Things I've Learned About Strength Training

ninerbuff

Great post, but I don't totally agree with #7. You can make muscle gains without eating a high calorie diet.. If you are in tune with your body, you know the tipping point. Once you find this fine line, you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.

You can disagree, but there are numerous studies that are peer reviewed showing that muscle can't be built without surplus. While there are exceptions (athlete returning to lifting after long layoff, obese/very overweight on a lifting program, newbie who's never lifted before) it's practically impossible to build muscle on a calorie deficit.
Bodybuilders spend more time on the "fine line" you mention more than anyone when it comes to muscle building and losing fat. If it were possible to do as you mentioned, they wouldn't have a bulking offseason.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

1. Unless you are an experienced lifter, do not create your own program. Great programs, created by professional strength coaches, have already been created...do one of those.

2. Do not do a program you find in a body building magazine. Bodybuilding programs are pretty much useless for beginners since they contain high sets, high reps, and a lot of isolation exercises.

3. Compound exercises are key. Learn how to squat, deadlift, bench press, and row. With those 4 exercises, you will get the body you want.

4. Heavy weight, lower reps > low weight, high reps.

5. Form is key. Take time to perfect your form, your joints will appreciate it.

6. Ego is the cause of most injuries.

7. You will not gain significant muscle mass unless you exceed your recommended caloric intake.

8. Women will not look like men if they lift weights. Women who do look like men take steroids and estrogen blockers (or they really are men in women's clothing).

9. Have a plan. If you go into the gym without a plan, you'll limit your results. Stick with a routine for at least 6 weeks to see if it works for you. If its working, don't change it until it stops working.

10. If you show me a fitness study, I'll show you a contradicting study. What may work for someone else, may not work for you. Fitness is an imperfect science, there is a lot of trial and error to find what works best.

11. A thousand crunches a day will not get you a six-pack, but a good diet will.

12. You will keep the weight off longer if you lift weights. The more muscle you have, the more resting calories you burn.

Feel free to add more to help inform!

this person did not give his credentials, unless you know this guy, do not follow his advice, he could be right or wrong i don't know and neither do you. please ask a certified personal trainer or someone who is educated with a degree in the industry.

You don't always need credentials to point out good advice. As a Certified Trainer, I totally agree with everything written here.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

Stronglifts 5x5 is the best beginner program I've seen so far.

I have to echo this. I started off doing New Rules of Lifting for Women, but switched to Stronglifts 5x5 a month ago. I LOOOOOVE Stronglifts, love the results, love the simplicity of the program. New Rules was a good read, and I liked the first few stages, but I find Stronglifts much more effective. With New Rules I was kind of 'guessing' at how I should increase the weights, and with Stronglifts, it's all laid out for you.

I have done a lot of YouTubeing, watched a lot of Rippetoe's form videos, and got some help from a trainer at my gym to get the form down. That's important for a newbie.

I work out with a trainer 3 times a week but want to move down to 2 sessions to save money. I googled Stronglifts 5x5 and didn't find a "program" that I could literally use in my house. Does anyone have a link to the program I could look at? Thanks!

You pay your trainer for it, so have them teach it to you.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

Check out Rippetoe's starting strength too He has better credentials, and it includes a lot more information on technique (Vs start strength text is 60% telling you how great it is)
Also heard on BB site that 3x5 is more sustainable long term.

In any case, it's good to read both and find what works for you. I like Stronglifts' suggestion of rows instead of Rippetoe's power cleans, for example.

The only reason I didn't mention Starting Strength is because power cleans are very difficult for a beginner to do...heck even for advanced lifters its difficult to master.

True Dat!

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Butterfly3730

13. Cardio=weight loss, lifting=fat loss.

I have reached my goal weight before (129 pounds, I'm 5'5.5" and "big" boned) and I wasn't happy with my body.
I then gained it back (I'm a yo-yoer lol).
The next time I wanted to lose I did P90X and got down to 132 and I LOVED my body! I still did a ton of cardio (which sometimes isn't the best when trying to retain muscle), but my 132 pound body was SMALLER than my 129 pound body!

Just wanted to put that out there for all the ladies who slave on the treadmil, yes you will lose weight, but to hold onto the muscle you have, strength training is the key!

Thanks for posting this. I finally got this recently and now I have a more balanced workout regimen :-)

ninerbuff

4. Heavy weight, lower reps > low weight, high reps.

That is all about personal goals and what the individual is trying to achieve. Not a guideline.


IMO do the research yourself don take this information just how it sits.

If it comes down to body conditioning and shaping, it holds true. Low weight high reps work more on muscle endurance more than it does for conditioning (or "toning" as women like to call it) the muscle itself.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

RachelGraceReed83

So if I am on a calorie deficit I can't gain muscle? Should I just not be at a deficit on the days I do strength?

bloodguilt

1. Unless you are an experienced lifter, do not create your own program. Great programs, created by professional strength coaches, have already been created...do one of those.

2. Do not do a program you find in a body building magazine. Bodybuilding programs are pretty much useless for beginners since they contain high sets, high reps, and a lot of isolation exercises.

3. Compound exercises are key. Learn how to squat, deadlift, bench press, and row. With those 4 exercises, you will get the body you want.

4. Heavy weight, lower reps > low weight, high reps.

5. Form is key. Take time to perfect your form, your joints will appreciate it.

6. Ego is the cause of most injuries.

7. You will not gain significant muscle mass unless you exceed your recommended caloric intake.

8. Women will not look like men if they lift weights. Women who do look like men take steroids and estrogen blockers (or they really are men in women's clothing).

9. Have a plan. If you go into the gym without a plan, you'll limit your results. Stick with a routine for at least 6 weeks to see if it works for you. If its working, don't change it until it stops working.

10. If you show me a fitness study, I'll show you a contradicting study. What may work for someone else, may not work for you. Fitness is an imperfect science, there is a lot of trial and error to find what works best.

11. A thousand crunches a day will not get you a six-pack, but a good diet will.

12. You will keep the weight off longer if you lift weights. The more muscle you have, the more resting calories you burn.

Feel free to add more to help inform!

Awesome post.

m60kaf

8. Women will not look like men if they lift weights. Women who do look like men take steroids and estrogen blockers (or they really are men in women's clothing).

My husbands biggest fear.... I'll have to prove him wrong... I'm a secretly strength training so far he's loving my shoulders....

Yeah and it takes YEARS to bulk up. The thought of *accidentally* becoming massive makes me laugh ... if only it were that easy.

I also used to think under every fat guy (me as was) is a big muscly guy --- nope underneath all that fat is a skinny guy. For me loosing weight was so much easier than getting bigger - and this post pretty much covers all the conclusions I've come to along the way , good one

brown0928

I'm starting Strong Lift today, and I'm super excited. Thanks for the info/advice!

Lance_K

Bump. Great Post!

mes1119

70davis

bump

mbrou28

So if I am on a calorie deficit I can't gain muscle? Should I just not be at a deficit on the days I do strength?

I LOVE this post but I have the same question. With 20 or more pounds left to lose I'm not sure how much of an increase I should make in my daily calorie intake.

jacksonpt

So if I am on a calorie deficit I can't gain muscle? Should I just not be at a deficit on the days I do strength?

I LOVE this post but I have the same question. With 20 or more pounds left to lose I'm not sure how much of an increase I should make in my daily calorie intake.

You will not build any significant muscle on a deficit. People new to lifting or significantly overweight can build some new muscle tissue, but the gains are minimal and generally don't continue. If you want to build muscle (i.e. build new tissue, not strengthen existing muscle), be on a surplus. If you want to lose weight, be on a deficit.

d2footballJRC

Only one I disagree fully on is:

4. Heavy weight, lower reps > low weight, high reps.

Heavy weight with lower reps builds strength, but there is a purpose for lower weight and higher reps with the hypertrophy.

I usually start out heavy lower reps but the last two sets I high reps and the reason is the lower reps builds strength but the high reps delivers more blood to help kick start that muscle repair. It also gives you a bit of a pump.

mzlynnduh

Can someone elaborate on #7? I want to gain muscles *and* lose weight too at the same time. I don't want to increase my cal intake though. Is there a balance way to lose weight and tone at the same time?

d2footballJRC

Can someone elaborate on #7? I want to gain muscles *and* lose weight too at the same time. I don't want to increase my cal intake though. Is there a balance way to lose weight and tone at the same time?

Tone and gain muscles are two very separate things. When you are lifting while eating a deficit you will harden your muscle mass you do have or as some people say create lean body mass. You aren't really gaining muscles but you are firming up your current muscles which with a drop in body fat gives you a toning effect.

chiera88

bump

mzlynnduh

Can someone elaborate on #7? I want to gain muscles *and* lose weight too at the same time. I don't want to increase my cal intake though. Is there a balance way to lose weight and tone at the same time?

Tone and gain muscles are two very separate things. When you are lifting while eating a deficit you will harden your muscle mass you do have or as some people say create lean body mass. You aren't really gaining muscles but you are firming up your current muscles which with a drop in body fat gives you a toning effect.

This really help me understand a lot. Thanks!

thefuzz1290

Can someone elaborate on #7? I want to gain muscles *and* lose weight too at the same time. I don't want to increase my cal intake though. Is there a balance way to lose weight and tone at the same time?

Tone and gain muscles are two very separate things. When you are lifting while eating a deficit you will harden your muscle mass you do have or as some people say create lean body mass. You aren't really gaining muscles but you are firming up your current muscles which with a drop in body fat gives you a toning effect.

There is no such thing as toning (should've put that as #1). Toning is the lowering of body fat percentage to see the muscles, if you use low weight/high reps you won't have much muscle to see. The reason people believe it works is that typically low weight/high rep workouts are done as circuit training (ie. cardio). You will see very limited results, but unless you plan doing something like the NFL combine (how many reps of 225lb bench you can do), you're much better off using heavier weights. Oh yeah, show me big muscles that aren't firm.

What the fake "latest and greatest" body building routine from a magazine doesn't tell you is that most of their results were made from doing heavy squats, deadlifts, rows, and presses.

d2footballJRC

Can someone elaborate on #7? I want to gain muscles *and* lose weight too at the same time. I don't want to increase my cal intake though. Is there a balance way to lose weight and tone at the same time?

Tone and gain muscles are two very separate things. When you are lifting while eating a deficit you will harden your muscle mass you do have or as some people say create lean body mass. You aren't really gaining muscles but you are firming up your current muscles which with a drop in body fat gives you a toning effect.

There is no such thing as toning (should've put that as #1). Toning is the lowering of body fat percentage to see the muscles, if you use low weight/high reps you won't have much muscle to see. The reason people believe it works is that typically low weight/high rep workouts are done as circuit training (ie. cardio). You will see very limited results, but unless you plan doing something like the NFL combine (how many reps of 225lb bench you can do), you're much better off using heavier weights. Oh yeah, show me big muscles that aren't firm.

What the fake "latest and greatest" body building routine from a magazine doesn't tell you is that most of their results were made from doing heavy squats, deadlifts, rows, and presses.

#1. Heavy Weights to start off, then a High Rep set to failure on the end has repeatedly been shown to have benefits as well as helping with the aesthetics. Add into the fact the hypertrophy of a mid rep set (which is what I do at the end for pumps 8-12 reps) gives you more benefits with the training of the muscles.
#2. Big muscles is different than what the lady was asking. Muscles that haven't been built from lifting AKA someone starting out losing weight can be pudgy. They will harden when you are working out and lifting over time, even in a calorie deficit. Even without growing any muscle mass.
#3. I never suggested any moves that weren't compound moves as I'm a firm believer in compound lifts.

Also to add into your whole low weight/high reps argument. Look up Dana Bailey takes on crossfit. nuff said.

skazerani

bump

dokihara

#1. Heavy Weights to start off, then a High Rep set to failure on the end has repeatedly been shown to have benefits as well as helping with the aesthetics. Add into the fact the hypertrophy of a mid rep set (which is what I do at the end for pumps 8-12 reps) gives you more benefits with the training of the muscles.
#2. Big muscles is different than what the lady was asking. Muscles that haven't been built from lifting AKA someone starting out losing weight can be pudgy. They will harden when you are working out and lifting over time, even in a calorie deficit. Even without growing any muscle mass.
#3. I never suggested any moves that weren't compound moves as I'm a firm believer in compound lifts.

Also to add into your whole low weight/high reps argument. Look up Dana Bailey takes on crossfit. nuff said.

Just chiming in on #1. Jim wendler's 5/3/1 program helped me gain a ton of strength AND size, especially for my squat and legs. His program is a mixture of both high weight / low rep sets, followed by sets of volume at lower weight. But see, I think "high rep" is being confused here. You aren't getting anywhere by doing 20-30 reps of the bar, I think that's what he meant. As others have already said, 1-5 reps for strength, 6-12 for hypertrophy, 12+ for endurance, 20+ for cardio

moochachip

Nice post. Strength Training is something everyone should get into.

I cringe in the free-weights room when I see guys around me using bad form to lift heavy weights. I also roll my eyes when I see them doing sets of three when the weight is obviously too heavy for them.

d2footballJRC

#1. Heavy Weights to start off, then a High Rep set to failure on the end has repeatedly been shown to have benefits as well as helping with the aesthetics. Add into the fact the hypertrophy of a mid rep set (which is what I do at the end for pumps 8-12 reps) gives you more benefits with the training of the muscles.
#2. Big muscles is different than what the lady was asking. Muscles that haven't been built from lifting AKA someone starting out losing weight can be pudgy. They will harden when you are working out and lifting over time, even in a calorie deficit. Even without growing any muscle mass.
#3. I never suggested any moves that weren't compound moves as I'm a firm believer in compound lifts.

Also to add into your whole low weight/high reps argument. Look up Dana Bailey takes on crossfit. nuff said.

Agreed high reps to me is 12-20 reps. I do 20 reps bench to immediately 20 squats to 20 clings then rest 3 minutes and repeat sometimes.

Just chiming in on #1. Jim wendler's 5/3/1 program helped me gain a ton of strength AND size, especially for my squat and legs. His program is a mixture of both high weight / low rep sets, followed by sets of volume at lower weight. But see, I think "high rep" is being confused here. You aren't getting anywhere by doing 20-30 reps of the bar, I think that's what he meant. As others have already said, 1-5 reps for strength, 6-12 for hypertrophy, 12+ for endurance, 20+ for cardio

thefuzz1290

#1. Heavy Weights to start off, then a High Rep set to failure on the end has repeatedly been shown to have benefits as well as helping with the aesthetics. Add into the fact the hypertrophy of a mid rep set (which is what I do at the end for pumps 8-12 reps) gives you more benefits with the training of the muscles.
#2. Big muscles is different than what the lady was asking. Muscles that haven't been built from lifting AKA someone starting out losing weight can be pudgy. They will harden when you are working out and lifting over time, even in a calorie deficit. Even without growing any muscle mass.
#3. I never suggested any moves that weren't compound moves as I'm a firm believer in compound lifts.

Also to add into your whole low weight/high reps argument. Look up Dana Bailey takes on crossfit. nuff said.

Just chiming in on #1. Jim wendler's 5/3/1 program helped me gain a ton of strength AND size, especially for my squat and legs. His program is a mixture of both high weight / low rep sets, followed by sets of volume at lower weight. But see, I think "high rep" is being confused here. You aren't getting anywhere by doing 20-30 reps of the bar, I think that's what he meant. As others have already said, 1-5 reps for strength, 6-12 for hypertrophy, 12+ for endurance, 20+ for cardio

That's what I was thinking by high rep (15-20+ range with pink 2lb dumbells). I don't consider 8-12 rep "high rep." Crossfit is a whole different animal, and I've posted multiple times on why I don't like it. Now Crossfit-type workouts aren't bad, especially in the hands of educated trainers who incorporate some of those principles into their fitness regimine. However, you shouldn't be doing heavy clean and presses for maximum reps...the risk/reward isn't worth it.

Pebbles536

bump

coquette87

9. Have a plan. If you go into the gym without a plan, you'll limit your results. Stick with a routine for at least 6 weeks to see if it works for you. If its working, don't change it until it stops working.

Thanks for this. I've just changed out my routine and I'm apprehensive about it. I started off with 1200 net calories, aerobics and some strength training (kettlebell and body weight exercises) and I've recently moved to 1450 net calories, 75-100 g of protein a day, and alternating days between C25K and heavy compound lifts 6 days a week. As soon as I started this, I gained 3lbs overnight in water weight, so I was wondering how long before my body settled down a bit and I started to see some results.

thefuzz1290

9. Have a plan. If you go into the gym without a plan, you'll limit your results. Stick with a routine for at least 6 weeks to see if it works for you. If its working, don't change it until it stops working.

Thanks for this. I've just changed out my routine and I'm apprehensive about it. I started off with 1200 net calories, aerobics and some strength training (kettlebell and body weight exercises) and I've recently moved to 1450 net calories, 75-100 g of protein a day, and alternating days between C25K and heavy compound lifts 6 days a week. As soon as I started this, I gained 3lbs overnight in water weight, so I was wondering how long before my body settled down a bit and I started to see some results.

If you're building muscle, you're going to retain some water. Don't look at the scale, look in the mirror and take body measurements to use as a tool for success. Last month I had only lost 5lbs, but over 2" off my waist. If you're brand new, you'll start seeing small changes in a few weeks, but then your friends and family should start seeing changes in 8-12 weeks.