Does anyone NOT like lifting heavy?body/medium weights

Jen800

Does anyone NOT like lifting heavy?body/medium weights/ dvds/ youtube instead?
I personally have never lifted heavy before. I don't have the money to join a gym, or the transportation, or really the time to make it to and fro. I applaud the people who can! And I don't have the money to magically transform an entire room of my house into a strength room, as I also share with other people.

I know the forums are largely "Lifting heavy is the only way!" and sometimes I almost feel bad about myself for being generally uninterested/unable due to finances and other factors. I may try in the future, but I almost feel like there's NO way I'm going to like the way I look(make no mistake though! I am VERY focused on health, not "being skinny"!) or achieve a good level of fitness if I DON'T lift heavy. Has anyone ever felt this way before?

Anyways, so the point of the post is for reassurance that lifting heavy is not the ONLY option. Pictures of people who have done body weight workouts, DVDs, or even straight cardio people would be great too.

I have done DVDs so far and I like the video type of workout because it keeps me on track and following what I need to do. I'm also planning on a new program soon which is bodyweight exercise, like focussing on abs one day for 60 mins (with some cardio breaks) then focussing on legs the next, arms, etc. The videos are on youtube, and they look really fun to me.


TL;DR version : Does anyone not like lifting heavy or had great success without it because I'm scared there's no other way.

martinh78

Lots of people in the real world (not on mfp) never lift or lift heavy and you certainly do not need to join a gym.

Just get out and run, it's the simplest, most accessible form of fitness/sport there is. You can add hill intervals and steps, hillwalking with a heavy pack, mountain biking if you like.

I look at the old guys (and younger gals ) when I'm out running and they are lean, healthy, and don't use the gym or lift weights.

If you want a muscular body or to add significant muscle mass that is different, just like you couldn't be a rower without a boat you'll not be a bodybuilder without lifting, but not everyone wants to be a bodybuilder.

Do what makes you happy. Years ago I'd never considered lifting weights, I just mountain biked 5 times a week and I was the fittest, healthiest I'd ever been. No one ever told me I looked skinny fat, they all commented on how great my legs looked though

I do press-ups, pull-ups and a few dumbell routines at home for my arms, chest and back, but that's only because I rock climb and it's "out of season" at the moment. Come the summer I'll just climb, run and bike.

nz_deevaa

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

littlebudgie

Mark Lauren is all about bodyweight exercises, and I know plenty of people who swear by his You Are Your Own Gym workouts.

Lupercalia

Hiya, I am one of those heavy lifters...haha. However, I believe there are certainly other great ways to build strength, and I use them as well!

I started using a single kettlebell back in August of last year, right here at home in my living room, in a very small area. It didn't take up a whole room at all. I have since added two more heavier kettlebells to my collection, and still use them several times a week for workouts. Excellent workout, and I have never bought a DVD, just invested in the bells themselves and done lots of reading on the internet, a few books, and watched zillions of videos.

Some of my kettlebell workouts incorporate body weight exercises too. I have also done straight body weight workouts at home. They are definitely challenging if you're doing them correctly! I still do a bit of bodyweight stuff, pretty much every day. Mark Lauren has some really great bodyweight programs--You Are Your Own Gym is the book I have. There is an app for that as well, I believe, and have heard that is great.

Some other cool stuff you can do at home: resistance bands (super cheap, take up no room, very versatile, can travel with them), if you want to get a pull up bar you can do that. sandbag training is fun and doesn't take up a bunch of room, and there are no heavy weights to worry about putting through a window or denting your floor with.

I think the important thing is to make sure you're incorporating some honest to goodness strength training into your workouts, as it's very important for your general health to do so, but it also makes your body LOOK better.

turtlefitnessdad

Heavy is best.....period.

But something is better than nothing. Find out what works for you and DO IT!!! Getting out and doing an excercise is better then sitting around and talking about it, go out and excercise.

kirstyg1980

you could look into you are your own gym

there is a book and an app for ipads and phones

I've got it on the Ipad - hubby is meant to be using it, I've had a look through it and the exercises are great fro strength training

the other one that would be interesting is convict conditioning (again in an app and book)

sijomial

There are loads of people with different goals and you are right there is a strong bias on these forums towards lifting heavy.

It's not that I don't like lifting heavy but injuries to back, knee and shoulder mean that the classic compound heavy lifts are mostly beyond the capabilities of my damaged joints.

My routine includes lots of cardio (training for a long cycle ride at the moment), bodyweight exercises (including 100 push-up challenge), dumbbell, barbell and weight machine routines.

My priority is CV health and aerobic fitness but my split over the week is approx 50/50 cardio and strength. Apart from the fitness & health benefits I do it because I enjoy it!!

Cr01502

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

This isn't true. Doing as many reps to failure and lifting heavy are two completely different things.

Chadomaniac

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

This isn't true. Doing as many reps to failure and lifting heavy are two completely different things.

Yes , completely different

turtlefitnessdad

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

This isn't true. Doing as many reps to failure and lifting heavy are two completely different things.

i agree with CR and chad

nz_deevaa

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

This isn't true. Doing as many reps to failure and lifting heavy are two completely different things.

Yes, but they'll yield similar results.

Warchortle

I like hypertrophy reps... giving me the most results so far. Pick 4 exercises and circuit train those for 90-120 minutes = success. (For me)

kelly_e_montana

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

Yes, but they'll yield similar results.

Not really. To over-simplify greatly, you can lift for hypertrophy, endurance, or strength. If all types of lifting yielded similar results, all athletes would lift the same way, and they don't.

Warchortle

There have been no conclusive results that going to failure builds any more muscle than using RPE feeling a pump only means blood is going to said area, not necessarily building muscle as well. Although, I like to do more reps than lifting heavier doesn't mean that's for everyone. I have bad nerves in my hands, which hurts my strength gains, but I train around that issue. What's even more important than arguing over how to stimulate the muscle is proper nutrition and rest.

Jen800

Thanks guys!

I do have some weights already, though only up to 10 pounds. I'll probably purchase a few more (up to 20) in the future, and I usually run around 1-2 times a week.

I'm going to try the Blogilates Calender after I'm finished with the program I have, but I really like some of the ideas listed by you guys! I'll certainly look into You Are Your Own Gym.

Someone here hit the nail on the head when they used the word "skinnyfat". That's pretty much my main concern. I want a good and healthy/fit body fat percentage, not to be 99 pounds with a 28% BF%! (99 pounds is not my goal, just for the record haha) I know the forums are really into telling cardio-only people they will be skinnyfat, so that's scary too (even though I don't JUST do cardio) because I'm only less than 13 pounds away from my goal and I feel VERY skinnyfat.

BerryH

I've tried heavy lifting, and while it's marvellous it was incompatible with my running as I had permanent DOMS, and I couldn't do it at home without investing in a lot of equipment. Now I do medium weights, medium reps mainly with a couple of dumbbells, dynamic resistance with a kettlebell, and home DVDs that combine cardio and resistance.

<--- Not too disappointed with my muscles.

And this change in size, if not much in scale weight:

hendinerik

Lots of people like the videos, I say go for it with what's comfortable for you. Really if you are exercising a few times a week and eating healthy that's huge towards your general health. I think as a general principle whatever you are doing, just gradually increase the intensity or level of challenge so your body can grow from it.

For me I had been doing lots of cardio and eating well and getting fit and felt like I needed more strength. So last July I paid a trainer to show me a workout I could do on my own. There are a fair number of things that at least to start you don't even need weights for that involve strength/resistance training, pushups, dips which can be done on a chair, abs, squats and lunges.

I have a set of light-moderate weights(6lb to 25lb(only recently) fit under my desk - I also don't have the room in my house. While I do go to the gym I like most working out at home.

I don't think you need weights to "feel healthy" but adding strength training in combination with good nutrition on top of my cardio was very helpful for me, particularly in changing my body fat percentage.

Good luck!

Jen800

Lots of people like the videos, I say go for it with what's comfortable for you. Really if you are exercising a few times a week and eating healthy that's huge towards your general health. I think as a general principle whatever you are doing, just gradually increase the intensity or level of challenge so your body can grow from it.

For me I had been doing lots of cardio and eating well and getting fit and felt like I needed more strength. So last July I paid a trainer to show me a workout I could do on my own. There are a fair number of things that at least to start you don't even need weights for that involve strength/resistance training, pushups, dips which can be done on a chair, abs, squats and lunges.

I have a set of light-moderate weights(6lb to 25lb(only recently) fit under my desk - I also don't have the room in my house. While I do go to the gym I like most working out at home.

I don't think you need weights to "feel healthy" but adding strength training in combination with good nutrition on top of my cardio was very helpful for me, particularly in changing my body fat percentage.

Good luck!

Yes! I eat quite clean, exercise about 4-5 times a week on average. I try to push myself to use the heaviest weight I can manage whenever doing a DVD or program.

and BerryH: Nice work! you look great!

jenilla1

I've tried heavy lifting, and while it's marvellous it was incompatible with my running as I had permanent DOMS...

That's interesting. I have found that heavy lifting has improved my race pace. I actually prefer both heavy lifting AND endurance running. I'm better off with both than I am with either one alone. I say everyone should just do what works for them and not worry about what other people think. :flowerforyou:

Jen800

I've tried heavy lifting, and while it's marvellous it was incompatible with my running as I had permanent DOMS...

That's interesting. I have found that heavy lifting has improved my race pace. I actually prefer both heavy lifting AND endurance running. I'm better off with both than I am with either one alone. I say everyone should just do what works for them and not worry about what other people think. :flowerforyou:

good advice!

Spokez70

The most important thing is to find some kind of exercise you enjoy and can stick with. Forcing yourself to do something you hate is pretty much a recipe for eventually just quitting altogether. And it may appeal to you more down the road at some point.

darrensurrey

Just to give a bit of balance to the argument:

You don't have to lift heavy. I've seen lots of people enjoy success from videos such as P90X and Insanity using them for circuit training (rather than the lifting part of P90X). Put it this way, I know, for instance, one person with a six pack that doesn't have any dumbbells over 5kgs and they're all brightly coloured. :noway:

It all depends on what your goals are. I've seen people who are lean like supermodels yet never entered a gym nor bother with any form of exercise. You'd have to endure not eating longer than the average person, I expect. Starvation mode might not kick in if you eat a late lunch but the body will do its best to stop you dying! However, it will still eventually continue to lose weight even if you hit a plateau for a few weeks. What happens for most people is that they hit a plateau then quit, then binge with a lower metabolism... repeatedly... and get fatter and fatter. For those few who are so determined or unable to eat (I'm thinking cancer patients going through chemo cycles for months) that they have the "ability", they will eventually break through the plateau and continue to lose weight.

If, for instance, you want to lose weight by running, though, you had better have the time to run a lot - a 20 minute jog may be fine initially but to really make an impact, you'll be wanting to do hours a week so you're covering maybe 40-50 miles.

So it depends on what kind of body composition you prefer.

Personally, I'll lift heavy as long as I can. I recommend you do so, too, because the benefits beyond physique are useful. Even bodyweight exercises can be "heavy lifting" - go from knee press ups to proper press ups to one hand press ups to pseudo plance press ups to planche press ups to one handed planche press ups ( :noway: ), for instance - you have to be a bit cunning about things once your bodyweight isn't enough.

myofibril

Heavy is best.....period.

What do you mean by heavy exactly? A 1-5 rep range? Or 6-8? Or 9-12?

What if my goals and preferences mean I prefer a mixture of metabolic and neural adaptations rather than purely neural (although whether that can purely be achieved is debatable...)

Context is the best....

myofibril

I lift heavy. Just putting that out there.

However, if you lift lighter weights to failure, you will get the same results.

The important part of that statement is TO FAILURE.

As many reps as it takes.

You wont get the same results but in the context of an individual who's primary goals include preserving LBM whilst dieting so they look all seeexay when they strip off body fat whilst dieting I think this is right on...

turtlefitnessdad

Heavy is best.....period.

What do you mean by heavy exactly? A 1-5 rep range? Or 6-8? Or 9-12?

What if my goals and preferences mean I prefer a mixture of metabolic and neural adaptations rather than purely neural (although whether that can purely be achieved is debatable...)

Context is the best....

I think i gave the aproprite context in my quote. the rest of it i mean.

damiannikodem

I built a full home gym for under $500, I got a lot of second hand items and a fair few freebies.

but really, you can lift heavy without very much more equipment than random household items, you just have to get creative.

(if my memory serves me correctly there is a book called convict conditioning, which describes what you can do. )
single arm single foot pushups, inverse pushups ( feet on the kitchen bench ), I can guarantee you will feel it. a 20 kilo bag of rice will set you back like $15, get 2 of them, drop them into 1 or 2 backpacks then put them on, now you can do pretty serious squats)

Jen800

I built a full home gym for under $500, I got a lot of second hand items and a fair few freebies.

but really, you can lift heavy without very much more equipment than random household items, you just have to get creative.

(if my memory serves me correctly there is a book called convict conditioning, which describes what you can do. )
single arm single foot pushups, inverse pushups ( feet on the kitchen bench ), I can guarantee you will feel it. a 20 kilo bag of rice will set you back like $15, get 2 of them, drop them into 1 or 2 backpacks then put them on, now you can do pretty serious squats)

Wow! Nice suggestion about the rice bags!

dragonfly_em

just enjoy exercise! if you're making something part of your life that will work for you! don't feel pressured to do whatever others are spouting off about - it might be the right thing for them but certainly doesn't mean it's the only way (no matter how much they go on and try to sell it to the rest of the world)
if what you are doing isn't working for you or you're not enjoying it then try other stuff - if you love it stick with it and stay away from those heavy weights unless someday you find yourself being drawn to them!

from someone who discovered the joys of lifting heavy stuff but still does a bit of everything else too...spin, step, balance, conditioning....just enjoying being active and i know lifting heavy stuff is not the only way and certainly not for everyone

Jen800

Just to give a bit of balance to the argument:

You don't have to lift heavy. I've seen lots of people enjoy success from videos such as P90X and Insanity using them for circuit training (rather than the lifting part of P90X). Put it this way, I know, for instance, one person with a six pack that doesn't have any dumbbells over 5kgs and they're all brightly coloured. :noway:

It all depends on what your goals are. I've seen people who are lean like supermodels yet never entered a gym nor bother with any form of exercise. You'd have to endure not eating longer than the average person, I expect. Starvation mode might not kick in if you eat a late lunch but the body will do its best to stop you dying! However, it will still eventually continue to lose weight even if you hit a plateau for a few weeks. What happens for most people is that they hit a plateau then quit, then binge with a lower metabolism... repeatedly... and get fatter and fatter. For those few who are so determined or unable to eat (I'm thinking cancer patients going through chemo cycles for months) that they have the "ability", they will eventually break through the plateau and continue to lose weight.

If, for instance, you want to lose weight by running, though, you had better have the time to run a lot - a 20 minute jog may be fine initially but to really make an impact, you'll be wanting to do hours a week so you're covering maybe 40-50 miles.

So it depends on what kind of body composition you prefer.

Personally, I'll lift heavy as long as I can. I recommend you do so, too, because the benefits beyond physique are useful. Even bodyweight exercises can be "heavy lifting" - go from knee press ups to proper press ups to one hand press ups to pseudo plance press ups to planche press ups to one handed planche press ups ( :noway: ), for instance - you have to be a bit cunning about things once your bodyweight isn't enough.

:laugh: Thanks for the tips! I would never starve myself to be skinny! Fit is much better

Jen800

just enjoy exercise! if you're making something part of your life that will work for you! don't feel pressured to do whatever others are spouting off about - it might be the right thing for them but certainly doesn't mean it's the only way (no matter how much they go on and try to sell it to the rest of the world)
if what you are doing isn't working for you or you're not enjoying it then try other stuff - if you love it stick with it and stay away from those heavy weights unless someday you find yourself being drawn to them!

from someone who discovered the joys of lifting heavy stuff but still does a bit of everything else too...spin, step, balance, conditioning....just enjoying being active and i know lifting heavy stuff is not the only way and certainly not for everyone

Thanks! Maybe one day in distant future I'll want join a weight lifting class and learn how to actually do it right.