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2008/04/06, 11:44 AM
Hello Everyone! This is my first post. Since New Year's my fiance and I have began a diet/weight training program to lose weight and get in better shape overal. I have had great results. I started at 255 and am currently 225, 30 pounds lost! I have worked out in the past and have a general idea of exercises that I should be doing.
Unfortunately, my fiance hasn't quite seen the same success that I have. She has much less to lose than I do, starting at around 145Tp or 150 (she wont tell me for sure!) and she has lost about 6 or 8 pounds so far.
What I need help with is I have no idea how to design a workout specifically for a woman and was hoping that I could call on the advice of some of you much more experienced folks. To give you and idea, this is basically our workout routine:
Mon:
10 min warmup (usually exercise bike)
4x12 lat pulldowns
3x12 upright barbell rows
3x12 seated rows
4x12 preacher curls
3x12 seated concentraion curls
20 min cardio (elliptical)
Tues:
10 min warmup
4x12 smith machine squat (or leg press)
3x12 weighted step-ups
3x12 leg extension
3x12 leg curl
20 min cardio (exercise bike)
Weds: off
Thurs:
10 min warm up
4x12 bench press machine
3x12 incline or decline machine
3x12 flys
4x12 tricep pushdown
3x12 tricep extension
20 min jog/run on treadmill
Fri: Off
Sat: Off / Occasional bike ride
Sun:
20 min bike
20 min run
400 meter swim (we're planning on a triathlon in September)
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2008/04/06, 12:40 PM
Well, first off, one key thing to remember, the more you have to lose, the more you will lose visually as compared to someone who has much less to lose. Your body will naturally give up more when there is more to give up.
A bit leaner, and your body does not want to give up anything, as it seems to it 'unnatural'. Tell her to keep 'fighting.
Now, a workout specifically for a woman....women tend to do better with higher speed, low rest time type stuff. An ideal is a circuit type training regimine. Have her work to decrease rest times between sets. This in fact if done correctly will rival any cardio work, besides the added benefit of muscular strength.
Bottom line is caloric restriction, and this type of a workout adds well to the diet side by increasing caloric expenditure (translating to increase caloric deficit). Diet now is the caveate, even adding this type of a workout, it may yield initial results due to more calories burned, but if diet is not kept up with (fine tuning it as when you lose weight, maintenance calories will be structured downward obviously), so an addtional caloric restriction must be put into place as you progress to allow continued progress.
You can only exercise so much without it becoming no longer feasible to try to add more, so again you see the need for calorie deprivation.
So concentrate heavily on the diet, let exercise be an extension of this, and results will follow. Bear in mind that getting on a scale daily will lead to frustration, weight loss is not a linear proposition. So, weeks may go by with no noticeable change in the scale, but you will see other things (like clothes fitting better) while the body is being 'primed' so to speak for fat weight loss. Then in maybe 3 weeks you may see a 3 lb. loss on the scale.
So, a long winded answer, but I hope it sheds some light on the 'overall' picture.
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Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer
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2008/04/07, 05:12 PM
Thanks! Lots of good info in there. We have changed our diets quite a bit, going from eating basically anything we wanted to a more balanced healthier diet.
You mentioned that a circuit type training workout would be beneficial for her. The circuits I've done in the past are generally full-body. Can they be broken down into seperate muscle groups for different days (as we're currently doing) or would you reccomend a full-body routine? Also, any tips on how to tackle circuit training in a fairly busy gym. I know it usually requires at least 3 or 4 machines... Thanks again for the help!
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2008/04/08, 08:46 AM
Typically best is the full body routine. It may well be difficult in a gym loaded with people. One trick is to have 2-3 different exercises 'pre selected' mentally. So if you are doing a circuit and the choice'A' is in use, you can do be 'B' and get the same effect.
Best way to proceed with a circuit workout is do one circuit with as little rest as possible between each set, then rest 2-3 minutes between the next circuit. I would suggest starting off with a heavy load bearing exercise, as you will be stronger of course in the beginning. Such as quads. As you progress, you will notice improvement by being able to shorten rest times.
Beware, this is not a workout for the sqeamish, it is difficult and will leave one exhausted. But for burning calories, adding strength, and as rapid gains as possible in the weight loss/health front, it really can't be beat.
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Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer
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2008/04/09, 12:21 PM
You really should not need cardio after this. If done correctly, it more than rivals any cardio bout.
Best results are achieved typically with a lower/upper body type circuit. That is do a leg exercise, followed next by for instance an arm exercise. I like and recommend a heavy large body part followed up with a smaller body part on the next exercise. It is shown that bringing blood flow from the lower to upper body is maximal efficiency in your caloric expenditure.
I would start out with one full circuit covering the full body. This will of course depend on your current fitness level. The next time do one full one again, if you 'feel' it, then go for 2. If not, give yourself a week of just one circuit, then the next week go for 2. The third week try to do 3. Max out with 3, the object from here on in is to reduce your rest periods.
The up and down heart rate is a vital part of this. Again research shows that this is the maximal way for caloric burn and increasing cardiovascular fitness. The beauty of this type regimine as compared to just a cardio workout is gaining muscular strength as well as muscular endurance.
Mind you, you will find this is for the more dedicated, it is not easy and you have to be 'driven' to do it. But do it for a period of time, and you will see results faster than with any split or simply cardio of any kind.
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Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer
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