Switching from heavy lifting to body weight & HIIT?

janiep81
janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
edited November 24 in Fitness and Exercise
i understand the wonder of heavy lifting, and I've seen results... But I really hate it. Someone's hanging around to offer me advice every.single.time and I'm just really sick of it. I love running... And I'm looking for supplemental strength training. I'm much happier doing body weight training at home or working with (heavyish) dumb bells and kettle bells in the empty aerobics room.

Pros/cons?

Thanks!

Replies

  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    Pros - It's what you enjoy doing.
    Cons - None.
  • janiep81
    janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
    kwtilbury wrote: »
    Pros - It's what you enjoy doing.
    Cons - None.

    Thanks. :) I think I just need to know that its okay.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    You can continue to see progress if you continue to challenge yourself; the best way is with a progressive resistance program. There are several that are body weight (you are your own gym and convict conditioning) or require minimal equipment that can be done at home.

    Do the exercise you enjoy.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    I love variety and prefer circuit training to heavy lifting. But I notice a loss of power/strength when I don't lift heavy.

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    kwtilbury wrote: »
    Pros - It's what you enjoy doing.
    Cons - None.

    Yep
  • janiep81
    janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
    rileyes wrote: »
    I love variety and prefer circuit training to heavy lifting. But I notice a loss of power/strength when I don't lift heavy.

    I'm a bit concerned about this, but I don't know why, really. I mean, I'm strong. Even out of shape, I'm typically stronger than the average woman. Strong enough is strong enough. I still have fat to loose. I want to focus on that for a while... and I know that lifting heavy will expedite that process, but not if I hate it and quit.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    janiep81 wrote: »
    rileyes wrote: »
    I love variety and prefer circuit training to heavy lifting. But I notice a loss of power/strength when I don't lift heavy.

    I'm a bit concerned about this, but I don't know why, really. I mean, I'm strong. Even out of shape, I'm typically stronger than the average woman. Strong enough is strong enough. I still have fat to loose. I want to focus on that for a while... and I know that lifting heavy will expedite that process, but not if I hate it and quit.

    Exactly. If you hate it, you shouldn't do it.

    The thing is, weight lifting heavy with free weights is supposedly the "best" way to do it. You can still get results lifting with the machines or kettlebells or body weight movements. It's all in what works for you and fits your goals.
  • slideaway1
    slideaway1 Posts: 1,006 Member
    If you enjoy cardio and body weight exercises then do it. I'm sure you will get great results. It's a shame that you might give up heavy lifting because some people keep bothering you in the weights area with advice. You should just tell them to pi%s off and keep lifting.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Cons. The part where it's really really difficult to progressively lift while doing primarily bodyweight training or using dumbells that are light enough to drag to the other section of the gym.

    Yeah Yeah Yeah, you can do elevated pushup and Spider-Man pushups and plyo pushups and and and...but almost no one goes that far. Because it's hard as hell. Even if a person likes it, going from one level to the next can be quite a leap, as opposed to just adding 5 pounds of weight to a bar.
  • janiep81
    janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
    slideaway1 wrote: »
    If you enjoy cardio and body weight exercises then do it. I'm sure you will get great results. It's a shame that you might give up heavy lifting because some people keep bothering you in the weights area with advice. You should just tell them to pi%s off and keep lifting.

    Their intentions are good. They're trying to help the poor little woman. Lol. My issues aren't theirs, but I still don't like it. Furthermore, one of the worst offenders is a middle-aged woman who critiques my workouts... as in she tells me not to run. I want her to mind her own business.
    DavPul wrote: »
    Cons. The part where it's really really difficult to progressively lift while doing primarily bodyweight training or using dumbells that are light enough to drag to the other section of the gym.

    Yeah Yeah Yeah, you can do elevated pushup and Spider-Man pushups and plyo pushups and and and...but almost no one goes that far. Because it's hard as hell. Even if a person likes it, going from one level to the next can be quite a leap, as opposed to just adding 5 pounds of weight to a bar.

    Excellent point, and that's why I'm afraid to just quit completely. I've thought about just lifting once a week or trying a new and simple program (stronglifts?), in which I am in and out of the weight room quickly.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited September 2015
    DavPul wrote: »
    Cons. The part where it's really really difficult to progressively lift while doing primarily bodyweight training or using dumbells that are light enough to drag to the other section of the gym.

    Yeah Yeah Yeah, you can do elevated pushup and Spider-Man pushups and plyo pushups and and and...but almost no one goes that far. Because it's hard as hell. Even if a person likes it, going from one level to the next can be quite a leap, as opposed to just adding 5 pounds of weight to a bar.

    QFT (as someone who tried really hard to maximize bodyweight stuff). The only real way to get progression from bodyweight is to do gymnastics, basically. If you can do that, awesome. If you can't, endless reps will NOT help your muscles get stronger or bigger - they'll more likely only lead to injuries bc of crappy form and overuse. (You have no idea how many of these T shirts I have)

    You can try resistance bands, some people do get results out of those, but again only by continuing to make things harder by adding bands. Less predictable and more annoying than weights and imo best reserved for people who just can't actually lift weights.

    At least try doing *one* short session a week of basic lifting that covers your main muscle groups, if there are no physical limitations stopping you from that.

    You can do that at home, too - invest in a barbell and a few plates to start, buy more as you need to.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Others have already answered your question quite well, but have you considered working out with headphones? Most gym regulars know the code: headphones in = don't talk to me. And if the music is loud enough, you can ignore the ones who don't know the code.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    DavPul wrote: »
    Cons. The part where it's really really difficult to progressively lift while doing primarily bodyweight training or using dumbells that are light enough to drag to the other section of the gym.

    Yeah Yeah Yeah, you can do elevated pushup and Spider-Man pushups and plyo pushups and and and...but almost no one goes that far. Because it's hard as hell. Even if a person likes it, going from one level to the next can be quite a leap, as opposed to just adding 5 pounds of weight to a bar.
    It's really not that difficult to incrementally progress bodyweight movements. There are tons of resources available these days.
  • Leyshinka
    Leyshinka Posts: 54 Member
    edited September 2015
    If you had the weights section to yourself would you enjoy it? If yes, then try headphones and perhaps working out at a different time when the 'annoying' people are not around. I think bodyweight exercises + HIIT will get you the results you want.
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