Strength training - how much weight do I use?

[KimDW]

I've got a question about my weight training.

I'm taking this class at my gym called Body Bar Blast and it is one hour of circuit training (cardio & weights). I love it!
But before in my other classes when they do about 15 mins of strength at the end of the cardio class I've just used the 5 lb hand weights. With this class I started with a 9 and 12 pound bar and now I use a 15 pound bar for mainly biceps and a 12 pound bar for everything else (including leg work) and I'll use 8 pound hand weights for side raises just because I have trouble controling the bar. My question is am I going to see a difference by using these weights? Also, I have a little fat on my inner thigh but my legs are very muscular (I've always had muscular legs) so I don't really want to build anymore muscle in my legs. Is using the 12 pound bar going to do this? I would much rather not even use weights with the leg work but the whole class does and I feel stupid standing there with no bar. Sorry this is so long. Thanks

 

[hounddogs]

If you bulked up your legs with a twelve pound bar you would be the envy of many around here who struggle to add muscle with a fifty pound barbell. Don't worry, most body bar stuff is endurance based anyway, and not designed to add muscle mass, but especially at twelve pounds, you should just get a nice toning effect. You could see some gains in the upper body with those weights depending on your genetics. If you don't like what you see, just lower the weights again. Hope this helps.

--Ann