Cardio OR Weights?

[Irin997]

Right, if you have testerone. Testerone is esstential for building large muscle. When women strength train it tones the muscles and helps to increase your ability to burn fat more efficiently.

I use do this program and have seen results in both my toning and strength by doing less reps/higher weight.

http://www.kokofitclub.com/

1st: The opening part of that video was too funny!

2nd: That is a pretty cool club/system! I've never seen anything like it before.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

That is an interesting article, but it is saying to lift weights that you can lift for only 8-12 reps. Not weights that you can comfortably and easy lift for 16 reps. That doesn't necessarily translate to a "heavy" weight. For me, that would be 10lbs for biceps curls. For another woman, that might be 15lbs and for yet another, that might be 5lbs. I started at 5lb bicep curls. As I got stronger, I've increased the weight. But I'm still only lifting between 12-15 reps each time, and most importantly, feeling the burn on the last 3.

so then I guess the question is "what is considered a heavy weight?"

 

[Irin997]

so then I guess the question is "what is considered a heavy weight?"

I would say it depends on two things: a) the person and their current physical ability, b) the muscle that is being worked.

 

[disfan07]

I go to the YMCA to work out.

I do cardio 4 days a week (Tu, Th, Fri, Sun) and weights usually 3 days a week (Tu, Fri, Sun).

I do about 30 minutes of cardio. On the days I do weights, I do 15 minutes before lifting and 15 minutes after. On days I do no weights, I do 30 minutes straight of cardio.

On the weight machines, I lift about 60lbs for 15-20 reps for my lower body, and for upper body it ranges from 20lbs -45 lbs for 15-20 reps depending on the machine and what part of the body it is working.

 

[Kit'smommy]

I have been lifting weights consistently since I was in my first year of college and I am now about to turn 37. I have slim, toned arms that are definitely not bulky even after 18 years of weight training. I am 5'4 and 125 and wear a 2 to a 4. I am lean, but not bulky anywhere. However, I do have arms I am happy to show off in a sleeveless shirt and no batwings .

I change my workout around a lot, but right now, I do bicept curls with 15-20 pounds. I do 8 to 12 reps, but work to exhaustion. As a result, I do a set at 15# for 12 as a warmup (really not challenging to me), and 2 sets at 20# to exhaustion so maybe 8 reps on the last set. Like I said, I have been doing this for years and I did start out with 8-10 pounds and quickly (within a couple of months) moved up to 12 pounds.

To me, lifting heavy means working to exhaustion within 12 reps, but that might be 8 pounds for some women and 20 for others.

 

[Irin997]

I have been lifting weights consistently since I was in my first year of college and I am now about to turn 37. I have slim, toned arms that are definitely not bulky even after 18 years of weight training. I am 5'4 and 125 and wear a 2 to a 4. I am lean, but not bulky anywhere. However, I do have arms I am happy to show off in a sleeveless shirt and no batwings .

I change my workout around a lot, but right now, I do bicept curls with 15-20 pounds. I do 8 to 12 reps, but work to exhaustion. As a result, I do a set at 15# for 12 as a warmup (really not challenging to me), and 2 sets at 20# to exhaustion so maybe 8 reps on the last set. Like I said, I have been doing this for years and I did start out with 8-10 pounds and quickly (within a couple of months) moved up to 12 pounds.

To me, lifting heavy means working to exhaustion within 12 reps, but that might be 8 pounds for some women and 20 for others.

All of you guys have got me thinking now! I wonder why this "myth" is so wide-spread. I guess I need to get some heavier weights - although I have seen an improvement in my body over the past 60 days.

 

[kwelch10377]

1st: The opening part of that video was too funny!

2nd: That is a pretty cool club/system! I've never seen anything like it before.

I know isn't it

I love it.....Before I joined I was never really all that great at the strength training bc I didn't understand how exactly to do the exercises and all the exercises that I can do. It's pretty much like a computerized personal trainer. There is also staff there to help you out whenever you need it.

 

[Kit'smommy]

All of you guys have got me thinking now! I wonder why this "myth" is so wide-spread. I guess I need to get some heavier weights - although I have seen an improvement in my body over the past 60 days.

I am sure you have. However, I think you will find you will hit a plateau at some point, if you don't keep uping the weight. For me, adding reps alone didn't work long term as I was never reaching the point of fatigue. Changing up the exercises you do, adding and deleting things, changing up the weights and order in which you do things all have an effect. You want to keep the body guessing so it just doesn't get too used to what you want it to do. This is will also keep you from getting bored.

I have several friends that do fitness competitions and what they do to get the look they have is about 10x the work I do. Seriously, I have many other things to do to ever worry about looking like them...