Help on the DREAD issue of Weight Training?

B

brendazzzz

Cathlete
I posted before asking for the most fun weight workouts and was recommended Push Pull and Supersets. They're okay but I just really, really dread weight training. If I had my druthers, I'd step everyday of the week!! Can anybody give me some other recommendations or am I gonna have to just suck it up and just make myself do it?
 
I dread weight training too but I get through it when I remind myself on what my goals, why I'm weight training. While I'm working a muscle I concentrate on it and do each rep by thinking about what I am doing for my body. Also, I don't have a lot of free time and when that little voice on my left shoulder tells me to cheat or to not finish the set the voice on my right shoulder reminds me that if I'm spending the time weight training then I'd better get all I can out of it.

As far as Cathe's DVDs go, I seem to have less of a dread factor for the Pyramids. I think that's because they seem to be over quicker than any of the others. Muscle Max doesn't seem to make me dawdle before my workout either. But I rotate them all.

So, I guess the moral of the story is you gotta JUST DO IT!

Hope that helps.:) :D :) :D :) :D :) :D :7 :7 :7
 
I'm an aerobics junkie too. I would much rather jump around like an idiot than do heavy lifting. I've been heavy lifting for about 2 months now and what keeps me lifting is the results. So, buck it up, do it for several weeks, and you might just be that way too.

Of course, that being said, I went to do Max Intensity Strength this morning. Got the family room all set up, got my weights and step out, and then sat down and stared at the stuff in front of me thinking, "Oh man, I do NOT want to do this today!" I tried every which way to talk myself out of a work out - and I had some great reasons why NOT to work out - but I realized that I just needed to do it, but I would compromise and do only the upper body portion. Okay, I could handle that.

I did Chest, back, shoulders biceps and triceps. Then realized I probably COULD do legs. So I did legs, thinking I'd do abs later today in my step class. Then I thought, "Oh, what the heck, I'm already late for work, what's 10 more minutes?" And did abs.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the hardest part of a work out is actually starting the darned thing.
 
That's what I was afraid of... darn it! I started working out almost 2 years ago and was so bored with most of what I was doing and then was introduced to Cathe. I don't dread doing the step. I don't keep an eye on the clock wondering how much longer I have. I actually look forward to it and that's such a nice change. Actually looking forward to working out instead of dreading it... I was just hoping I could find that 'fun factor' with weight training as well. Thanks for your replies! But you're right... once I start I'm okay. It's just a matter of starting and not letting myself talk me out of it.
 
Do you belong to a gym? If so, see if they have Body Pump. I am a huge Cathe fan, but I teach step at the gym and take Body Pump classes on the days that I teach. I am ADDICTED! Each body part is worked in tempo with the music. It is a blast!
Just a suggestion. I do agree with the previous poster as well that it is the results that truly motivates!!!!

Good luck to you, and keep on doing it!!!!:) :D ;)
 
If you like cardio so much, maybe you can introduce weight training into your system slowly. Like using circuit workouts (Bootcamp, C&W, Circuit Max, high step workouts) every other day for a month, then doing PP/SS or any other whole body weight workout 2-3 days a week for maybe a month, then breaking out into splits after that. If you force yourself into doing weights, you certainly won't enjoy it and you'll quit. Doing it slowly might help, I hope.

Pinky
 
I used to dread weight work too, but as soon as I started seeing the definition and muscle tone it made me much more motivated. I myself find the pyramids to be the most fun. I agree that they seem to go by pretty fast and they work you out pretty hard.

Katie
 
It's funny - I'm the exact opposite. I would MUCH rather spend my time lifting weights than producing mass buckets of sweat during cardio (especially in this summer heat)! I like feeling specific muscles being worked to exhaustion - and then the DOMS . . . . they really let ya know that your body's workin'! Once I get started, I like cardios like KPC and BC, but it's always nice when they're over!!! }(

I see another poster has recommended PUB and I second the vote! This is an awesome upper body w/o that really does move along fairly quickly (just did it this morning), and you WILL see results! PH and MM are also pretty fun full-body w/os. Right now my fave lower body w/o is L&G because of the inner/outer thigh work AND the fact that there are not that many evil low-ends! :7

HTH
Cleo :)
 
I agree with the majority above. I love stepping, but once you see results, you won't give up the weights. The first time I noticed "ripples" in my shoulders was a highlight in my exercise history.

I used to use my husband's weight bench in the basement, with the washer, dryer, and three cat litter boxes to stare at. Talk about boring. Cathe makes weight training much more fun.
 
I second the circuit training idea. Cardio and weights has a really nice step routine with intervals of weight training. You could also try the high step workouts. There are others like Step Jump Pump, and Bootcamp. You won't be able to go very heavy with circuit training so that will limit how much strength/muscle you gain, but in terms of general fitness, endurance, calorie burning, etc, they are all really good.
 
I also dread dread dread weight training!! I feel like I've gotten around my dread with circuit workouts though. I just can't talk myself into doing an hour of pure resistance training. But I have noticed some great results with the circuit workouts which motivates me. I've recently noticed though that when I map out my workouts for the week and I include one strength training workout, I find it much easier to do that day. Wierd huh? Either way, I'm with you on this one.
carolyn
 
Carolyn what circuit workouts do you like best? There's so many recommendations here and I still don't know what I should do!
 
Well, I started out with Circuit Max which I found extremely challenging. I think after that I bought Cross Train Xpress which has Power Circuit and various other workouts that aren't quite circuits but they do have cardio ending with weight training focusing on one body part. If you do each workout once a week, I think you end up working the entire body. I also have High Step Challenge which I think is the best circuit workout that I have. I really enjoy all of these but I would recommend Cross Train Xpress because it has so many workouts that are designed for both cardio and weight training. (There are also some workouts on there that are just weight training but since I hate just weight training, I rarely do them.) Cross Train Xpress workouts are also designed to be time savers so they aren't quite as long as most Cathe workouts, but I think the one true circuit workout on there, Power Circuit, is at least an hour. I hope this helps. I'm sure any circuit workout by Cathe is going to be great and challenging so which ever one you choose, I'm sure you'll love it.
Carolyn
 
I used to only want to do cardio, too, but now I prefer weight training any day of the week. It's weird, but the more you do it, the more you WANT to do it. It DOES take a while to get to that point, but it's GS: back/bicep/shoulder day and I'm watching my clock and getting all psyched up for my workout.

Try this: Tell yourself, "I love working my biceps" 10-20 times before every bicep workout. When it's chest/triceps day, say "I love working my chest and triceps!" over and over. Your mind WILL believe what you tell it, and eventually it won't be long until you are looking forward to weight training. Triceps used to be my least favorite body part to weight train, and now they're my favorite. Also, I used to HATE doing shoulder work, but now I really enjoy it.

You have to stick with it and make yourself do it, but if you keep telling yourself you love it, eventually you will. If you keep saying you hate it, you'll never enjoy it.
 
All excellent suggestions. I'd also like to offer a couple of comments:

Weight training was an acquired taste for me, and it took quite awhile to do it right, do it consistently, and get into it. Now, I'm a psycho rage-beast if I can't lift, for the activity as well as for the physiological (including the mood-lifting) benefits. Time and consistent, persistent practice will change your mind for you. Strict lifting for me is my form of meditation.

Also, the dread factor for you might be how you're scheduling your lifting. Are you doing lifting and cardio in separate workouts? Or together? If together, are you doing lifting first then cardio? Or cardio then lifting? I enjoy lifting best when it's after a hard-core cardio session: all the muscles are pumped and limber and warm. Stand-alone lifting sessions have never been very enjoyable for me. I know there are a few pod-people who insist you can't lift AND do cardio and get good results, but I'm living proof that's not so.

A-Jock
 
Annette I've been doing weights with and without cardio. I've been doing the Body Blast series rotation. That's all I have with the exception of a few older cardio workouts like PowerMax, Step Jam, and Step Heat. On days when I know I'll be doing just weights it's all I can do to make myself lift rather than stick in an older cardio for substitution! Unfortunately, I understand that I'm gonna have to suck it up and just "do it!" Now I'm trying to figure out the best approach... Power Hour, PUB, PLB, and CTX have all been suggested. I think I may be leaning towards CTX. Power Hour may be fun, and PUB/PLB may go by quickly but I don't know if I'll be able to refrain myself from sticking in that older cardio! But then again, am I copping out that way?
 
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