Workout

I prefer 12-15 reps and 4 sets with a lower weight as I don't have a lot of arm strength.
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You won't build arm strength with lots of reps and lower weights.

The way to build strength is to lift heavy for fewer reps. Try 3 sets of 6-10 as heavy as you can lift. You should be able to just barely move the weight with proper form at the end of your 3rd set.

THAT will build arm strength for you. :)
 
anuta said:
Looks tough and a bit time consuming. Do you find that 12 reps and 3 sets are enough? I prefer 12-15 reps and 4 sets with a lower weight as I don't have a lot of arm strength.
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Before worrying about that you need to understand the basics, which is sounds like you don't.

Check out this thread:

http://weight-loss.fitness.com/weig...ise/32836-conceptual-side-weight-lifting.html
 
Thanks for sharing that cool line up, surely if everyone of us exercise daily, work out just like a habit for sure we will attain the figure that we wanna be.
 
I just wanna ask how true is this: stopping your work out instantly will make you gain weight?
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The only way you gain weight is if you take in more calories than you burn. If quitting exercising means you're taking in more calories, then you'll gain weight. If quitting exercising means you're not ... then you won't. It's pretty much as simple as that.

K.
 
I know I already said this in your post on Conceptual Side of Weight Lifting, but thanks again. This material is so well done. I read a lot--I have trouble doing anything if I don't understand why I'm doing it. So I've read a number of books on fitness and exercise, visited a number of websites, watched the various TV shows about weight loss (okay, they aren't an impressive source). And I've never seen the fundamental ideas as expressed in your conceptual post, and the clear example of how to build a program around those concepts expressed here, presented as clearly as you have. This is amazingly well done.

You should really write a book. Seriously. Your writing is so clear and so helpful. And so many people--smart people who are trying their best to get good information--won't find this crucial information in mainstream sources.
 
Thanks so much for the very kind words. They're appreciated more than you know.

I've started, stopped and restarted a book about 6 times now. It will happen. I just have many things cooking right now. Plus, I have to ditch my idea of "perfection" and just write.

If you ever need anything, feel free to hit up my inbox.

Best to you.
 
Oh my gosh...you definitely have to write a book Steve!

I've never been so fascinated by something I used to hate so much, lol! Learning the science and physiology behind it is just so interesting to me...and makes me feel more confident.

I wanted to share with you what I am doing now and get your input on what to keep/what to throw out/or whether to just toss the entire kit and kaboodle and start from scratch.

I go to a SNAP fitness down the street from me. Mega convenient. Usually I go in the am, after kiddo dropoff and there is hardly anyone there. I love that part. Anyway, here is my usual routine, I aim for M,W,F

These are all Cybex machines, not sure if I got the names entirely right, I looked at the website to try and get them accurate.

ARC - 30 to 45 min/lowest resistance setting
leg extension
seated leg curl
hip ad/ab
chest press
arm extension
rear delt/fly
arm curl
abdominal
back extension
lateral raise (don't always do this one)
pulldown

If there is somewhere else more appropriate to ask this please let me know.

Steve, you totally rock..thank you

LisaIsLosingIt
 
LisaIsLosingIt said:
.

I wanted to share with you what I am doing now and get your input on what to keep/what to throw out/or whether to just toss the entire kit and kaboodle and start from scratch.

I go to a SNAP fitness down the street from me. Mega convenient. Usually I go in the am, after kiddo dropoff and there is hardly anyone there. I love that part. Anyway, here is my usual routine, I aim for M,W,F
Click to expand...

One other thing I wanted to ask...what are the pros and cons of doing just cardio on the inbetween days (T/TH etc.). Anything other then increasing the calorie deficit on those days, that is? Thanks again...
 
Does SNAP gyms have free weights? Barbells, dumbbells, etc?

Thanks very much for the kind words!
 
LisaIsLosingIt said:
ARC - 30 to 45 min/lowest resistance setting
leg extension
seated leg curl
hip ad/ab
chest press
arm extension
rear delt/fly
arm curl
abdominal
back extension
lateral raise (don't always do this one)
pulldown
Click to expand...

So look...

I don't advocate relying heavily on machines for a few reasons. The primary one is simply the fact that most of them lock you into a seated, fixed plane of motion. Which would be fine if much of the time, ya know... in the real world, we weren't standing and operating in a variable plane of motion.

Machines aren't "functional" in that sense... if you understand that.

I'd suggest reading through so you better understand the basic concepts of lifting. Once you do that... let me know and we'll try and hash things out from there.
 
Steve, thanks again for the reply. I have no great feelings for or against machines. I've used them so far because the instructions are right there on them and I didn't really know what else to do, LOL! I will read through that link you posted for me. I try to workout MWF but didn't make yesterday so went this am. I did the ARC for 45min and did most of the machines that I've been doing although I almost felt like I was somewhat wasting my time. But something is better than nothing until I figure out what better to do, I guess!

Thanks again,

LisaIsLosingIt
 
and something else I meant to mention...I looked today and the gym has a variety of resistance bands in different colors (I vaguely remember reading somewhere that you mentioned they come in different strengths or tensions or something...) and large/small balls and one with a flat side but ball on top...
 
Steve, I have done my homework assignment and read the link you posted. Very clear and very informative. I replied there as well.

No I do not want to be a skinnier yet flabby version of myself!

Where do we go from here?
 
While I could spoon feed you a list of exercises to do for various sets and reps, you'd be better served by reading the Conceptual Side of Weight Lifting sticky and seeing how your current routine compares and contrasts to what's presented in that thread.

Does that seem fair?

Once you do... then we can get into your specific questions and I'll have no problem guiding you a bit more specifically.
 
Thanks for the reply. I have already read through that thread, and I just re-read it. It certainly makes a lot of sense to me.

I guess maybe I'll try something along the lines of your example workouts laid out there. I'll need to look several of them up because I have no idea what some of them are. A romanian deadlift? I'll look up the videos again and review those. I'm feeling a little like I'm floundering in the dark, here, unsure of where to begin.

Off to do more and more research!
 
What exercises are you specifically confused about beyond RDLs? I'll throw up some links to vids demonstrating them.

Where to start?

Well once you understand the mechanics of each movement, it's time to practice. That means very light weights with lots of practice. You want to mind/body to know exactly how each movement feels before you start adding weight to anything.

Once that comfort/ability is established... then it's time to institute the principles outlined in that sticky - things like progression, overload, etc.

Make sense?
 
Hello Steve. I live out of gym range, at least too far to be practical. Is there a workout machine, like say a bow flex for example that I could buy & get a great workout routine going without touching a gym? Also, I have no need to work my legs or the lower part of my body if that helps? Thanks.
 
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Is there anyway one could replace the deadlifts in this routine? I understand deadlifts are a fantastic compound exercise but performing this exericse could spark an old injury. So I was wondering if there is anything I could replace it with?
 
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