Questions about weight training

[losenotloose]

I've been exercising 3-5 times a week now since January. This is a really big achievement for me as I've never stuck to any exercise apart from walking for more than 6 weeks. The only thing is, I'm disappointed with the results and it's making lose enthusiasm. I started off trying all the different classes (spin, power pump, conditioning etc) until I had a routine of mainly pump and conditioning. I've recently stopped the classes and have been doing weight training at home as I've heard many times that's the way to see results. But I feel all at sea! I've started following the programme in thinner, leaner, stronger but it feels too easy! I want to get ripped but don't know how. Please help me!

You won't get 'ripped' without working very hard for many months whilst also following a very specific diet. If you really want to tone up and gain some muscle definition, go back to the gym and ask one of the PT's to devise you a programme to achieve your goals. BUT be aware that it will take many many months!!

Blobby I'm prepared for it to take a long time, for once I'm in it for the long haul! I can't afford a pt and a one off free session with the gym staff isn't enough. I just don't feel like I know what I'm doing.

A had a one off free session a couple of weeks ago but it's hard to fit in much in an hour. She basically gave me exercises which targeted my glutes.

Which is exactly what a personal trainer is for! You need a personal one on one assessment and discussion of what your goals are. And you afford one session a week? Then do two on your own?

Sadly the gym membership itself is a luxury for me. I've looked up lots of stuff on YouTube but really want a routine I know will be most effective.

To get "ripped" you need low body fat and muscles. What weights are you using? And what's your diet? It needs to be high protein, low carb unsurprisingly. 3-4 times a week for 12 weeks will do it if you train hard enough.

www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Guide-Strength-Training-Guides/dp/140810539X?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

This is a good books for grasping the basic principles. The author has also written a fab book on sports nutrition.

I've just started following the thinner, leaner, stronger programme which is four days a week heavy weights, low reps. Haven't been dieting as not actually overweight but am thinking of going down to 1500 calories a day and having protein powder. I'll have a look at that book recommendation!

To be ripped you need fairly low body fat percentage and A LOT of dedication especially when it comes to food.
Weight training is great for burning calories and dropping body fat but you need to be very strict with your diet. It’s less about calories and more about your macros (so how many grams of protein v carbs v fat you’re eating).
A good PT will be able to help you to set some nutrition goals and design a programme to help you build muscle.
My programme takes me about 45 minutes and that targets my whole body. I log my macros/weight and training daily and see my PT once a month for a review and a new programme. Diet is key though.

Define heavy weights.

Agree with pp, unless you have a lean, slim body type already - and even with this - being ripped is very much about diet as much as training and requires a long term and sustained change to your lifestyle to keep it up. By diet, its not a calorie deficit weight loss one, but the food choices you make to keep up right mix of protein, fat and carbs. It's not easy.

Having said that, you can definitely benefit from qualified PT advice. Check your membership, sometimes they include free or reduced sessions, or look at joining together in a group with others to cut the cost.

Be really wary of you tube/instagram courses, there are good ones out there, but a whole load of unqualified crap too.

If you have a step, mat, weight bar & weight plates you can download the les mills app and do body pump (body power is probably a copy of this) it's an hour full body weights workout. They have body combat for cardio, and a few other workouts. If you don't have that equipment and don't want to buy it (membership to the app is £9.99 a month). You could buy a kettlebell & do kettlebell workouts on YouTube, there a loads on there.
Consistency is the key and diet, as the saying goes you can't out train a bad diet". You can get your daily calorie & protein needs on the JSA (James smith academy) there is a permanent free trial (doesn't give you full access but you get the macro calculator & recipes). Bodybuilding.com also has workouts & tips.

Could you try someone else at the gym? I got results by having a really good programme set up at the gym by someone working there; i could see results within 6 weeks. I wasn’t exactly ripped but could see more definition.
They did me a routine of legs and abs one day and chest, shoulders and arms another day and I went 3/4 times a week. Within each session I did 5 minutes on a bike and 5-10 minutes on cross trainer or stepper. I was told that as I wasn’t trying to lose weight I should do enough cardio to keep me fit but doing too much would undo the benefits of the weights.
If you’ve found a programme to do based on weights then I think you now need to wait and see the results; as others have said diet is also important.

Sorry not 6 weeks, 6 months

As pps have said, diet is key, a good way to start looking at macros etc is also to calculate your TDEE (google it!) And then you should be able to work out your macro ratio.
There is also a blog/site called "a workout routine" which really helped me to devise a good plan - easy to understand and easy to adapt as you get stronger. I saw the best results using his info within a year, yet I had been 'weight training' for a good few years before hand.

Is alcohol a complete no no when on this regime?

I'm not an expert so probably shouldn't be giving advice on this. I've switched from body pump & conditioning to weights & a p/t. I haven't necessarily seen more definition but I know I am stronger in certain areas of my body. I don't think I'll see definition without committing to the correct diet & I just don't think I can make that leap. I do eat healthy & am reasonably slim. I can see my muscles when working out but not at rest. I also think I'm on the borderline for heavy weights, so probably need to up that too.

Maybe it would be helpful for women who have defined muscles to say what they were lifting at the point they started to show?

If you want to put on muscle, you can’t restrict calories. A diet means eating appropriately and not very little. You also need a good amount of carbs to train effectively.

I'm doing 8-10 reps of each exercise and can't manage more so that's heavy for me! For example, I'm deadlifting 37kg which isn't heavy enough but need more weights. I'm doing 30kg bench press. Maybe this isn't heavy but the programme I'm following says to do 8-10 reps to failure then increase weight as you get stronger.

I knew diet was important but I didn't realise you had to be so specific. I'll try and figure out what my macro requirements are. Thanks for all the advice so far.

JoJo the book I've read says you can lose weight and gain muscle at the same time. Although I'm not overweight (5ft6 and 10st 2) surely to lower body fat I'll need to lose some weight? I haven't actually measured my body fat but I'm definitely not 10st of muscle . I'm only lowering to 1500calories a day, not massively restrictive. This is so confusing!

Btw, I did actually pay for a couple of sessions with a pt about 6 months ago and she didn't even talk to me about diet.

8-10 till failure is spot on.

Don’t get too hang up on the macros and it can make people go a bit weird (avoiding meals out etc). The only girl I know that has a permanent six pack, eats normally (with an occasional protein shake) but one of her staple meals is beans on toast ;) If you’re not planning anything competitive, it’s enough to eat healthily: 5 meals a day, very few empty calories, a BIT of protein with every meal and don’t shy away from carbs (eg plain oats, brown rice, fruit etc).

I'm doing 8-10 reps of each exercise and can't manage more so that's heavy for me! For example, I'm deadlifting 37kg which isn't heavy enough but need more weights

My wife deadlifts 100kg. She is the same height as you but about a stone and a half lighter. She is toned, but not "ripped". As has been said, if you want your muscles to show, you need to look at your diet and drastically reduce your body fat.

The only girl I know that has a permanent six pack, eats normally (with an occasional protein shake) but one of her staple meals is beans on toast ;)

Don't underestimate how much genetics play in body shape. It's huge.

37kg deadlift isn't great. If you don't have any more weights try slowing everything down so you have more time under tension.

30kg bench is not bad but you should be at the 40kg + mark. Do you have someone to spot you?

What do you squat?