Body recomp...how to start?

What constitutes "heavy"? Can this be accomplished using weight machines or body weight exercises or do I need the free weights?

"Heavy", for building muscle, typically describes the amount of weight you can lift up to 8 or 10 times. Once you can lift a certain weight 10 times, move to a higher weight. This can mean free weights, machines, or body weight. Of course its difficult to add weight when you are doing body weight exercises, but they are still a great way to gain muscle!

Start at the lowest weight for an exercise, and work your way up doing sets of 10 until you get stuck at 6 / 7, then that is the weight you want to work with until you can get it 10 times.

What constitutes "heavy"? Can this be accomplished using weight machines or body weight exercises or do I need the free weights?

You will get the most benefit and bang for your buck lifting "heavy" with free weights. "Heavy" refers primarily to the rep range..the actual weight is going to be relative to the individual. A heavy weight to me is going to be jack **** to a guy who's been power lifting for 5 years, etc.

Generally for optimized strength, you're looking at the 1-5 rep range with "heavy" being the weight you would use for which you are very close to failure on your last reps. I personally recommend a strength program vs a hypertrophy program (8-10 rep range) for beginners as I feel it is optimal to build a good foundation of strength first and foremost...from there you can branch of in any direction you choose as you become more advanced. I personally do a hybrid at this point that has me working in various rep ranges over the course of a 4 week training cycle, but I've been lifting for awhile.

I highly recommend doing an established routine and I recommend a full body routine vs a split as you are a beginner...a split is likely going to give you unnecessary volume that can interfere with your gains as a noob. Routine should emphasize the big compound lifts (squats, bench press, dead-lift, overhead press, and pendlay rows). Accessory and assistance work should be pretty minimal to start out...again, too much volume can interfere with your gains. Accessory work becomes necessary as you advance, but really isn't necessary at all when you're new to lifting. At most I would say maybe some pull-ups and dips and that's about it from an accessory standpoint.

Look into programs like Starting Strength (Mark Rippetoe), Strong Lifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting for Women, etc. New Rules is actually a good read even if you don't do the program. My wife did Starting Strength with me and then did a couple cycles of Wendler's 5/3/1 with me before doing New Rules. She has enjoyed New Rules, but is going back to Wendler's 5/3/1 program when she's done with that one...she prefers the power type lifting. These programs will tell you what to do, when to do it, when to increase weights, etc. You should always be trying to lift more...that's how you get the training response. If you're lifting the same weight all of the time, you're not going to get a training response from your body.

Also, give this a read...

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Thanks Cwolfman! You put it perfectly!

I gathered a workout routine from a few different programs (some of which you mentioned) to get me started, but like you said I was doing the 10-12 rep thing.

Last night I switched it up and went for 8 reps, starting with the weight I could do 6 and the last two I struggled.

But I am going to keep pushing!!

Couple things to consider

Do you know what your caloric maintenance level is? Not what some website told you as they are most often times far off in either direction. If you don't probably need to figure that out first or else you will be wondering what the hell is going on after a few months.

Do you know your daily/weekly weight fluctuations. Probably need to take notes when you start this process so once again you are not freaking out when you step on the scale and overnight you gained 2 lbs.

Do you know what the difference is between power lifting and body building?

Not to turn you off by asking these questions, I just want anyone who is thinking about body recomp to consider these few things and really educate because body recomp is not quick nor easy. Throw out the cals in vs cal logic, it is no longer that simple, macros matter now. Throw out the idea that meal timing does not matter, it does now. Throw out the idea that you are going to loose a lb a week or notice a huge difference from week to week.

and to not sell you short with warning and doom saying. To answer a few questions you posted:

Do you have to use free weights? Nope, you can use machines and be fine. HOWEVER it will be a much more efficient use of your time to use free weights.

Lifting heavy: It is lifting heavy for you not just heavy.
Think of it this way with rep ranges.
Shoot for 4-5 sets with a rep range of 5-8. You should be really REALLY struggling on those last sets. If you can't get at least 5 reps out then you need to consider dropping weight. If you can go above 8 reps then you need to add more weight. It can take a few times in the gym to really dial in your starting weight, don't get discouraged. Bring a notebook and write EVERYTHING down. Trust me on this one. As for the comment so one made about 10+ reps. Nada. You would be breaking into what is called hypertrophy training at that point. Which would be really great for adding mass if you are running a clear caloric surplus but that is not the case with what you are trying to do.

Bump- very helpful!

I am trying to ween myself off of eating so many carbs.

Currently I am doing 40% Carb, 30% protein, 30% fat...

I have been doing that for about 3 weeks now.

Not sure if that is ideal for recomp

The most common starting place I've seen people use is a 40/40/20 split then they taper it more towards their specific habits so it is more sustainable over the recomp long haul. I personally don't believe you need to be at that high of the spectrum with protein, in fact I really don't believe you should put a percentage on protein at all but there are other way more experienced and successful than me that believe you should so take my opinion for what it is worth.

I have calculated it so that it is 1 g per 1 lb lbm... just happen to be about 30% for me. 106 grams is my total.

What constitutes "heavy"? Can this be accomplished using weight machines or body weight exercises or do I need the free weights?

More food for thought regarding "heavy".

Keep in mind that this is a moving target. What is heavy today will be light tomorrow. Different programs choose to add weight in different intervals but any good program will add weight over time.

Good luck - you seem to be on the right path!

mmm bump. very interesting

bump to save for later.

Right now I am training for a marathon in September. It has done me a world of good to have an actual program and goal. I was thinking yesterday during my long run that I want to have another goal to jump into after the Marathon. I think recomp just might be the thing to work on through fall and winter