Lifting Weights only once a week

Lozze

For me softball season is starting to gear up and I'm finding it very, very hard to get gym time in. I enjoy lifting weights for the strength benefits and just how they make me feel but with softball four/five times a week I'm finding it difficult to find time to lift more than once a week.

I know it won't give md optimal results, but is it still worth doing it only once a week?

PurpleTina

Absolutely! Any kind of cross training will help your sport, as well as maintaining your muscle tone.

Determinednoob

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would knock out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

Lozze

Dry I've been doing NROLFW and was planning on continuing with that (tho I know they don't recommend that) I don't really know the lifts you're referring to, have really only done squat and deadlift. (Though I think some are referring to the lat pulldown cable machine and the seated row?) I've never done a overhead push or bench press though.

taylor5877

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would know out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

this

ilovedeadlifts

as stated above, hit the major compounds. squats, deads, bench, rows, overhead, and some extra lat work.


you might not pack on a lot of muscle doing this, but you will get stronger.

Spartan_Maker

Absolutely: you can doubtless produce a meaningful adaptive response with one good resistance training workout a week.

Determinednoob

I would think NROL would include some kind of overhead pressing and some kind of bench press variant? If not throw it away and buy Starting Strength and read that.

Lozze

NROLFW does but not in the first few stages.

alvalaurie

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would know out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

Thanks for this list! I also am only lifting once per week with my trainer, but will probably soon need to drop the trainer (financial reasons) & start lifting on my own so this gives me a guide to know what to work on. One thing I notice though, there's basically only two movements targeting legs; should I add something else to work my legs more?

Determinednoob

NROLFW does but not in the first few stages.

I didn't know that. That is, um, kinda bad...

Determinednoob

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would know out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

Thanks for this list! I also am only lifting once per week with my trainer, but will probably soon need to drop the trainer (financial reasons) & start lifting on my own so this gives me a guide to know what to work on. One thing I notice though, there's basically only two movements targeting legs; should I add something else to work my legs more?

Well if you are lifting only once per week you could add more or do more sets of the same I guess. I am not a master of any programming much less one day per week programming, but these six movements are the basics for working your entire body.

Lozze

Well NROLFW is aimed at women who have no real experience with weight lifting. (Unless of course shoulder presses are what you're referring to? I'm really ignorant on what counts as part of the compound lifts)

Determinednoob

Well NROLFW is aimed at women who have no real experience with weight lifting. (Unless of course shoulder presses are what you're referring to? I'm really ignorant on what counts as part of the compound lifts)

Yeah but in truth women don't need to start out any differently than men with zero experience, and they don't need any 'new rules" either. I understand that a book stating is has something new specifically for women may help those that are timid about getting into it, but, the same old crap that worked for either gender 30 years ago still works today.

And yes, shoulder press is an over head press variant. Anything where you push dumbbells or a barbell straight up over your head.

icreate

gonna try this

secretlobster

Totally worth it. You'll want to do a full body circuit

erickirb

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would knock out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

This.

And if you can fit in in 2x some weeks, even better

samlankford

maybe get some resistance bands to use at home on days you can't get to the gym? yeah it is a lighter weight (sometimes) but you can still get a darn good muscle tone from it...

Lozze

And if you can fit in in 2x some weeks, even better

It's definitely a play it by ear. The first month I have Sunday games as well but it's been a long time since I've done anything like this and I am of course older so not sure how my body will react!

Jersey_Devil

you do whatever you can. the more the better. maybe you can go to the gym one of the days you have softball too. i play softball and this past weekend I went to the gym before my games.. i was real tired by the end of the day, but i felt good. i wouldn't do it every day though.

myofibril

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would know out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

this

Yep. Keep the exercise order as stated and you'll be good even if it is once a week.

ETA: actually I would do the deads before the squat but other than that...

DixiedoesMFP

I did NROLFW for about a week or two, realized it was missing a lot of those compound lifts mentioned above, and made up my own routine that includes all those. Sometimes I lift once a week, sometimes three, sometimes none. No, it's not optimal results, but yes, it is working. Good luck.

MrsAgi

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would knock out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

Al those are in stage 1 of New Rules:
Squats, deadlifts, press ups, seated row, shoulder press and lat pull down - there are pictures of how to do each one, and suggestions of variations for each too.

erickirb

Well NROLFW is aimed at women who have no real experience with weight lifting. (Unless of course shoulder presses are what you're referring to? I'm really ignorant on what counts as part of the compound lifts)

Yeah but in truth women don't need to start out any differently than men with zero experience, and they don't need any 'new rules" either. I understand that a book stating is has something new specifically for women may help those that are timid about getting into it, but, the same old crap that worked for either gender 30 years ago still works today.

And yes, shoulder press is an over head press variant. Anything where you push dumbbells or a barbell straight up over your head.

FYI: New Rules of Lifting's full title is New Rules of Lifting for Women, sub titled lift Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess. Essentially the book is telling women to lift like men.

BAMFMeredith

Yes. If I were lifting once per week I would knock out all 6 of the biggies i.e.

quad dom leg (squat variant)
ham dom leg (deadlift variant)
horizontal push (bench press, push ups)
horizontal pull (rows)
vertical push (over head press variant)
vertical pull (pushup\lat pull down machine variant)

Thanks for the list! I was pondering this issue myself. I'm entering into race season and between my running days and yoga practice (it helps me SO MUCH during race season, lots of other runners at my studio), I only have a day a week to lift as well. Perfect list, thanks!

Lozze

Al those are in stage 1 of New Rules:
Squats, deadlifts, press ups, seated row, shoulder press and lat pull down - there are pictures of how to do each one, and suggestions of variations for each too.

Which move is the press up?

Determinednoob

You can actually do the entire routine listed below at home with dumbbells and a bench (or board laying on cinderblocks or w/e) although eventually you will be able to squat enough weight that trying to do it holding dumbbells with get too diccifult.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=147447933

Lozze

you do whatever you can. the more the better. maybe you can go to the gym one of the days you have softball too. i play softball and this past weekend I went to the gym before my games.. i was real tired by the end of the day, but i felt good. i wouldn't do it every day though.

Oh geez no! I'm a pitcher I get enough of a workout without doing more! I lifted in error one game last year (thought we had a bye) and had no power in my pitches whatsoever!

Thanks for the help everyone really appreciated.

Determinednoob

Well NROLFW is aimed at women who have no real experience with weight lifting. (Unless of course shoulder presses are what you're referring to? I'm really ignorant on what counts as part of the compound lifts)

Yeah but in truth women don't need to start out any differently than men with zero experience, and they don't need any 'new rules" either. I understand that a book stating is has something new specifically for women may help those that are timid about getting into it, but, the same old crap that worked for either gender 30 years ago still works today.

And yes, shoulder press is an over head press variant. Anything where you push dumbbells or a barbell straight up over your head.

FYI: New Rules of Lifting's full title is New Rules of Lifting for Women, sub titled lift Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess. Essentially the book is telling women to lift like men.

Yes I know the full title, and yes the TITLE tells women to lift like men. As to whether the BOOK tells women HOW to lift exactly like men, I guess there could be some debate.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

NROLFW does but not in the first few stages.

Um, yes it does. Squat press includes an overhead press, and while there aren't any bench presses in the first few stages it's because it focuses on push ups, if you can't lift your own body weight then you can get the same thing out of making progress with push ups as you can with making progress with weights.

hnsaunde

NROLFW does but not in the first few stages.

Phase 1 has all of these but you would basically need to combine some of Workout A and B.

quad dom leg is the "Back Squat" from Workout A
ham dom leg is the "Deadlift" from Workout B
Horizontal push is the "Pushups" from Workout A
Horizontal pull is the "Seated Row" from Workout A
Vertical push is the "Dumbbell Shoulder Press" from Workout B
Vertical pull is the "Wide Grip Lat Pulldown" from Workout B

If you want to work your legs more, alternate the "Step-ups" and the "Lunges" every other week into that routine if you feel like it. I know from my experiences, after doing squats and deadlifts I feel like my legs are rubber so I really have to push myself to do either the lunges or step ups. Hope that helps!