Weightlifting/Body for Life question

[Alexandra]

I have a question about intensity when it comes to weightlifting and I was wondering if anyone here could help me...? If you lift weights how do you know if you are lifting enough to do any good? BFL urges people to lift to the point of "muscle failure". Is that what you all do? I do not want bulky muscles. I have heard about women not being able to get bulky muscles but if you look at BFL before/after pics you can see some gals who look ripped and beefy and some who look just simply really fit...how does a person achieve fitness without looking like she is from American Gladiator.

Thanks!

Alexandra

[Alexandra]

:001_smile:

[KLynnTX]

I don't know about free weights, but when I'm using a machine, I know it's the right amount when---I don't know how to say this....Like when I'm working on my arms, when I have the right amount of weight, it's really hard to do it, and my arms start to shake or quiver or something....

 

A trainer at the gym told me that if you are shaking, it's the right amount to lift. I've noticed it on the leg machines too.

 

I've never noticed this happening, when lifting weights that are not on a weight machine, though. I guess it would, but I don't have any at home that would be heavy enough. Not any 5 pounders anyway... Maybe next time I'm at the gym, I'll try lifting some of their heavier free weights to see what happens.

 

As far as bulking up, they told me not to worry about it. They said a woman has to spend an enormous amount of time weight training to bulk up, because we just don't have enough testosterone. In other words, we'd have to go out of our way to have that happen....Hours upon hours in the gym per day kinda thing.....Not something I'm gonna have time for.

 

That's all I know, maybe somebody else here will jump in!!! :-)

[Tami]

If you want to look sexy and get rid of fat, LIFT HEAVY! :D

 

Stay in the 8-12 rep range and use the correct amount of weight so that by 8-12 reps you are at absolute muscle failure. Start with 3 sets of the exercise, and work up to 4. Really, the best use of your time and energy is to lift heavy enough that you reach failure.

 

In order to get that female body builder look, you have to get down to an unreasonable body fat percentage, eat VAST amounts of protein, and probably take many supplements and steroids. If you do not do those three things, you are not going to "bulk up." God has not given you enough testosterone for that, so please don't let that myth trip you up and cheat you out of the smokin' hot body you can have with weight training.

 

Since I started weight training in August, my body has completely changed! I have gone from a complete bottom-heavy pear to a proportioned hour glass shape. I am getting smaller and smaller as I lift heavy, and the muscle melts the fat off by getting my metabolism in high gear. It is amazing!

 

My 2-fold advice: concentrate on basic, compound exercises and lift heavy or go home. :D

[kiana]

Ditto what everyone else said -- you need to take steroids or spend obscene amounts of time in the gym to look like a bodybuilder, and also get your bodyfat % really, really low.

 

When I started, I started with something that I could do without muscle failure, but I still felt like I was pushing something. I moved it up by a bit weekly until I *was* there. This gave my muscles time to adapt -- I didn't want to get injured early on and need to quit, and I do tend to push myself too much sometimes. Of course, as I get fitter and stronger the point gets higher. I do have muscles now, but ... I still look like a woman, not like a man with unusually developed ... pectorals ;)

[Amy loves Bud]

I have a question about intensity when it comes to weightlifting and I was wondering if anyone here could help me...? If you lift weights how do you know if you are lifting enough to do any good? BFL urges people to lift to the point of "muscle failure". Is that what you all do? I do not want bulky muscles. I have heard about women not being able to get bulky muscles but if you look at BFL before/after pics you can see some gals who look ripped and beefy and some who look just simply really fit...how does a person achieve fitness without looking like she is from American Gladiator.

Thanks!

Alexandra

 

I did BFL. I had AMAZING results, long lean muscles, not bulky at all. I followed the program exactly as described, including working to muscle failure. I really think you have to do something really out there to bulk up as a woman.

[Ferdie]

Body for Life is fantastic. You will not get bulky following their method.

 

If you don't follow BFL, then the rule of thumb is to do 3 sets of 12 reps, (or 2sets of 15 reps if you are short on time). You should barely be able to finish the 3rd set. If you can easily finish then your weights are too light.

[Ginevra]

I have lifted weights since I was 18 (with intermissions for having babies ;)). I lift a weight that is heavy enough that the last 3 or so reps are hard to do, but not impossible. That said, I am not aiming to get stronger and bigger muscles indefinitely, so once I reach a point where I'm satisfied with my muscle development, I don't continue to go up to heavier weights. I also vary my lifting plan every couple of months, so I change the impact and approach to each muscle group. That will usually set me back down by a few pounds.

 

My rule of thumb is that if I'm just tossing the weight around and thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner, it's probably too light! :001_cool: