My recent experience with strength training and NOT "bulking" (long)

[Kimmigirl]

Hey ScooterChick,

Congratulations on finding what works for you! I wanted to ask, what is your body type ( pear, apple etc.) ?

Kim

[ScooterChick]

I'm definitely not an apple. I'm also not one of those super skinny like a rail people. I'm more toward the pear side of things, but I feel I'm generally well proportioned and gain weight mostly evenly around.

[While my thighs have always been my little guide as to how well I'm doing, I'm always pretty happy about the comparisons my butt gets to J-Lo's!]

[Kelly B]

Thank you for posting that. I've been thinking for a long time that too doing too much cardio was actually hindering my weight loss than helping it. But then I would read these how these ladies here would do an hour or more of super intense cardio and THEN lift weights on top of that and I felt like "geez, I guess that's what it takes to get in shape." Wrong. For me anyway. I've been doing 25-minute cardio sections followed by weights and my weight loss has been coming along much faster than the days of killing myself with 2 hours of workouts a day, 6 times a week.

It's refreshing to hear that every "body" is different and that you can achieve results taking a slightly different path. Congratulations and good luck.

Kelly

[desie]

I probably have no business saying anything since lifting heavy works for me too, but I also believe that a "change" in activity that's really challenging for me is what really makes my body react. When I start a new fitness activity, if it's hard for me and I haven't done it before, I see results. I guess I'm a true blue cross-trainer if anything. Desie

[Daphne M]

Originally posted by Kelly B
I would read these how these ladies here would do an hour or more of super intense cardio and THEN lift weights on top of that and I felt like "geez, I guess that's what it takes to get in shape." Wrong.

Kelly

Hey Kelly, it sounds to me as if you've already figured this out, but I just wanted to point out -- as one of those ladies who regularly does long sessions of intense cardio -- that a lot of us whose cardio workouts seem a little over the top are working out for reasons other than weight loss or general fitness. I think there are some people who just like to test their endurance. I know I am one of them. That's where marathoners, triathletes, swimmers and many other endurance athletes come from. I'm not of that caliber, but I guess I have that same stubborn desire to test my limits. I don't think anyone should have to work out for that length of time to achieve health/fitness/weight loss goals.

It makes me cringe to think that others might feel they have to regularly perform feats of VF endurance. You don't! You don't! But for those who are crazy enough to want to do it, you've got plenty of company on this site.

[sly]

My experiences are similar to yours, ScooterChick, except that I don't use any machines. I pretty much stick to dumbbells, barbells, ball-work, and some floorwork.

Also, I like to work in as much functional fitness as possible. For example, I do a fair amount of ball-work, such as situps and pushups on the ball. I also do planks several times a week. I like how Cathe includes corework with her lifting in S&H. She angles her body when she lifts to put more stress on her core.

I like Krista Smash's Web site. Sometimes, I also go to other Web sites, such as Dave Draper ( .http://www.davedraper.com/ )and Paul Chek ( http://www.chekinstitute.com/index.cfm ) for ideas.

[Kelly B]

Another thing I forgot to mention is that some of the cardio (I've recently gotten into Christi) is just so darned fun, of COURSE you want to keep going and going.

But thanks for adding your thoughts. For now, my goals are weight loss-related. Who knows, once I get down to my goal weight, I may want to test my endurance levels on a regular basis too.

Take care.

Kelly

[Gibbee]

I agree with Scooterchick on the bulking issue. I kept 'bulking' up at first until I eliminated late night snacks and just increased the weights and off came the weight. Everyone's different, but it seems a few of us have had some significant success with weights and weight loss. But I sure wouldn't want to try to keep up with some of you heavy duty steppers! (Not that my knees would let me...)

[ScooterChick]

Regarding cardio...I like cardio, but I definitely don't like doing much of anything for more than an hour. (but hats off to those who do!) One other thing is I do cardio and lifting during completely different sessions. I can't really go for it for either lifting/cardio if I was going go for it with other one right afterwards. Even though I'm not doing much cardio, when I do, I want it to feel effective. When I'm done with a PT session, I feel spent, and my HRM says I've burned about 300 calories. WHen I'm done with a cardio session, I'm a little redfaced from pushing on my anaerobic threshold. So I can't do both right after each other.

Also, when I was doing all the yoga/dance/pilates along with strength and cardio, I felt like I was spread too thin. I wasn't getting good at any one thing, even if it was fun. It was also complicated to juggle all the different class possibilities and schedules. So now I feel like I simplified my workout life, and I'm focusing on getting in the best shape I can be in, instead of focusing on "doing it all."

Anyway, this is just one Chick's story. (It sounds, though, like there are lots of other folks who have benefitted from heavy lifting.)

[junemom]

...I just want to chime in with my own, similar, experience. I did the Firm 90 day at the beginning of the year and increased my endurance immensely, my resting heart rate went down, but although it wasn't my goal to get smaller, I didn't get smaller at all, I guess my "size" stayed the same, if not a bit bigger (eating issues).

Now I have been doing strictly Cathe for 7 weeks, as heavy as I can using the PS series and now slow and heavy, keeping the weight training and cardio seperate, and I am having the same reaction: I'm getting smaller, and my clothes fit better.

I have to say that I truly believe the benefits of heavy weight training (and let me qualify: I'm not lifting as heavy as scooterchick but as heavy as I can) in terms of functional fitness, as well as bone building and keeping my metabolism cooking, far outweigh any concerns I might have about bulking up.

Like Scooterchick, I do notice some swelling, but it is temporary. I guess I don't think that concern about bulking should prevent anyone from enjoying the benefits of heavy lifting!

Christine