getting in shape

[aseay]

a co-worker wants to get in shape-upper body and lower body. she is skinny-not anerexic,in her 30's and has never worked out. she did some legs yesterday-2 sets of 15 on each leg and did not feel anything. she is asking me for advice but i have no idea how to help someone who is skinny and has high motablism. any ideas?

laura

 

[Fit_mommy]

I'm no expert but here's my idea:

A HIGH calorie diet filled with proteins, complex carbs and good fats and a low rep/heavy weight work out to build some muscle.

HTH.

 

[kathryn]

2 sets of 15 what? Doesn't sound like much of a "workout"!

If she has neer worked out, I recommend she start with a full body weight workout 2 times a week (maybe Tuesday and Friday), then move to doing a full-body workout 3 times a week. This will give her a good base of muscle and technique. A workout like MIS is good for this.

Then, after about 3-4 weeks, she can move to a two-day split (upper and lower body) using each workout twice a week. The split will allow her to use heavier weights. Any of Cathe's two-day splits (like the Pyramids) would work, but she could also just split a full-body workout into upper and lower body.

She should minimize her cardio to what is necessary for health and fitness: about 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity work, to not burn off too many calories and promote muscle growth.

There are several books and websites for what are called "hardgainers" (usually ectomorphs, which is what your friend sounds like) who have a hard time putting on muscle. One might even be www.hardgainers.com ?