Can you please share your Strength Training plans?? Please :

your comment about a limit for women really struck me...we have NO limits!

i suggest getting a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women...lift like a man and look like a goddess!

I was going to suggest that book as well. It is a great resource that should help you find your way.

I used to do bodyweight exercises when I was pretty outta shape, which helped a bit.

Then when I got a bit more serious, 2 day upper/lower body split, made up mostly of compound exercises.

Right now it's 5 days a week, 2 body parts a day (chest/calves, biceps,triceps, shoulds/traps..every 3rd day or so off. If I'm pretty bored one day, I'll hit 2 workouts (4 bodyparts) and it lasts 1-1.5hrs.

Logging my lifts, I try to increase the weight every week. 2.5, 5, or even 10lbs.

I started stalling out for awhile, so started ramping my lifts (lift 100lbs...125, 150) til i reached my max, and 9 times outta 10 I could perform a stronger set when I approached it this way.

I also change my routine ever 1-1.5 months.

I try and push the limits of what I can lift. I like to increase weights I use whenevre I feel I am ready.
I rotate upper and lower body workouts also.
I tend to do all exercise in 3 sets of 15

leg press 130kg
chest press 55kg
one that works the back of your arms - 50kg
hip abductor 150lbs
hip adductor 130lbs
calfe extension 45kg
crunch machine - 160lbs

I also picked up some other weight lifting exercises with my September challenge that I plan on incorperating into my regular lifting schedule

Hey everyone! Just wanted to know when you strength train, what do you do exactly? How many days a week? Reps? How long? Etc. I would like to hear from anyone of any age, both genders, size, etc. Also what would you prefer is the limit for women? Thanks

I guess I may have an old school way of going about it, lol (I've been told that anyway). I try to split my body in half roughly, doing pushing groups (chest, shoulders, triceps) in one workout, then pulling (biceps, back, traps) or legs the next, with a day of rest in between each. That way I usually don't over train by doing the same group twice within a week (unless I am just having a huge boost of energy and feel like if I don't use it I'll go nuts...then I may repeat one of my favorite ones)

During the workouts, I try to work the larger groups first, then the smaller/supporting ones next (like on chest day, bench work first, then something for triceps). And I still use the reverse pyramid method usually (starting lighter with more reps, moving up in weight/down in reps towards the end). I usually dont go over 1 1/2 hours ever.
On "rest" days, I try to sneak in cardio of some sort...lol.

Not the best exactly, but sometimes it's about finding out what works for your body. : )

This is the routine I follow. I don't follow the meal plan but I do the strength training. I added yoga in 4 days a week because I love yoga.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/laura-bailey-muscle-building-program.html

I work out 4-5 days a week. It might be something like this

biceps - alternate dumbell curls 4 sets of 8-12 reps
- scott curls 4 sets of 8 reps
- cable curls 4 sets of 8-12 reps
- hammer curls 4 sets of 8-12 reps

calves - leg press calf raises 4 x 8-12 reps
- seated calf raises 4 x 8-15 reps

taking too long to type- I almost always do 4 sets of 8-12 reps, lifting so that the last 1-2 reps are very difficult to execute


triceps - tricep pushdown, tricep kickbacks, French dumbell press, tricep extention

legs - leg extention, leg press, walking lunges, back squat, sisi squats, free squats, lying leg curls, stiffleg deadlifts

back - lat pulldown, barbell rowing, low row machine, rowing machine, single dumbell rows

shoulders - front raises, rear delts, side raises, shoulder press

abs- hanging knee raises, weighted ab crunch machine, side crunch, lying crunches.

I start with 50 burpees probably 3 times per week, trying to build up to 100.
I usually work biceps and triceps twice a week, break legs into 2 days, back and shoulders. I do abs 3-4 days a week, mostly depending on time or my energy. I finish with maybe 10-20 minutes of cardio.

Wrigint it all out I guess it seems a lot I'm due to change my program.