Strength workouts??

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astow8
astow8 Posts: 24
in Fitness and Exercise
So I have my cardio routine down, but have been told I need to be doing strength training BEFORE my cardio at the gym if I really want to lose more fat and weight. I have literally never done a single strength exercise in my life so I have no idea where to start! Was hoping to get advice here. I have heard to do like monday-arms, tuesday-legs, etc. But I have no idea how to even do "arms" or "legs", etc.

For reference, I am a female looking to lose 43 more lbs! (hopefully by July)

Replies

  • brandonrdn
    brandonrdn Posts: 71
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    There are MANY different routines that you can do. Really the best thing is to try a few until you find something you like. I have 3 different workouts I do.
    A. Chest and Triceps
    B. Back and Biceps
    C. Legs and Shoulders

    so my week looks like:

    Monday : Chest and Triceps
    Tuesday : Back and Biceps
    Wednesday: Legs and Shoulders
    Thursday : Chest and Triceps
    Friday : Back and Biceps
    Saturday : Cardio
    Sunday : Off
    Monday : Legs and Shoulders

    So my routine goes M-F and continues into the next week.


    As far as the individual workouts there are a ton, I would recommend talking to someone at your gym to see if they can walk you through some workouts for the individual muscles. Or Google it and you'll find a bunch of websites that show different workouts
  • rolliepollie087
    rolliepollie087 Posts: 251 Member
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    I'm with ya! It can be overwhelming
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 897 Member
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    Here is a starter strength training workout. This is the plan I am currently working on:

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-1.html

    I would recommend having at least one session (if not more) with a trainer to get form down as it is very important in order to prevent injury.
  • suavequeen
    suavequeen Posts: 273 Member
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    Try pushups and squats to get things going.. I started with those for strength... maybe a few dumbell curls too...
  • JaneDoughSanAntonio
    JaneDoughSanAntonio Posts: 65 Member
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    I go to a boot camp style class 2-3 times per week, and the trainer has us do different things every day to work different muscles. It's nice because someone plans the routine for you, and is there to guide/push you, and you're doing it with other people. So maybe look for something like that! Or, if you're not into the group workout thing, I have some MFP friends that are doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women: http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women
  • Heidi_Edgi
    Heidi_Edgi Posts: 65 Member
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    Try reading , Th new rules of fitness for woman
  • angel_north
    angel_north Posts: 51 Member
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    I am at odds with that also due to if you use the treadmill from your 30-1 hour cardo it also helps get you body warmed up to to either free weights, weight machines or whatever your plan is for that day and after each 3 sets of 10 if you are working on arms stretching on that one area before you start the next weight machines or station of weights etc... I am 56 and I have never knock on wood damaged my body and within 1 year at the weight I want to be at... I hope it works for me this time due to I am NEVER giving up the gym again...
  • Sumo813
    Sumo813 Posts: 566 Member
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    If youre at the gym, talk to one of the trainers. They can be a great help. But start light, otherwise you'll over-work the muscles and you'll be so sore and tight for a few days you won't want to even look at a weight. Make sure to stretch lots between sets too. (And I like the bootcamp idea since most that I've seen get some work with weights in.)
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
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    I definitely recommend adding strength training to your workout! It's a great way for women to lose weight and get good muscle definition. There are literally a ton of different ways to strength training, and I'm sure people will post them here, and you should be able to find additional ones on youtube and google. It's best to try some things out and see what works for you.

    Some general tips:

    -Always take a day off between doing the same muscle group. For instance, if you do upper body on Monday, don't do it again on Tuesday. Do Lower body on Tuesday instead.
    - Don't be afraid to lift heavy. Once you get comfortable with the motion of the exercise, aim for less repetitions of a higher weight than more repetitions of a lower weight. Contrary to what some believe, this won't cause you to bulk up or look like a man. It will help you maintain muscle while losing weight.
    -Do your weight training before cardio, not cardio before weight training. It's better to use your top tier energy reserves on weight lifting, or your workout will suffer.
    -Change up your routine frequently. Doing the same exercise over and over again is not the best way to get results. Once you get familiar with the general concept of lifting weights, try different exercises and different muscle groups to keep your body guessing.
    -Most importantly, do what works for you! If you find that anything I've said or anyone else says doesn't fit the experience you end up having with strength training, then go with what works for you. There are a lot of ways to be successful in strength training, and you'll find the one that you're best suited for!
  • angel_north
    angel_north Posts: 51 Member
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    brandonrdn, great weekly routine but what are your warm ups? Weight lifting with cold muscles can cause minor rips in your body at first you think it is just soreness and it could be your body telling you something and before you know it a possible injury..
  • angel_north
    angel_north Posts: 51 Member
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    I am sure that I was trained differently because each of my workouts are 3 hours 3-4 days a week and 1-2 hours a few days a week at home.
  • brandonrdn
    brandonrdn Posts: 71
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    brandonrdn, great weekly routine but what are your warm ups? Weight lifting with cold muscles can cause minor rips in your body at first you think it is just soreness and it could be your body telling you something and before you know it a possible injury..
    Depends on the day really. I always stretch and do some minor cardio(usually walking at a big incline) to get my heart rate up and loosen up a bit.
  • astow8
    astow8 Posts: 24
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    Thanks everyone so far for the replies!

    @morklemama, that link has some awesome tips, thank you for posting! Will definitely be doing those arms and legs workouts that are posted there.

    So does anyone have recommendations for protein powders if I start weight training? I have no clue where to start there either :)
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
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    Thanks everyone so far for the replies!

    @morklemama, that link has some awesome tips, thank you for posting! Will definitely be doing those arms and legs workouts that are posted there.

    So does anyone have recommendations for protein powders if I start weight training? I have no clue where to start there either :)

    My suggestion would just get a pure 100% Whey Protein powder from GNC or some place similar. Get it in a flavor that works for you, and try out some things that work for you. When I used to drink it, I would just mix it with some gatorade, but you can mix it with water, or milk, or blend in some fruit, peanut butter, or anything else to go with it. Make sure to get some carbs with your post workout shake, as they're just as important as protein for muscle development.

    Although honestly, I used to drink a protein shake after every workout, but I ran out of powder a while ago, and haven't noticed any effect of my post workout muscle development since stopping drinking them. Eating a balanced meal of protein and carbs after your workout will suffice just fine if you don't dig the shakes.
  • angel_north
    angel_north Posts: 51 Member
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    Yeah just enough to warm your system up and to have the muscles warm. The after every set of 3-10 all you need is a door jam to place your hand on the inside and pull lightly outward lets say after set of curls if your are benching go to the top of a doorway and pull downward just a tad or you could take down the molding, lol, leg presses bend over and try to touch your hands flat on the floor etc..
  • astow8
    astow8 Posts: 24
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    Thanks everyone so far for the replies!

    @morklemama, that link has some awesome tips, thank you for posting! Will definitely be doing those arms and legs workouts that are posted there.

    So does anyone have recommendations for protein powders if I start weight training? I have no clue where to start there either :)

    My suggestion would just get a pure 100% Whey Protein powder from GNC or some place similar. Get it in a flavor that works for you, and try out some things that work for you. When I used to drink it, I would just mix it with some gatorade, but you can mix it with water, or milk, or blend in some fruit, peanut butter, or anything else to go with it. Make sure to get some carbs with your post workout shake, as they're just as important as protein for muscle development.

    Although honestly, I used to drink a protein shake after every workout, but I ran out of powder a while ago, and haven't noticed any effect of my post workout muscle development since stopping drinking them. Eating a balanced meal of protein and carbs after your workout will suffice just fine if you don't dig the shakes.

    I'm definitely a big chocolate person and an almond milk person so I was thinking of getting a chocolate flavor to mix with unsweetened almond milk. Just looking around for a few minutes I found this, would this be beneficial to have after a strength/cardio workout?

    http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3267251

    also this is completely unrelated, but how do I put my ticker as my signature on this board?

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