Lifting weights

What is considered a "good" weight lifting session? Should you gauge by time, reps, weights, etc? TIA for your opinions

Replies

  • Determinednoob
    Determinednoob Posts: 2,001 Member
    I think exercise selection and progression planning would be near the top
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    For me, it is generally a gradual progression of weight resistance; that being said, right now, I am in my busy season @ work so I only get to go in once per week or so... Just getting in there and doing something is good. That keeps me going.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    When I did more weight than last time.
  • I do more weight lifting than Cardio. I limit my cardio to 30-35 mins a day most days. Weight lifting burns all the fat. Do you go to a gym? If so, I say ask one of the trainers standing around to suggest some machines to help you best. they can show you a total body workout circuit. 8 reps per set sustains muscle. and 12-15 reps builds muscle which is key to fat loss. and losing the inches. Remember also to up your protein on lifting days. Go on google and look for the scooby wieght lifting site they can tell you how many grams of protein to eat a day when lifting. For me, its .8 grams per day. but for you it may be less. And you get it in lots of ways. not just protein shakes. I eat a lot of cottage cheese because I get burnt out on protein powder sometimes and you can get a low sodium variety. I hope this helps. Also you can do like me, I work different muscle groups different days. Day one: i do shoulders and biceps. Day 2. I do leg workout (#1 the easy one all machines) well not really easy but stilll easier. Day 3. I do Triceps, chest and Back. Day 4 is hard *kitten* legs day, Weighted lunges, calf raises, Squats, romaminan deadlifts, etc. But you may want to start with all machines expecially if you are new to this. I've been lifting continuously for a year and a half so I use mostly free weights for upper body. Just find what works for you and go with it. No workout works for everyone. I hope this helps. I tend to talk too much lol.
  • also use your hrm when lifting, you will be surprised at how much you burn doing it. when you're ready and you can. It will take a little time to get there. Lift heavy well not crazy like a man just what you can handle. You will be amazed at the results. It's how I've dropped so many inches the past few months I started lifting heavier.
  • DonC77
    DonC77 Posts: 92 Member
    Progression is key, so it could be weight or reps. Want to crank up intensity go for shorter rest periods, which in turns decreases the time it takes to complete your session.

    Bottom line for me is always push for more. Simply achieving a top number of reps in a set means I will be increasing weight.

    Hope that helps.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    also use your hrm when lifting, you will be surprised at how much you burn doing it.

    That's because the HRM thinks you are doing intense cardio and GROSSLY OVERESTIMATES caloric burn for weight lifting.
  • MrsBully4
    MrsBully4 Posts: 304 Member
    I like to do bicep curls with the 2lb dumbbells about 800 times per arm
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    It's good to ask questions otherwise how else would you learn. Usually it is best to aim for heavy weights, low reps, reasonable sets, compound moves (they are quite simple, not complicated), rests between sets (60 seconds for example). By the end of your reps it should feel like you can barely finish. I'm not an expert, but I am trying to help you out with some actual information. As others said, you should be progressing and being able to increase your weights and getting stronger. Usually you try to alternate balanced moves. for example a pushing move with a pulling move. The moves you do should relate to building strength that you can use in your real life (improve your push ups. pull-ups, chin-ups). And help you with the things you do in your life. For some people that means improving their athletic or artistic performance for others it means being able to carry and lift things in their day to day life. I'm not sure if this is helpful or not. I don't really know what else to say right now.

    Do some searches on other threads/groups. Try to find the good info (not the sarcasm, not that I have a problem with that, just don't let it confuse you).
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
    How sore it makes me is how I gauge the session. If you don't push yourself you don't get results
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    also use your hrm when lifting, you will be surprised at how much you burn doing it.

    That's because the HRM thinks you are doing intense cardio and GROSSLY OVERESTIMATES caloric burn for weight lifting.

    I was about to say this....do not trust you HRM for weight lifting.
    To answer the OP.....when I can barely lift me bag at the end of a session.
  • How sore it makes me is how I gauge the session. If you don't push yourself you don't get results

    ditto
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    also use your hrm when lifting, you will be surprised at how much you burn doing it.

    That's because the HRM thinks you are doing intense cardio and GROSSLY OVERESTIMATES caloric burn for weight lifting.

    I was about to say this....do not trust you HRM for weight lifting.
    To answer the OP.....when I can barely lift me bag at the end of a session.

    or when you bend/lunge down to tie your shoe afterwards and your leg starts in with the uncontrollable shakes
  • also use your hrm when lifting, you will be surprised at how much you burn doing it.

    That's because the HRM thinks you are doing intense cardio and GROSSLY OVERESTIMATES caloric burn for weight lifting.
    Weight lifting is more effective for fat loss than cardio, IF you are lifting heavy enough. How can it overestimate? It's a heart rate monitor. All they do is monitor your heart rate and do some (inaccurate) calculations as to how many calories you are burning. There's no way to actually tell how many calories you have burned.
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    If I can add more weight to lift, then it been a good workout.
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
    also use your hrm when lifting, you will be surprised at how much you burn doing it.

    That's because the HRM thinks you are doing intense cardio and GROSSLY OVERESTIMATES caloric burn for weight lifting.
    Weight lifting is more effective for fat loss than cardio, IF you are lifting heavy enough. How can it overestimate? It's a heart rate monitor. All they do is monitor your heart rate and do some (inaccurate) calculations as to how many calories you are burning. There's no way to actually tell how many calories you have burned.
    weights doesn't burn fat per se. it retains muscle. when your body is faced with a few hundred calories deficit, it sheds mass from all over. fat is just from one place. priority will be given to things not in use to shed. so if you're not lifting weights, then all that unused type II muscle mass is ripe for being lost. if you are lifting weights, then that deficit must be made up from other areas, like fat stores..