How fast do women put on muscle?

Any trainee regarless of gender builds muscle by working at max effort in a reasonable rep range preferably at the proper frequency and volume for their training level\recovery ability (if they are too far outisde of this they may actually NOT get results)adding weight and\or reps while eating a surplus. Of course it eventually gets more complicated with periodization and stalls\resets\deloading etc. but anyway...

@OP

Bet you didn't know your thread would be so full of win when you created it did you?

Nope I sure didn't.... Nor did I expect so many smart A** remarks from people. I'm not joining a gym, I'm not trying to be as strong as womanly possible I just wanted to know if gaining muscle took a long time... All I want to do is tone up.

I think any comments that you have taken as smart *kitten*, perhaps aren't, but are just blunt.

However, questions like this come up very often because people don't seem to realise how slow a process gaining muscle is, whether you are a man or a woman.

You asked about the little pink weights - those are all but useless...in fact scratch that - they are less than useless...

I think sometimes it doesn't matter how many times it is said, people don't take certain things in until they experience them and have that- 'oh my god!' moment.

Those sorts of 'womens exercise' dvd workouts take advantage of the fact that a lot of women believe that they can put on muscle in a matter of days and will end up looking like a man.

This is not the case - men have the hormones to build muscle a lot more easily than women, and yet it is a damn hard slog for us. It takes a massive amount of effort and dedication, and even then is sloooowwwww..........

It is good that you are looking at actually doing weights as opposed to sticking with purely cardio, but those dvds and baby weights are practically pointless.

You should have a look at new rules of lifting for women and get a good plan where you are lifting such weight that you can only manage between 8 and 12 reps before failure. (Failure being that you physically can't move that weight one more time).

That is how to work out the right weight for you.

If you can't afford weight, then that is fine, there are things you can do with bodyweight that can be effective and there are many many mannnny routines that you can google.

No. I think she's right on. But, apparently, some people, like you, are confusing frankness with rudeness. I checked the OP and there is no mention of "little pink weights." The OP asked about 5lb. and 8lb. weights. Using terms like "little pink weights" and "baby weights" is condescending, snide, and sexist. The truth is that light weights are perfectly fine for some people and in using them they will get leaner, feel stronger, and eventually they may want to heavy up. But that's their choice, not yours. And it's a perfectly valid choice, completely undeserving of the scorn and ridicule the "heavy lifters" often resort to.

And, FTR, I have 5lb. and 8lb. weights and neither set is pink. One is black and the other is blue. I guess that means they're meant for men.

I have 6 JM DVDs. I've been doing two levels a day (about an hour), 6 days a week since April. My calves are fantastic. They are much more defined. I have a brand-new hard bulgy spot on the backs of my lower thighs. My thighs are smaller and I can feel more muscle under the (shrinking) layer of fat. The pudge around my middle is moving. Instead of an all-around spare tire I now have love handles and a bit in the middle. The space between each handle and the middle is concave (!!!) and the bits above and below the middle are hard and flat. There's even a line going all the way down the center. My upper arms are much firmer when relaxed and I have a noticeable bicep when I flex.
I'm netting around 1200 calories a day. I make sure to get plenty of protein and fiber. I drink tea and water throughout the day. I am getting stronger. My muscles can do things they couldn't do in April. I'm doing real push-ups now. I can go all the way down in squats and do the entire set. I've also lost 12 pounds.
There are plenty of people who will say I'm doing it wrong. But really, my muscles are bigger and my belly is smaller. I'd say I'm doing just fine.

AWESOME! Thatnk you!! This is what I am wanting to do- rotate her dvds for a total body workout but changing up the workouts so my body doesn't plateau! What dvds do you have and what order do you do them in?

ZOMG empirical data. So rare to get in relation to women gaining muscle

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.

Thanks - This is one of the best most clear cut explanation on this. We see so many posts about this because those of us who haven't reached are goal yet or who are beginners get so confused with all the different info. But since i got similar answers to this on a recent post i sent out, i think the heavy lifting calorie deficit is helping me lose fat and def get more toned already. You are right that is what most females are looking for unless they just want bodybuilding...most of us want to get rid of the fat and be shaped and toned not necessarily add muscle mass. We only say we want to add muscle because we hear it helps burn fat and we like the curvy look of women that have lost fat and their muscles show toned and tight....not large.

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.

Don't think about it in terms of strength... think about it in terms of size.

Heavy lifting + caloric deficit = what most people think of when they think "toned"
Heavy lifting + caloric surplus = muscle growth/gaining size (albeit gains are small and very slow)

Strength gains (i.e. the ability to lift heavier things) will come with either. Muscle gains (i.e. added size/muscle tissue) will really only happen with the second.

.

Any trainee regarless of gender builds muscle by working at max effort in a reasonable rep range preferably at the proper frequency and volume for their training level\recovery ability (if they are too far outisde of this they may actually NOT get results)adding weight and\or reps while eating a surplus. Of course it eventually gets more complicated with periodization and stalls\resets\deloading etc. but anyway...

@OP

Bet you didn't know your thread would be so full of win when you created it did you?

Nope I sure didn't.... Nor did I expect so many smart A** remarks from people. I'm not joining a gym, I'm not trying to be as strong as womanly possible I just wanted to know if gaining muscle took a long time... All I want to do is tone up.

I think any comments that you have taken as smart *kitten*, perhaps aren't, but are just blunt.

However, questions like this come up very often because people don't seem to realise how slow a process gaining muscle is, whether you are a man or a woman.

You asked about the little pink weights - those are all but useless...in fact scratch that - they are less than useless...

I think sometimes it doesn't matter how many times it is said, people don't take certain things in until they experience them and have that- 'oh my god!' moment.

Those sorts of 'womens exercise' dvd workouts take advantage of the fact that a lot of women believe that they can put on muscle in a matter of days and will end up looking like a man.

This is not the case - men have the hormones to build muscle a lot more easily than women, and yet it is a damn hard slog for us. It takes a massive amount of effort and dedication, and even then is sloooowwwww..........

It is good that you are looking at actually doing weights as opposed to sticking with purely cardio, but those dvds and baby weights are practically pointless.

You should have a look at new rules of lifting for women and get a good plan where you are lifting such weight that you can only manage between 8 and 12 reps before failure. (Failure being that you physically can't move that weight one more time).

That is how to work out the right weight for you.

If you can't afford weight, then that is fine, there are things you can do with bodyweight that can be effective and there are many many mannnny routines that you can google.

And thats FAST For a woman!

I am going to start doing weights with my Jillian Michaels exercise videos but have a couple questions.

1. How long does it take a woman to put on one pound of muscle?

2. How long after strength training or how much muscle do you need to gain, for the new muscle to speed up your metabolism and start burning more fat faster?

Aslo- will 5 and 8 pound weights be enough to to tighten everything up?

Thanks for the help!