Am I doing enough strenth training?

ashleyShades
ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not noticing a large difference in my weight but I am noticing I look different without clothes on. Haha. I've been trying to go to the gym 5-6 days a week. I warm up on the treadmill or the elliptical for 10-15 minutes. I then alternate between upper and lower body strength training exercises on certain days. For example, Monday I'll do upper body and Tuesday I will do lower body. I go with lower weight/high reps on the machines I use. When I do upper body I do nearly every upper body machine at the gym and do 3-4 sets of 15 reps at a lower weight. When I do lower body I do most of the machines there as well and have started doing squats as well. Maybe I need to use more weight? For example when I do the shoulder press machine I do it at 15 pounds. I do the leg press at 40 pounds again 3-4 sets of 15 reps. This usually takes me around 20-30 minutes. I follow that up with about 25-45 more minutes of cardio on the elliptical or my new favorite the arc trainer. How do I get more results without bulking up?
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Replies

  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    I copied and pasted this, but it's exactly what i would suggest. Good luck and keep at it.:flowerforyou:


    Read "New Rules of Lifting For Women" (book)
    Read "Starting Strength" (book)
    Read "Strong Lifts 5x5": http://s3.stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-report.pdf

    Check out these Groups:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    Pick a program, and get started.

    I do SL5x5 because it's easier to follow and offers a convenient phone app to track my workouts/progress, but I highly recommend you read the others as well for informational purposes. Good luck to you.

    No worries, you won't get 'big muscles' unless you train super intensively for many years, eat at a caloric surplus and take drugs. And even if you could, you could always 'slack off' and maintain before you reach that state. It doesn't happen accidentally. I you have to REALLY want it.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Eh.. not really. You should be able to leg press your own weight at least, as I assume you are able to walk.

    Do as spicy^ said.
  • kittyhasclaws
    kittyhasclaws Posts: 446 Member
    Lift heavy. You won't bulk. Just search out the threads for heavy lifting women. They look AMAZING- tight and feminine. High weight, lower reps.
  • mva1201
    mva1201 Posts: 2
    I think it's time for you to add super sets and drop sets to your routine. Also, try to do more dumbbell exercises instead of machines so that each side of your body learns to use the same weight. Most people are weaker on left side if they are right handed and vise versa. Also, change up your cardio to HIIT. Don't let your body weight loss plateau. Find a new program that works for you and every 3 months, change it up. Good luck!
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    I guess I really don't understand the SL5x5 program. I'm fairly new to strength training =/
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    ExRx.com
    I think this is the site. It will show you every exercise and the correct form. Check it out.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    For example when I do the shoulder press machine I do it at 15 pounds. I do the leg press at 40 pounds again 3-4 sets of 15 reps.

    My purse weighs 15 lbs. Maybe more. Ain't no one getting muscles from that - add some weight.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I guess I really don't understand the SL5x5 program. I'm fairly new to strength training =/
    From memory it's 4 compound moves split over two variable workouts, with 5 sets of 5 reps on the main lifts. Pretty simple plan, easy to follow.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    ExRx.com
    I think this is the site. It will show you every exercise and the correct form. Check it out.

    That would be exrx.net. I like the site a lot.

    Stronglifts 5x5 is a heavy lifting program, where you do only a handful of basic lifts, 5 reps per set, and lift as heavy as you can.

    Beware of the marketing hype on the Stronglifts website. The hype is oriented towards men's vanity, but there's nothing about the program that is male-specific. You won't bulk up on it. You'll also spend less time in the gym and probably see better results than you'll get if you continue with what you're doing now.

    On the plus side, the things you're doing now is a great warm-up for Stronglifts. If you give it a try, I think you'll be pleased with the results.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    Am I doing enough strenth training?
    you're not doing any strength training... so you're prob not doing enough. You're in fact prob doing cardio, maybe some endurance training at best.

    Strength training is well defined. Very high loads, with few reps, before you hit total muscle failure and can't go any further.
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    Thank you all.
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    How heavy is heavy?
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Heavy is what's heavy to you. My heavy will not be the same as yours
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    You seem like a rare case of a person who is legitimately working hard, but doesn't necessarily know the right things to put the hard work into. You have the right idea in that you are using resistance training, but the key to making real changes in how you look, feel, and live is by increasing the intensity.

    "Heavy" is a word used to describe intensity in weight training. Intensity is how hard your muscles have to work to move a certain weight.

    This is a simplistic explanation:

    (with good form):
    Very light: weight you can move for 20 reps or more
    Light: weight you can move for 15-20
    Medium: 8-12
    Heavy: 4-6
    Very heavy: 1-3


    For you, people say "lift heavy" because women tend to lift very light weights and thus see little or no results, but really you want to try the medium range, or 8-12 reps (unless you want to get into more advanced programs like 5x5). If you can perform a movement for 12 reps with good form, try increasing the weight slightly. If you can't get 8 reps, try decreasing it slightly.
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    Why has everyone always told me low weight/high reps?! haha I'm going to try this at the gym tomorrow
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Why has everyone always told me low weight/high reps?! haha I'm going to try this at the gym tomorrow
    Women's media myth. Lifting heavy weight is 'manly' so they play on that to tell you it'll make you turn into the Hulk etc. And although this is the age of information, most people are ignorant on fitness and nutrition.
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    Why has everyone always told me low weight/high reps?! haha I'm going to try this at the gym tomorrow
    Women's media myth. Lifting heavy weight is 'manly' so they play on that to tell you it'll make you turn into the Hulk etc. And although this is the age of information, most people are ignorant on fitness and nutrition.

    Agreed.
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    40 years ago Arnold Schwarzenegger claimed that bodybuilding can be a healthy lifestyle for anyone who wants to improve how they look and feel. And here we are... ;)
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    I have very poor upper body strength so 15 pounds on the shoulder press is a lot to me I will try more tonight though and continue with my squat challenge
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    I have very poor upper body strength so 15 pounds on the shoulder press is a lot to me I will try more tonight though and continue with my squat challenge

    Are you pressing two 15 pound dumbbells, one on each arm? If so, that's pretty darn good for a beginner.
  • ccckwalk
    ccckwalk Posts: 262
    Hey girl,
    Lifting is new new to me. I have been confused and intimidated but have done what many people above me said and picked a program I thought I could do. I chose Jamie Easton's live fit trainer it is a 12 week program and she provides a meal guide too. I am 7 weeks in and I see results and I enjoy having a routine that is perfectly explained and mapped out for me. There are a few great tools for women out there to trim the pounds and tone the bod! Isn't that what we all want hehehe. You can do it, and whatever you do never give up on yourself. Good Luck
    Corina
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    Hey girl,
    Lifting is new new to me. I have been confused and intimidated but have done what many people above me said and picked a program I thought I could do. I chose Jamie Easton's live fit trainer it is a 12 week program and she provides a meal guide too. I am 7 weeks in and I see results and I enjoy having a routine that is perfectly explained and mapped out for me. There are a few great tools for women out there to trim the pounds and tone the bod! Isn't that what we all want hehehe. You can do it, and whatever you do never give up on yourself. Good Luck
    Corina

    Thank you for the inspiration!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    How do I get more results without bulking up?

    Progressively increase your weights. You will not bulk up. You are a female...it is incredibly difficult for a male to "bulk up" and requires some serious dedication to the weight room and a very strict body building diet with a calorie surplus...even then it's hard as **** to accomplish...so stop worrying about something that won't ever happen to you in a billion years.

    Pick a program and follow it and enjoy the ensuing results.
  • aliciapenny
    aliciapenny Posts: 51 Member
    Why has everyone always told me low weight/high reps?! haha I'm going to try this at the gym tomorrow
    Women's media myth. Lifting heavy weight is 'manly' so they play on that to tell you it'll make you turn into the Hulk etc. And although this is the age of information, most people are ignorant on fitness and nutrition.

    so. dayum. true.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    You seem like a rare case of a person who is legitimately working hard, but doesn't necessarily know the right things to put the hard work into. You have the right idea in that you are using resistance training, but the key to making real changes in how you look, feel, and live is by increasing the intensity.

    "Heavy" is a word used to describe intensity in weight training. Intensity is how hard your muscles have to work to move a certain weight.

    This is a simplistic explanation:

    (with good form):
    Very light: weight you can move for 20 reps or more
    Light: weight you can move for 15-20
    Medium: 8-12
    Heavy: 4-6
    Very heavy: 1-3


    For you, people say "lift heavy" because women tend to lift very light weights and thus see little or no results, but really you want to try the medium range, or 8-12 reps (unless you want to get into more advanced programs like 5x5). If you can perform a movement for 12 reps with good form, try increasing the weight slightly. If you can't get 8 reps, try decreasing it slightly.

    ^^^^ I second this advice.
    And add keep things basic to start. Bench press, overhead press, a row movement and/or assisted pull ups. Squats, lunges for legs. Get a base then decide about going even heavier or adding other movements for smaller muscle groups.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    Why has everyone always told me low weight/high reps?! haha I'm going to try this at the gym tomorrow
    Women's media myth. Lifting heavy weight is 'manly' so they play on that to tell you it'll make you turn into the Hulk etc. And although this is the age of information, most people are ignorant on fitness and nutrition.
    That and you're not going to make money and sell magazines by telling people the truth, that results is a ton of hard work and pain. Instead feed them what they want to hear. "Just going for a walk and curling 2lbs will tone you all over, with little effort required. now buy this diet and exercise plan."
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Why has everyone always told me low weight/high reps?! haha I'm going to try this at the gym tomorrow
    Women's media myth. Lifting heavy weight is 'manly' so they play on that to tell you it'll make you turn into the Hulk etc. And although this is the age of information, most people are ignorant on fitness and nutrition.
    That and you're not going to make money and sell magazines by telling people the truth, that results is a ton of hard work and pain. Instead feed them what they want to hear. "Just going for a walk and curling 2lbs will tone you all over, with little effort required. now buy this diet and exercise plan."
    Heh yeah, that too. DEIDRE! Women's Mag #1324 says I need to put effort in to lose weight?! Why can't we just take sugar pills like in the old'n days?
  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    Even the trainers at the gym have told me low weight/high reps but it's true I've been doing that for 3 months and do see results but not as much as I should.
  • Jennical
    Jennical Posts: 219 Member
    Have just started weight training so would like to read the replies here later....
  • craigmandu
    craigmandu Posts: 976 Member
    In addition to the recommendations here, I would also suggest you give your body the right fuel it needs for your workouts.

    Try to ensure you get around 100-110g or more of protein in your daily diet. This will help to provide your body the building blocks it needs to sustain your muscle while you embark on a heavy lifting routine.

    If you look at the programs listed, most of them rely heavy on compound exercises, and I would suggest you stay with those type of exercises and don't let any gym rat try to talk you into isolation moves...The main compound moves are:

    Squats
    Deadlifts
    Back Rows
    Pullups
    Shoulder Press (OHP)
    Bench Press

    These exercises will engage the most muscle groups, and the largest muscle groups (with secondary focus on the smaller muscle groups) and ensure that your routine is balanced and has the largest impact.

    Good Luck, and great choice in deciding to add strength training to your exercise plan!

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