This is bothering me

I

icklemoley

Cathlete
I don’t even know the word to use. This is not a criticism towards the new beginner/intermediary workouts (as I’ve ordered them) but why use 3lb dumbbells. Even if you’re a beginner (and I’m talking real beginner) surely 3lbs isn’t going to build any lean mass. Even a true starter could probably handle 5plus … Seeing the pictures just struck a nerve and reminded me of Karen Voight and her using nothing but 3lb weights! Like what are we doing here, sculpting the bone! I just think the even beginners have enough strength to be able to handle more weight than 3lbs. Perhaps you won’t agree, but I’d be happy for input…

Thank you for your time.

Wayne x
 
HI Wayne,
I see part of your point but I did go out and buy the 3 lbs dumbells. The only video I can recall them being used in is PUB.I never start with them though.I usually use 5 lbs for the 1-2 set and then 8 lbs for the 3rd,but by the time I am finsihing the pyramid I want to grab those 3 lbs b/c I don't know if I can lift 5 lbs for another set.
These are just guidelines.....you can always use whats best for you.But if cathes using a 3 lbs weight..then chances are,others will need to to.Also I think Cathe makes videos that we can build on.My first video was BM and I diffently did not use the weights the girls used.At that time I was probably wishing that I had lighter weights.Eventually we will all need to use heavier weights weather it be 3 lbs,5 lbs or even 20 lbs.
 
Perhaps for a man, 3 pounds would be way to light, but for a woman starting out, it may be just right. I have been lifting a long, long time, but sometimes for small intricate work, those 3 pounds are just right. I considered giving them away a while ago, and am really glad I did not. My daughter is going to be 11 soon and is wanting to lift weights. I will not let her until she is older, but again, will make her use light weights until I am positive her form is good. 3 pounds can be useful.
 
Hi Wayne

I think Cathe's using low weights to prevent people feeling intimidated. If a person is new to exercise and sees a 40lb barbell then, quite possibly, that beginner exerciser could very well be put off even considering the tape as it would appear out of reach.

Also, I'm talking about women now, some people tend to think that if they lift weights they'll end up looking like Arnie so until they learn more by practice and by observation/reading etc they will always be of that mind set. Men and women alike who aren't used to exercise have to start at the bottom. You can't run before you can walk!

I don't think the beginner tapes are particularly aimed at the majority of us here, they are targetted more to get those people that don't/won't exercise to give it a try.

How many people outside of the gym do you know that exercise? I have gym friends and non-gym friends. Its the non-exercisers Cathe et al are trying to encourage and after a while, who knows... S&H, IMAX2 etc etc? From little acorns....

Not forgetting, either, sometimes we all have an off day and really don't want to push ourselves for whatever the reason, a beginners tape from Cathe could come in real handy, afterall, it'll be a workout from an brilliant instructor from whom we trust to provide an interesting workout albeit at a lower intensity.

That's my view on it anyway and if Cathe can encourage non-exercisers to try it out and find out what all the fuss is about, then good on her! :)
 
Wayne,

I used to think the same way but I had a friend who wanted to start using weights based on her doctor's recommendation. I used to attend fitness classes where I work and she came with me one day to try it. Well, we started her with the five lb weights cause I always snubbed my nose at the three lbs. Let me tell you, she was in so much pain the next day I felt really bad. I didn't think she'd every pick up another weight...but she did.

It could have gone the other way, though, and scared her off.
 
OK, now I feel like a wimp becuase I started with the firm and now am doing Cathe workouts, I have been exercising for a total of 8 months and have been doing Body Blast for the last 2 and there are a couple of exercises where I still use 3lbs. For shoulder work I could not live without my 3lbs. I use 15-20 on chest/tricep/bicep work but truly started with 5 and I really felt like I was one tough girl just because I was able to lift any kind of weights, I really felt like I was accomplishing something. I think 3-5-8 are really good weights for a true beginner. I can now life a 55 lb of dog food out of my truck and carry it in the house no problem, (I get so excited about strenght gains that are noticable in every day life :)before I would have someone else do it.
 
I'm a long time exerciser. I'm 41 and I started exercising when I was 17. I still use my 3 pounders for some of the shoulder work. I also wanted to say that if a woman is lean, she can look good using 3 pound weights. I know this from my own experience. In my late 20s I taught aerobics. It was unusual to use any weights at all in an aerobics class back then, but we did. First half of class was toning, using only 3s and sometimes 5s (for biceps and back), and the second half was cardio. I looked great. Like I said, I was already lean and using very light weights really made me look good. People were always commenting and asking me if I was into "weightlifting" when I was only using my little 3 pounders and sometimes 5 pounders.
 
I have been using cathe's workouts for just about a year now, and I still use 3 lb dumbbells for some shoulder work. I am a small person 5'2" and 108 lbs .... My shoulders can't handle to much for too long, and besides I like using my 3 lb dumbbells........ Rhonda :7

I also have 2 lb dumbbells......
 
When I first started exercising in 1987 with the Firm Vol. 1, they advised, "Beginners, don't use weights." I had 3, 5, and 8 lb dumbbells, took their advice for most of the exercises, but used light weights for exercises like overhead press, lat rows, etc. An absolute beginner could get very sore from using even light weights for some exercises and that might discourage them from continuing. Because I followed the Firm's advice, worked up slowly and consistently, I soon found myself needing to buy heavier and heavier weights and making progress very quickly! I'm sure Cathe's videos will contain similar advice.

BTW, I also still use 3#ers for some shoulder and tricep work!:)
 
I can also remember when I use to workout to workouts that were on t.v, and if you didn't have any weights you could go and grab a couple fo cans from your cupboard.And there is no way a can of soup is even close to a 3 lbs weight
 
Well, I'M starting to feel better! :) :) :) I still use them for some shoulder exercises as well, although I usually start out with 5s and switch if I have to. I was beginning to think something was wrong with me (okay, maybe something IS, but that's beside the point!)--I've been working with weights now for 1.5 years and keep thinking I should be lifting heavier by now!
 
I use 3 lbs. for my shoulders often. Especially since I have had impingement problems in both shoulders when using weights that were too heavy for me. I also enjoy using the lighter weights in high repetition workouts to exhaustion. I have had great definition results using this style of training. Not so with the heavier weights though.....Does not look as good on me.

I have dumbbells in one weight increments thru 10 pounds (and use them) and could probably make some going upwards to 20 pounds (with the barbell set).

Sheila
 
I work with some guys who do pretty heavy lifting and when I said I'm having trouble increasing my shoulder weights, they told me not to go to heavy with shoulder work. These guys have massive shoulders and said they don't go over 10lb for certain exercises. Sometimes 5 lb is heavy especially for rotator cuff exercises and 3 lb will do the trick.
Sharon
 
I never bothered with the 3# well except for shoulder work, I have had them since my teen years and my lil one uses them to workout with me . I have also used them as a heel lift for the BB series
 
The nice thing about weight workouts is that you can always use more of less weight to fit your needs.

I think the use of 3# is non-intimidating to a beginner. And for some exercises (rear shoulder raises and lateral raises) 3# would be almost heavy for a beginner. Also, if these are women who have never hoisted a weight before, they will have enough of a challenge just getting the groove of the correct movement. I think it's important for them to work on correct form before thinking about heavier weights.

And just think how satisfied these beginners will be when they can quite soon increase their weight! (Woo hoo! I can lift more than Cathe!)
 
Hi Wayne! I can only speak for myself but when I first started which was 19 yrs. ago I couldn't handle 5#s for doing all the upper body work that Cathe does. Three #s was enough for me at the time. Cathe is correct in just using these little weights for beginners. She doesn't want to burn them out too soon too fast. You know what I mean? Kathy
 
Wayne, I mean this in the most supportive way possible. That being said ...

There are more than likely a lot of women and men out there who have never worked out with weights before. 3 pounds is nothing to those of us "seasoned" Cathe-ites, but to someone who has never before worked out with weights, it can seem like 50 pounds. I've been there. Granted ... it was many many moons ago, but I have been there. When I started Cathe at the end of July, 2003, I never used anything heavier than 20 pounds. Obviously I'm beyond that, but if were coming to this, looking for a "true" beginner tape, and I wanted to start using weights, this DVD would be perfect. It takes time to work up in weight. Especially if you're a woman, or older. A true beginner is not looking to build mass right away. A true beginner has to start small or risk injury. If a beginner gets injured early in their weight training routine, they may never return. Since that's avoidable, I would hate to think a beginner would read your post and think ..."Gee ... maybe I should pick up a heavier weight or I won't be building mass!!" I hope this makes sense, and you understand what I'm saying.

With all due respect, all a seasoned exerciser has to do is pick up a heavier weight for this workout, and you will still get results.

Carol
:)
 
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