Feeling overwhelmed with lifting

jillyt85
jillyt85 Posts: 161 Member
edited December 17 in Fitness and Exercise
I honestly hate strength training. I LOVE cardio, but I know the body I want won't come from cardio alone. I also know all about lifting heavy and how doing light weights at high reps isn't going to gets the results I want. I just don't know how to figure out what program is going to be best for me. I know so many women are into the NROL4W, but I'd honestly like to not buy one more book or piece of equipment. I feel like I've been researching this stuff forever and every time I read something I think "THIS is the program I should use." I looked at bodybuilding.com, but only found about 4 options on there and I honestly didn't like the ones that involved using machines. I'm looking for something like a 12 week program that'll get me started and seeing changes, then I can advance after I've completed it. I want something that's going to give me a well rounded workout for all of my muscle groups, but at the same time, I can't tell what that would be by just reading a workout plan. I want beautiful muscles and I'm not scared of them, so please...anyone have suggestions for a program that you've used that got you great results?

Replies

  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    If you ask the same question over there on bodybuilding.com, you'll get an overwhelming response about this book.

    It is a great program and it takes 4-6 months to complete...it will keep you busy and won't bore you. I got such excellent results from it, I've done it twice now! It is such a well rounded program. I got amazing strength gains from it.

    I can't give you better advice than that! (And it uses no machines, all free weights)
  • EuroDriver12
    EuroDriver12 Posts: 805 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    If you ask the same question over there on bodybuilding.com, you'll get an overwhelming response about this book.

    It is a great program and it takes 4-6 months to complete...it will keep you busy and won't bore you. I got such excellent results from it, I've done it twice now! It is such a well rounded program. I got amazing strength gains from it.

    I can't give you better advice than that! (And it uses no machines, all free weights)

    yeah my wife started with that n loved it!!!
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
    Women strength training groups:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/771-women-strength-training
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/102-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w
  • jillyt85
    jillyt85 Posts: 161 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women.

    If you ask the same question over there on bodybuilding.com, you'll get an overwhelming response about this book.

    It is a great program and it takes 4-6 months to complete...it will keep you busy and won't bore you. I got such excellent results from it, I've done it twice now! It is such a well rounded program. I got amazing strength gains from it.

    I can't give you better advice than that! (And it uses no machines, all free weights)

    I've read from many different women that it's pretty confusing and difficult to get started. Did you find this to be true or is it plain and simple? Do I have to read the entire book before I can start working out or can I read as I go?
  • MisterDubs303
    MisterDubs303 Posts: 1,216 Member
    I checked out NROL from the library and just renewed it a few times. It will set up workouts for several weeks at a time, then change for a while, in a series of different workouts that last from 4-12 weeks depending on how frequently you do them. The information in the not-specific-to-women one was good, interesting, and a pretty fast read. Then it sets people up based on their current situation (time, physical condition, goals, etc.). You pick the right program and progression for you, based on their recommendations. I'm sure the women's one is the same way.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I thought it was VERY simple and they explained things very well. You pretty much only do 5 different exercises a day, and there are pictures and very informative text on how to do them. Only 1-2 exercises ended up being awkward where I felt like I didn't do them right. That's out of about 30 different ones you end up doing by the end of the book. It is challenging, no doubt, but easy to follow.

    I read the whole book cover to cover before I started, mainly because once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. The author is good. I'd also adhere to his calorie recommendations. They are necessary once you really start adding the weights.
  • jillyt85
    jillyt85 Posts: 161 Member
    I checked out NROL from the library and just renewed it a few times. It will set up workouts for several weeks at a time, then change for a while, in a series of different workouts that last from 4-12 weeks depending on how frequently you do them. The information in the not-specific-to-women one was good, interesting, and a pretty fast read. Then it sets people up based on their current situation (time, physical condition, goals, etc.). You pick the right program and progression for you, based on their recommendations. I'm sure the women's one is the same way.

    If you're also recommending it, maybe I should give it a chance. I wonder if it's available on the kindle.
  • gillleeman
    gillleeman Posts: 397 Member
    I purchased this first on kindle, then also bought the book. Kindle isn't as easy for flicking through to check out the exercises, i.e. when book tells you to turn to page 212 blah blah.
  • jillyt85
    jillyt85 Posts: 161 Member
    I thought it was VERY simple and they explained things very well. You pretty much only do 5 different exercises a day, and there are pictures and very informative text on how to do them. Only 1-2 exercises ended up being awkward where I felt like I didn't do them right. That's out of about 30 different ones you end up doing by the end of the book. It is challenging, no doubt, but easy to follow.

    I read the whole book cover to cover before I started, mainly because once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. The author is good. I'd also adhere to his calorie recommendations. They are necessary once you really start adding the weights.

    Thank you for all the information. I think I'll pick this book up. I'm not sure if I'll follow the books recommendation for food or calories just because I spent a crapload of money (insurance wouldn't cover it) on testing to find out why my hormones and adrenal gland is out of whack. I'm going to be following my doctors recommendation in that area, but I'll tell her about this book so we can try to make the two work together.
  • davitalynette
    davitalynette Posts: 117 Member
    I checked out NROL from the library and just renewed it a few times.
    Great! Just reserved this book - didn't even consider using the library as a resource for this! :-)
  • jrditt
    jrditt Posts: 239 Member
    I honestly didn't read the whole book before I started but I did read the section I was going to do. When I move on to the next stage I will read that part. Without reading it, it took me a little while to actually figure out what I was suppose to do which makes sense haha. It's honestly changing my body though and I've only been doing it for four weeks. I love it and how little time it takes me and how strong I feel. I love not doing cardio.
  • Jeff12898
    Jeff12898 Posts: 1
    I teach a weight loss class for mainly women and one of the things I strongly recommend is Yoga. I do a combination of strengh training and cardio. AND I have to admit, when I first started with Yoga I thought it was kind of wimpy, but boy has my attitude changed. You can gain tremendous strength, tone, flexibility and even muscle mass with Yoga. It's simple to start, you can find many DVD's that take you from a beginner to a pro.

    I just completed my first 90 days with the P90X program which contains a 90 minute yogaX workout. Of all the workout DVD's included in this system, I think the YogaX workout has given me the most improvement and anyone can do it...all you need is a floor mat ($20) a DVD to instruct you ($15) and a space in front of your TV. Since you do it at home, nobody is going to laugh at you and you don't have to feel subconcious like you might at the gym.

    Wish you all the best...good luck.
  • DisneySkaGirl
    DisneySkaGirl Posts: 161
    If you go to the New Rules of Lifting for Women group on here, there is a sticky post with a link to a place that has VERY straight forward excel spreadsheets that lets you track your workouts and has all the moves laid out by stages. It even has a tab where you can enter your stats and get calorie reccommendations based on the info from the book.

    You'll still want to read everything for detailed explanations, but this eliminated all the confusion about when to do what moves etc.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    I thought it was VERY simple and they explained things very well. You pretty much only do 5 different exercises a day, and there are pictures and very informative text on how to do them. Only 1-2 exercises ended up being awkward where I felt like I didn't do them right. That's out of about 30 different ones you end up doing by the end of the book. It is challenging, no doubt, but easy to follow.

    I read the whole book cover to cover before I started, mainly because once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. The author is good. I'd also adhere to his calorie recommendations. They are necessary once you really start adding the weights.
    ^ This. I finished the program and saw amazing results. To follow the program exactly as laid out in the book, it requires a gym membership. Unless you have a very extensive home gym that includes a squat rack (you'll need one!). Read the book in it's entirety before starting. One exception: chapter 9 is prettly useless. I didn't follow the book's calorie recommendations but instead used MFP as it's designed to be used.

    Now pick a program and start lifting heavy!
  • Vespyr
    Vespyr Posts: 111 Member
    More props for NROLFW...3 weeks in and I've already seen changes in my body. Nicer tummy, less cellulite, toned/smaller arms. I love that I can feel my workout for a couple days and that I can see myself getting stronger each time. I was basically falling over doing lunges with a 20lb dumbbell last week. Tomorrow I'm ready to up it to 25! I had no clue how to do weight lifting before I got this book. On a side note...buy the book (or borrow from the library) don't get the kindle version, so frustrating.
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