Weight training Q (ladies)

blunomore

blunomore

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There are so many conflicting opinions out there, how do we know which is right or wrong?

I have read lots of articles that less reps with a heavier weight is better than more reps with a teeny tiny weight, and that you won't actually BULK UP by exercising that way. How are we supposed to know who is right?!
 
research...research...and more research...

bodybuilding.com has some decent articles relating to the answers you are seeking.
 
Hey there. It is seriously very difficult for a woman to "bulk up" as you say. Men build muscle much easier than us because they have loads of testosterone. Even they have to eat loads of protein or take steroids to get very muscular. The only way a woman can have huge muscles is if she's taking anavar, winstrol or something along those lines. The bodybuilding women that look like men are all on something.

For a lady who wants to do weight training for fitness, something like the super circuit at Virgin Active is fine (its a mix of cardio stepping & different weight machines). You will only bulk up if you're taking something and you intended to bulk.

"Better" is subjective to what your goal is.

For weightloss, its often said you can do light weights and lots of reps. It will have the same effect as cardio. I feel that's a waste of time though. A better option if you're going to do many reps with a very light weight, is to incorporate the light weights during your cardio (eg hand held or wrist & ankle weights while running/jogging/doing aerobics).

But if you want visible muscles I'd go for the heaviest weights you can carry comfortably and do fewer reps. I carry 8kg hand weights for lunges, squats, calf raises & military press, curls for my arms. You'll end up with more muscle than the light-weight method, and it will burn more fat.
 
Vinia said:
Hey there. It is seriously very difficult for a woman to "bulk up" as you say. Men build muscle much easier than us because they have loads of testosterone. Even they have to eat loads of protein or take steroids to get very muscular. The only way a woman can have huge muscles is if she's taking anavar, winstrol or something along those lines. The bodybuilding women that look like men are all on something.

For a lady who wants to do weight training for fitness, something like the super circuit at Virgin Active is fine (its a mix of cardio stepping & different weight machines). You will only bulk up if you're taking something and you intended to bulk.

"Better" is subjective to what your goal is.

For weightloss, its often said you can do light weights and lots of reps. It will have the same effect as cardio. I feel that's a waste of time though. A better option if you're going to do many reps with a very light weight, is to incorporate the light weights during your cardio (eg hand held or wrist & ankle weights while running/jogging/doing aerobics).

But if you want visible muscles I'd go for the heaviest weights you can carry comfortably and do fewer reps. I carry 8kg hand weights for lunges, squats, calf raises & military press, curls for my arms. You'll end up with more muscle than the light-weight method, and it will burn more fat.
Click to expand...

Nope, I do not want to 'bulk' up at all. The goal is longer, leaner smaller muscles.
 
blunomore said:
Nope, I do not want to 'bulk' up at all. The goal is longer, leaner smaller muscles.
Click to expand...

But nice sexy toned arms!!:D That is my aim I do 3 sets of dips 2x a day when I shower. I'm hoping it will help :)


Blu I think you should challenge yourself. The bio made us do 15 reps of everything on the most weight we could do. Like Vini said we do not bulk up so i do not think it makes a huge difference.
But like you said everybody has a different opinion. So I guess it is trail and error. I like big heavy weights, I would get bored the other way around:D
 
Mila said:
But nice sexy toned arms!!:D That is my aim I do 3 sets of dips 2x a day when I shower. I'm hoping it will help :)


Blu I think you should challenge yourself. The bio made us do 15 reps of everything on the most weight we could do. Like Vini said we do not bulk up so i do not think it makes a huge difference.
But like you said everybody has a different opinion. So I guess it is trail and error. I like big heavy weights, I would get bored the other way around:D
Click to expand...

Don't know how to challenge myself anymore :)

I do 60 reps with a light weight (2kg).
 
http://www.thepumpingstation.com/weighttrainingforwomen.html

Allow yourself 30 to 45 minutes for a basic workout.
Start off with 10 exercises that work on the lower body, trunk and upper body.
Strive for one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, separated by 13 to 30 seconds of rest in between each set.
Try to do strength training two days a week. If you would like to do more, keep it to one day on, one day off for rest.
Start off easy and build up; increase the weight as you continue with the program.
"It's always better to start off with resistance that's too easy than too hard," Stuhr says. "The most important goal is to learn proper technique. If you are straining and the weight is too much, the chance of injuring yourself is higher."

Once you have the pattern of working out and you have the technique down, increase the resistance. "Choose a weight or resistance that makes your muscles tired at the end of that particular set of reps," Stuhr says. "You should never feel pain, but you should feel fatigued or feel the burn, as Jane Fonda used to say. You have to challenge your muscles. That's the way you get stronger."
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Body for Life (woman)Training Method


Strength train 30 minutes 2-3 times a week.
Alternate between upper body and lower body/ab workouts.
Perform two exercises for each major muscle group.
Do 3-5 sets of each exercise decreasing reps and increasing the weight each set.
Try 12 10 8 reps as you increase the weight then drop the weight and go two sets of 12 (you're working to failure).
Perform any type of cardio for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week.
Incorporate the high intensity interval cardio method for increased fat burning.
Stretch during your workout (the book stays before but this is dangerous so do it during and after you're warm).
Always warm up 5-10 minutes before all your workouts with a similar activity at a lower intensity.
Plan your workouts ahead of time and track your progress
Click to expand...
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art32613.asp
 
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