I Just Don't Understand Stregth Training!

ilovedeadlifts

everyone has pretty much covered it.

you need to get on a good program, that will outline everything for you.

I did well with 5x5. everything is laid out. you know exactly what to do.

Cr01502

Check out a book called Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Also I agree that since your not on a proper program your gains are going to be pretty minimal and it might be worth thinking about a personal trainer.

zaph0d

8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you

Before I got back into free weights I did bodypump/express pump etc classes with 8 pound dumbells and got pretty toned, I was in much better shape then than I am now (but was also doing a good amount of running).

This is a topic about Strength Training; not about "geting toned"

MFPBrandy

You can get pretty inexpensive adjustable weights -- I found a Gold's Gym set at WalMart that is two dumbells with plates going up to 40 lbs. So you can start lower, then add more plates. It'll only go so far, but it's cheaper than buying new dumbells every time you go up (assuming you're not doing this at the gym).

HealthyBodySickMind

You can't increase what you can lift without first knowing how much you can lift, so grab a bar and put weight on it and figure out where you are at. If you've never done it before, go to a gym and have someone who knows what they're doing help you figure out how much you can lift now.

Then you can go here: http://www.strstd.com/ Put in what you can do and follow the program. It's four weeks long. After the four weeks, add 10 lbs to your one rep. max for deadlifts and squats and 5 lbs to your one rep max for the presses. Repeat every four weeks. You will get stronger.

BlackTimber

So from what I'm been reading the idea is to do the same exercises week to week with the goal to increase weight/reps? But... how? When I read this stuff it just isn't making sense! What I do right now is pick an exercise, dead lifts for example, and do 2 sets of 12 with 8lb dumbbells in each hand. I have a list and I just go down the list and do that but obviously it seems that there will be no way for me to increase the weight amount I can handle. Can someone try to explain what I should do in a simple way? My goals are to build up my tiny shoulders and tone my legs. Thank you!

It's simple. If you can easily do 2 sets of 12 with 8 pounds. Increase the weight to 10 pounds. If that is still too easy then keep going up in weight until it isn't easy anymore. You want to get to the point where the last rep is very difficult or you can't do it. After that your goal will be to complete your sets so you can go to the next weight amount. It's fun, not nearly as boring as indoor aerobics.

MyBodyMyMachine

Strength training is really simple but daunting for a lot of people. If you're that lost, I would suggest doing something like the Body for Life program- maybe not with that intensity, but at least it would map out a program for you. Even on my first day of dead lifting in my life, I think we started with more than just a 45lb bar, so 8lb weights for dead lifts are going to do nothing for you. What they will do is help you master the motion and the form before doing them with weights. If you're doing free weight training, form is more critical than anything. You can add crazy amounts of weight but if your form sucks, you will just get hurt!

General rule of thumb-
To build muscle: 3 sets of 18-20 reps
To build strength: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
To build mass: 3 sets of 5-8 reps

Whatever your goal, you should be getting fatigued half way through your second set, and your third should be a struggle to finish, but finish-able. Unless you're going for mass, then you want to max out on that 3rd set and not be able to finish.

My other suggestion is that most gyms will do a free personal training consultation. I don't necessarily recommend signing up with a trainer as the ones at most gyms are worthless. But conceptually, they should be able to show and explain to you what you need to be doing!

I'm happy to help if you have more questions. I had a great teacher and trainer, have been lifting for quite a while, and my husband has been a body builder his whole life, so I have great resources, if I don't know something myself.

https://www.facebook.com/MyBodyMyMachine
www.mybody-mymachine.com

kikih64

I agree with the other posters...if you're doing 12 reps at 8 pounds pretty easily..just up the weight. If you try 10 pounds and can still do 12 easy reps....try 12 pounds. Once you find the weight that you can do maybe 6 or 8 with an effort, use that until it becomes 12 easy reps. Then just keep going up. Take a look at New Rules or Stronglifts.

Good luck!

Determinednoob

8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you

Before I got back into free weights I did bodypump/express pump etc classes with 8 pound dumbells and got pretty toned, I was in much better shape then than I am now (but was also doing a good amount of running).

You mean you lost the fat covering what muscle you did have and therefore looked better? Something that could have been done with no weights (or even exercise). OP specifically mentioned deadlifting. My wife deadlifted 115lbs for 5 reps her first time in the gym. So no, I don't think deadlifting 16 will do much.

zechks

Pick up a bigger weight.. Don't use 8lb dumbbell for deadlifts, I bet your purse is way heavier than that. Maybe start with the olympic bar, then keep on adding weight as you slowly progress, that's how you get stronger.

NorthWoodsLee

Here's a link to a popular version of 5x5, which I assume is the kind of thing you're reading about. It has a lot of information about proper technique, how to add weight to workouts, and what to do when you can't successfully lift any more weight.

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

There are other versions, but this one should give you a lot of information. And it's not just for guys.

clee369

You can't "tone" anything so you might as well get that myth out of your head now

MonkRocker

So from what I'm been reading the idea is to do the same exercises week to week with the goal to increase weight/reps? But... how? When I read this stuff it just isn't making sense! What I do right now is pick an exercise, dead lifts for example, and do 2 sets of 12 with 8lb dumbbells in each hand. I have a list and I just go down the list and do that but obviously it seems that there will be no way for me to increase the weight amount I can handle. Can someone try to explain what I should do in a simple way? My goals are to build up my tiny shoulders and tone my legs. Thank you!

Yeah, for starters - you're definitely not lifting heavy enough.

You need to learn what muscular failure feels like. The best way I heard it described was: You've just completed your last set, and an eccentric millionaire wanders into the gym and offers you a cool quarter million to do one more rep. If afterwards, you don't have a new car and your student loans are still unpaid - you had reached muscular failure. It literally means that you cannot successfully complete another rep. Your muscles simply will NOT do it.

If you read Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting for Women, you will learn more about how it works, but basically repetitive muscular contraction causes your muscles to adapt. Depending on how many reps you are doing per set, it will adapt in one of 3 basic ways:

1 - Efficiency. Basically an increase in strength without much gain in size. For most people 1-5 reps per set will result in this.
2 - Hypertrophy. This is an increase in strength & efficiency through muscular growth. This is what most men who take up weightlifting are after. Bigger arms/chest/shoulders/legs, etc. For most people 8-12 reps.
3 - Stamina. Just what it sounds like. Sustained muscular exertion. 12+ reps.

Since you are a beginner - no matter which method you use, you will see gains pretty quickly. Follow one of the beginner programs in Starting Strength or NROLFW and that will last you for a LONG time. Probably at least the first year. After that you will know enough about what you're capable of to tweak.

Again - that's a VERY simplified and basic overview up there. The devil is in the details, as always. Google things to find out more.

Good luck.

Plates559

8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you

Before I got back into free weights I did bodypump/express pump etc classes with 8 pound dumbells and got pretty toned, I was in much better shape then than I am now (but was also doing a good amount of running).

Body pump is cardio, we are talking about weight lifting...

My wife deadlifts around 135 - 155 for reps

ipock

I think a huge part of weight training that is often neglected is logging everything in your workouts. If you have a smartphone, there are a number of great apps for routines/logging/tracking (much like mfp). I use one called Jefit. You can choose a weekly routine that is tailored to your needs, and you just need to find the correct dumbbell/barbell weight for each exercise in which you can do the suggested number of reps, but the last rep of each set should be somewhat difficult to complete. The app also provides a timer for rest between sets. Like others have said, choose heavier weights with which you can complete around 6-9 reps per set until you can't do anymore.

It takes a little experimenting and adjusting, but the more you log, the more aware of yourself and your strengths/weaknesses you become. Even better, when you come back the next week, your short term goal for each exercise will be to beat whatever you did the week before, and the log will provide you with a visual goal to try to beat. In my experience, it's too hard to remember everything you lifted the week before without having written it down or logging it into your smartphone app. Plus, it's easy to just kind of quit after you feel like you've "worked out" for the day..as opposed to sticking to a strict routine.

In short: lift heavier/ fewer repetitions (6-9); find a routine and stick with it, doing every set of every exercise; log your progress. You will see results, definitely.

kealambert

I guess I don't understand what's not to understand.

1) lift as much as you can
2) your body adapts
3) you can lift more, so you do.
4) go back to step 2

exactly

lifting tears the muscles, resting and proper eating rebuilds and grows them, repeat

sunrise611

You can tone with pilates and yoga, also.

http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i480/xo_uhmazing/Pop Pilates/

Yes, Pilates and Yoga are the way to go for me! I keep wanting to do these things ...

judgerock810

Try more something like this

Figure out general max on certain exercise and build up then progression your workout

65x12
70x10
75x8
80x6
85x4
90x2
95x1
100 x1

Repeat, this should be done with core exercise only though. (Bench, Deadlift, Squat, Power Clean and Snatch). If you want something more descript message me and I will figure something out for you.

ChitownFoodie

8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you

Before I got back into free weights I did bodypump/express pump etc classes with 8 pound dumbells and got pretty toned, I was in much better shape then than I am now (but was also doing a good amount of running).

Body pump is cardio, we are talking about weight lifting...

My wife deadlifts around 135 - 155 for reps

I dead lift about 1X my weight, so 100lbs.

ShaunaLaNee

8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you

Wrong:) hahah I used them for the first two months of working out, you can SEE a difference and feel a difference:)