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OP, for shaping you want to go into high repetitions, short breaks or the so called cyclic sets, when you do 3-5 different exercise around same muscle group or body segment, back to back non stop, then do 1 minute break, then repeat the cycle.
Performance is done at rather high speed but in controlled manner, you never simply "drop the weight".
10 reps is average entry level exercise that is usually done by entry level persons to build up general conditioning for advanced training.
For real shaping you want to do around 30 reps to max ability. That determines weight or load. You want to run a journal, it's easy to get confused on weights.
You really want to start your session at the gym with core or, at least, abs. When I say core, I mean a "belt" that wraps around your abdomen and lower back. That's when cyclic exercise become invaluable.
It is not always easy to do at a gym, as it requires a work station set capable of providing all of the necessary equipment to run a cycle. Hence, creativity in using one machine - or bench - in various ways comes handy.
You are discouraging many women from weight training when you make comments such as:
Quote:
Truth is, at your level anything you do in a gym falls under the label of "bodybuilding" and may 'bulk you up'. If you don't want to body build, don't go to the gym. You can get toned and fit way easier by paying attention to diet and buying an exercise bike or rowing machine. If you are spending time in a gym doing lat pull-downs or seated rows or dumbbell curls, etc. you are bodybuilding!
The OP doesn't want to "bodybuild" or "bulkup." She doesn't understand that she could lift weights three times a week for the next five years and never look like a bodybuilder.
And I hate the terms, "bulk" and "tone."
What exactly is bulk? You have muscles, fat, and bones. Where is the bulk located?
Toning is actually building muscle. The issue is the constant comment from women (and a few men) that, " I don't want to get big muscles, I just want to tone."
You are discouraging many women from weight training when you make comments such as:
The OP doesn't want to "bodybuild" or "bulkup." She doesn't understand that she could lift weights three times a week for the next five years and never look like a bodybuilder.
And I hate the terms, "bulk" and "tone."
What exactly is bulk? You have muscles, fat, and bones. Where is the bulk located?
Toning is actually building muscle. The issue is the constant comment from women (and a few men) that, " I don't want to get big muscles, I just want to tone."
Can't rep you again to tell you this, but don't worry, I get that lifting weights won't make me look like a body builder. I only brought it up so I could stress what I want to accomplish. Whenever I tried to google tips I got a lot of tips for women body builders and such. To me bulk are those big superhero looking muscles. I want defied muscles but more along the lines of a swimmer or hiker since I do those activities and not what you get when you google "image of women body builders."
Anyway I'm kind of bummed. There are no freeweights in my gym. There are Dumbbells and that's it. But I got some good ideas from this thread to make the most out of what tools I have. Thanks again!
Well, I can't say I'm surprised that a rather obvious solution has been overlooked - calisthenics and running.
There's absolutely nothing inferior about a solid calisthenics and running program. It can be brutally effective, time efficient, and the exercises allow you to train to failure with little risk of injury. And all you need is a chin up bar and running shoes.
If you progress to the point where you're doing multiple sets of 40 push-ups, 12 chin-ups, and running 3 miles easily, I assure you that you'll be toned and fit...
I do areobic exercise. I don't run anymore after an injury I got 4 months ago. That laid me up from most exercise for almost a month and the doc said I'd be prone to it because of my bone structure (mainly my hips). I rather not be laid up again so I stopped running.
I use an elliptical now, hike with my dog daily, and swim several miles a week.
The calisthenics are an idea to try. I think I'd do that in addition to the weights though. I've never been able to do a chin up though. Maybe it's a good goal to work towards.
While everyone's body responds differently to exercise, I can tell you what gave me great results:
1 set of chins
1 set of push-ups
Walking lunges around the room
Sit-ups
I would repeat this 4 times in a workout, while throwing in variations of these exercises. A workout lasted about 25 minutes. If you can't do chins, you can use bands to assist you. I also ran a fast three miles every other day. Total work-out time every week was no more than 3 hours or so.
The key to making this work is intensity. Meaning...you are doing your exercises to failure...and of course a clean diet with extra protein.
You don't have to be a gym rat to look great. It's all about the quality of your workouts, not the quantity. This is a simple, but effective, program that anybody can do. Like I said...if you progress to the point where you're doing a dozen chins and 40 push-ups in your sets, you'll have a very, very respectable build.
You're right, I should've commented. You are discouraging many women from weight training when you make comments such as: "at a beginner level 'anything' done in a gym with weights can accurately be called "bodybuilding".
Not my intention to discourage any woman, but if a woman is so... I don't know... impressionable... as to be put off by one misinterpreted comment by one stranger online... ah well... but I don't think that that is the o.p. she has already started on a weight training program.
The OP doesn't want to "bodybuild" or "bulkup." She doesn't understand that she could lift weights three times a week for the next five years and never look like a bodybuilder.
Then she should. You can't protect people from the truth forever. Resistance training, weight training, hell even aerobic training, in the very beginning stages is going to have an adaptive response that is (hopefully) visible, otherwise why do it. I doubt that the o.p. really needs the 1,999th person to assure her that she will in no way possible add any measurable amount of muscle to her body without doing seriously hard work AND eating copious amounts of calories and protein. It doesn't happen by accident of casual training.
I never said anything about "bulk". Take that up with the poster(s) who use such language.
Toning is actually building muscle. The issue is the constant comment from women (and a few men) that, " I don't want to get big muscles, I just want to tone."
Again, we are on the same page. I really do not understand why you targeted my post to push-back against. You hate terms like "bulk" and "tone" and I hate semantics. If you look past the semantics, you will see we don't really disagree all that much, if at all.
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