I Just Don't Understand Stregth Training!

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13

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  • naples89
    naples89 Posts: 33 Member
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    With weight that light thats more aerobic training if anything.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    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

    www.mybody-mymachine.com

    fixed it for you below the above is way off
    To build muscle: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
    To build strength: 4-5 sets of 1-3 reps
    To have a good mix of size and strength gains: 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps
    To gain endurance 15+ reps
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
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    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:)

    Did you get STONGER?
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    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:)

    Do you even read?!

    We are talking about deadlifts

    10/10 you trolled me, i'm mad
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    Go buy New Rules of Lifting for Women...it's cheap at amazon.com. 8lbs does squat all for you. I'm doing New Rules and I love it. It's comprehensive, lots of support online, easy to understand and programmed for newbies. If you have troubles figuring out the exercise, youtube it.
  • clee369
    clee369 Posts: 101 Member
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    Just to be clear. You can't get toned bruh
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    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:)

    maybe for some exercises, but not near enough for a dead-lift (which is what she was doing with them)

    The weight you use should make it hard to finish each set with good form on the last rep or two, whatever rep range you chose. So if your goal is 10-12 reps/set your 9th rep through 12th rep should be difficult to do with good form, once you can get the 12 with good form, increase the weight the next time you do that routine.

    If your goal is 4-5 reps, the 4th and 5th rep should be difficult to do with good form, if you complete them, up the weight next time.
  • andreanicole686
    andreanicole686 Posts: 406 Member
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    Start lifting heavier! A good program to start with is 30 day shred to build up your muscles and then start lifting heavy at the gym. Free weights start with 8 then move up to 10 then 15 then 20. Bench presses are really good just make sure you have a spotter and trust me you can deadlift way more. Use a bar and weights for that. I'm 130 and I usually do 70 pounds not including the weight of the bar. For bench presses I usually do 40-60 pounds with sets of 12-8-6.
  • clee369
    clee369 Posts: 101 Member
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    30 day shred is not a good program to start with. In fact it is a program that won't work for her if she's eating properly and understand why MFP sets her caloric intake to the level it does. Same with p90x and Insanity. **** those programs and just eat right and buy or torrent starting strength and do it correctly and live better
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
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    I usually do 70 pounds not including the weight of the bar.

    Not hating, but you always include the weight of the bar.

    Nice posterior chain progress btw
  • sheleen302
    sheleen302 Posts: 266 Member
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    Do a tried and true program

    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5x5
    NROL4W

    When you just pick up some weights and do whatever, that's a condition known as phuck-around-itis, and it will get you nowhere.

    ^^^ THIS is the way.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    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

    what????
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    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

    what????

    In this, I would like to know what the difference is between building muscle and building mass (are they not one in the same?) Not to mention the rep ranges are out of whack.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    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!

    so the next time you do your rdl's as 2 sets of 12 with 10 pounds. then the next time increment up again, and again, and again. I use an oly bar and add 2.5 pound plates to each side each time, do as many as I can for the reps I'm trying to reach, and then rest and give it another go. If you get to the end of your reps and think "wow, I could really do more" then you need to add weight.

    I now do NROL4W and love it, it has a pretty comprehensive read on functional strength increases.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
    :grumble:
    Yes, she should just lie on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
    :grumble:
    Yes, she should just lie on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV.

    Don't be silly, no one said anything like this.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
    :grumble:
    Yes, she should just lie on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV.

    If she is trying to get stronger then no, 8lb weights do nothing. Wanna bet her purse/cat/dog/kid weighs more than 8lbs??
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    Yes, Pilates and Yoga are the way to go for me! I keep wanting to do these things ...

    What has this to do with understanding strength training and how to add weights?
  • sammichPG
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    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!

    - read Starting Strenght (learn to squat, deadlift, bench press, snatch, etc.)
    - count calories
    - eat 1g of protein per lb of body weight (less works too but do not neglect your protein intake)
    - do cardio and lift stuff

    after some 3-4 months on Starting Strenght swap to another more advanced program since SS gives you a good starting base to work on

    women lifting weights for real (not small dumbells) get very good "toning" and won't get too muscular unless they do roids
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    I will reiterate what others have said:

    Look into:
    Starting Strength
    Stronglifts 5X5
    New Rules of Lifting for Women

    Watch videos (google: Mark Rippetoe) and read starting strength to learn proper form

    Lift heavier than you are now, much heavier. I can do 8 reps of 155lbs on DL, so I am close to upping it and I will. If you can do more than eight reps, up the weight by 5 lbs. If you can do 12 reps of something with out feeling like jelly in whatever part you are working, then up the weight. You don't even have to do a dozen different exercises a day, in stronglifts all you do is 3 exercises on 1 of 3 days you workout during the week: Squat, Bench Press and Row one day & Squat, Overhead press and Deadlift the other, all using the olympic bar (45lb) and plates.

    Challenge yourself, its fun!