Strength training - ick!

[Jul]

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-00 AT 09:57PM (EST)</font></center>

I am really enjoying my discovery of this website and ALL of my new Cathe tapes! I have been exercising for over 10 years and (I think) I am an advanced exerciser. I am able to keep up with your cardio tapes (except Interval Max) but I have only started doing strength training in the last year. I am not a big fan of weights, and I am not as concerned with my upper body as I am with my lower body as I carry my weight in my waist & lower body. When experts say to do strength training 2-3 times per week, how long do I have to spend doing it? Is 1/2 hr. twice a week enough? I try to do cardio 4 times a week. A typical week for me is Mon.- step tape Like IMax or another toughie) Tues.- step, Wed.- 1/2 hr of strength which for me includes lunges, squats, abs, and a few reps of biceps and triceps. Thurs. step, and Fri - strength (example- today I did the 20 min. circuit on Body Max, plus the biceps, triceps and abs sections)Sat.- light step or hi/low. Is that enough strength? Is what I do even considered strength? I don't care much about my shoulders, back, etc., but a combo. of weights and cardio is supposed to be the ideal mix. Am I hitting it? Am I even close? I could use some input!!!! Thanks!

 

[kathryn]

pro-weights

Jul,
I think 2 times per week, total body is a minimum. I assume that that means at least 2 sets per body part, but I'm not sure. Let me give you some reasons for caring about doing weight work for your back and shoulders: back: a strong back will help you have a good posture. Compare a person with a weak posture to one with a strong posture. The latter looks more confident, tall and appealing. You need back work to counteract the fact that we naturally use more front body (chest, front shoulder) muscles during out regular daily activities. A strong upper back, especially, will help to counteract slumping caused by this. Strong back muscles (balanced with ab muscles) will help you avoid back pain. A well-defined back looks really sexy! Shoulders: Working your shoulders will help develop more width in that area, making your waist look slimmer. Making sure that the muscles of the shoulder are strong and balanced will help prevent shoulder problems. Overall: Muscle burns more calories than fat (about 30x more), so building more muscle mass (and I don't mean looking like A. Schwarzennegar sp? or even Cory Everson) will increase your metabolism. This is especially useful as you get over 35 and metabolism seems to slow down (I noticed the slow down at around 25, but the BIG slow down is around 35). Strong muscles help keep everything else where it is supposed to be! I have a history of knee problems (due to bad running habiits 20 years ago) and if I don't keep my leg muscles strong enough, I can have knee pain just doing my regular daily walking around. Having muscle means being able to do things for yourself, like hoist a 50# bag of bird seed--like I did the other day (though I still can't open all jars!). Many people over 70 (not sure about the age) can't even lift 10#. If you build a base of strength now, there is more chance of your being able to be self-sufficient as you age. For women especially, weight training is a good way to build bone mass (muscles pull on bones, making them get stronger, too). It's much easier to prevent osteoporosis than it is to try to reverse it or slow it down. Hope I gave you some reasons to get into weight training!

 

[DebbieH]

Great Response Kathryn!

I already have heard this before, but seeing it in writing reinforces it in your mind. Thanks for the VERY thourough explanation!!

(Jul-isn't it great to have the educated people at this site to give us advice and encourage us?)Debbie-A-Friend-In-Fitness!!

 

[Jessie]

My reason!

After doing cardio-only a few years ago, in the last year and a half I discovered FIRM and Cathe. Well, I went to Petsmart yesterday to buy my dog's food (gotta love that!!) and carried his 40 lb. bag of food out to the car by myself!!!

Not to say it was easy, but I did it! I never would have been able to do that before!!

I probably try to get 2-3 strength workouts, and 2-3 cardio a week. Haven't been brave enough for IMax though, just finished Step Max all the way through for the first time!!

 

[Jul]

Thanks for the info!!!!

It sure is great how everyone is so helpful and knowledgable! You guys have given lots of good reasons for strength training! As I am continuing with it, I am actually finding that it can be enjoyable! I am getting better at it and starting to not feel as "klutzy"/awkward. How much total body strength training is ideal? I have (at the VERY most) 45 min to 1 hour a day to devote to exercising. Sometimes I try to squeeze in a bit more in the eve but it's hard with 3 little monkeys (I mean kids) climbing on my step!!! What is the ideal workout schedule for me? Thanks again for all the help! :>)

 

[Lora]

I too would like to see a scedual

I'm trying to get my cardio in good enough shape to do my first run in May. So that seems to be my biggest commitment. Ideally I wish I could do Strength Training every day as well. But boy is it hard to find 45 minutes plus time for weights. I tried for awhile and it didn't last very long. I have a few Firm tapes that supposedly combine weights and cardio but they seem so easy for me now that I'm running and doing Cathe. Do you think we should cut back on our Cardio workout so we have more time? How long do others use for Cardio and S.T. every day? Lora

 

[bkloots]

hi, Lora. Here's my two cents

I can only spend 45 min to one hour (max) six days a week working out, and I want to get the most effective strength and cardio I can in that time.

When I was doing a PS rotation, I decided to focus on upper body. I did BBA, CST, and MIS once each week, alternating with Step or running. That gave me two complete upper body weight workouts, and one lower body--with the leg benefits of step and running added in. This worked really well for me.

Right now I am using FIRM tapes on a similar schedule--three of their "mostly weight" workouts alternating with Cathe's step and running. My cardio endurance is really improving, and (with some attention to nutrition as well) I am gradually losing weight, too, as I intended.

 

[Amy Steppe]

Cathe and Firm Combos

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Feb-07-00 AT 06:44PM (EST)</font></center>

I use Cathe's strength series very seldom (except for Body Max). I alternate Cathe's all cardio with the Firm's workouts. This works best for my body type and composition. I just don't feel really challenged during pure strength workouts, even when I use very heavy (for a female) poundage.

The Firm's latest, only available through Firm Direct, I believe are great. I love "Cardio Split 1" and "Super Sculpting" -- when I alternate them with Cathe's great cardio workouts, I am in fitness heaven!