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Strength training schedule?

TTDish
Posts: 9 Member
I've been kicking but with getting my cardio in the last two weeks and really keeping my diet in check, but I'm not seeing the changes that I want to see yet. I know things take time, but I want to make sure I'm doing the best I can do to make progress.
I want to start replacing some of my cardio activities with strength training. Currently I walk 2-3 miles 5x per week, and participate in 5-6 hour long cardio classes (Zumba, kickboxing, etc). I'd like to do 3-4 classes per week, and strength train 3 days per week (I'd still keep walking 5x per week, since I do that on my lunch break).
I just don't know where to start. How do I develop a training plan? Do I do a whole body strength training session 3x week, or work upper/lower/core on different days? Do I do the same exercises every week? I'm ok with figuring out how much weight I should be using for each excercise, but I just don't know WHICH ones I should be doing and for how many reps/sets.
Does anyone know of any sort of ready-made training plans (for women) that I can use to start with? Or advice for developing a training plan? I will add, I can't afford a personal trainer, but do have access to a full gym.
I want to start replacing some of my cardio activities with strength training. Currently I walk 2-3 miles 5x per week, and participate in 5-6 hour long cardio classes (Zumba, kickboxing, etc). I'd like to do 3-4 classes per week, and strength train 3 days per week (I'd still keep walking 5x per week, since I do that on my lunch break).
I just don't know where to start. How do I develop a training plan? Do I do a whole body strength training session 3x week, or work upper/lower/core on different days? Do I do the same exercises every week? I'm ok with figuring out how much weight I should be using for each excercise, but I just don't know WHICH ones I should be doing and for how many reps/sets.
Does anyone know of any sort of ready-made training plans (for women) that I can use to start with? Or advice for developing a training plan? I will add, I can't afford a personal trainer, but do have access to a full gym.
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Replies
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I'd check out either New Rules of Lifting for Women (there's a group), a book that gives a detailed training plan plus some education on why/how lifting works, or Strong Lifts 5x5 (there's also a group for that). Either way, they recommend 3 days of compound exercises using free weights to get the results you want.0
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New Rules of Lifting for Women
Starting Strength
Stronglifts 5x5
All these are beginner strength routines.
As far as the classes go I wouldn't do more than two a week. No need to exhaust yourself.0 -
Also keep push and pull exercises on their separate days. By this I mean, chest, triceps, and shoulders are all "push" exercises while biceps and back are pull. Don't' forget about legs and most people recommend to train chest and shoulders separate although I do them the same days due to my schedule.0
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Definitely agree with Stronglifts 5 x 5, and Starting Strength. Very good beginner's routine and plenty of videos and information free online. There is a Stronglifts for Women group here on MFP that is very active and will answer most of any questions you may have.0
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