How fast do women put on muscle?

I wish I actually put on muscle as fast as women think they will bulk up if they lift heavy.....

Wow - umm ok.... I don't have access to a gym nor do I have the money to get 100+ lbs in weights.... Do the weights have to be that high? I'm at 23.5% BF so I was trying mostly just help get the last of the fat off by introducing strength training instead of doing primarily cardio....

Wow - umm ok.... I don't have access to a gym nor do I have the money to get 100+ lbs in weights.... Do the weights have to be that high? I'm at 23.5% BF so I was trying mostly just help get the last of the fat off by introducing strength training instead of doing primarily cardio....

Do the weights have to be that high? Absolutely not. You can get lean and toned with lighter weights. You just have to do higher reps.

This is not correct, higher than 15-20 reps range is just for endurance and will not be that different than doing just cardio. If it appeared to work for you it was because you lost the fat over the muscle.

I really don't want to get in a war of the studies, but:

"In a series of experiments, Burd and colleagues tweaked some resistance-exercise variables to see which had the greatest effect on building muscle mass. More repetitions with lighter weights can build muscle as well as heavier weights -- assuming they are done to the point of exercise-induced fatigue. And fatigue is the important point. That means even with light weight, the last two to three reps should be hard."

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20120427/high-reps-with-low-weights-builds-muscle-too

It's all good. Folks who want to lift heavy, can lift heavy. And the folks who want to lift light, can lift light. Have no fear of the lighter weight, higher rep workout, you will get results (although IMO it's harder than lifting heavy).

Higher rep ranges are not self progressing. If you stay only in higher rep ranges you will not continue to get stronger and able to increase the weight. Higher rep ranges do cause faster growth, but cannot sustain that growth. Lower rep ranges are self progressing, but the growth is lower. Periodizing the two, either mixed or not, leads to the maximum mass gains, as you are gaining strength to continue to progress the weight in the higher rep ranges where size gains are the greatest.

This is why 6-10 reps is typically considered "hypertrophy". It is not ideal for size, strength, or endurance, but it is right in the sweet spot between all of them that it is the only rep range that will lead to moderate size, strength, and endurance gains.

Gains are greater though if the rep ranges are periodized, pretty much every good BBing program peirodizes high and low rep ranges.

I love that the people insisting that everyone is different because of body type, metabolism etc are the very ones saying you MUST use heavy weights.

It honestly doesn't matter how much weight you use, technically you can tighten EVERYTHING up just by using your own body weight! If you're looking to be tight and lean then you want low weight high reps )
If it's bulk you're looking for then you want high weight low reps.

Add me if you want, I'm here for support and to answer any questions you have!

The only thing I disagree with is #3. You'll note that all the guys responding think that 5-8 lb weights aren't much - but as a female starting out, this is where you may need to be.

I've been doing Jillian Michaels for a few weeks with 5 lb weights (and the 30DS also has a lot of weight bearing activities for arms) and saw a difference within a week or two. I've already stepped it up to 8 lb weights though and am almost ready for 10 lbs....eventually you may need to increase your weights, but you can absolutely see some tightening starting with the 5-8 lbs.

That said...it really, really, really goes depend so much on your individual body for all the other questions. But the guys need to also remember, when answering the question re: 5-8 lbs, that their bodies are very different from a female body.

You asked short questions with a significant lack of detail, so I'm going to give you short answers:

1. There is no way to answer that question accurately.

2. There is no way to answer that question accurately.

3. No.

All of this depends WHOLLY on diet, intensity level, amount of weight and reps lifted, your own genetic makeup and hormonal patterns and about a dozen other things. However, I can assure you that you will never put any significant amount of stress on your muscles (except maybe your side delts for the first week) with only 5 and 8 lb weights.

The only thing I disagree with is #3. You'll note that all the guys responding think that 5-8 lb weights aren't much - but as a female starting out, this is where you may need to be.

I've been doing Jillian Michaels for a few weeks with 5 lb weights (and the 30DS also has a lot of weight bearing activities for arms) and saw a difference within a week or two. I've already stepped it up to 8 lb weights though and am almost ready for 10 lbs....eventually you may need to increase your weights, but you can absolutely see some tightening starting with the 5-8 lbs.

That said...it really, really, really goes depend so much on your individual body for all the other questions. But the guys need to also remember, when answering the question re: 5-8 lbs, that their bodies are very different from a female body.

You asked short questions with a significant lack of detail, so I'm going to give you short answers:

1. There is no way to answer that question accurately.

2. There is no way to answer that question accurately.

3. No.

All of this depends WHOLLY on diet, intensity level, amount of weight and reps lifted, your own genetic makeup and hormonal patterns and about a dozen other things. However, I can assure you that you will never put any significant amount of stress on your muscles (except maybe your side delts for the first week) with only 5 and 8 lb weights.

Ok Great Thank you!

Success:

step 1: ignore what everyone says.
step 2: take the advice of the one person that agrees with you.

Wow - umm ok.... I don't have access to a gym nor do I have the money to get 100+ lbs in weights.... Do the weights have to be that high? I'm at 23.5% BF so I was trying mostly just help get the last of the fat off by introducing strength training instead of doing primarily cardio....

I think what the problem is that you just have a different meaning of strength training, when people hear that they think compound lifts with a good amount of weight to get a total body workout. If you add small weights to JM, that is more of a small resistance training, and will achive what you are looking for.

oh ok- Then I need to edit this to Resistance Training to put on some muscle...and Not strength training. I'm just wanting to tone up and get a bit stronger not WAY stronger.

Strength gains will eventually stall without surplus and size gain. A good portion of beginner strength gain comes from increased coordination and nerual adaptation whereby your central nervous system gets more effective at firing muscle fibers and firing more muscle fibers at the same instant. Eventually though you will not get any stronger while in a deficit and not adding any size and getting the full muscle recovery benefits brought by eating more calories than you burn.

Strength gains will eventually stall without surplus and size gain. A good portion of beginner strength gain comes from increased coordination and nerual adaptation whereby your central nervous system gets more effective at firing muscle fibers and firing more muscle fibers at the same instant. Eventually though you will not get any stronger while in a deficit and not adding any size and getting the full muscle recovery benefits brought by eating more calories than you burn.

exactly. most newbies that talk about "muscle gain" on a calorie deficit are just seeing the gains from the CNS learning how to fire off existing muscle more effectively.... they just dont realize it.

Except I wasn't talking about building muscle specific - I was talking about the weights used. i.e. that women can use lower weights and still build muscle (whereas the guys were saying lower weights WON'T build muscle).

I think you are misunderstanding what I said.

(Also, I didn't quote you, I quoted the OP who was questioning how much to lift)

I love that the people insisting that everyone is different because of body type, metabolism etc are the very ones saying you MUST use heavy weights.

thats because the sentence you say after what I quoted is wrong.

if anything women need to follow bodybuilding/strongman/etc advice MORE strictly then men... because they dont have the hormonal benefit helping them.

think about it.. its HARDER for women to make muscle.... for the best results, they should be following the best advice possible...

but whatever.