The right direction - any help appreciated

aileencr
aileencr Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started

Hi

I'm relatively new to getting around to using this app, and I had my first p/t session today with my new trainer. Up until now I've been just reading this article and that article and trying to guess my way around the gym, and my workout so I could achieve the results I would like to see.

I still have a couple of questions and queries, my main one at the moment is why is there always such an emphasis on squats and lunges with training girls? Maybe its something I've just possibly picked up on, but I'm not a girl who wears dresses and heels and yes I would like a toned *kitten*, but to the level I see some girls in the gym, I'm thinking that's not the body I want to achieve. I have a fairly straight and athletic frame, And would like more emphasis on pushing my body and toning up completely and dropping fat. If anyone could explain or point me int the direction of what I should be doing or reps/ sets and weight I should be aiming for, it would be great.


Thanks!!

Replies

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Squats are a great total body exercise. They work not only your glutes, but your entire leg and abdomen and if you add weight, your arms. My trainer has me do several types of squats every session. Lunges are great for balance and agility. The focus in training seems to be "functional" or how you need to move in everyday activities. My trainer emphasizes these moves for both women and men. These exercises will help you get the most out of YOUR body, not turn you into someone else's body. I would encourage you also to ask your trainer this same question. Good luck!
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-exercise-667080

    In relevant part...

    There are 3 goals or types of weight training.
    Most people should start by building muscle.
    After a month or so of that, you can add in building endurance.
    Going for power is a more advanced technique, which I'll leave to the competitive weightlifters.

    Free weights or machines?
    Machines reduce the chance that you can do something wrong & injure yourself, don't take as much
    understanding of what you're doing, and target specific muscles or groups.
    Free weights work more muscles in concert and allow for more exercises to be done in a smaller area,
    even at your home, but require learning how to do them correctly.

    No matter which you're doing, you need to know the maximum amount you can lift, called the one-repetition
    maximum or 1RM.

    For building muscle, you want to do 1 or 2 sets of 8-12 repetitions of a weight that's 70-85% of your 1RM.
    For building endurance, do 1 or 2 sets of 15-20 repetitions of a weight that's 50-65% of your 1RM.

    Either way, start low on both weight & reps and work up.
    You should just be able to do the last 2-3 reps.
    When it gets easy to do the maximum # of reps, add 5 pounds and go back to the minimum # of reps.

    (From the American College of Sports Medicine's book "Resources for the Personal Trainer, 4th edition".)

    Remember to work both sides of a joint (or the body) - if you're doing bicep curls, also do tricep extensions
    or dips. If you're doing quadricep extensions, also do hamstring curls. If you're doing abdominal curls, also do
    lower back extensions.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Also browse this site. Ignore their woo & the things they sell, just use the diagrams / videos, etc.
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/
  • aileencr
    aileencr Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you!! You've been extremely helpful in explaining, I actually understand it a bit more now!! Thanks!!

Categories