weights for geek girls

[vigilant20]

I saw another weight training thread pop up, so I thought I'd throw this out there.

All of my new years resolutions have to do with health and fitness. One of them is starting to lift weights. I used to be a construction mechanic, and I miss having little girly muscles and would like to get back there again and feel more ready to tackle some of the harder work and home improvement projects I have coming up.

I'm getting some adjustable dumbbells this weekend. Any suggestions for how to start?

[Hummusisyummus]

I really like having a gym membership. I use so many different machines it would cost a fortune to have them all at home (!), but, most of the upper body routine I do now is with dumbells.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy/Frederic-Delavier/e/9780736063685/?itm=1

I really like this book.

[vigilant20]

I really like having a gym membership. I use so many different machines it would cost a fortune to have them all at home (!), but, most of the upper body routine I do now is with dumbells.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Strength-Training-Anatomy/Frederic-Delavier/e/9780736063685/?itm=1

I really like this book.

I'm way too self conscious to do the gym thing. My work even has one in the building for us to use cheaply, but my co-workers go at the same time I did in the morning so I stopped :(

I do have the ellipitcal, and soon the weights...so between that and shoveling I think I'll be find for now...lol.

Thanks for the book suggestion. I checked my library and they have the womens version too...so I requested that :)

[SomebodyElse]

I started the program in "Strong Women Stay Young" by Miriam E. Nelson back in October, and I really recommend this. Its easy, it starts you off gently but allows you to progress at your own rate, and you don't need anything but free weights. No fancy equipment, and no gym membership. I started sprouting noticeable muscles after three weeks, and can feel my strength improving month to month. You may want to advance later, but this is a really good way to get started, I think.

[vigilant20]

Go library! They have that one too. I'll grab it when I go in :) Thanks SomebodyElse.

[Gear Shifter]

I also am too self-conscious to work out at a gym. =[
I use either Comcast's free exercise programs or YouTube exercise videos.
C:

[vigilant20]

I also am too self-conscious to work out at a gym. =[
I use either Comcast's free exercise programs or YouTube exercise videos.
C:

Clever idea. Come to think of it I think netflix has some streaming ones too.

[Wednesday_12]

It's great that you've got dumbbells, but don't forget to work out the rest of your body as well as your arms :)

[greensgood]

Clever idea. Come to think of it I think netflix has some streaming ones too.

this is my most favorite: http://www.yogatoday.com/

[vigilant20]

this is my most favorite: http://www.yogatoday.com/

I hadn't even heard of sites like that before. Thanks!!! I bookmarked is so I can add a little variety to my new routines :)

[das_nut]

It's great that you've got dumbbells, but don't forget to work out the rest of your body as well as your arms :)

You can work a lot more of your body than just the arms with dumbbells.

For example, doing squats while holding dumbbells exercises the legs, not the arms.

[vigilant20]

The library had Strong Women ready for me, so I read up to the exercises. I got my weights today so I can give it a shot when I get home :)

[vigilant20]

I started the program in "Strong Women Stay Young" by Miriam E. Nelson back in October, and I really recommend this. Its easy, it starts you off gently but allows you to progress at your own rate, and you don't need anything but free weights. No fancy equipment, and no gym membership. I started sprouting noticeable muscles after three weeks, and can feel my strength improving month to month. You may want to advance later, but this is a really good way to get started, I think.

I just finished my first run though. Do you use ankle weights too then?

[SomebodyElse]

Yes I do. I also added extra exercises fairly soon, because I felt like I was ready. And I do it three days a week, rather than the two days she recommends.

What's really good for me is that when I am feeling crappy or tired, the weights are all there, and I've got no excuse to skip it. I know darn well that if I had to drive to a gym to work out when I don't feel good, I'd just skip it.

[vigilant20]

Thanks :)

[Eco_Jihadist]

I saw another weight training thread pop up, so I thought I'd throw this out there.

All of my new years resolutions have to do with health and fitness. One of them is starting to lift weights. I used to be a construction mechanic, and I miss having little girly muscles and would like to get back there again and feel more ready to tackle some of the harder work and home improvement projects I have coming up.

I'm getting some adjustable dumbbells this weekend. Any suggestions for how to start? quite frankly: train like a man.

Most girls ive met are weightliftingophobic claiming that they'll get big bodybuilder muscles and look like men as soon as they touch weights, out of the few who do lift weights, most lift miniscule weights for like a minimum of 20 reps claiming they dont want to get big which is also ridiculous; unless you've got a particularly freakish mesomorph physique and you eat several hundred grams of protein a day and about 3000+ calories there is no chance, even most powerlifter and regular gym going women who lift weights alot look perfectly normal.

[AussieShane]

quite frankly: train like a man.

Most girls ive met are weightliftingophobic claiming that they'll get big bodybuilder muscles and look like men as soon as they touch weights, out of the few who do lift weights, most lift miniscule weights for like a minimum of 20 reps claiming they dont want to get big which is also ridiculous; unless you've got a particularly freakish mesomorph physique and you eat several hundred grams of protein a day and about 3000+ calories there is no chance, even most powerlifter and regular gym going women who lift weights alot look perfectly normal.


spot on Eco...

I also hear many women saying 'i just want to get toned, i don't want to lift heavy and become big'. They end up doing 20 reps failing to realize that 20 reps is not productive.

Well in this case, the dream news for women is the nightmare news for men. Getting big and bulky takes extremely vigorous training, high amount of calories, pretty high protein, increased production in testosterone and GH.

A few heavy weights wont do half the job. So yea, women shouldn't be scared of heavy weights. no need to go too heavy but just keep it at 8 - 12 reps per set.

[SomebodyElse]

Number one, women aren't men.
Number two, the program I recommended from the book I suggested is suitable for men too, just with heavier weights. It is explained very well that a person should shoot for eight to ten reps using a weight that is very close to their maximum ability to lift, so that by the time you have completed the last rep in the last set, you should feel as though you would not be able to do even one more rep without losing form. The exercises in the book are classic weight training exercises, and I have also read that many pros recommend free weights as excellent bodybuilding tools.

What I like about this program is that it takes the intimidation factor out of weight straining for women, and debunks very nicely all those myths about women getting bulky. It also allows them to do this at home, since obviously, lots of women do not want to go to a gym full of machines that are frankly not designed for the typically smaller female frame anyway. It helps to keep people from hurting themselves by doing too much too soon, and then giving up entirely, which is really important for people who are completely new to the idea of strength training.

[das_nut]

As far as I know, there's quite some debate if most people can bulk up on a weight training program.

Personally, I find that long distance cycling builds up my leg muscles, where weight training fails to build up my arm muscles, but that may be due to existing injuries.

[AussieShane]

As far as I know, there's quite some debate if most people can bulk up on a weight training program.

Personally, I find that long distance cycling builds up my leg muscles, where weight training fails to build up my arm muscles, but that may be due to existing injuries.

Scientifically, anyone who is relatively healthy (i.e got no medical disorders such as thyroid malfunction or heart disease) can bulk up. It just takes some significant effort.

what works for me is
Calorie surplus (calories consumed > calories burnt)
proper nutrition (calories are mostly from raw foods... sufficient protein, carb and fat)
high volume training followed by strength training (I do them in two separate phases)
Lots of sleep

[vigilant20]

Well I called around and could not find 20 pound ankle weights for the life of me. I even checked out the websites she had listed in the book and they didn't have them on their sites. I finally asked walmart and they said they did, but I got there and they turned out to be 20 pounds for the pair. Those were cheap so I finally gave up and went with them.

[das_nut]

Scientifically, anyone who is relatively healthy (i.e got no medical disorders such as thyroid malfunction or heart disease) can bulk up. It just takes some significant effort.

what works for me is
Calorie surplus (calories consumed > calories burnt)
proper nutrition (calories are mostly from raw foods... sufficient protein, carb and fat)
high volume training followed by strength training (I do them in two separate phases)
Lots of sleep

I was under the impression that some people may be more genetically inclined towards endurance than to strength.

[SomebodyElse]

Well I called around and could not find 20 pound ankle weights for the life of me. I even checked out the websites she had listed in the book and they didn't have them on their sites. I finally asked walmart and they said they did, but I got there and they turned out to be 20 pounds for the pair. Those were cheap so I finally gave up and went with them.
Yeah, I actually had to settle for fifteen pounders myself. Later on I got a pair of five pounders to add to them.


I was under the impression that some people may be more genetically inclined towards endurance than to strength.
I think, from what I have read, that you are right. I know from my own experience that I have low endurance, but seem to build strength and even bulk rather easily. I backed off on my calf muscle exercises because I have a pair of boots that started to get a little tight.

[das_nut]

Building strength is more visually impressive, IMO.

Tales of endurance makes people think you are crazy.

:p

[AussieShane]

I was under the impression that some people may be more genetically inclined towards endurance than to strength.


yea genetics definitely plays a huge part in it. But in my opinion, it's mainly athletes and hard trainers who reach their genetic potential. most people don't. And that's to say, even endurance athletes can build a lot of muscle and even bodybuilders can improve their endurance.

A body builder like Vince Delmonte can never be like Ronnie Coleman because their frame types are completely different. Ron has a very dense mesomorph frame which makes it ideal for muscle building while Vince has an ectomorph frame.

vince was a triathlon athlete who switched to bodybuilding and considering he was an endurance athlete, he's built quite a lot of muscle now.