Strength Training; now or later?

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  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
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    Joined a gym one year ago ....... started out just walking on the treadmill ....... now I'm doing all kinds of cardio, plus lifting weights, as well as a few yoga classes each week ...... I love it all !

    Happy journey !
  • lostinureyes17
    lostinureyes17 Posts: 112 Member
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    Went to the gym today and did some cardio but threw in some free weights and arm exercises!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Thanks for all the replies. I do some of the weight machines at the gym but I'm very weak and never sure if I'm actually making an impact or not.

    First, I love the massive FMIC you are holding.


    Second, heavy is defined by the user. If you want to increase fat loss, you want to lift heavy (failing around 8 reps). So if you bench and you can only do the bar 4 times, that is great... if you can add 10 lbs to that, even better. Your strength will come as you lift more frequently. Also, don't mix cardio and ST as it can lead your body to fight for resource for repairing it, unless it's a light warm up run. Try to ST 3-4 days a week too.
  • lostinureyes17
    lostinureyes17 Posts: 112 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I do some of the weight machines at the gym but I'm very weak and never sure if I'm actually making an impact or not.

    First, I love the massive FMIC you are holding.


    Second, heavy is defined by the user. If you want to increase fat loss, you want to lift heavy (failing around 8 reps). So if you bench and you can only do the bar 4 times, that is great... if you can add 10 lbs to that, even better. Your strength will come as you lift more frequently. Also, don't mix cardio and ST as it can lead your body to fight for resource for repairing it, unless it's a light warm up run. Try to ST 3-4 days a week too.

    Thanks. So it's better to lift more than to lift lighter and do more reps?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Thanks for all the replies. I do some of the weight machines at the gym but I'm very weak and never sure if I'm actually making an impact or not.

    First, I love the massive FMIC you are holding.


    Second, heavy is defined by the user. If you want to increase fat loss, you want to lift heavy (failing around 8 reps). So if you bench and you can only do the bar 4 times, that is great... if you can add 10 lbs to that, even better. Your strength will come as you lift more frequently. Also, don't mix cardio and ST as it can lead your body to fight for resource for repairing it, unless it's a light warm up run. Try to ST 3-4 days a week too.

    Thanks. So it's better to lift more than to lift lighter and do more reps?

    Yep. Light weight is really only or endurance which won't burn as much calories (during or post workout) as heavy lifting which stimulation your body to tear lean tissue, causing it the need to repair.


    http://www.livestrong.com/article/372745-heavy-weight-vs-light-weight-weight-loss/
  • littlelol
    littlelol Posts: 539
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    i need to do more strenght training x
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
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    I was planning on sticking to cardio and swimming until I got rid of some flab, but the wonderful (non-judgmental) lifters on here seemed to enjoy it so much and believe in it so passionately that I recently started and while it hasn't accelerated my weight loss yet, I just FEEL better and it's a great stress reliever compared to hopping on a treadmill for 35 minutes.

    I encourage you to add it now...I do about a 12-13 cardio warm-up on an elliptical, then about 45 minutes of lifting (machines and free weights) then anywhere from a 10-20 minutes cardio cool-down on the treadmill.

    I do it about 2-3 times a week, and I swim laps and/or do Zumba 1-2 times a week.

    Good luck!
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
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    I'm just intimidated by the whole thing. About getting hurt, doing things "wrong". I guess I should just throw caution to the wind.

    I can't afford a personal trainer, but my gym offers a free equipment orientation, so I had a trainer walk around with me for the first workout and she helped me set the machines at the right heights/settings/weights and watched me do the reps to see how my form was. She only showed me one free weight lift, but I'm planning to work more in by watching what others do.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    I'm just intimidated by the whole thing. About getting hurt, doing things "wrong". I guess I should just throw caution to the wind.

    I can't afford a personal trainer, but my gym offers a free equipment orientation, so I had a trainer walk around with me for the first workout and she helped me set the machines at the right heights/settings/weights and watched me do the reps to see how my form was. She only showed me one free weight lift, but I'm planning to work more in by watching what others do.

    Free weights will provide better results as your body is forced to stabilize the weights more. You can Google routines like Strong Lift 5x5.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I'm just intimidated by the whole thing. About getting hurt, doing things "wrong". I guess I should just throw caution to the wind.

    I can't afford a personal trainer, but my gym offers a free equipment orientation, so I had a trainer walk around with me for the first workout and she helped me set the machines at the right heights/settings/weights and watched me do the reps to see how my form was. She only showed me one free weight lift, but I'm planning to work more in by watching what others do.

    Free weights will provide better results as your body is forced to stabilize the weights more. You can Google routines like Strong Lift 5x5.

    I completely agree!
  • wildcata77
    wildcata77 Posts: 660
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    I'm just intimidated by the whole thing. About getting hurt, doing things "wrong". I guess I should just throw caution to the wind.

    I can't afford a personal trainer, but my gym offers a free equipment orientation, so I had a trainer walk around with me for the first workout and she helped me set the machines at the right heights/settings/weights and watched me do the reps to see how my form was. She only showed me one free weight lift, but I'm planning to work more in by watching what others do.

    Free weights will provide better results as your body is forced to stabilize the weights more. You can Google routines like Strong Lift 5x5.

    I completely agree!

    I know, I'm working up to that, I promise. Each time I lift I plan to transition one machine to a free weight until I am primarily a free lifter. I'm just way too intimidated to try to do it all at once.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I know, I'm working up to that, I promise. Each time I lift I plan to transition one machine to a free weight until I am primarily a free lifter. I'm just way too intimidated to try to do it all at once.

    Not being critical at all, just trying to understand, what do you find intimidating?

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