Strength training?

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jtjunkie
jtjunkie Posts: 59 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm new to this so if it's already been asked and answered I'm sorry. A friend gave us a Weider Pro home gym and I've been using it but would like to use it more and properly. How many reps should I be doing at each "station" and do I make it so it starts easy & ends difficult or should it be difficult the whole time? I do 3 reps of 15, which someone told me is the most I should be doing and I'm done in 15 minutes or so. Doesn't seem long enough to do any good.

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  • notoriousgtt
    notoriousgtt Posts: 75 Member
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    3 sets of 10 is the basic rule for weight training. What is it your actually doing and what are your goals?
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
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    I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps - if the weight is heavy enough that's about all you should be able to manage. I've only been doing it for 6 weeks or so had great results so far (beginners usually do). I haven't beefed up at all - just toned up. I didn't realise strength training would be so challenging - I sweat more doing weights than I do doing cardio. Sounds like you're on the right track, just stick with it. Females usually underestimate how much they can handle so don't be afraid, you won't turn into Arnie!
  • roduk
    roduk Posts: 43 Member
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    different exercises demand different approaches but you cant go wrong with the 3 sets of 10 reps. you should be really struggling on the last few of each set. once you can do all 10 reps for 3 sets up the weight by say 5lbs the next workout. you need progression to stimulate muscle growth. what i was getting at earlier was that for big muscle group exercises ie bench press, you are better with fewer reps per set, say 3s of 6r. you should choose a heavier weight that you can only just squeeze out 6 reps. for smaller muscle groups say training your biceps or deltoids you should use a lighter weight for more reps. these smaller muscle groups were built for endurance and should be trained as such so you may do 4s of 12r.

    15 sets of 3 reps really isnt the way to do things. if you are lifting the maximum possible for 3 reps then youd be totally fatigued by say set 5. what are you basing progression on. muscle fatigue? fatigue is not how you build muscle, overload is.

    stick with 3 sets of 10 repetitions for now, at the right weight that you struggle on last few of each set, but you mention nothing of tempo. this is important. do them really slow. 1-2 seconds lifting and 3-4 seconds lowering. this is where you'll overload its called time under tension.

    also anyone just starting out will see gains in strength etc however they lift, simply because the muscle just isnt used to it, but the quicker you adopt good practice and structure, write down what you did each session the better in the long run
  • clee369
    clee369 Posts: 101 Member
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    Read starting strength and stop lifting for 10 reps. Remember that toning is a myth
  • jtjunkie
    jtjunkie Posts: 59 Member
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    Thanks so much for the info, it will get me going in the right direction. I think what I meant to say was 3 sets of 15 reps though.

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