Is it bad to lift weights like this?

LindsayE007

Or am not getting the full benefit by lifting this way? I can't stand to just sit around the weight room between reps so I will do mini circuits. Here is an example:

Bench Press
Squats
Crunches

but I don't rest between each exercise. I repeat 3 times then go on to like

Dips
Lunges
Back Extensions

I can usually get a full workout done of about 9 exercises this way in about 35 ish minutes rather than like an hour. I usually do this 2-3 times a week. I just don't want to be selling myself short, I really want to build muscle. But it keeps my heartrate up doing this and gets me out of there quicker!

kazzari

Or am not getting the full benefit by lifting this way? I can't stand to just sit around the weight room between reps so I will do mini circuits. Here is an example:

Bench Press
Squats
Crunches

but I don't rest between each exercise. I repeat 3 times then go on to like

Dips
Lunges
Back Extensions

I can usually get a full workout done of about 9 exercises this way in about 35 ish minutes rather than like an hour. I usually do this 2-3 times a week. I just don't want to be selling myself short, I really want to build muscle. But it keeps my heartrate up doing this and gets me out of there quicker!

If you're doing weights that are challenging for say ten reps, you're doing metabolic resistance training, which is excellent for fat burning. You aren't going to build strength to the degree you would with a strength specific workout, but you're still getting a good workout. Just resist high reps and keep the weight as challenging as if you were taking the usual rests.

LindsayE007

No I have been lifting really heavy and only doing 5-8 reps. I am not doing wimpy weights, I am lifting as heavy as I can.

kazzari

Then you should be good. You'll still build strength, but if you were taking the rests you would progress faster, so you just have to decide what you want to achieve.

x12jenar13x

Do Max Overload Training, You'll gain muscles weight and lose body fat percentage.

JNick77

Or am not getting the full benefit by lifting this way? I can't stand to just sit around the weight room between reps so I will do mini circuits. Here is an example:

Bench Press
Squats
Crunches

but I don't rest between each exercise. I repeat 3 times then go on to like

Dips
Lunges
Back Extensions

I can usually get a full workout done of about 9 exercises this way in about 35 ish minutes rather than like an hour. I usually do this 2-3 times a week. I just don't want to be selling myself short, I really want to build muscle. But it keeps my heartrate up doing this and gets me out of there quicker!

Those mini-circuits aren't all that bad but they're probably going to be more cardio oriented then real strength oriented, at least after a while. If you like circuit-style training like that you may change things up to more of a Complex where you work the same muscle group over various levels of the strength curve. For instance,

1 set =
a1. Bench Press 3 - 5 reps (roughly 80% of your 1RM)
a2. Bench Press 8-10 reps (roughly 70% of your 1RM)
a3. Dumbell Bench Press (weight you can do for max reps, minimum of 12 reps)
a4. Push-ups or Dips sets of 10 reps

Rest of 60 - 90 seconds and repeat that for a minimum of 4 sets, max of 6 sets. You progress by first making it to 6 sets and hitting all the reps and then you progress again by increasing the weight. Err on the side of light with your weight selection if you're unsure, this gets taxing on your muscles very quickly.

Legs might look something like:
a1. Back Squat 3 - 5 reps
a2. Back Squat 8-10 reps
a3. Bulgarian Split Squat or some kind of Lunge for 10-12 reps
a4. Plyometric jumps for 10 reps (jump squat, side jumps, broad jumps, box jumps, etc)

Cheri_Moves

OK Lindsay, here's my 2 cents!

first of all, are you using a HRM? You know I'm doing new rules, and I lift as heavy as possible. My heart rate gets up to "running" rate (170-180) after almost every exercise and if I DON'T rest, then I would die! I let it go back down to about 125-130 and start the next set.

I hate standing around too, but I use that time to write my exercise on my training log, take a drink and refocus. You really should be resting between sets... that's what I've learned anyway!

I WANT TO SEE BIG MUSCLES ON YOU MISSY!

LindsayE007

LOL, Yes ma'am!!! Are liking NROLFW? I bought the book and I agree with the whole idea, but I have a hard time doing those super short workouts! Especially since I can usually only lift 2 days a week. I feel like I need to be doing more, ya know?

LindsayE007

And I don't have a HRM, just my BMF : )

Cheri_Moves

LOL, Yes ma'am!!! Are liking NROLFW? I bought the book and I agree with the whole idea, but I have a hard time doing those super short workouts! Especially since I can usually only lift 2 days a week. I feel like I need to be doing more, ya know?

So I guess this might be the ONE time I would rather have my HRM then a BMF!

I LOVE IT! When I started it, I did some adjustments to the sets... I did 3 instead of 2. But I've started stage 2, and with a 10 minute warm up run, and a quickie stretch cool down, I finish at 60 minutes (and I don't waste time, just take my 60 sec set breaks to log the exercise info and drink) You should try it

crisanderson27

LOL, Yes ma'am!!! Are liking NROLFW? I bought the book and I agree with the whole idea, but I have a hard time doing those super short workouts! Especially since I can usually only lift 2 days a week. I feel like I need to be doing more, ya know?

Doing more isn't going to help! Lifting doesn't build muscles, rest builds muscles. Overworking is very very bad, and far worse than underworking.

That being said, if your goal is to build muscle, and you're eating at a caloric deficit, it's not going to happen. If your goal is to cut fat...roll on, you're doing great.

When I cut 40lbs of bodyfat in 3mos, I did it by doing nothing more than 30-45 minutes of strength training (loose circuit style), 3x a week. Sometimes on off days I'd do 3 rounds of tabata format heavy bag work (30 minutes total with the rest period between 8 minute runs). Saturday and Sunday were ALWAYS 100% rest.

Cheri_Moves

LOL, Yes ma'am!!! Are liking NROLFW? I bought the book and I agree with the whole idea, but I have a hard time doing those super short workouts! Especially since I can usually only lift 2 days a week. I feel like I need to be doing more, ya know?

Doing more isn't going to help! Lifting doesn't build muscles, rest builds muscles. Overworking is very very bad, and far worse than underworking.

That being said, if your goal is to build muscle, and you're eating at a caloric deficit, it's not going to happen. If your goal is to cut fat...roll on, you're doing great.

When I cut 40lbs of bodyfat in 3mos, I did it by doing nothing more than 30-45 minutes of strength training (loose circuit style), 3x a week. Sometimes on off days I'd do 3 rounds of tabata format heavy bag work (30 minutes total with the rest period between 8 minute runs). Saturday and Sunday were ALWAYS 100% rest.

women trying to loose weight ALWAYS feel like we need to be doing more! It'll be to our demise, ya know! LOL! :grumble:

Awkward30

LOL, Yes ma'am!!! Are liking NROLFW? I bought the book and I agree with the whole idea, but I have a hard time doing those super short workouts! Especially since I can usually only lift 2 days a week. I feel like I need to be doing more, ya know?

Doing more isn't going to help! Lifting doesn't build muscles, rest builds muscles. Overworking is very very bad, and far worse than underworking.

That being said, if your goal is to build muscle, and you're eating at a caloric deficit, it's not going to happen. If your goal is to cut fat...roll on, you're doing great.

When I cut 40lbs of bodyfat in 3mos, I did it by doing nothing more than 30-45 minutes of strength training (loose circuit style), 3x a week. Sometimes on off days I'd do 3 rounds of tabata format heavy bag work (30 minutes total with the rest period between 8 minute runs). Saturday and Sunday were ALWAYS 100% rest.

What he said.

Jacwhite22

No I have been lifting really heavy and only doing 5-8 reps. I am not doing wimpy weights, I am lifting as heavy as I can.

I don't fathom how you can lift heavy and not need a rest between sets.

kazzari

OK Lindsay, here's my 2 cents!

first of all, are you using a HRM? You know I'm doing new rules, and I lift as heavy as possible. My heart rate gets up to "running" rate (170-180) after almost every exercise and if I DON'T rest, then I would die! I let it go back down to about 125-130 and start the next set.

I hate standing around too, but I use that time to write my exercise on my training log, take a drink and refocus. You really should be resting between sets... that's what I've learned anyway!

I WANT TO SEE BIG MUSCLES ON YOU MISSY!

The original New Rules of Lifting has a killer fatloss program during which you do a circuit of 10 reps of 4 exercises with no rest. Then you get one minute rest before repeating the circuit. You do this for 4 circuits. The circuit for workout A is deadlifts, pushups, Bulgarian split squats, 2 pt. DB rows. To keep the heart going, this circuit is followed by a high rep circuit of 4 different exercises for 2 repeats. I wore a heart rate monitor and my heart stayed up as well. It is a very exhausting workout but the point is fatloss. So not ideal for a pure strength goal. The weights are heavy enough to maintain strength and elicit a metabolic response.