Does anyone else enjoy doing weights/kettle bells/trx training?

Can I join please? I think I might be the only woman in the free weights section at my gym too.

sleepwhenidie I do 'finishers' after my weights workout sometimes instead of an HIIT session. Two of my favourites, (no that's the wrong work, perhaps most effective would be more appropriate!) are Cosgrove's leg matrix:
24 squats, 24 alternating lunges, 24 jumping lunges, 24 jumping squats. Rest for twice the length of time it takes you to do and then repeat... you will cry!

Another good one is to pick a weight you can do 10- 15 reps of a goblet squat with. Do 10 burpees (squat thrust with a jump at the end) and one goblet squat, 9 burpees & 2 squats, 8 burpees & 3 squats.... you get the picture.

AlpinePony any reason why you can't do lunges? If not then I think they are a fantastic exercise for your legs, so many different variations, there is definitely no machine substitute.

sleepwhendie for me just generally HIIT running, I say running which is perhaps an overly-generous word. ;) There's a Serena Williams/Nike podcast I use which I love, she says something like 'now I want you to really turn some heads with your speed' - oh dear. But I often do one minute on, one minute off and if I'm wanting a bit more I ramp up the incline on the treadmill.

foxinsocks my husband is setting up a weights bench in our spare room yay! Will be able to grab 15 mins here and there when a real gym trip is not possible.

rhonda I will take a look at that website thank you.

Has anyone got any advice re: lunged - is there an alternative or are they a necessary evil?

Hi, can I join too ? I regularly lift weights, recently took up kickboxing and also own the evil piece of kit that is the trx for when I can't get to the gym or dojo or bring myself to run in the cold/rain .

I swear by the effects of heavier free weight training and high intensity interval training and like others, often find myself the only female in the free weights corner of the gym. It is so hard to convince other women of it though, so many are fixated on hours of cardio and maybe lots of light weight high rep rubbish .

I include clean and press in my routine and also am trying to do more plyometric stuff like jumping lunges with light weights and squat and jump over a step to try and make my gym routine more cardio intensive IYSWIM? What cardio do you other weight lifting regulars do?

Pokes nose in door

So, should I splash on a brief personal trainer so I make sure my technique is right? Just getting back into proper training but never concentrated on weights before, however being able to train without leaving the house appeals. Where's the best place to start?

Ds likes doing weights too. I wish we had a bigger house because I'd get a proper set for home!

Alpine 'it's hard to wipe the smirk off my face when I watch a man get on a machine I've just vacated and lower the weights. By half! ;)'
dont you just love love love having the power to emasculate
(oops! my mistandrist tendencies are peeking through)

I do martial arts and have tried various strength training programs including kettlebell, have enjoyed them all.

Currently, I'm using UFC Trainer on XBox which is mostly bodyweight exercises but you can add weights in on some of them. I thought I was fairly fit when I started but the program put me on "beginner" and I have rapidly discovered my core strength sucks The Kinect bit is a bit crap - often get frustrated when it doesn't properly register the movement - but I'm getting decent exercise with it and have noticed the difference in Krav class with my overall fitness. I do like the variety in routine that I don't have to think about as well.

Yay! I've found my women! :)

I love weight training although am just 6 days post cs so not good to go for a while yet.

I'm in the heavier/fewer reps camp.

Reasons I love weights:

1. early morning sessions leave me feeling powerful/invincible all day
2. the change to my bodyshape is fast and dramatic and I find that it works well to promote an hourglass shape
3. it's hard to wipe the smirk off my face when I watch a man get on a machine I've just vacated and lower the weights. By half! ;)
4. massive mental health boost
5. I feel physically strong and healthy
6. it improves my posture
7. regular bowel movements
8. triceps

Oh I can't wait to get back to the gym. I sorted out all my gym podcasts last week - chomping at the bit a bit eh?

There's a good app called 'ifitness' which I use for weight exercises at home and new ideas. You can click on a muscle and it shows you exercises/weight routines!

I love weights and do a weight circuit every time I go to gym.

I pile on muscle v v quickly though so have to be careful otherwise I look like Arnie in no time! So I tend to do a weight category lower than I can manage to tone muscle rather than build.

I sometimes do free weights but not often.

9weeks after CS & 10months of no gym work at all, I'm using 5-6kg on hand weights & 6-7kg on kettlebells but no big swinging movements yet as that puts too much strain on my abs.
Bizarrely that exercises that make my CS muscles work hardest are tricep pushdowns! I've always had weedy triceps & hated training them so I suspect it's more poor technique and I'm using my entire body in the movement rather than triceps must practise more!
NB I am working out with a PT who's put my programme together with input from a physio & GP as I know exercising within 12 weeks of a CS is frowned upon!

I wanted to start weightlifting just before I fell pregnant. I'll have to put it on hold for a while now.

Hi! I've been thinking of starting this thread! I don't use kettlebells but I am very into strength training, been doing it just over a year, Louise Rogers is my idol! not that I look ANYTHING like her.....
I need to figure out my cardio as I hate it at the moment. and my diet I am such a sugar addict and that isn't good for muscle! :s

yep that sounds about right to me Rhonda! :)

Baby Bell dvd :)

I fancy trying with a kettlebell. What weight do people use?

I'm a beginner but really like my kettlebell (9kg) exercise.

I was doing the Kettleworx dvd but as I'm 4 months pregnant I had stopped doing that dvd.

I am waiting for my new Baby Bell, a pregnancy kettlebell dvd, which should arrive some point next week. So in the meantime I am just doing small amounts of walk/running, rowing and basic swings, cleans and presses with my kettlebell. Plus eating tons of chocolate

hey mr Jelly, have a browse on you tube, there's loads of vids that will give you tips on weight training.
Cardio & weights is a good way to shape up!! :)

I love the idea of weight training and truly believe it gives you a lovely shape - unfortunately I am a bit of a novice and blunder along doing what I have always done so I don't think it works that well

Basically I do a weights routine on weights machines at the gym twice a week (2 sets of between 9-12 reps depending on the machine/weight) on 7/8 machines depending on how much time I have.

I do lift more than some men as I quite often put the weights up when following a man on the machine.

However, I am overweight so my muscles just look big

Would love to do kettlebells but have absolutely no idea what to do with them so daren't pick them up in the gym. I watch the personal training sessions that go on at the gym and they look fab - lots of weights/kettlebells etc - but just can't afford to pay extra on top of my gym membership.

I also do 4-5 cardio classes a week (mainly to aid my weight loss attempts and plus I love them )

by heavy I mean heavy relative to your own strength.
So heavy would be a weight you can handle for 5-8 reps, light is a weight you can do higher reps with.

generally speaking heavier weights will get the job done quicker, really if you can do more than 15 reps there's not much point from a strength training perspective