Weights vs using body weight for resistance training, how many days for recovery, etc

[jlmyers73]

Hi,
I'm new..obvi...I'm starting to get confused as to what I need to be doing for weight training. My goal is to lose 5-7% of body fat and gain about 5-7lbs of muscle. I have several diff questions I guess, after doing research.

for one: do I have to be lifting weights for my weight training or can I be doing things like push-ups, dips, pull-ups? You know, things that arent involving actual weights.

ALSO, I read all the time about using too low of weights. My problem is I'M WEAK! 8lb weights are VERY hard for me to get any more than maybe 6 reps for any upper body exercise, except bicep curls. 5lb weights for a lot of moves burn and i'm sore the next day, at this point. Does that mean it is still not enough?

Mostly I'm just doing group fitness classes right now. In the interval classes, we do 3 moves at a time back to back for a time period, then rest like 30 sec and do a diff set of 3 moves, and so on for 45 min. Usually one move in each interval involves weights-should I be trying to do a heavier weight in a class like this? Where you're basically doing the move for 20-30 seconds straight as much as you can and fast as you can (without compromising form of course)?

I am very confused as to how often to rest between work outs. Keep in mind, this is the very beginning of my working out routine so i'm going to be a lot more sore i guess to start.
I worked out Tuesday: interval class in the early morning and soccer game in the late evening. The next day I was VERY sore in my hamstrings and abs..mostly from the interval class. I didnt work out Wed. Thursday I did a core class (which is doing a bunch of moves on the stability ball..some with weights) and a kickboxing class right after that. The core class was VERY hard for me to complete--my abs were locking up..I had no range of motion for a lot of the moves cause my abs felt like one big cramp. Does that mean I didnt rest long enough?

I'm also worried about doing too much cardio. Is doing interval, kickboxing and core classes every week going to be too much cardio? And since i use weights in some of the moves in those classes, should I not do a separate weight training session for those muscles i used?


Gosh this is a lot. I appreciate anyone who took time to read this and respond!!

 

[HondaV65]

I'm sure Rosie will be along shortly to help you out ... you should listen to her ... she's forgotten more than my tiny mind has ever known.

But essentially - I really don't think you need to worry too much about charging headlong into weights until you build up your strength. You can do body weight exercises if that's comfortable.

My only advice is, since you're beginning ... is to get into a mental state that this is a lifelong thing you're taking up ... you can and should have short range goals - but don't make those your long range goals or you'll give up the gym once you reach them.

Also realize that ... you may go into this thing heavier and weaker than you want to be - but you've got plenty of time to learn and perfect your techniques. You don't have to meet those goals after two weeks in the gym ...

If you stick at it - you will be able to manipulate your body composition and you'll be able to do that for life (once you learn how). And that's a very good skill to have.

 

[Rosie Chee]

Hi,
I'm new..obvi...I'm starting to get confused as to what I need to be doing for weight training. My goal is to lose 5-7% of body fat and gain about 5-7lbs of muscle. I have several diff questions I guess, after doing research.

Since you're a beginner, you are not going to lose 5-7% bodyfat and gain 5-7 pounds of muscle at the same time - you may achieve a small recomp for a few weeks as you start, bit only because your body will not be used to training, etc. I recommend that you choose one goal or the other - I would go fat loss and then muscle gain.

for one: do I have to be lifting weights for my weight training or can I be doing things like push-ups, dips, pull-ups? You know, things that arent involving actual weights.

You can do a mix of weights and bodyweight exercises for resistance training, yes.

ALSO, I read all the time about using too low of weights. My problem is I'M WEAK! 8lb weights are VERY hard for me to get any more than maybe 6 reps for any upper body exercise, except bicep curls. 5lb weights for a lot of moves burn and i'm sore the next day, at this point. Does that mean it is still not enough?

How much the weight is irrelevant - what matters is how intense the weight as it pertains to YOU. Therefore, if you're lifting as heavy as you can for the reps set, then that is fine.

Mostly I'm just doing group fitness classes right now. In the interval classes, we do 3 moves at a time back to back for a time period, then rest like 30 sec and do a diff set of 3 moves, and so on for 45 min. Usually one move in each interval involves weights-should I be trying to do a heavier weight in a class like this? Where you're basically doing the move for 20-30 seconds straight as much as you can and fast as you can (without compromising form of course)?

Honestly, and this is just from personal experience, the heavier the weight lifted and the more intense it is, the better the fat loss. Lighter weights for higher reps is going to build more muscular endurance and doing those fitness classes like that, cardivascular fitness as well - they're not much better for anything else, IMO, and really I consider this more "cardio" than weights.

I am very confused as to how often to rest between work outs. Keep in mind, this is the very beginning of my working out routine so i'm going to be a lot more sore i guess to start.

How you recover is up to you. As a beginner, you should be having at least 1-2 minutes recovery between sets. Recovery periods will vary depending on your goal and how your training programme is set up.

I worked out Tuesday: interval class in the early morning and soccer game in the late evening. The next day I was VERY sore in my hamstrings and abs..mostly from the interval class. I didnt work out Wed. Thursday I did a core class (which is doing a bunch of moves on the stability ball..some with weights) and a kickboxing class right after that. The core class was VERY hard for me to complete--my abs were locking up..I had no range of motion for a lot of the moves cause my abs felt like one big cramp. Does that mean I didnt rest long enough?

DOMS (i.e. delayed onset of muscle soreness) is NORMAL after training, especially if you are not used to it, and can set in 24-73 hours after training and last fro 1-7 days once it's set in. Just because you get DOMS does not mean you have not recovered enough. Generally for a beginner, you want at least 24-48 hours recovery between training the same muscle groups.

I'm also worried about doing too much cardio. Is doing interval, kickboxing and core classes every week going to be too much cardio? And since i use weights in some of the moves in those classes, should I not do a separate weight training session for those muscles i used?


Gosh this is a lot. I appreciate anyone who took time to read this and respond!!

How much cardio you do is up to you - this is personal preference, and bear in mind that if you do a lot your nutrition should take this into account.

Honestly, you're better off getting a professional trainer to design you a training programme specific to YOUR goals and needs, instead of just doing whatever whenever, because doing what you are doing is not the best way to get results. take the guesswork out of it and do it right from the START if you want something.

Not only is training important, but NUTRITION as well - and nutrition is actually MORE important than training in achieving your goals.

As I mentioned earlier, I recommend that you focus on fat loss first. Review The 3 Keys to Fat Loss for comprehensive advice and information on nutrition and training for effective and successful fat loss - there is even a sample resistance training programme in there for a beginner.

I also recommend that you research and read as much as you can re your goals. Learning to understand what to do is a valuable step in knowing how to achieve your body goals, IMO.

~Rosie~

 

[jlmyers73]

Thank you! i appreciate your tips!

 

[Rosie Chee]

Thank you! i appreciate your tips!

No worries Like I said, the best thing for you to do is to get yourself a trainer who knows what they're doing and will INDIVIDUALIZE EVERYTHING FOR YOU!

~Rosie~

 

[jlmyers73]

So If I am focusing on fat loss first, does that change how i work out? Won't I still be doing cardio and weight training, and diet?

I'm also wondering how much cardio to do. I did the interval workout on your fat loss article, with the treadmill 8x20 sec, etc. It definitely wore me out. But I'm a fairly active person, and have been all my life. Should I still recover for a day after cardio? For weight training, i'm doing upper body one day, lower body next day, no weights 3rd day, then upper again, etc. So i'm basically training upper body 2 times a week and lower body 2 times a week (not including cardio stuff). I got some good weight training programs from bodybuilder dot com website.

 

[jlmyers73]

I can't afford a trainer right now, until I find a job. I lost my job this past sept and am still looking. So I'm trying to do my best to do everything on my own as accurately as I can.

 

[Rosie Chee]

So If I am focusing on fat loss first, does that change how i work out? Won't I still be doing cardio and weight training, and diet?

I'm also wondering how much cardio to do. I did the interval workout on your fat loss article, with the treadmill 8x20 sec, etc. It definitely wore me out. But I'm a fairly active person, and have been all my life. Should I still recover for a day after cardio? For weight training, i'm doing upper body one day, lower body next day, no weights 3rd day, then upper again, etc. So i'm basically training upper body 2 times a week and lower body 2 times a week (not including cardio stuff). I got some good weight training programs from bodybuilder dot com website.

No, how you train shouldn't really change for fat loss. The only thing that really changes is your nutrition re caloric intake.

Do three HIIT sessions a week, with a day's rest between. I recommend doing them on the days that you do not do your resistance training - i.e. do three days of cardio and three days of weights, and have one day off everything each week.

As far as weights, you're better off doing a lower body session, upper body session, and then a full-body session, or three full-body sessions since you're a beginner.

If you read the article I linked you to, then you should have no issues re training.

I can't afford a trainer right now, until I find a job. I lost my job this past sept and am still looking. So I'm trying to do my best to do everything on my own as accurately as I can.

Then I suggest that you read as much as you can, research, look at what has worked for others - but do not copy it, since you are not someone else - and experiment until you find something that works for YOU.

~Rosie~

 

[jlmyers73]

Thanks again Rosie!

 

[Rosie Chee]

Thanks again Rosie!

No worries As I said, read as much as you can, to gain knowledge and understand that knowledge and how to apply it to yourself, especially since you are a newbie - you're better off doing things right than going around in circles.

~Rosie~