Interesting... had no clue there were 3 different types. I've been swapping between 5reps/5 sets and 8-10reps/3 sets for a couple months now.

Definitely need to do more research because I really don't want to be "puffy". I want to look sleek and toned!!

Heck, I am just now starting body weight lifting. I am confused by what is to come....lol

@witrixie- what you are doing is fine. You're essentially switching between hypertrophy and strength. Both are beneficial. You may want to throw in some sets of 12-15 on occasion, to build up the endurance in the muscle to be able to progressively carry the heavier loads that you'll use in your regular training. You could even combine them within the same workout. For instance, when doing 3 sets of 8-10, immediately following your 3rd set, grab a lighter weight and just go to failure, as many as you can do...


@2012asv- The three types of training all serve distinct purposes, and all are useful, regardless of your goal. Many people just have a preference of one over another, so it's just important to remember to throw in the others from time to time to, so that your body doesn't adapt.

Endurance- (12+ reps, very little rest in between sets @ 60-70% of your max) build up the endurance in smaller muscles to be able to carry heavier loads when training in other types of training. For instance, often a person cannot increase their weights on certain back exercises because their forearms burn out before the larger muscle (back) does. Building up endurance in the forearm, can help this. Also, because the reps/sets are faster paced, this type of training often gets your heart rate up like an aerobic endurance exercise would. But you cannot build muscle in this rep range. Just endurance, think Jillian Michaels type workouts.

Hypertrophy - (8-12 reps, 45-60 seconds of rest between sets, @70-80% of max) - this is where size is added to the muscle. This is the rep range that many body builders, and fitness models stay in the majority of the time, as they will see more muscle "pump" and this is the phase that muscles are tearing and repairing bigger and stronger (not huge, just bigger than it was before). This is where the most muscle growth hormone is recruited (right around the 8-10 rep range to be more precise). New Rules of Lifting for Women kinda centers on this range.

Strength- (below 8 reps, 60-90 seconds or more of rest between sets, @80+ percent of max) - this is where the 5x5 method and other such methods come into play. This is where you develop explosive strength, like that of a powerlifter, etc. Strength is important, obviously because as we age, we lose quite a bit of it, and we all want our muscles to be able to support us and our bones as we age, so that we don't become so easily injured. Powerlifting, which does not allow for sufficient time to activate all motor units in an orderly fashion, diminishes the hormonal adaptations of the muscle fibers. (geek talk for it doesn't last long enough to force the actual size of the muscle fibers to change, so although strength is of the utmost importance, we can't expect it to change our bodies the same way that hypertrophy training will). The way to get the best of strength training, and try to incorporate the benefits of hypertrophy, would be to achieve 80+% of your max (strength loads) at that same 8-10 reps (hypertrophy rep amount).

@gemiwing- best results come when you can dedicate any length of time to your particular "cycle," month cycles work for me, maybe they don't for you. You could try it weekly, or see how the day to day change works for you. In my experience, having completely different goals from one day to the next, does work as far as keeping boredom at bay, and keeping one active in order to keep the weight loss/other changes occurring in the body, but as time progresses, it is not really specific training. This is fine if you're just doing a basic body recompostion, or are just trying to maintain, or simply want to "keep the body guessing." When a person decides that they want a specific result, then a deeper level of more focused periodization should occur. I typically recommend this when a person tells me "I wanna look ripped" or "my muscles never show" or "my upper body looks this way, and my lower looks this way, how can I even them out?" (or change some other feature of themselves, which is, in effect what bodybuilding is all about. literally "building" the body you want)

Hmmmm...sts?!?!

Exactly, now you see why I love it. It does all the thinking for you. I hated trying to figure out my own periodization...

So doing things like supersets with 12 reps, 3 sets of push ups, tricep dips, step ups, lunges etc is in the endurance category?
I use small handweights *cough* 2kg, which yesterday i realised is way too easy and i am being lazy not getting heavier ones!
Not sure do i just go straight to 5kg or get 4kg ones instead.

What about Kettlebells which is mostly intervals of about 2 minutes, 30 seconds on about 4 different exercises then about 1 to 2 min rest. Using bells between 8kg and 12kg? Is that endurance as well?

I was thinking that doing the kettlebells is probably what has built up my strength so that the 2kg dumbells are easy!

Also what do you mean by the maximum percentage figures?

I just can't do the gym thing, i have tried at all different types of gyms and its just not for me But love getting out to the oval with the dogs and doing workouts LOL Obviously though i cant be carrying around big weights hahaha

So doing things like supersets with 12 reps, 3 sets of push ups, tricep dips, step ups, lunges etc is in the endurance category?
I use small handweights *cough* 2kg, which yesterday i realised is way too easy and i am being lazy not getting heavier ones!
Not sure do i just go straight to 5kg or get 4kg ones instead.

What about Kettlebells which is mostly intervals of about 2 minutes, 30 seconds on about 4 different exercises then about 1 to 2 min rest. Using bells between 8kg and 12kg? Is that endurance as well?

I was thinking that doing the kettlebells is probably what has built up my strength so that the 2kg dumbells are easy!

Also what do you mean by the maximum percentage figures?


I just can't do the gym thing, i have tried at all different types of gyms and its just not for me But love getting out to the oval with the dogs and doing workouts LOL Obviously though i cant be carrying around big weights hahaha

I love kettlebells and it is a great work out, but on anouther note. I love your pic. I (Heart) Rotties, had one for 16 years, and now have a rottie pit bull,,,,

WOW thats a great guide 31prvrbs!!! Thanks! I will do that for sure!
I am even starting to wonder if its worth getting like a small and large barbell so i can just add those weight disc things to it??
Then i could do my running and resistance stuff at the oval, like my push ups etc
Anything that requires hand held weights I can do at home??

Do you do much of a warm up with your weight training?? I mean cardio type warm up? Or mostly stretch type warm up?

If you plan on working out at home long term, then the more weight choices you have, the better. You will be constantly adapting and getting stronger, and needing more of a challenge. As you can see the dumbbell that I'm holding in my hand in my avatar is adjustable, I have several weight plates that I can put on it to make sure that each body part is challenged. I also have a barbell that has similar sized holes that the same weights can be put on when I want to use the barbell instead. Those two things are what I started off with. Then I progressed, as you can see if you look in my profile to a wider variety of "set weight" dumbbells as well. And I also have an Olympic sized barbell and weight bench now, as my weight loads are even heavier now (the barbell alone, w/no plates added, is 45#). I posted a pic of my weight bench somewhere, but I can't locate the thread, so I'll try to attach it again, so that you can see what I mean.


I also have an elliptical machine as well as a spin bike. I do perform pretty dynamic warmups before lifting weights in order to prevent injury. 5-10 minutes cardio type warmup should be sufficient. Then I stretch thoroughly afterward. I also do a lot of working out to DVDs by Cathe Friedrich which usually have a thorough warm-up, cool-down, and stretch (with weights in-between).

Here's an example of the dumbbell that I started with, I also purchased a longer barbell that the same weight plates could fit on:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-40-lb.-Adjustable-Cast-Iron-Dumbbell-Set/17217217


There are also more pics in my profile of my current dumbbell set. But here is my current barbell set up:



~Kiki

Thanks Kiki!!

I was looking at those hand held barbells on an online shop yesterday! I thought they would be the best option really.
I found a cheap one in BIG W that had plates up to 20Kg, though i think i am better off with a long barbell as well.

Yep we have a spin bike so i can use that to warm up! I forgot about it! It's my partners, i hate it, but will be good for warming up!

Thank you again for your patience and time!!!