strength training/ cardio

TrinaXL
TrinaXL Posts: 39 Member
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone, I workout in the morning every day before work. I've been doing aerobics one day and strength training the next. with one rest day on the weekends.

My Question is do I REALLY need to rest between strength training days? I've been told doing it every other day is most beneficial, but I'm just not seeing any changes. (in my weight, yes, a few pounds, but I don't feel any stronger) what I want to do aerobics AND strength training EVERY day, and maybe just do aerobics on one day on the weekend and still take the one day off from everything. I am trying to build muscle, not like a body builder, but more muscle than the average woman.
for my strength training I do pushups, situps, back extensions, lunges, and jumping jacks in between (to keep my heart rate up)

I'm loving working out in the morning, it wakes me up! I only sometimes need coffee!

Replies

  • Jeneba
    Jeneba Posts: 699 Member
    For me, it's a stress release first & foremost. If I skip a day, I get anxious, nervous, & MEAN!!!! GGGGGRRRRRR! So, skipping a day is not an option even though I may do less on certain days.
  • FriendsR4EverTreasures
    FriendsR4EverTreasures Posts: 179 Member
    Hey everyone, I workout in the morning every day before work. I've been doing aerobics one day and strength training the next. with one rest day on the weekends.

    My Question is do I REALLY need to rest between strength training days? I've been told doing it every other day is most beneficial, but I'm just not seeing any changes. (in my weight, yes, a few pounds, but I don't feel any stronger) what I want to do aerobics AND strength training EVERY day, and maybe just do aerobics on one day on the weekend and still take the one day off from everything. I am trying to build muscle, not like a body builder, but more muscle than the average woman.
    for my strength training I do pushups, situps, back extensions, lunges, and jumping jacks in between (to keep my heart rate up)

    I'm loving working out in the morning, it wakes me up! I only sometimes need coffee!

    No, you don't have to have rest "days" in between your resistance training, you just need to make sure you are breaking down your muscle groups so you don't work them two days in a row. Here is a workout I do that may help you that will let you work out every day. Monday: Back; Tuesday: Chest; Wednesday: Legs; Thursday: Shoulders; Friday: Biceps; Break Sunday: Triceps. You can put abs in every other day. Cardio can be everyday if you like to do it because that's how you will burn the most calories. Resistance training helps you build muscle so that you can burn more calories even at rest. Hope this helps, BTW, I LOVE weight training and muscles too :) Just remember, we women do not have the testosterone levels to ever look like men, but we can build a nice firm body! :)
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    Hey everyone, I workout in the morning every day before work. I've been doing aerobics one day and strength training the next. with one rest day on the weekends.

    My Question is do I REALLY need to rest between strength training days? I've been told doing it every other day is most beneficial, but I'm just not seeing any changes. (in my weight, yes, a few pounds, but I don't feel any stronger) what I want to do aerobics AND strength training EVERY day, and maybe just do aerobics on one day on the weekend and still take the one day off from everything. I am trying to build muscle, not like a body builder, but more muscle than the average woman.
    for my strength training I do pushups, situps, back extensions, lunges, and jumping jacks in between (to keep my heart rate up)

    I'm loving working out in the morning, it wakes me up! I only sometimes need coffee!

    No, you don't have to have rest "days" in between your resistance training, you just need to make sure you are breaking down your muscle groups so you don't work them two days in a row. Here is a workout I do that may help you that will let you work out every day. Monday: Back; Tuesday: Chest; Wednesday: Legs; Thursday: Shoulders; Friday: Biceps; Break Sunday: Triceps. You can put abs in every other day. Cardio can be everyday if you like to do it because that's how you will burn the most calories. Resistance training helps you build muscle so that you can burn more calories even at rest. Hope this helps, BTW, I LOVE weight training and muscles too :) Just remember, we women do not have the testosterone levels to ever look like men, but we can build a nice firm body! :)

    Correct! And you can combine muscle groups if you want to work them more than once a week. Which I would suggest. You can google "lifting split" and pick something that sounds nice to you!
  • huizenm
    huizenm Posts: 74 Member
    I do strength training on Monday, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays. I think the important thing is to not work the same body part 2 days in a row. I do legs on Monday & Fridays, Bi's, Tris & SHoulders on Tuesday and Back & Chest on Thursdays. I do ab work every day though.

    I try to do some type of cardio 6 days a week.
  • TrinaXL
    TrinaXL Posts: 39 Member
    Awesome! thanks Ladies!! I'm getting married in 79 days, I don't think I'll see too much change by then, but there will be a bit at the very least!

    I LOVE the look of women who have muscle! every time I see one I admire her for working so hard! I can't wait to be one of those women!

    I also don't have any equipment other than dumbbells. 2 10lb and 2 2lb. And a medium resistance band.
  • bublitz4
    bublitz4 Posts: 1 Member
    My question would be are you lifting heavy enough weights? I think women often stick with light weights because they think heavy weights will make them look bulky. But really fatiging the muscle often takes heavier weights, especially if you are in fairly good shape to begin. For example, can you do 12-15 GOOD FORM push-ups on your toes? If not work your weigh up, when you can do that you can make it more difficult by balancing your toes on a step or ultimately a balance ball and do a push up. :smile:

    When you complete your last 2-3 reps of a set it should feel really tough, almost like you are not going to make it! But if you don't have a spotter make sure to be careful. Here are some examples, in six months of training with a video series I went from 10 lbs on over-head sholder press to 25 lb, while doing a squat I now hold a 35 lb weight in each hand and concentrate on good form (e.g., sit but back as close to 90 degree as possible, toes do not extend over knee, head and shoulders up), one arm dumbell row 25 lb, etc.

    If you lift heavier weight, your muscles should feel sore (the good kind of sore like you know you did something) not like you hurt something the next day and you SHOULD take at least one day rest between.

    My advice would be to take what ever you are doing and try adding 5 lbs to most excercises and assess how you feel at the end of the set, if you are breathing hard and really pushing the last few reps, if not add more weight.
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