I'm skeptical about this weight lifting thing...
I'm 5'4, 112 pounds, and my exercise routine now is pretty much the occasional run on the elliptical and some pilates. I really like pilates, but I haven't seen any results. This could be because I don't stick with things long enough, I'm not postive.
I've been looking through the fitness forum and it seems that heavy weight lifting is what I should be doing. I'm just very unsure of how I'm supposed to go about this. I mean...I use 2 pound weights now. I want to tone, but I'm not looking to get a six pack or anything.
While looking through the forum I came across some links, but the whole thing is just so overwhelming to me! I'm really not sure where to even start.
Should I even bother with pilates, or is it a complete waste of time?
Why is toning so difficult for me :(
so much to tell you.... let me just recommend "The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women" ... it is a great book to explain why things like cardio/pilates can even be counter productive, how heavy lifting will give you a strong sexy body, and how you have to eat to lose weight!
good luck
if you go to a gym, they probably have a fitness orientation that you can sign up for (it was free at my gym), where one of the staff will show you how to work the machines and where to start. I took the one my gym offered and it has made a world of difference. For one thing, I know that I'm doing the exercises right, and since they showed me the whole circuit, I know I'm getting an all over body workout. After about a month of doing it, I've already noticed that I'm a lot more toned and strong, and I've lost another 6 lbs and a pants size :)
Original Post by jblarghp:
Should I even bother with pilates, or is it a complete waste of time?
Pilates is great for getting better at... Pilates. If you want to gain any sort of practical fitness you're better off spending your time doing something else.
I second the New Rules of Lifting recommendation, and would advise against strength training with 'the Machines', you'll end up with less results and have a huge increase in chance of joint pain according to this study.
I used to be skeptical of weightlifting until cardio just wasn't cutting it. When I added weights it made all the difference. Good luck to you.
I used to think like that too....yoga/pilates wont add muscle...it will make you more flexible, but its not going to tone you up. I think it's pretty useless for myself :/ I didn't even sweat.
But yeah, 2 pounders wont do anything either...you should at least start off at 5 pounds or (if your gym has this) 7.5 pounders which is where I started being weak and now I'm at 15. Seriously, girls CANT bulk up...have you watched the olympics? Those rowing girls have GREAT bodies and I GUARANTEE that they are doing weights (well what they are doing doesnt really require weights, but they are pulling their own weight) and not just endless amounts of cardio. Don't give up cardio...but I mean seriously weight training totally changes your body composition!! Victoria Secret angels lift weights too :)
I know Im not a female but I've lost 40lbs now with only a miniscule amount of cardio. I am a big proponent of weights. Often females think they will get big or bulky. This is a myth. For a female to get muscular takes an extrememly high amount of effort.
In regards to the pilates comments. Pilates is a fantastic core workout and it is very productive in preventing injuries.
Thanks for the advice everyone!
Sounds like it's worth giving a try.
As far as the comment about me signing up for a fitness orientation, I would love to, but I'm afraid I don't have a gym membership. I currently can't afford anything like that, so I use the elliptical at my house and work out videos.
I guess I'll just have to look into it more and figure something out.
I HEAVILY RECOMMEND STRENGTH BANDS !!
They are cheap, they force you into good form because you have resistance up and down it's harder for you to go fast and use the forces of gravity to make it easier.
In addition you can work almost every muscle group using the same band so they are extremely versitle. There are also ways to make it slightly easier or harder using the same band. Bands are easier to store and pack in a bag then conventional weights.
I would reccomend going to like a wally world(walmart) or a target and get a little "pack" they will come with a band or two and an instruction guide. I personally got a set from 1-50 pounds of resistance( i think there was like 1,2,5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50 something to that effect for actual bands) with 2 sets of handles. This way my little sister can work out with me.
I think bands are better then weights because of the above benefits. They are not going to get you all HULKED out but they are excellent for toning.
For a more expensive alternative you can look at the total gym like knock offs.
Ooo! I'll have to try them out. I'm heading to target in a little bit, maybe I'll see them there. For some reason the band idea intimidates me a lot less than weights.
Thanks so much!
Don't feel bad about being intimidated at first. The thing about weight lifting is that it is hard. In order for it to be effective you have to max out your muscles, which means that you have to lift enough weight enough times that you are completing the last lift of the set basically on will power. And it never gets any easier, because when it gets easier that means you have to up your weight and make it hard again. It's the same whether you're Ahhnold or you're a 5'4'' 112 pound woman.
For this reason weight lifting can be difficult to find the motivation to do on your own, especially for a woman who is unfamiliar with it. It can be difficult to push yourself. But you do get to enjoy it. You feel a sense of accomplishment as it gets easier to do things you couldn't do before, and as you get stronger it's like you learn to appreciate your body in ways you never could have. Not to mention the aesthetic improvement - toned thighs, lifted booty, toned arms etc.
If you have a gym membership one good place to start might be a bodypump class. If you are new it will teach you some basic exercises and safety stuff like proper form.
I agree with MorgantheClaw in the idea that weight-lifting, if done right, can help you a great deal. There is a huge misconception about what weights actually do. If you want NO BULK, high reps low weights. I would recommend not going over 5lbs with any excersise aside from your lower half of course.
Just be careful not to become obsessed yet oblivious with weight lifting and pay attention to what your body is doing or you could end up looking like a body-builder lady. Which is creepy I think.
Case.
i apologize but please disregard the previous post.
"If you want NO BULK, high reps low weights." wrong
"I would recommend not going over 5lbs with any excersise aside from your lower half of course." wrong
"you could end up looking like a body-builder lady" wrong
i am no expert, yet have been lifting, and know women that lift, and have done quite a bit of research along these lines and the truths are that you must lift heavy to look strong, toned, fit and sleek. the only way you will attain huge bulk is to eat mad amounts of calories, take supplements and have loads of testosterone.
if you eat carefully with a mind to body recomposition and lift heavy and never take steroids the only result is all around fitness. i have to stop before i go on a total rant here~
48 year old femme weightlifter in your face
Original Post by case23:
IThere is a huge misconception about what weights actually do. If you want NO BULK, high reps low weights. I would recommend not going over 5lbs with any excersise aside from your lower half of course.
hi reps, low weights = NO BULK??? uh oh you're asking for it now. but i guess we can try to forgive you since you are a male & you dont have the experience of being in a woman's body to know that its not that easy for us to just bulk up. believe me i wish it were, i've wished & wished but to no avail. 5lbs, wont do anything for a normal woman that can lift a bag of groceries.
Original Post by case23:
I agree with MorgantheClaw in the idea that weight-lifting, if done right, can help you a great deal. There is a huge misconception about what weights actually do. If you want NO BULK, high reps low weights. I would recommend not going over 5lbs with any excersise aside from your lower half of course.
Just be careful not to become obsessed yet oblivious with weight lifting and pay attention to what your body is doing or you could end up looking like a body-builder lady. Which is creepy I think.
Case.
Cue pitchfork-weilding angry forum-ites in five, four, three....
Original Post by freedomfrom:
Original Post by case23:
I agree with MorgantheClaw in the idea that weight-lifting, if done right, can help you a great deal. There is a huge misconception about what weights actually do. If you want NO BULK, high reps low weights. I would recommend not going over 5lbs with any excersise aside from your lower half of course.
Just be careful not to become obsessed yet oblivious with weight lifting and pay attention to what your body is doing or you could end up looking like a body-builder lady. Which is creepy I think.
Case.
Cue pitchfork-weilding angry forum-ites in five, four, three....
i just read the last two sentences, ha ha! oh boy are you asking for it case23. its kind of funny actually.
I should've known...
Spookychick if you're no expert then why is everything automatically "wrong"?
No excersise program is wrong, just wrong for what the person is trying to achieve. This young lady at 5'4" 112lbs. wants to tone. Weightlifting coupled with the right diet is a great way to tone, but if you you have a high intake of calories ++ protein= muscle mass. To me, that doesn't sound like what she wants. (i.e. "I want to tone, but I'm not looking to get a six pack or anything.") Weight training on its own will cause muscle growth and fat loss. In my opinion and of many others, you run more of a risk of bulking if you don't manage your diet well.
You look young enough to where you wouldn't lose much muscle by doing a good bit of cardio to keep weight off weight and doing the lighter weight to maintain your muscle.
My advice; try several sets of lower weight at no less than 12 reps per body part. I have helped girls get where they want to be with this method/routine. What it boils down to is to find what works best for your body. Try my way and try the high weight low rep way if you want.
Here is a little breakdown that may help:
High reps plus low weight = fast twitch muscle fiber or endurance gains
Low reps plus heavy weight = slow twitch muscle or strength gains
Moderate reps with heavy weight = muscle hypertophy or muscle mass
case23, true we all must find a workout to suit us. but really it is difficult for your average woman to bulk up in muscle mass, just ask any female here who does want more muscles (& im not talking about the creepy chick looking muscles that you said??). yes if you eat too much & weight lift you can bulk up but... usually mostly in fat, its ridiculously easy for us women to put on fat, not muscle. if you look through some posts melkor has one about a 17 year old who can power lift 200+ (too lazy at the end of the day on a friday at work to find it) and she is in no way bulky. there are women out there who can be predisposed to gaining muscle mass fast but for us general women not so easy.
http://www.strength-training-woman.com/beginn ers-strength-training.html
I found sooooo much useful information on this site. I've not started on adding heavier weights yet though, because I just don't have them at home. The heaviest I have is 5 pounders. But, after spending quite a while sifting through the site, I have to say that I know a ton more than I did about strength training in general.
The person who ownes the site is supposed to be a personal trainer and she gives all this info for free. I had previously tried to find information like this in other sites, but was met with messages from personal trainers trying to sell it, heh.
I agree and understand all of that. I'm not pretending to know everything about the female anatomy by any means. For the longest time everytime I heard the word urethra, I thought they were referring to Aretha Franklin...that's a true story.
I only know what I have seen and read. I've seen girls get completely crazy with the heavy lifting and have seen its effects. I was simply telling this girl to pay attention to her body and diet. I probably shouldn't have made that comment about body-builder women, but it's a fact that they kinda creep me out. I can't change that. :) Sorry body-builder women. To be fair, it's very possible that they might be creeped out by a 200lb. sasquatchian lumberjack guy. That's me. Que sera sera.
Original Post by rnjt:
if you look through some posts melkor has one about a 17 year old who can power lift 200+ (too lazy at the end of the day on a friday at work to find it) and she is in no way bulky. there are women out there who can be predisposed to gaining muscle mass fast but for us general women not so easy.
I think this is the thread that you are referring to:
MELKOR, this is for you !!!!!!!!!!!!!! _ 2 different types of methods _
Original Post by melkor:
What Spooky said ;)
Suzanna lifts pretty close to what I do in absolute numbers and she's like half my size - damn, I suck at lifting :) Anyway - just look at her; she deadlifts 2.5 times her bodyweight and she looks slimmer and healthier than the professional dancers in pilates commercials.
Only trainers who have read too much Cosmo and too little exercise physiology recommend Pink Dumbbell Workouts to anyone.
