Weight lifting questions.....

[Bmarshall91]

Ok so I'm beginning my weight training regimine by myself at the New Castle YMCA... which is better for muscle gain, More WEIGHT less reps, or more REPS less weight?

I can't remember. I'm pulling this training knowledge from highschool football... haha... 13 years ago.

[Conivin'Cowboy]

More weight less reps builds muscle, more reps less weight builds stamina.

[Bmarshall91]

More weight less reps builds muscle, more reps less weight builds stamina.

Thank you sir... i couldn't remember for the life of me! haha!


SO HOW BOUT, LAST NIGHT I'M in the Y doin my workout when halfway through, the FREAKIN FIRE ALARM GOES OFF!!! There I am, outside at 8:30pm freezin my balls off in a t-shirt and shorts sweating to death inside, soaked and freezing to death outside! man it sucked.... do you know how hard it was to start up again after a 30 minute down time. haha...

[Conivin'Cowboy]

Jesus man, you've got bigger balls than I do, after somethin like that I woulda been like well forget this, I'm goin home.

[Dredly]

What are your end goals and short term goals?

Are you looking to bulk up and strengthen up? Lose weight and increase energy? Get "well defined" (aka: cut), All of the above. Please correct any of this if I'm wrong guys

If you are just looking to add bulk and strength then max weight and low reps should be your focus, make sure you have a spotter and push on every exercise until failure, the last 1 - 2 really make a big difference, without a spotter you can't push to the limit (unless you are using a machine). This will typically result in a bigger look but normally won't get that "cut" look if its all you are doing. Think about power lifters.

If you are looking to drop weight and get a more defined appearance the trick is normally to go with a slightly lower weight but increase the number of reps that you do. For most exercises the "target" is 2 - 3 sets of 12 - 15 reps per, aiming for failure at the end of the 3rd set). This will build leaner muscle and will also help with muscle endurance. Think the difference between being able to lift 10 pound bricks all day long as opposed to lifting 200 pound rocks for 10 minutes

If you are just looking to drop weight (fat) focus on your cardio, spend a lot of time on the eliptical, bikes, tread mill, punching bag... etc, lift as a "cardio" exercise and less as a muscle building exercise, focus on lower weight where you aren't lifting to failure, but lift more often, ie: work the muscles 3 days a week instead of 2 days a week. Also drop calorie intake as much as possible to aid in losing weight. Circuit training is also a great option for losing weight if you have the facility to do it... I don't know how full your local Y is but waiting around to get on a bench or machine makes circuit training pretty useless.

Also, don't over do it. If you think you can max out at 200 pounds on the bench then start out with reps of 150 for the first week or two.

Also, bar's are great for lifting... but compared to "rope" machines like the bowflex they have a LOT to be desired the additional benefits gained from having to use stabilizing muscles to perform an exercise as huge, just a suggestion :P

[Bmarshall91]

dredly is a personal trainer? Haha. or a gym coach! I'm really looking to be fit all round... I want to be cut nicely, i guess the word is "defined" I want this stomach to go away, and turn into a six pack, and i want to build muscle as well..

[Robert Kayland]

Don't forget the little extras that are part and parcel of any fitness program!

[Dredly]

dredly is a personal trainer? Haha. or a gym coach! I'm really looking to be fit all round... I want to be cut nicely, i guess the word is "defined" I want this stomach to go away, and turn into a six pack, and i want to build muscle as well..

Dredly is definately NOT a personal trainer... the correct term is "slightly educated fat ass" that used to be in shape years ago.

I read a lot and I'm back on the "getting rid of this fat" train, I'm down 4 pounds in 2 weeks... if I could stick to the diet I'd probably be down 10 pound by now.

Typically if you are looking at burning fat you want to up the cardio and stay at your target heart rate for 30 - 45 minutes or more, thats when the real fat burning starts. If you can last a full hour even better. Some "cardio" is better then other of course, for example being on an Elliptical / NoridTrack will burn more calories then riding a bike and a stair stepper will burn more calories then walking on a treadmill.

Also boxing is an outstanding cardio exercise, if you have a heavy bag its a great stress reliever and good workout. Personally I find cardio insanely boring, so I normally do about 30 - 35 minutes on a bike or tread mill and then beat on a heavy bag for 5 - 10 minutes before lifting.

As far as lifting, I'd aim for the 2nd suggestion, aim for failure at the end of the third rep, you can either use the same weight through all 3 reps or increase the weight as you go through. To be honest I stick with the same weight so that I don't have to get up and change it, this allows me to reduce my time between sets to almost nothing ( 10 - 15 seconds). Increase the frequency of workouts if you can, 4 or 5 days a week with lots of cardio will melt the fat away. Typically "power lifting" will keep you from working out this often as you are normally sore from significant muscle damage that happens during the failure lifts. Remember you aren't in a competition or a race, take your time during lifts, and your muscles work a lot harder by going slow (ie: 3 - 5 seconds up and 3 - 5 seconds back) then if you are being "explosive" and doing an entire set in 30 seconds... plus you are much less likely to hurt yourself

When you are done don't forget to cool down and stretch, I like to spend a few more minute on the bag and then do my cool down stretching, it makes a difference and I can definately feel it the next morning if I didn't do the stretching, use whatever you've got to cool down with


ALWAYS DRINK A SHITLOAD OF WATER! Unless you have medical issues you should be super-hydrated before your workouts and continue drinking water during your workout if you can, get a water bottle that holds at least 24 - 32 oz and keep it with you. Drink it cold if you can (Cold water burns calories, an extra bonus!) and try to down at least 1/2 a gallon of water a day, but the more the better, I've yet to read any report that you can drink to much water (med issues being the exception). Super Hydrating has also been directly linked to improved mood (mental health), more energy throughout the day, and significantly higher number of bathroom breaks - having a water bottle also saves you from buying it (which is expensive)

[Dredly]

Don't forget the little extras that are part and parcel of any fitness program!

oh yeah... I forgot to suggest taking steroids... damnit I always forget that one!

[H.E. Pennypacker]

If you keep up a good pace with weightlifting, you probably won't have to do as much cardio. My cardio is squats and pull-ups.

If you want to run, do sprints...they're easier on the joints (at least they are for me) and you get a much more intense workout in a lot less time. Or play a sport like basketball if you can find some people to get a game together - good full-body workout.

Bodyweight exercises are great - push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, etc. I like to measure my strength:weight ratio by how many push-ups and pull-ups I can do...I've improved a lot in a couple years. Losing weight and getting stronger at the same time is helpful.

Regarding supplements - I have myself a scoop and a half of whey protein with 1% milk after each workout. I guess it works.