What's best program which helped you to tone up?

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  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
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    I'm curious. I often hear people talking on here about women 'lifting heavy'. For an average sized woman, what is 'heavy'? I mean in lbs or kilos, for free weights one in each hand say?

    So many people swear by this, but I am totally clueless about what this would involve. My gym has some free weights in a corner, but the room with all the serious weights is just full of men who are serious about lifting. I would feel quite intimidated going in there.

    Is it possible to still build muscle lifting the hand weights and doing things like bicep and tricep curls, and so on, or do you think that's a waste of time?

    "Heavy" would be something you struggle to get 5-6 reps with.
  • sarahkatara
    sarahkatara Posts: 826 Member
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    Hands-down, BodyRock TV: http://www.bodyrock.tv
    12 -30 minutes per day. INTENSE. Can be done at all levels (even REALLY beginner) and whips you into shape like you wouldn't believe.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I like calisthenics and running stairs for my legs.
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
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    I really load the term tone but ill answer this anyway.

    I like Jillian Michaels No more trouble zone and Killer buns and thighs.
    If a dvd is to easy its not so much the dvd in itself as the fact that you might be using dumbells or barbells that are to easy.
    With NMTZ I make the most of it by supersetting every move I can doing the same leg for 25 to 30 reps instead of alternate left and right.
  • ready2tryagain42
    ready2tryagain42 Posts: 202
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    The program that helped me ton up the best was water aerobics and a combo weight training class I took at the gym I go to here. It is a military program and kicked my butt.
  • juliebeannn
    juliebeannn Posts: 428 Member
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    squat squat squat, with weights and heavy ones dont mess around with anything else IMO

    ^^^ this + deadlifts and other compound movements for a great total body workout

    edit: i follow the stronglifts program. LOVE IT!
  • turningstar
    turningstar Posts: 393 Member
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    Heavy lifting. Barbell squats, deadlifts, etc. I HIGHLY recommend New Rules of Lifting for Women. Especially if you have never lifted weights before and don't know where to start.
  • pennyrtyler
    pennyrtyler Posts: 79 Member
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    Definitely NOT a waste of time. My trainer helped me work my way up from machines when I was just starting out because they stabilize themselves, onto cables which require a little more work from me to keep them stabilized (keeping proper form and avoiding injuries), and then finally I graduated to free weights. YAY!!!

    Don't worry about what's heavy for someone else. Just start with a weight that is challenging enough, but that you can keep your form throughout the set. As you get stronger, you can increase your reps and weight over time.

    Make sure you don't forget your cardio, though. Keep your heart rate up as much as possible (safely!!) while you're working out. I spent about three months building up my muscles without really dieting or working on cardio. I definitely got stronger, but my muscles were all under the same fat I had when I started.

    Best advice: Hire a trainer to help you establish a routine and check back in with them every couple of weeks to make changes.
  • tansygreen
    tansygreen Posts: 85 Member
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    "Heavy" would be something you struggle to get 5-6 reps with.

    Thanks for this - that I can understand!
  • IllianaIman
    IllianaIman Posts: 131
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    Picking heavy things up and putting them down. Full body calisthenics circuits. Jumping rope for cardio.




    LOL, have you ever seen the commercial for planet fitness:

    The BIG dude that says: "I pick things up and put them dowuuuuun" LOL

    U just reminded me of him!
    :laugh:
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    squat squat squat, with weights and heavy ones dont mess around with anything else IMO

    When I first started lifting, my boyfriend was convinced I was going to turn into a big buff man.

    Now he recommends lifting to all of his friends and is trying to get more into it himself because I look fit. Fit and much smaller.
  • Bailey543
    Bailey543 Posts: 375
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    30 day shred!!!!
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
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    StrongLifts 5x5. To answer your question regarding legs, the program puts a heavy focus on squats.
  • KittieLea
    KittieLea Posts: 1,156 Member
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    If joining a gym is an option for you, I highly recommend Jamie Eason's LiveFit program! It's free! All the workouts and the nutrition guide is at this link. I'm halfway through it for the second time ;)
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html
  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
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    Jillian Michaels Body Revolution!!!! 15 DVD's, 90 day workout, and it's intense!!! I just love it!

    I just started JMBR and am loving it!! I am almost done w/week 2. I love that the workouts are only 30 min long!

    I started w/ JM's 30ds, then ChaLean Extreme (only did 60 days though, workouts are too long for me w/having 2 young boys) and now Body Revolution.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,688 Member
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    One where you have to lift some weights. While body weight exercises are good, as weight gets lost, the resistance lessens meaning that you're not increasing strength. It's like when people who were heavy try to do a pull up, couldn't, then lose 50lbs and now can. They didn't get stronger per se, they're just pulling up less weight.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    Make sure you don't forget your cardio, though. Keep your heart rate up as much as possible (safely!!) while you're working out. I spent about three months building up my muscles without really dieting or working on cardio. I definitely got stronger, but my muscles were all under the same fat I had when I started.

    That's just calories.Whether or not you lose weight is a matter of calories. Cardio burns calories, allowing you to eat more while maintaining the same deficit.

    The quantity of weight lost is determined by your calorie deficit (to a first approximation) and the quality of weight lost is determined by the quality of your diet (getting enough protein and micronutrients) and training (providing the stimulus your body needs to keep its muscle through some sort of resistance training).
  • summaryzn
    summaryzn Posts: 122 Member
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    bump
  • MotorCityFemmeFatale
    MotorCityFemmeFatale Posts: 222 Member
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    Picking heavy things up and putting them down. Full body calisthenics circuits. Jumping rope for cardio.




    LOL, have you ever seen the commercial for planet fitness:

    The BIG dude that says: "I pick things up and put them dowuuuuun" LOL

    U just reminded me of him!
    :laugh:


    I pick things up and put them down too ..... works like a charm :wink:
  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
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    Oh I also do Zumba & walking for some added cardio while I'm doing Jillian Michaels Body Revolution. Only on week2 so we shall see :)

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