Greatest return in the least amount of time (weights)??

[naughtoj]

Ok, I recently have fallen in love with my treadmill and my IPOD so I have been doing a lot of that and I did IMAX 2 yesterday with some mods, of course. BUT, I am finding that I just can't get back into Cathe's weight workouts. I am bored with them and I want to listen to my own music.

What I am looking for is some type of in-the-gym workout routine that is going to build up my strength and pack on some good muscle with the least amount of work. So far, I have been picking two exercises per muscle group (I am just starting back) and doing 12 reps and really eeking out the last few. But I am wondering, maybe I should only be doing 8 or so?? Like one warmup set and two sets of 8 reps with the most weight I can use for those?

I am trying to devote most of my time to cardio because I do want to get some fat off, but I am no longer wanting to spend the time doing endless Cathe reps. I find that with all the low ends and mixed tempos that I just can't go as heavy as I want for each set. Most of her tapes there are just too many reps or too fast a pace or both! Anyone have a good mass and strength building routine that they do in the gym/with dumbells?? I would be most appreciative! I am really thinking 8 reps, 2 sets, three exercises per body part, total body, two times/wk, with a 2 sec positive and 4 sec negative pace per rep. The rest will be cardio 60 min X 5 days. Whatdya think? Anyone had success with lower reps, higher weight???

I was thinking S&H, my true love, but I really want to get away from videos for now..

THANK YOU!

Edited to add: I am naturally muscular with no problems gaining mass, so would 8 reps do?

 

[saia11]

Janice,
You may want to check out Cathe's May 2005 One Body Part a Day rotation:
http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=7&topic_id=2972&mesg_id=2972&page=2

Here she has you doing 7 different exercises for each bodypart w/ your own weight/rep speed/music you want to listen to. And she has instructions on weights/reps/sets. She then has you add in a Cormax a few times a week and has you choose your own cardio 3-4 times a week. Sounds like it might be just what you're looking for!
HTH,
Mattea

 

[Lynn M.]

Janice-

If you gain mass easily, I would think that the 8 rep/2 set/3 different exercises/2xweek would work fine.

However, I think that you would get a bigger bang for your "time buck" if you split it into one bodypart per day and then did 4 different exercises for that specific body part per day at the 8 rep 2 set split.

I would think that it would be easier to focus on doing the strength training if its only one bodypart, plus mentally not be so draining in thinking that you will to lift super heavy for your whole entire body those days you are doing strength training.

Also, you are using alot of the same muscles to help stabilize when doing upper body work.. even though you might not be targeting them specifically that day..( esp. when you are lifting ultra heavy.)

I like the results alot when I am heavy lifting, but I do cut my cardio down some. I am not naturally muscular,so I do have to work at it. However, I am definitely not a lean long limbed person either, more of the "peasant stock" variety!

I'll be curious to see how it goes for you. Take care, Lynn M.