Lifting twice a week enough?

Lozze
Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I've just started my healthy lifestyle. Part of that is to lose weight. I've been reading a lot of info on here and I want to make sure I'm on the right track.

I go to the gym twice a week. I do 40 minutes of cardio and use the machines for weights. Yes I know it's better to do free weights (just read New Rules of Lifting cover to cover) but I'm terrified of going to where all the muscly men are. I want to be more confident in my lifting before I move over. I generally do ten machines lifting my maximum weight (to the point I struggle with the last couple) for 2 sets of 12.

The days I don't go to the gym I have at least 30 min of cardio as every week day I walk to and from work. (this is even on gym days) I was doing EA Active 2 but my Wii isn't working.
I train for softball every Wed. In a month I play every Saturday. I'm a fastpitch pitcher so I use a lot of calories.
Sunday is my rest day, however I'm still on my feet for three hours coaching.
Am I on the right track with my exercise routine? If not what can I do to improve it? I've just started (last night) a program where I swing my 24 ounce bat every night. Thats more sport specific conditioning but it's a hell of a workout!

Replies

  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    If you are a starter then 2x a week is enough although 3x a week is ideal. Since I've been lifting weights for a long time that's why I do it 3x a week.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Most weeks I would only lift twice (before I started p90x) and was still making improvements - I wasn't new to lifting either and it was still ok (although 3x is better) I was lifting free weights the whole time though so I'm not sure how much of a difference that may make.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    It's a great start. Three times a week is ideal, but twice a week will give improvements - it's what I do as it's all the time I have between lengthy training runs!

    Don't be scared of the free weights areas - in my gyms there's women as well as men and everyone's too busy concentrating on their own workout to even glance over at what you're doing. Have a routine ready and written down from the book and take time working out the right weights the same way you have with the machines.

    Why not try a circuit too, where you do some cardio between training each body part, to mix things up a bit.

    So is your sport-specicic training for baseball or similar? You might benefit from kettlebell exercises. Start off with kettlebell swings then look up more exercises - You Tube is a great reference point.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    I'm a softball player. I'll look kettlebells up when I get home!
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