Females doing Heavy Weight Training

savvy85

Hi everyone!

My name's Laura,
I'm currently 158lb and 5'7" my goal is to be in the 130's. At the moment my fat % is around 23.5%

I've come across quite a few success stories on here that claim it was heavy weight training that has given them their success. I've read a particular story that seemed to fit my situation very well, and I thought that maybe heavy weights is what I need to be doing to get rid of that extra layer of fat.

I've asked a few male friends what they do at the gym to get an idea and told them that I wanted to start lifting heavy... the amount of ignorance out there! You wouldn't believe it! "Why do you want to lift heavy?" "Just tone" "What! You want to be a body builder?" It was frustrating, so now I turn to you, MFP folk and hope for a more informed response :-)

I've started heavy weight training just last week, and I guess what confuses me, or what I'd like to know is:

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?
4. Did you up your calories?
5. Did you use any protein supplements?
6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?

I just want to know if I'm on the right track as I don't hear of many women doing heavy weights.

My routine is as follows:
1. Squats with 20kg (44lb) barbell 3 sets of 7
2. Machine leg press 100kg (220lb) 3 sets of 7
3. Lat pull downs 40kg (88lb) 3 sets of 6-7
4. Lunges with 7kg (15lb) dumbells 3 sets of 10
5. Military arm raises 20kg (44lb) 3 sets of 7
6. Bicep curls 10 kg (22lb) 3 sets 6
7. Abs (what ever I feel like doing on the day)
8. Bench press 10 kg (22lb)
9. Tricep kick backs 7kg (15lb) while in plank

Any feedback would be fantastic!!!

Jenlwb

to answer your Qs:

1 New rules of lifting for women (book, v good)
2 Not much cardio, some H.I.I.T following lifting or on inbetween days (max 25 mins)
3 Totally individual, but in 6 weeks i went from 18kg squat to about 34kg. Everyone's different, it's all about what's heavy for YOU.
4 YES- i soon ditched the 1200cal thing and went to 1660 plus about 200 more on lifting days. Haven't gained in 2.5 months, and measurements reduced.
5 Yes, I have a protein shake most days as i'm pescatarian and don't get 120g protein otherwise
6 a few weeks. I'm feeling the muscle before i see it

Feel free to add me. It is annoying how real life people think women are nuts for lifting!

Edit to add I am in maintenance, so was aiming keep keep my weight same! The book i mentioned has some good cal guidelines that seem to work with adjustments if you're trying to lose some.

Nopedotjpeg

Can us dangly part individuals answer too?


1. What is your heavy weight routine?

Powerlifting focused 3-week cycle that I repeat with lower reps each cycle. I've tried Stronglifts 5x5 and Starting Strength. Both great programs, but I didn't stick with it and my form was really bad. My trainer gave me the current programming.

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.

I've started doing a 12-week C25K program with a friend. Just finished Week 6. I also started using a Prowler (I think it would be considered Tabata style training) but so far only during my Bench Press day.

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?

My squat is still pretty much non-existent. It's hard for me to balance correctly and form is still an issue. My Bench Press started at about 85 lb. a while ago and now I'm at 140 and going for 150 this week. Deadlift up to 145lb. from 95lb. and going for more this week as well.

4. Did you up your calories?

Yup. I do WW right now, but I'm eating the activity points back now and not worrying as much about the scale as I am about losing body fat and getting stronger.

5. Did you use any protein supplements?

I'll occasionally use some whey. Optimum Nutrition is my favorite brand by far.


6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?

A few weeks.

Nopedotjpeg

I know so many people like NROL4W, but I would definitely give some thoughts to Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength, or Rippetoe's other program: Practical Programming. The workouts are so simple because there's only 3 main exercises per workout; a total of 5 core exercises. However, it's all about intensity and increasing your strength over time.

Oh and don't listen to those guys. The big buff dudes can be just as ignorant as others. Heavy lifting will help you gain some muscle initially, and preserve it in the long run, increase your bone density (which is especially important for women because of osteoporosis being so prevalent in the gender), and make you over all more awesome.

WeCallThemDayWalkers

Good questions! I think you summed up all the ones I have and I will eagerly await the answers!

savvy85

Thanks for the replies! Keep them coming!

Hahaha, yes, dangly part individuals are welcome.

I don't understand what you mean by strong lifts 5x5 ? Is a cycle similar to what I refer to as a set? Do you rotate your cycles every 3 weeks to change things up?

sara1923

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
Monday-Legs/Cardio
Tuesday-Arms/Abs/Cardio
Wednesday-Shoulders/Cardio
Thursday-Chest/Abs/Cardio
Friday- Back/Legs
Saturday-Cardio
Sunday-Rest or some recreational activity

My diaries are public but I sprained my knee a week ago so it is a complete 180 right now with me trying to figure out what I can do with such limited range of motion

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
see above

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?
I pretty much just started off where I felt comfortable and increased it. For awhile my legs would not feel like I worked out at all after lifting heavy, I decided to do a low weight day and do more sets and did max reps and it made it a challenge. I lift according to what feels good that day. Somedays I may do bicep curls with 15lbs others may be 30lbs. I focus on form more than the amount of weight.

4. Did you up your calories?
No, I eat when hungry. I may be way under one day and way over the next but they usually balance out over the week.

5. Did you use any protein supplements?
Not consistently. I use Optimum nutrition and plant fusion when I use them.

6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?
Started Late November and had lost 12 inches overall by the end of January and lost about 7 lbs.

Nopedotjpeg

Thanks for the replies! Keep them coming!

Hahaha, yes, dangly part individuals are welcome.

I don't understand what you mean by strong lifts 5x5 ? Is a cycle similar to what I refer to as a set? Do you rotate your cycles every 3 weeks to change things up?

Stronglifts 5x5 as well as the other two things I mentioned are lifting programs. 5x5 means 5 sets of 5 reps. It's 5 main exercises, 3 each workout, and you do each for 5x5.

Derp, the cycle question was referring to my routine. Well, I can copy paste what I do.


Squat Day
Main Lift
Week 1: High Box Squat (using Safety Squat Bar)
Week 2: Parallel Box Squat (using Safety Squat Bar)
Week 3: Full Barbell Squat

Bench Press Day
Main Lift
Week 1: Warm-up with Full Bench Press; Max Effort 3-Board Press
Week 2: Warm-up with Full Bench Press; Max Effort 2-Board Press
Week 3: Max Effort Full Bench Press


Deadlift Day
Main Lift
Week 1: Rack Pulls off the 3-pin-hole in the power rack
Week 2: Rack Pulls off the 2-pin-hole in the power rack
Week 3: Deadlifts from the floor

There's some accessory work in there as well, but it varies a lot.


So the first 3-week cycle I did working sets of 5 reps. I basically decide how much weight I'll put on after each set based on my past performance and how my body's feeling.

Each following 3-week cycle I decrease the rep per set by 1. I keep doing this until I get down to sets of 2 reps. Then he said to restart at sets of 4 reps and go to singles.

I've only been doing this for 5 weeks now, so I don't know how legit the strength will be over time, but I did go from Rack Pulls of 145lb. 1x5 to 195lb. 1x4 in 3 weeks.

I still have a fondness for Rippetoe's programs (Starting Strength and Practical Programming), but my trainer is a well-renowned powerlifter, and I paid him to train me and make a personalized routine, so I'm going with that for now.

yesthistime

Women strength training groups on MFP:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/771-women-strength-training
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w

Nikki582

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
I too am working through the New Rules Of Lifting For Women book, It's my first foray into weights

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
I cardio every second weights day (as prescribed in the books) and I do RPM, Body Attack and Fit Box (group training classes) on days I'm not doing weights

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?
I started with as heavy as I could to complete the set, without being able to complete it easily - once it felt easy I'd up the weights in one or two sets (ie: at the moment doing wide grip pull downs, last workout I did 3 sets, 30kg, 30kg, 35kg.. today I did 30, 35 35)

4. Did you up your calories?
Yup, from 1200 to 1750.

5. Did you use any protein supplements?
I have a shake after I get home from the gym vanilla whey with my own added coffee.. yum!

6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?
I'm about 3 months in (? Maybe) and I'm really feeling and looking good So I think!

crisanderson27

Bumping this. My girlfriend is so stuck on 5lb dumbbells and three million reps being the answer to all life's problems...its not even funny!

imjessly

i'm 12 workouts into NROLFW Love it.

Sarauk2sf

My routine:

1. What is your heavy weight routine? A lot of people recommend NROLRW or stonglifts but I am a bit stuck in my ways and do free weights 3x week - Arms/Chest, Legs, Back/Shoulders but I do incorporate compound lifts in those workouts.
2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither. I rarely do cardio
3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight? I lift so I pretty much fail on the last rep of the last set - 3 sets of 8. I up the weight when I can do 3 sets of 10 without failing.
4. Did you up your calories? Not really as I have always lifted when I have been focusing on my eating.
5. Did you use any protein supplements? Protein shake pre and post (but thats really because I lift early in the morning and cannot face actual food that early)
6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results? You get stronger pretty quick - how long it takes to see results really depends on how much fat you have covering the muscle.

persilcolours

bump

babareeba

bump for later

meshashesha2012

1. What is your heavy weight routine? - i'm currently doing NROL4W (second time through), I've also done strong lifts and i've done a good deal of heavy lifting for sports i played in high school and college, including power lifting.

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither. - i do 30 minutes of cardio of lifting days and 45-60 minutes of cardio on non-lifting days. of that cardio, 45 minutes total is anaerobic HIIT, 90 minutes is aerobic HIIT and the rest is steady state.

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight? i took about a year off from lifting, so when i started back again in february these were my 1 rep max
deadlifts : 125
Lat pulldown :112.5
Bench :95
BB row :95
tricep pull down : 90
bicep curl: 50
overhead press : 25

now 2 months later my 1 rep max
deadlifts : 210
Lat pulldown : 160
Bench : 135
BB row : 135
tricep pull down: 130
bicep curl : 70
overhead press : 45

i increase my weight every set of every workout if i can. i'm most excited about the overhead press because i have an issue with my right shoulder and now that's getting much better.

4. Did you up your calories? no, in fact i decreased. even though i've been overweight for awhile this is the first time i've ever wanted to lose weight. since i know that eating at maintenance and a bit above while lifting heavy weights isnt going to result in weight loss for me, i decreased my calories by about 20% from maintenance.

5. Did you use any protein supplements? nothing besides protein powder that i have in my smoothies

6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results? strength results immediately. i still have way too much body fat to notice much else, but i do lose on average 2 inches and 3-4 pounds every 2 weeks

coquette87

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
I'm also following New Rules of Lifting for Women, only in Phase 1 so far, about 2.5 weeks in or so.

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
I'm doing C25k on my off days. I don't any extra cardio on my lifting days.

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?
I increase as soon as it gets too easy. If I can finish the set and still have more in the tank, I increase. My intial squat was 30lbs and my initial deadlift was 30lbs. I'm now up to squatting 60lbs and deadlifting 50lbs. (Those are my working weights, I don't know my 1 rep maxes).

4. Did you up your calories?
Yes! I'm currently eating between 1800 and 1900 calories a day.

5. Did you use any protein supplements?
I use Body Fortress from Walmart. I find it hard with my schedule to get enough protein from whole foods.

6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?
Seeing them already. I look better at 122 then I did at 118 before I started weight training.

stormieweather

I lift 3x a week and do cardio 3x a week, 1 rest day. My schedule is as follows:

Abs - Hanging leg raises, slant board crunches, planks
cardio (zumba)
Legs/glutes - squats, lunges, calf raises
zardio (zumba)
Upper body - pullups, lat pull downs, rows, bench presses, curls, lateral raises, kickbacks
rest
cardio (kickboxing)

I use the heaviest weights I can manage and maintain good form, while achieving 3 sets of 6-7. I aim to have to struggle on the last couple of reps of the last set.

I have only lost 8 pounds since Jan 1 but I've lost 12 1/2 inches and can actually see ab definition and other muscles. For me, it took about 2 1/2 months to see anything noticable.

I eat between 1400-1600 per day including exercise calories. I just took a week to eat at maintenance, which I do every 3 months. Note that my lifestyle, excluding workouts, is extremely sedentary (2 desk jobs).

I try to get 100g protein per day and only use protein supplements if I'm having trouble getting there with normal food. I do not eat fast food and cook most of my food from scratch.

autumnk921

Bump...I like to learn...

Is there anyone out there who just uses weights at home?...20lbs & under? I would love to know about those routines as well since I can't get to the gym right now....

Brandie6004

bumping for later

dieseljay74

When I first started trying to lose BF a year ago, I started with P90X. Got ok results from a full round of it. I lost about 8 lbs.
After that, I went back to my roots of heavy weight training as I have been doing for 10 years.
Once I got back to that, and stayed strict with my diet the fat just fell off.
I lost another 40 lbs. in about 3 months. Zero cardio except ice hockey a couple nights a week.
I think it should be the basis of every gym routine.

thepetiterunner

Thanks for asking these questions! Marking to read for later.

Doreen_Murray

Bump for later, but I log everything in my diary (public) and am working on power lifts today and can't wait! 45 minutes and counting...

gastankerdriver

Guys are a bunch of idiots. Go online and look up women like "Monica Brant" or "Cory Everson" and find out what their routines look like. A friend of mine is dating a figure model and she gave us some really good advice. She pointed out the importance of complex carbohydrates --yams, brown rice, peas, etc. She also turned us on to "Allmax- Aminocore." It helps to prevent muscle loss. Feeding your muscle with the proper amount/mix of protein and complex carbs is just as important as your workout routine if not MORE important. Monica Brant always carries a can of tuna and creatine chews with her to provide a constant source of muscle nutrients. Universal creatine chews are like candy to me. Hope that helps you a little. Feel free to add me.

ChristyU74

Bumping for future reading...

mae1020

Great questions! I've spent the last week researching weight lifting for women and have reserved New rules of lifting for women at my library. I start my weight training today. I'll be doing this at home and at the gym until the middle of May and then after that, on my own at home. Good luck. Feel free to add me.

warmachinejt

Hi everyone!

My name's Laura,
I'm currently 158lb and 5'7" my goal is to be in the 130's. At the moment my fat % is around 23.5%

I've come across quite a few success stories on here that claim it was heavy weight training that has given them their success. I've read a particular story that seemed to fit my situation very well, and I thought that maybe heavy weights is what I need to be doing to get rid of that extra layer of fat.

I've asked a few male friends what they do at the gym to get an idea and told them that I wanted to start lifting heavy... the amount of ignorance out there! You wouldn't believe it! "Why do you want to lift heavy?" "Just tone" "What! You want to be a body builder?" It was frustrating, so now I turn to you, MFP folk and hope for a more informed response :-)

I've started heavy weight training just last week, and I guess what confuses me, or what I'd like to know is:

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?
4. Did you up your calories?
5. Did you use any protein supplements?
6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?

I just want to know if I'm on the right track as I don't hear of many women doing heavy weights.

My routine is as follows:
1. Squats with 20kg (44lb) barbell 3 sets of 7
2. Machine leg press 100kg (220lb) 3 sets of 7
3. Lat pull downs 40kg (88lb) 3 sets of 6-7
4. Lunges with 7kg (15lb) dumbells 3 sets of 10
5. Military arm raises 20kg (44lb) 3 sets of 7
6. Bicep curls 10 kg (22lb) 3 sets 6
7. Abs (what ever I feel like doing on the day)
8. Bench press 10 kg (22lb)
9. Tricep kick backs 7kg (15lb) while in plank

Any feedback would be fantastic!!!

lol where is the rest of your routine?
anyways put back and triceps on monday, legs on wednesday, and back and biceps on friday.
In between you can workout calves again, and then forearms, shoulders and abs. Also do cardio whenver you feel like no less than 2 or 3 days a week.

tigersword

Hi everyone!

My name's Laura,
I'm currently 158lb and 5'7" my goal is to be in the 130's. At the moment my fat % is around 23.5%

I've come across quite a few success stories on here that claim it was heavy weight training that has given them their success. I've read a particular story that seemed to fit my situation very well, and I thought that maybe heavy weights is what I need to be doing to get rid of that extra layer of fat.

I've asked a few male friends what they do at the gym to get an idea and told them that I wanted to start lifting heavy... the amount of ignorance out there! You wouldn't believe it! "Why do you want to lift heavy?" "Just tone" "What! You want to be a body builder?" It was frustrating, so now I turn to you, MFP folk and hope for a more informed response :-)

I've started heavy weight training just last week, and I guess what confuses me, or what I'd like to know is:

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight?
4. Did you up your calories?
5. Did you use any protein supplements?
6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results?

I just want to know if I'm on the right track as I don't hear of many women doing heavy weights.

My routine is as follows:
1. Squats with 20kg (44lb) barbell 3 sets of 7
2. Machine leg press 100kg (220lb) 3 sets of 7
3. Lat pull downs 40kg (88lb) 3 sets of 6-7
4. Lunges with 7kg (15lb) dumbells 3 sets of 10
5. Military arm raises 20kg (44lb) 3 sets of 7
6. Bicep curls 10 kg (22lb) 3 sets 6
7. Abs (what ever I feel like doing on the day)
8. Bench press 10 kg (22lb)
9. Tricep kick backs 7kg (15lb) while in plank

Any feedback would be fantastic!!!

I personally think you have a lot of unnecessary filler in your routine. To be fair, unless you're a competitive athlete of bodybuilder, isolation exercises like triceps kickbacks and biceps curls are a waste of energy. Your triceps get more work than they can handle from bench press and military press, and your biceps get worked both from negatives on the bench and military presses as well as getting plenty of work in on the lat pulldowns. Also, if you're doing squats, dump the machine leg press, that's another wasted exercise, as essentially it's just a machine version of squats (and yes, leg pressing way more than you squat is normal, as the machine pretty much does most of the work for you.) Compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press and rows will be much more effective than the isolation moves you have in there.

I know a lot of people mention New Rules of Lifting For Women, but I read through it when my wife got it from the library, and I wasn't really all that impressed with it. Some good information, mixed with a lot of bad information, and the routines seemed a bit over complicated, for no good reason. I also recommend either Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength for a good, heavy weight training program. Between the two, Stronglifts is a little easier from a technical lifting standpoint, as it uses more basic compound lifts, where Starting Strength uses more technical Olympic style lifts.

irridia

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
I use stronglifts 5 x 5. If you google it you will find the PDF, download and read it. It is written more for men, but if you are already squating 44lbs you are ready. I started off with a 15 lb bar because I didn't think I could handle 45 lbs and I didn't have an olympic set anyway. I do now but I still sometimes use the 15 lb bar and it doesn't matter since I go by the total weight including the bar.
There are two workouts, workout A and workout B. You alternate between them and do them 3x's per week so there will always be 2 of the same workout per week. All of them are done with a Barbell.

Workout A is: Squats, Bench, Bent Rows
Workout B is: Squats, Overhead Presses, Deadlifts

Form is critical, on squats make sure your knees don't go past your toes and your hips go below your knees in the hole.

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
For a good 6 months or so I did neither because before that I was doing HIIT daily and my energy was flagging greatly. I still dropped inches like crazy and a bit of weight too. However I ended up relying on my BMR too much during the holidays and slacked off too much and while I still have quite a bit of the muscle base I built, I layered on fat on top. So, I'm back to working really hard on weight days and nothing much more strenous on off days than yoga and sometimes only the hip openers (which I pretty much need to do daily regardless)

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight? technically the 45lb olympic bar which you should do because you already are lifting that much. Increse by 5lbs every time you do the exercise. As an example if you start at 45 on Squats doing MWF (there's a worksheet you cand dld too that will program what you should be doing), by Friday you should be lifting 55 lbs because you do Squats every workout. Benches would be 50 lbs by Friday because you only will be doing them 2x's that week. Deadlifts will not increase until week 2 because you only do them once on the starting week.

Warm ups, you warm up with 3 sets of just the bar, then add part of the weight that will be your final lift for 2 sets and then do 5 of your working weight. More tricky when you are just starting so you could technically warm up with dumbells or just holding weights in your hand if your bar is olympic, if it's a standard bar then you can add weights for the 2nd warm up till you hit yourworking weight. Thus your warm up weight will increase as you move through the program.

4. Did you up your calories? yes but I couldn't tell you how much. I did try to eat back my calories within at least 100, sometimes over : -(

5. Did you use any protein supplements? yes. I'm diabetic, sometimes if my energy is really low I will have a shake before my workout and one after if dinner isn't going to happen right away, or If I'm going to add a HIIT session for that day. For a while I was using a pre workout drink, which adds niacin, but it makes me itchy and lifting exascerbates it so I dropped that in favor of protein if needed.

6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results? I want to say about 4 weeks in it was obvious enough that my spouse dropped his hi- rep, low wieght body builder routine for mine and his body changed even quicker (testosterone).

arock1000

1. What is your heavy weight routine?
I use stronglifts 5 x 5. If you google it you will find the PDF, download and read it. It is written more for men, but if you are already squating 44lbs you are ready. I started off with a 15 lb bar because I didn't think I could handle 45 lbs and I didn't have an olympic set anyway. I do now but I still sometimes use the 15 lb bar and it doesn't matter since I go by the total weight including the bar.
There are two workouts, workout A and workout B. You alternate between them and do them 3x's per week so there will always be 2 of the same workout per week. All of them are done with a Barbell.

Workout A is: Squats, Bench, Bent Rows
Workout B is: Squats, Overhead Presses, Deadlifts

Form is critical, on squats make sure your knees don't go past your toes and your hips go below your knees in the hole.

2. Do you do cardio with training or only on off days or both or neither.
For a good 6 months or so I did neither because before that I was doing HIIT daily and my energy was flagging greatly. I still dropped inches like crazy and a bit of weight too. However I ended up relying on my BMR too much during the holidays and slacked off too much and while I still have quite a bit of the muscle base I built, I layered on fat on top. So, I'm back to working really hard on weight days and nothing much more strenous on off days than yoga and sometimes only the hip openers (which I pretty much need to do daily regardless)

3. What kind of weight did you start off with and how often do you increase the weight? technically the 45lb olympic bar which you should do because you already are lifting that much. Increse by 5lbs every time you do the exercise. As an example if you start at 45 on Squats doing MWF (there's a worksheet you cand dld too that will program what you should be doing), by Friday you should be lifting 55 lbs because you do Squats every workout. Benches would be 50 lbs by Friday because you only will be doing them 2x's that week. Deadlifts will not increase until week 2 because you only do them once on the starting week.

Warm ups, you warm up with 3 sets of just the bar, then add part of the weight that will be your final lift for 2 sets and then do 5 of your working weight. More tricky when you are just starting so you could technically warm up with dumbells or just holding weights in your hand if your bar is olympic, if it's a standard bar then you can add weights for the 2nd warm up till you hit yourworking weight. Thus your warm up weight will increase as you move through the program.

4. Did you up your calories? yes but I couldn't tell you how much. I did try to eat back my calories within at least 100, sometimes over : -(

5. Did you use any protein supplements? yes. I'm diabetic, sometimes if my energy is really low I will have a shake before my workout and one after if dinner isn't going to happen right away, or If I'm going to add a HIIT session for that day. For a while I was using a pre workout drink, which adds niacin, but it makes me itchy and lifting exascerbates it so I dropped that in favor of protein if needed.

6. How long did it take you before you started seeing results? I want to say about 4 weeks in it was obvious enough that my spouse dropped his hi- rep, low wieght body builder routine for mine and his body changed even quicker (testosterone).

Me too! Just started sim routine last week so still watching the scale and inches for results. The routine seemed too easy because it doesn't take very long but my thighs were sore for a week after my first day so I know it's doing something. I do some cardio before to warm up and some after. Too much cardio makes me super hungry on rest days so I take it easy on the cardio and go for target heart rate.

HappilyLifts

sorry, not a useful reply, but I'm adding this to my topics as I'm thinking about lifting heavy and buying the book recommended here.
Good luck to the original poster, sounds like you're doing great. I can't wait to see if I can lift heavy too (at the moment I only use 8lb dumbells for my bicep and tricep work :blushing: )