Strength Training - Advice please
Options
Replies
-
What?! That's insanity. You will not get bulky doing SS 3x/week. I've been doing SL 5x5 for a few weeks and am considering a 4 day program, because I want to build muscle faster. (There are programs that properly rotate muscle groups, etc. to allow for recovery time.) You should show her the pics of heavy lifting chicks on MFP...
I don't want OP's thread to get derailed, but I feel I need to address this.
Don't change. Not yet. You want as good a strength base as you can get before trying to build muscle (hypertrophy). More strength = more ability to lift heavier weights during a hypertrophy routine. These heavier weights during hypertrophy will be best for building muscle.
OP: you already seem to know that the gym manager has no clue what she's doing or talking about.
Yep, I considered that, also, which is why I haven't switched, yet. I'm still pretty weak. ha!0 -
Don't let yourself be forced out just because some ignorant person wants you to do what you don't want to do! Do your thing, and give her a great big smile every time you walk by looking good!0
-
You won't get bulky unless you take steroids
This0 -
You don't necessarily have to to do either. You could find a program you like (like NROLFW or 5x5) and do it at your current gym. You might need to make some minor adaptations for lack of equipment, but at least the NROLFW only really requires pretty basic equipment for 95% of the exercises.
If your current gym is cheap and convenient, make it work for you.0 -
My husband has this same theory. He asked me last night if I was wanting to get big like a body builder because I am doing the SL program. I just let it go because the last time we had this conversation it turned out bad. He swears I will get huge and I just roll my eyes. Tried to show him pics of Christmas Abbott and some others that lift heavy but that didn't matter. He "knows" I will look like the body builder women if I continue.
And yes, I want to be a bad *kitten*...that's why I decided to start lifting heavy. :happy:0 -
You can do SL/SS on the Smith, but most people would advise against it for a variety of reasons - some of them silly - but the primary reason in my mind is that when you transition to free weights, you'll have a rude awakening in store in terms of how many plates you can put on the bar.0
-
Does her routine sound worth it and should I stick with it?
IMHO it sounds OK, if you only want to lose weight. However, you are talking about getting stronger so if that is truly your goal then her routine is not really going to get you there.I did email her the SL5x5 programme and specifically asked if she could work out a similar programme using what we have downstairs!
Perhaps you can just work it out yourself and with the help of this community? Feel free to PM me with a summary of what the gym has if you want my advice.
You also mentioned another gym, so if you think you have outgrown the work gym that is OK too. I know most work fitness centers are very machine and cardio oriented with perhaps a few dumbbells (rarely a barbell).
Good luck!0 -
Hmm... need some opinions please.
I've just had a review session with the gym manager at my work gym, and very surprisingly, she is of the opinion that heavy weights make women bulky (even on a calorie deficit!)!
ZOMG!!!!! I'm doing it WRONG!!!! I've been lifting almost a year...started with SL5x5, and changed it up some over the summer, but I'm in a deficit and not bulking!!!! :sad:
Seriously...LOL...find a gym that has the proper equipment for the program you want to do. Then? Have fun and enjoy it.
0 -
Ultimately you can make progress with just about any program that you are doing (including what she has laid out for you) providing you are consistent and progressing regularly. Although that doesn't necessarily mean it's the BEST program for your goals. Where the conflict comes in is that it's hard to work with someone who has views that don't align with your own (and that are wrong :laugh: )
As others have mentioned, if you like your gym, do a modified SL there and ask to work with another trainer. BTW....is the manager even a trainer? Does she even lift?? :laugh: :drinker:0 -
As soon as I heard the "women get bulky from lifting" I would in all honesty, have doubted everything that she said afterwards and I certainly wouldn't have followed her program.
Unless the other gym's additional cost is going to give you financial problems, I would give that a try. It has all the equipment you need and I'm sure the people that run that gym (well, I hope) are more knowledgeable. If not, there are plenty of people here that know their stuff and can recommend some brilliant programs for you to follow.0 -
Hmm... need some opinions please.
I've just had a review session with the gym manager at my work gym, and very surprisingly, she is of the opinion that heavy weights make women bulky (even on a calorie deficit!)!
I'd love to do the Stronglifts programme but we just don't have the equipment in the gym downstairs for it and instead, she's recommended cutting out my old 'beginner' weights routine (leg press (which I'd swapped to squats anyway), lateral pulldown and bench press) for more of a circuit (lunges, kettlebell single arm rows, side planks, press ups and squat/shoulder press using 5kg bar).
Does her routine sound worth it and should I stick with it?
I think I lost some confidence in her advice after she was 'uhming and aahing' about how I don't want to get 'big' because I'm only a shorty (5'2").
There is another gym around the corner which would cost me a bit more per month and not quite so convenient as using the one at work, but it definitely has all the equipment.
For background, I go to the gym ever weekday morning for an hour and have until now, been alternating the strength days (plus a bit of cardio) with pure cardio days.
If your goals are to get stronger, you're better off at the other gym with the proper equipment. Otherwise if you're looking for more of a calorie burning, conditioning type workout, hers sounds on point.
And about getting bulky on SL 5x5... not likely. I would have trouble getting bulky on SL5x5 lol It's a program geared more towards getting your strength up to speed, with some, albeit slow, mass gains.
Whatever you do make sure you start light.0 -
As soon as I heard the "women get bulky from lifting" I would in all honesty, have doubted everything that she said afterwards and I certainly wouldn't have followed her program.
Unless the other gym's additional cost is going to give you financial problems, I would give that a try. It has all the equipment you need and I'm sure the people that run that gym (well, I hope) are more knowledgeable. If not, there are plenty of people here that know their stuff and can recommend some brilliant programs for you to follow.
It was at that moment that I pretty much stopped listening to her to be honest.
She obviously hadn't listened to a word that I'd said to her about what I wanted to achieve. I suspect she probably just gets a lot of women there who 'just want to lose weight' -backed up by the fact that she told me if I want to lose weight, it's all about cardio...
I wasn't going to explain the science to her
To clarify, she is the gym manager, trainer and the ONLY member of staff who oversees the gym.If your goals are to get stronger, you're better off at the other gym with the proper equipment. Otherwise if you're looking for more of a calorie burning, conditioning type workout, hers sounds on point.
And about getting bulky on SL 5x5... not likely. I would have trouble getting bulky on SL5x5 lol It's a program geared more towards getting your strength up to speed, with some, albeit slow, mass gains.
Whatever you do make sure you start light.
I think I'm going to look at joining the other gym and get a couple of PT sessions to make sure my form is right.
Whilst I do want to improve my endurance, I also want to get stronger and I don't think there's the support or equipment there to do so at the moment.
Thanks all0 -
Just Show Him. He'll shut up.0
-
Great, let us know how it goes.
By all means use a PT if you prefer, but I know that can be expensive, and don't make the mistake of assuming everyone that works at the gym knows how to coach these lifts if all you do is ask them for advice.
For instance, my YMCA is great, but there's really only one or two guys (out of maybe 10 who are staff/coaches) who are qualified to coach these lifts. They know what they are doing, but they are specialized in other areas or just floor staff.
Something you can do is record yourself doing the movements on your phone, and review it between sets. At the end of the day, that's how I learned.
If I do ask someone for help, it hasn't been for advice, but to look out for something specific (like back rounding).Tried to show him pics of Christmas Abbott and some others that lift heavy but that didn't matter. He "knows" I will look like the body builder women if I continue.
Right on.
Christmas Abbott isn't bulky of course, but she is cut and has developed muscle. And if she didn't want to look so cut, all she would have to do is eat some cake and she'd start looking softer. Cut is a personal preference, and controlled by bodyfat %.0 -
Great, let us know how it goes.
By all means use a PT if you prefer, but I know that can be expensive, and don't make the mistake of assuming everyone that works at the gym knows how to coach these lifts if all you do is ask them for advice.
For instance, my YMCA is great, but there's really only one or two guys (out of maybe 10 who are staff/coaches) who are qualified to coach these lifts. They know what they are doing, but they are specialized in other areas or just floor staff.
Something you can do is record yourself doing the movements on your phone, and review it between sets. At the end of the day, that's how I learned.
If I do ask someone for help, it hasn't been for advice, but to look out for something specific (like back rounding).Tried to show him pics of Christmas Abbott and some others that lift heavy but that didn't matter. He "knows" I will look like the body builder women if I continue.
Right on.
Christmas Abbott isn't bulky of course, but she is cut and has developed muscle. And if she didn't want to look so cut, all she would have to do is eat some cake and she'd start looking softer. Cut is a personal preference, and controlled by bodyfat %.
I like cut look. I would totally feel like a badass.
Even if no one else knew that I was cut. 0 -
I am just trying to figure out whether to go with her routine, or fork out to join the other gym nearby
Like someone else said, exercise selection depends on the goal. Since you didn't state what your goal is, it's hard to give specific advice.
That said, lunge-type exercises should be included in most lifting routines, in my opinion.0 -
I would also ask at the other gym if they have a corporate rate.
The company I work for has some gyms in some locations and then actual fitness centres in others, but at all the fitness/gyms in the city you can also get a discounted rate.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 394 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 944 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions