Please Put My Mind to Rest - Re: Light Weights & Toning?
 

Okay - I realize I've asked this before....however, I'm so frustrated. I'm 56...and have a history of spinal injuries.....and I guess I'm coming to find out that I cannot lift heavy any longer (even though my doc told me not to lift heavier than 10 lbs) -- I do try every once in a while when I get carried away....when my pain subsides long enough for me to work out for brief periods of time.

Anyway, I just had a period like that yet again.....I got caught up doing Lauren Brooks Shut Up and Train and loved it and went heavy "for me" up to 25 pounds and now I'm in so much pain and so spasmed up that I've been having to do yoga for days and in bed late into the day not wanting to get out of bed due to pain......and this is basically the scenario....for when I do this to myself time and time again!!

So short of beating my head against a brick wall....I guess I have to accept that I cannot lift heavier than around 10-12, maybe 15 on occasion.....maybe......

So, can I get toned like this?

Bottom line......if I do TA, Barre and occasionally lift heavier, say 8-10....will I? I need to take care of myself....can't keep doing this!

Definitely yes. There are too many women out there who do not lift heavy weights and some barely lift at all, that are very fit and toned. I truly believe it mostly comes down to how you eat anyway. So yes you can and even it wasn't completely possible, taking care of yourself, I think, is more important than trying to get "toned". Take care of yourself first. Hth:D

I was nicely toned doing nothing but Body Pump (as you know, is low weights/high reps), running, some body weight exercises, and kickboxing. I also watched my diet, as far as portion sizes and getting enough water, fruits, and veggies. I cannot run anymore, so it's trickier to get my lower body to tone up as nicely as the upper body, but I think it can be done.

My point is, don't torture yourself. And tag this thread so you remember to come back to it, in case you try to go over 15 pounds again ;). It's so much better to take care of yourself than to fit into a certain look. I had to come to that point this year. I also had to "take it down a notch". Even though I can physically lift the weights that I want to, my body rebels and shuts down or slows down when I do. It's frustrating, the battle between the mind and the body, but the body is going to win every time.

Absolutely!!

I got quite toned and also, down to my lowest weight & best/highest level of fitness (meaning strength, flexibility/mobility, endurance, cardio health - ie not getting easily winded) by doing lots of "pink FIRM" types of workouts and I never owned a dumbell over 12 lbs.

This is not scientific at all, hehe, but I believe HUGE muscles need heavier weights to "tone up" (ie: quads & glutes) ... but if you do lots of different types of movements w/ weights, I think you can get the same results (ie instead of a lunge try doing a lunge kitty-corner) ... additionally, look at Sandra Koulorides, she is IMHO very fit & toned & athletic looking - she looks healthy & in great shape! And her HoCo workouts are not "heavy weight". Well, when I do them, my body weighs a lot and since it's body weight, I guess that is heavy weight, hehe! But I dont think she uses really heavy weights in a lot of her workouts.

Last thing ... echoing what others have said ... do not discount a clean-ish diet and portion sizes. :heart:

You can get toned, strong, fit using no weights, just body weight.

Compared to the 'old days' of The Firm when I was using heavier weights, I stopped injuring myself when I switched to low weight, high rep DVDs. I remember being shocked when I did one of my first Margaret Richard workouts ("Why is this hard? I'm strong!"). My body looked much better, too.

What is light for you or heavy for you may not be for someone else.

Lora,
I think you can absolutely get in shape lifting lighter weights what you are doing now is counterproductive as you are tearing your body down. My best advice is for you to listen to your Dr. given the nature of your injuries- you don't want to reach the point where you cause further injury and can't do anything.

I say donate those heavier weights and get them out of the house to avoid temptation to ever pick them up again!

Donna

Ditto what Donna says. After I broke my foot in three places wearing shoes that weren't flats, my DS went in my closet and tossed all of the shoes that weren't flats into bags for Salvation Army. Smart kid!

Carol

I lift heavy but from all the new science. I believe if you lift lighter more rep but more of a metabolic speed then yes its good for your muscle and cardiovascular system.

I'm not as old as you but am all about preventing joint issues. I lift heavy for a few months then do nothing but metabolic lifting (stuff like Michele D) and still build muscle

So find something that works for you, its consistency with any type of exercise that gets results.

Yes, do Jari Love Get Ripped and Chiseled and Slim and Lean. You have to do light weights with those because the sets are 4 minutes long. You will definitely see the difference. I don't use anything higher than 10. Maybe 12 on some deadlifts but that's pretty much it. And I do like to lift really heavy. But Jari does it for me.

I got the best arms using barre arm workouts with light weights.Also I heard Tracy Camboli say she doesn't lift over 2 lbs anymore on one of her arm videos since she had an injury.I agree with everyone else,it comes down to diet alot:(