This topic contains 56 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by Roslarr 8 years, 10 months ago.
Diverdog, curious when you lift, do you lift a certain number of reps or do you go until failure? I did Cathe Friedrich STS program for a while, even bought my first barbell set. But never understood which way is best, depending on what kind of results you want.
I just want muscle tone, not muscle growth.
Mmmm, muscle tone is a made up marketing concept that doesn’t mean anything. I’m always surprised when people tell me they don’t want to gain muscle. It’s usually women that think they are going to end up looking like a man. The truth is we all lose muscle as we age unless we work a very physical job of lift weights. The truth is is not easy for older men or women at any age to add a lot on muscle.
Resistance training can be tailored to primarily maintain and grow muscle or to get stronger. In general the main difference is in the rep range and rest between sets. For muscle growth 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps with minimum rest is indicated. For maximum strength 5-8 sets of 3-5 reps with more rest is best.
Doing more reps is a waste of time if the weight is so light that you can do 20 reps you are wasting your time. You need to challenge the big muscles of your body with enough weight so that the last rep or two in a set is very hard. You will get stronger over time and will need to increase the weight you lift
Thank you for that wonderful explanation! I actually do have a job where I do a lot of lifting (auto parts store..do all the receiving), so that helps, but I do like my muscles, especially now that the layer of fat is gone!
I have 8 lb dumb bells (and lower), and barbell that I usually use with 10 on each side. I had 2 back surgeries so have to watch my form, but I get by.
Thanks again!
Hi Roslarr
Blummin’ beck! I’m exhausted reading this. But you’ve given me a push, Think I’m doing 4:3 – I say think cos I go off piste a lot, but eating one meal a day, intentions are one day under 373, one day under 1500, that gets me under target tdee, and puts me into 19:5, meal around eight, warm milk before bed. Doing this until Friday. First two days 350 and 400, so pretty much two fast days, but fasting today. Easier than I thought, snacking is my downfall. Did a gym workout, if you can call prancing about and trying to blend into the wall a workout, but I got to 10k steps, though it took a third walk around the street before bed to get there.
Dunno what I’m going to do at the weekend, depends if I succumb to the chocolate covered scabby horse before then or if I’ve stayed on course.
If God is a woman, well both be 11stone before we know it, as God loves a trier!!!
Will have to think of a workout strategy now though, but I’m not pondering too much about what I eat. Small brain, I don’t like to tax it.
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