Strength Training Questions

[CollinsMom]

Previously, I have been focusing on a lot of cardio for maximum calorie burn [preparing for vacation and my bikini bod].

Now that I am home, I want to focus more on gaining strength, particularly in my upper body.

First of all, what is the best sort of rotation for this...

D1: full body weights
D2: cardio only
D3: full body weights
D4: cardio only
D5: circuit
D6: cardio only
D7: REST

OR

D1: upper body
D2: cardio
D3: lower body
D4: cardio
D5: upper body
D6: cardio
D7: REST

Or something else?

Also, what is the best way to warm up for weight days?

TIA

 

[Jennifit]

This is just my experience:

I gain much more muscle with splits vs full body workouts. I love full body workouts, but more for endurance than for pure strength. But, you really have to find out how your particular body responds to all of it. I would do a few weeks of a full body rotation, then a few weeks of splits.

PS - you will notice a GREAT difference in your cardio workouts once you start lifting weights - you feel so much stronger!

j

 

[teddy16410]

Cathe answered some gaining strength & warm up questions a few days ago-

This might help with your warm up question:
http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=2&topic_id=74530&mesg_id=74530&page=2

This is the strength question:
http://69.0.137.118/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=2&topic_id=74705&mesg_id=74705&page=1

HTH!

 

[LizN]

Your second option looks better, particularly if you want to build upper body strength.

Cheers
Liz N

 

[kathryn]

>I gain much more muscle with splits vs full body workouts. I
>love full body workouts, but more for endurance than for pure
>strength.

I agree. Splits not only allow you to work each body part with more intensity than with a full-body workout, they allow for more recovery between sessions for the same muscle group, which is as important for muscle growth as is the work itself.

Full-body workouts are best, IMO, for increasing calorie burn, in conjunction with cardio for fat loss, as well as maintaining muscle.

As for warm-ups, if you're doing Cathe's workouts, there are already warm-ups on the workouts. But if you want more of a warm-up, I find it usefull to have some of those "10-miinute solution" or 'Quick Fix" cardio workouts around (they offer 4-5 separate 10-minute cardio segments you can use separately or together). I sometimes like a longer warm-up (as one gets older, it's not a bad idea!), and like to use these (especially Janis Saffel's "Quick Fix Cardio Kicks," which has segments with upper, lower and core emphasis).