confusion/newbie stuff

my husband does a full body workout twice a week, and that works very well for him. training hard means intense workouts where you really work to move the weight. heavy for one person is light for another - it's about working the muscles. and good for you on lightening if your form is suffering.

MityMax96 wrote: »

Then I would build my workouts around compound lifts to start, before moving to accessory/isolation exercises.

This.

Your leg day should start with squat and then accessories; back with deadlifts/pull-ups and then accessories, etc. You're really shortchanging yourself in your workouts if you're not doing these basic moves.

Others are responding about exercise so I'll address your question about looking frumpy. Get a trusted, honest friend to help evaluate your wardrobe, hair style, and makeup. Try getting a makeover at a counter like Bobbi Brown that focuses on a natural polished look. Look through web sites for hair styles that are intended to work with your hair type and face shape; likewise look at sites that offer guidance on how to flatter your body type with clothes, and what colors look good with your skin tone. That is something that can work immediately while you are putting in the time to slowly reshape your body. If you're broke like I am, don't despair. Take what you learn at the expensive makeup counter and buy affordable makeup like NYX to achieve the look. I have found some of the cutest, nicest clothes at thrift shops for like $3 and $5. Look for coupons/discounts for the hair salons, or grand opening specials. You will feel better instantly and that helps your motivation with the workouts and diet.

.... wait, my advice was directed for females. If you're a guy, ignore me. I can't tell from your post.

I was going to say the same earlier, but decided not to post it, so I didnt' start a food fight.
But I think I get a decent aerobic workout from my lifting sessions....
But I still two days of light cardio on my "rest" days.

Now if I were training for some long distance running or something, then obviously I would stop doing so many weight lifting days and switch to running days.....

But I dont believe cardio is that big a requirement if you are lifting....and your diet is on point with what your goals are.

nhguy78 wrote: »

What does it mean to train hard..... If I feel my form is suffering I usually adjust weight lower so I'm getting the most out of the movement. Is this bad? How heavy should I go just to add weight?

Training "hard" means barely able to complete your reps (almost failure) on each set with good form.

Think of it this way - If you are naturally slim (as I am) your body wants to stay in this slim state. For muscle growth, you are asking your body to do something that is biologically inefficient... Creating more expensive muscle. The only reason your body will do this, is if it thinks that it absolutely HAS to,... to keep you alive.

Going through the motions in the gym isn't going to cut it. You need to be doing your weights heavy enough that your body starts a defensive mechanism (growing) to combat the perceived threat of the weights that you are lifting.

If you are 'comfortable' while working out, your body is 'comfortable' and there is no need for it to respond. You must make thing very 'uncomfortable' for your body.

This all might sound extreme and very daunting. But that is where you need to get to - eventually. As others have pointed out, you can do this by simply making sure that you are lifting more each and every time you go to the gym. That means monitoring everything you lift (weights/reps) and pushing yourself further each time (even if it's just a tiny bit more weight.

Start out by getting people to show you the correct form. But once you have your form sorted, and two weeks of acclimation then you need to be pushing your muscles to failure if you want to see any decent results.