Squats and deadlifts FTW!

lizard053

Ladies... please take a look at my profile picture. I am not really looking to lose any more weight but I am looking to reduce my body fat a little more.

I like looking like a woman - and I think my curves are beautiful.

If you looked at my pic and thought that my routine includes "toning" you would be wrong. My routine includes lifting weights heavy enough that 10 reps are difficult to complete. I have been at it for a few months now. I have stopped losing weight but I am going through pants sizes faster than my paychecks arrive.

Please don't be afaid of lifting weights. It will not make you look like a man and will very like cause drastic shrinking - not bulking.

Throw away those pink dumbells and join me in picking up things made of metal and solid rubber.

:flowerforyou:

ETA: my husband has proclaimed that our family's new favorite past time is punching me in the stomach. he wasn't prepared for what he'd hit the first time and honestly hurt his hand. HAHA

My bellydance instructor/fitness trainer says the exact same thing! Keep adding on the weight, women will not bulk up without the use of steroids. EVER! We have to much estrogen for that. Literally, women have to take testosterone to look like body builders.

JVanDam77

Love it! Gotta Bump it!

hsmithway

As someone who is just about done with his NASM cert what kills me more are the trainers who perpetuate this. Makes my head spin Exorcist style when I see it in the gym.

I'm trying to find a way to tactfully address this with my trainer. Starting out with her was great, because I have hypermobile joints and I really needed a lot of help with my form, which she was fabulous about helping me with. But recently she had me increase the number of reps from15 to 20 on many exercises while either leaving the weight the same or in some cases even decreasing it, which I'm rather confused about. Maybe she has a good reason, but I need to remember to ask, because I'm not understanding the logic behind that particular change.

Now the squats I understand - since my form still isn't that great I could use more practice getting it right, but the rest, I'm not so sure about.

brazeaut

Ok so squats and deadlifts...I have always loved lifting weights but have shied away in recent years due to being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stinosis...And frankly I have weight to lose. I am only 5'0" and am currently at 149 lbs. I have had 3 c-sections leaving my stomach extremely less than desirable. Tell me where to start and I am game. I will still keep my 2 cardio days to help in losing but am willing to change the other 2 days to lift days. I am wondering if I should be bringing a partner with to help...or what weight to start at? I am also that person who hates to look stupid and prefers to lift when no one else is around. Let me put this in perspective...my husband is military...our gym has military personnel in it at most any given time, all of whom at least appear to know what they are doing. So I am completely open to any and all suggestions. I will read up on the NROL for Women and speak to my PT person today...ha ha my first apt and I think he already thinks I am crazy. I want to be healthy, I am very active and I don't like being told that my body should no longer do certain things...help!

JennieAL

Ok so squats and deadlifts...I have always loved lifting weights but have shied away in recent years due to being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and spinal stinosis...And frankly I have weight to lose. I am only 5'0" and am currently at 149 lbs. I have had 3 c-sections leaving my stomach extremely less than desirable. Tell me where to start and I am game. I will still keep my 2 cardio days to help in losing but am willing to change the other 2 days to lift days. I am wondering if I should be bringing a partner with to help...or what weight to start at? I am also that person who hates to look stupid and prefers to lift when no one else is around. Let me put this in perspective...my husband is military...our gym has military personnel in it at most any given time, all of whom at least appear to know what they are doing. So I am completely open to any and all suggestions. I will read up on the NROL for Women and speak to my PT person today...ha ha my first apt and I think he already thinks I am crazy. I want to be healthy, I am very active and I don't like being told that my body should no longer do certain things...help!

I just finished reading NROL4W, the ebook download for StrongLifts... and now I'm reading about Starting Strength. I'm going with Starting Strength. It seems like the best, imo. So... those 3 are all very good programs from what I understand. All highly recommended.