weight training?

kell_riley
kell_riley Posts: 312
edited September 27 in Fitness and Exercise
I've seen so many people say that training with Heavy weights gives the best transformation to your figure.
I just wondered what you mean by heavy? and how many reps should you do?
say i was doing 3 sets of 14 reps at 10k and find that a struggle but manage it non the less, is that heavy for me?
or do i look at doing heavier weights but less reps?
I have 3.5 months till my holiday and i am upping my game at the gym. I'll be doing 30-60 mins of high intensity cardio but i don't have much of a weight training programme in place at the moment.

I actually have a session booked at the gym on sunday to look at a programme but i'm definatly iterested to hear what you guys reccomend!

Replies

  • kell_riley
    kell_riley Posts: 312
    oh sorry ment to say that the 10k is arm work lol
    I usually do around 50k leg pushes but again the same reps and sets.
  • HurricaneJulia
    HurricaneJulia Posts: 39
    For the first few weeks, I would stay with relatively low weight; about as much as gets your muscles to a good fatigue after 10-15 reps. When you start increasing your weight, lower your reps (first 8-12 and then 6-10) so you don't strain yourself. If you begin to feel ANY sharp, shooting pain, stop and lower your weight. It's better to make slow progress than to rush and injure yourself. You can use a combination of high weight, low rep and low weight, high rep during your week to stimulate muscle growth (:
  • HurricaneJulia
    HurricaneJulia Posts: 39
    This is a great guide that goes over what you're looking for, I think!

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm
  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    I used to powerlift, so I did heavy weights (very heavy, squat over 325 pounds, bench 200 pounds, deadlift almost 400).. we did very high weight and only a few reps.. and I transformed for sure. I was a mini incredible hulk. If what you want is solid thick muscle, do heavy weight for few reps (with a trainer! Do not do that on your own!)
    Most women want definition instead. That calls for light weight and many, many reps.
  • beverlyl64
    beverlyl64 Posts: 381
    It depends on what your trying to do? If you just want to tone, then more reps, lighter weights, if your wanting bulk heavy weights fewer reps. I'm guessing you want to tone so you sound like your on the right track. At least that's what Tony Horton says on P90X workouts.
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    Absolutely agree with ladymuscles. I changed 220lbs of fat weight into 220lbs of muscle (well, not literally, but you get the drift!). I did that by doing low reps and high weights. Really high weights. I would regularly work out with the 50k/60k weight for arms/chest/back and could easily do 150k for squats. That was great but I put on muscle pretty easily and ended up looking pretty muscled. I've had to completely cut out weight training for a few months and hit the cardio really hard. On the upside, I'm down to around 170 and look toned rather than bulky now - my muscles are definitely still there but they're more defined. On the downside, I miss being so strong!

    So - basically, yes - if you want a toned, lean look you need light/medium weights and high reps. If you want to build muscle you need to be doing a max of 3 sets of 6 - 8 reps with a weight so heavy that you may fail during the third set (and yes - please do that under supervision).

    Good luck!
  • HurricaneJulia
    HurricaneJulia Posts: 39
    You can tone with high weights and low reps too. The endless endless reps thing only works when you are using heavy enough weights to challenge your muscle.
  • kell_riley
    kell_riley Posts: 312
    Thanks guys, i want to tone more than get build big muscles so i guess i just carry on maybe up the weight a little to push myself a bit more!
  • thkelly
    thkelly Posts: 466 Member
    Most women want definition instead. That calls for light weight and many, many reps.

    this is so wrong



    to answer the OP's question....generally 'lifting heavy' is using a weight you can get between 5-8 reps with before you reach failure.
    you're going to be gaining strength with reps that low.
    bodybuilders usually work in the 8-12 rep range
    powerlifters go even lower and go sets in the 1-4 rep range

    it's not all written in stone either. pick a weight you feel comfortable with and experiment
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