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Old 05-11-18, 02:55 PM  
Pippadog
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK
Weight Training Advice

Hi all

I'm looking for some advice on my present training. For the past three months I've been going to the gym to workout, to have access to heavier weight and access the equipment. Anyway I'm quite pleased with the results, although my appetite has gone through the roof and I still can't get into my jeans lol.

I go to the gym every other day and do splits of leg day, back, bicep and shoulder day and chest/tricep day. Presently I've been trying to increase my strength, so I've been doing 8 reps of each exercise for 4 sets. Leg day is as follows:
Squats with smith machine 4 sets of eight reps.
Deadlifts with barbell 4 sets of 8 reps.
Split lunges (with my leg balanced on the bench) using d/bells again 8 reps 4 sets.
Sumo Squats using a heavy dumbbell again 4 sets/8 reps.
Leg press on the machine, leg extension and leg curl.
Finally I'll finish off with calves.

I know it seems overkill but its been quite achievable. I can't lift that heavy but I try to lift my maximum for the 8 reps.

I've done something similar for the other split days. Keeping at the 8 rep range for 4 sets. Anyway I am thinking I need to change things up as I've been doing this for three months. I want to maintain my strength, someone at the gym suggested rounds of 5 reps for 5 sets to gain strength, but I'm not sure.

My question is do I need to change my rotation? Or can I continue at it and lift heavier as I get stronger? Also what should my rest time be between sets? About 1 minute or longer? I've done cardio on the other days like Cathe live, Hiit training and step workouts. I have one day rest a week. I feel a lot stronger and my shoulders and back are a lot more defined, however my butt is still cellulite city lol. I think I need to really monitor my portion sizes.

I wouldn't mind doing another round of sts but I'm a little worried I'll lose my strength when switching to meso 1 for four weeks. What do you all think.
Anyway sorry for the long post but I know how knowledgeable all you people are so I wondered if I could ask you advise.

Thanks
Laura
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Old 05-11-18, 04:54 PM  
Pratima
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A couple of things come to mind as far as helping you build strength/go heavier. First, you might consider doing only 3 sets of 8 reps rather than four. Second, you could try pyramids like in Cathe's Pyramid workout. Start with a heavy weight and do 8 reps. Rest, then get a lighter weight and do 10, then go lighter still and 12 reps.

You could also do what your gym suggests and do 5 rounds of 5 reps but I'm all for efficiency and that sounds like it could take a while!

Basically, to build strength, you need to do fewer total reps and go even heavier.

One other thing--I don't recall where, but I remember seeing that when you're trying to build strength, shorter intense cardio workouts (like HIIT) are best. Meaning, they won't wear you out or take away from your weight workouts, if that makes sense.
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Old 05-12-18, 04:12 AM  
Pippadog
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK
Hi Pratima

Thank you for replying. Yes I like the idea of pyramid strength training. Also I am leaning towards the 5 reps/ 5 sets idea. I do try and incorporate HIIT training on cardio days. Also I've been trying to do some yoga from udaya on the evening.

I do think I need to be more accountable with my nutrition and monitor what I'm eating. But its difficult when you love all things that are chocolate related lol.

Laura
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Old 05-12-18, 01:57 PM  
wishiwasinhawaii
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: NJ
I have the same issue. I like to lift heavier also and like the way I feel when I do, but I don't get the same visible results I used to when I was younger. I'm sure my love of chocolate has something to do with the lack of visible results, but I'm not sure that I can completely blame it on that because I think a lot of it has to do with being over 50.

I'm doing RIPT90 FIT now and love the program, so I'm just going to continue with it and do my best to cut back on the junk. I am trying an experiment where I substitute my usual sugary chocolate with dark chocolate and cacao that has no added sugar. That way, I can add a little sugar if I want to and I'm hoping it won't be as unhealthy. We'll see.
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Old 05-12-18, 02:27 PM  
Pippadog
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: UK
Hi

Yes I have RIPPED90FIT I was looking at the first dvd the other day. It seems a good solid weight workout. I also love chocolate and I'm going to try quitting it for a few weeks. I was looking at the paper workouts on bodybuilding.com and it seems they charge you now for the old paper workouts, which is disappointing. I think I might persevere with my present rotation and try to increase my weights as I get stronger.

Laura
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Old 05-12-18, 02:57 PM  
wishiwasinhawaii
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pippadog View Post
Hi

Yes I have RIPPED90FIT I was looking at the first dvd the other day. It seems a good solid weight workout. I also love chocolate and I'm going to try quitting it for a few weeks. I was looking at the paper workouts on bodybuilding.com and it seems they charge you now for the old paper workouts, which is disappointing. I think I might persevere with my present rotation and try to increase my weights as I get stronger.

Laura
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I don't think it's the chocolate, it's all the sugar that's in it. I highly recommend RIPT90 FIT.
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Old 05-13-18, 07:16 AM  
Pat58
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Have you ever tried Body for Life? Your library probably has 20 copies of it. I did his gym style workouts back in the day and had great results.

You alternate splits days with 20 minute HIIT days. Bill recommends several sets pyramiding up, then the final set with light weight at higher reps to burn out the muscles. I did the HIIT days on the elliptical. BFL has good instructions for HIIT.

That might shake things up for you.
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Old 05-14-18, 10:47 AM  
Hazel Porter
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Colorado
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pippadog View Post

My question is do I need to change my rotation? Or can I continue at it and lift heavier as I get stronger? Also what should my rest time be between sets? About 1 minute or longer? I've done cardio on the other days like Cathe live, Hiit training and step workouts. I have one day rest a week. I feel a lot stronger and my shoulders and back are a lot more defined, however my butt is still cellulite city lol. I think I need to really monitor my portion sizes.
First, I'd say, yes, you need to change your rotation AT LEAST every 3 months. Not only do your muscles adapt to the stresses you're putting on them, becoming more efficient (and therefore slowing down your progress), but the potential for overuse injuries increases if you're never changing the stimulus.

Second, do you want to maintain the strength you've gained or get even stronger? If the first, I might suggest going to a slightly higher rep range (3 sets of 16 or 4 sets of 12) with a little less weight and a little less rest between sets (or some 30- or 45-second cardio bursts in between sets). If you want to increase strength, then yes, a 5 x 5 program with more rest in between sets would be good for that.

As for rest, I prefer to go by how my body feels rather than the clock. Am I ready for another set? Sometimes I'll start to soon on the next set and think "nope, not ready" and rest and stretch a bit longer.

Another thought: how is your body holding up to the program you're on now? You might consider changing up the split you use -- back/triceps, chest/biceps, legs/shoulders, for example. I've also liked splitting my leg days into a quad day and a glute/hamstring day.

One thing I'd recommend before you start in on any new rotation though (and in between every period of more intense training) is a week off from heavy lifting entirely -- do some lighter metabolic stuff, cardio, yoga, etc.

HTH!!
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Old 05-14-18, 10:59 AM  
KateTT
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Hi Laura!
I, personally, would move on to STS. I don't think you will lose strength - just go as heavy as you can in each Meso. If you are going as heavy as you can for those 8 reps, I think that's perfect. I would rest about a minute in between sets although Cathe has you resting about 90 seconds to 2 minutes in Meso 3.

I just finished 3 months rotation of STS last week and am planning to incorporate the heavy weights I used in some of my upcoming workouts. Just depends on how many reps.
I'm actually moving towards more metabolic workouts over the next couple of weeks just to shake things up.
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Old 05-14-18, 11:29 PM  
janice
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: South East Asia
on this topic....

Interesting read (and links to follow) :

https://bayesianbodybuilding.com/why...rain-like-men/
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