What type of weight training should I do?
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AmyzNewGroove
Posts: 144 Member
(FYI- Also posted on the EM2WL website forum)
Hiya EM2WL world!
I need your advice. As a reformed "iron hater," I'm just finally started to take weight training seriously and been lifting heavy 2-3x a week for about a month. Loving it! I still do one 50-60 minute (5-6 mile) run a week, only because I enjoy it, and at least 1 HIIT session per week.
So, here's the scoop: I'm 5'5", 139lbs, approx 25% body fat (measured by bodpod last May), and mesomorph/endomorph body type (busty with a big booty and I drop/add fat/muscle easily). I have been eating TDEE for the majority of 7 months. My calves, biceps, & triceps are pretty muscular already, but my thighs, butt, & chest house the majority of my fat stores (the rest is average strength/toned). I have the weakest back ever, I swear there is only skin and bones back there. Im not really looking to loose scale weight, but I do want want to bulk my back up, slim my squishy inner thighs down (outer thighs are decently muscular), and turn my floppy breasts into muscle.
Anywho, I am sort of lost on what types of weight training I should be doing...many sets/reps with moderately heavy weight? Few sets/reps with really heavy weights (to the point of failure)? Mix it up? Should Ih do whole body training each time I visit the gym, or break my visits into muscle groups?
Also, would it be better to cut first to try and thin out the fatty areas, bulk to increase muscle (specifically in my back and booty), or stay eating at TDEE?
Ok enough yapping on my part. Appreciate any and all opinions!
-Amy
Hiya EM2WL world!
I need your advice. As a reformed "iron hater," I'm just finally started to take weight training seriously and been lifting heavy 2-3x a week for about a month. Loving it! I still do one 50-60 minute (5-6 mile) run a week, only because I enjoy it, and at least 1 HIIT session per week.
So, here's the scoop: I'm 5'5", 139lbs, approx 25% body fat (measured by bodpod last May), and mesomorph/endomorph body type (busty with a big booty and I drop/add fat/muscle easily). I have been eating TDEE for the majority of 7 months. My calves, biceps, & triceps are pretty muscular already, but my thighs, butt, & chest house the majority of my fat stores (the rest is average strength/toned). I have the weakest back ever, I swear there is only skin and bones back there. Im not really looking to loose scale weight, but I do want want to bulk my back up, slim my squishy inner thighs down (outer thighs are decently muscular), and turn my floppy breasts into muscle.
Anywho, I am sort of lost on what types of weight training I should be doing...many sets/reps with moderately heavy weight? Few sets/reps with really heavy weights (to the point of failure)? Mix it up? Should Ih do whole body training each time I visit the gym, or break my visits into muscle groups?
Also, would it be better to cut first to try and thin out the fatty areas, bulk to increase muscle (specifically in my back and booty), or stay eating at TDEE?
Ok enough yapping on my part. Appreciate any and all opinions!
-Amy
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Replies
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Wow.. That is alot of questions. And of course, I have no answers. lol Seriously - Maybe add a 10% cut while lifting. I don't think any less would be beneficial. This is where the BMF would come in handy to figure where you are at daily. We should just go to lunch and discuss all this.. Let me know if/when you have any free time.
I have done both these workouts. Currently doing the full body wo 3x week off the bodybuilding.com site.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw101.htm
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/the-super-toning-training-routine.html
NROL is always a great option. Stage 1 is great! Lately I have been looking at the Cathe workouts. Especially STS. It is pricey at $199 but I think well worth it. You get 40 disks I believe. You can buy them as a download and put on your iphone. I have heard that they are easy enough to follow along with if you are working out in the gym. www.cathdownloads.com0 -
Anywho, I am sort of lost on what types of weight training I should be doing...many sets/reps with moderately heavy weight? Few sets/reps with really heavy weights (to the point of failure)? Mix it up? Should Ih do whole body training each time I visit the gym, or break my visits into muscle groups?
Also, would it be better to cut first to try and thin out the fatty areas, bulk to increase muscle (specifically in my back and booty), or stay eating at TDEE?
I will respond, I don't know the type of answers you got in the other forum but I will toss my 2 cents out there. From your numbers, being 139 and 25% BF you should probably still be cutting while lifting, this will slim your thighs, change your shape, and all that stuff. (You will not gain actual muscle while cutting though)
As for weight training, you should focus on lower reps, normal sets of heavy weight.. so 5-8 (or 10) with the final 3 reps you are basically wishing your muscles to finish.. so failure. 3 Sets is the normal. Obviously you said you were lifting for a month, but be careful with your form not to hurt yourself if you are not lifting heavy currently at this pace.
You should do whole body workouts, and body group lifts, while alternating days. Not using the same group in back to back days.. so if you do back one day, you dont do back the next, and if you do full body workout, next day would probably be cardio. I like grouping muscle groups into push/pull groups but you can do it however you feel comfortable.
Now onto back exercises, oh how I dislike back exercises as well, but here are the ones you can do. Pull ups, deadlifts, lower body extensions, Pull Downs (lat etc), Scooby has a site for that stuff actually I just found, here is the link.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/back-exercises/
This should give you a general idea, people also recommend the 5x5 full body routine as well.0 -
We should just go to lunch and discuss all this.. Let me know if/when you have any free time.
Kimm - Yes, let's do this!!! Perhaps my next Friday off from work, which isn't until the 14th...or maybe we can find time over a weekend for coffee?0 -
Anywho, I am sort of lost on what types of weight training I should be doing...many sets/reps with moderately heavy weight? Few sets/reps with really heavy weights (to the point of failure)? Mix it up? Should Ih do whole body training each time I visit the gym, or break my visits into muscle groups?
Also, would it be better to cut first to try and thin out the fatty areas, bulk to increase muscle (specifically in my back and booty), or stay eating at TDEE?
I will respond, I don't know the type of answers you got in the other forum but I will toss my 2 cents out there. From your numbers, being 139 and 25% BF you should probably still be cutting while lifting, this will slim your thighs, change your shape, and all that stuff. (You will not gain actual muscle while cutting though)
As for weight training, you should focus on lower reps, normal sets of heavy weight.. so 5-8 (or 10) with the final 3 reps you are basically wishing your muscles to finish.. so failure. 3 Sets is the normal. Obviously you said you were lifting for a month, but be careful with your form not to hurt yourself if you are not lifting heavy currently at this pace.
You should do whole body workouts, and body group lifts, while alternating days. Not using the same group in back to back days.. so if you do back one day, you dont do back the next, and if you do full body workout, next day would probably be cardio. I like grouping muscle groups into push/pull groups but you can do it however you feel comfortable.
Now onto back exercises, oh how I dislike back exercises as well, but here are the ones you can do. Pull ups, deadlifts, lower body extensions, Pull Downs (lat etc), Scooby has a site for that stuff actually I just found, here is the link.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/back-exercises/
This should give you a general idea, people also recommend the 5x5 full body routine as well.
Thanks so much for the input!!0 -
:blushing: bump for additional input... :flowerforyou:0
