Questions About Strength Training - From a Female

girlykate143

Hi,
I'm somewhat new to MFP, but not new to fitness. Been pretty athletic most of my life and have concentrated on the large leg muscle, self-propelled sports. (Soccer, distance running, hiking, climbing, biking, etc.)
I've only lifted weights for a brief period about 7 years ago and I did something called super slow. Basically, very slow on the release. Theory being that you are not wasting the weight...or something. I had 1:1 training and it was fabulous but exhausting. I felt, and was, really strong (surprised my trainer on a few occasions), but would go home and sleep for an hour afterwards. Back then, I really didn't pay that much attention to what I ate but I do remember eating a hard boiled egg within a half hour. That was my routine. Pretty much any other meals or snacks I cannot remember other than I wouldn't eat a lot of processed food or any protein shakes. (I still don't like the taste but am open to trying them again.)

Questions:
Is it still a good rule of thumb to eat something small beforehand, or within an hour after working out?
Is this sleep afterwards normal? Or the feeling of being super tired?

I plan to do a series of machine weights, not dumbells.
How many reps should I be doing per sitting? Does anybody still do the slow release?
Do you do upper or lower body only in one session (like a Monday upper, then Wednesday do lower?)
Do I really need to get a trainer to guide me? Please, please tell me no.

I really am inspired by some of you - LorinaLynn, ahem -- who've been weight training and losing weight. That's really my goal since I've essentially plateaued for the last 3 weeks and I'm not supposed to be running.

mangohead100

I've been doing strength training for about a year under the sporadic guidance of a personal trainer.

Food:
I always make sure I have eaten something before a strength training workout. If I work out first thing in the morning, it will just be a small carb snack so that I don't get cramps. Afterwards, I make sure I have some sort of protein within half an hour. I don't know if there's a set time that you need to have protein after a workout.

Tiredness: I tend to feel energized after workouts, but that's also because I do 15 minute of cardio post-lifting

Reps:
If I am trying to build strength, I do 12 warm-up reps at a lower weight, then 8 and 6 at the highest weight I can manage.
For endurance, I do 15 warm-up reps at a lower weight, then 10 and 10 at a challenging weight

I have never heard of slow release.

Alternating lower/upper body:
As long as you are not working out the same muscle groups two days in a row, you can mix up upper/lower/both as you like

Trainer:
There are some great videos and books out there teaching strength training technique, so I don't think a trainer is mandatory. The important thing is to learn proper form so that you don't hurt yourself. I find that having a trainer periodically (once every few months) keeps me motivated, challenged, accountable, and injury-free.\


Hope this helps!

girlykate143

Thanks much. I'm planning on a warm up on the stairmaster or something like it. Then lifting, and I may come back with a report on how "exhausted" I am.
I need this for weight loss; not muscle strength per se.

Determinednoob

You can eat whatever whenever as long as it fits your macros and provides enough micronutrients as well. I will say that if you are going to work out first thing in the morning you should have a little something beforehand, even if it is just drinking BCAA powder in juice or something. If you work out later in the day then solid food only and whatever timing you like is fine. Sleep whenever you want too. Here is a ton more info although it does not all fit with your desire to only use machines. I am biased towards barbells, so my recommendation would be to not sell yourself short. Much better results can be gotten in a lot less time with big compound barbell lifts.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners

Leadfoot_Lewis

Preworkout - Eat some complex carbs/protein 1.5 - 2 hours prior to working out
Post workout - Carbs/protein in 30 minutes

Machines - ugh. Dumbbells/Free weights > Machines.

8-12 reps, 3 sets per exercise - be explosive with your lifts. Make sure you warm up with some stretches & high rep/low weight lfits.

Being you haven't done this in a long time, you'd benefit more from a full body workout - 2-3 times a week.

Trainers are great if you can find a good one. The benefit to you would be that they'd help you with form, a workout plan, and motivation.

Good luck and welcome back to strength training!