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

[rhondajean]

I'm just looking for a few people who love doing this type of training rather than just running/cycling/swimming.

I do A bit of martial arts too and I've got some friends who do that but I don't know a lot of women who like the weights and resistance bit and it would be nice to know some more.

It's circuits I do rather than powerlifting btw.

Hi before DD my trainer always made me use free weights & kettle bells during sessions. I've only just got back to the gym after 10 months off so I'm now using baby weights again though I've one arm much stronger than the other due to carrying DD around. Popeye on one side, olive oil on the other!!!

I just started doing TRX exercises recently but injured my knee this past week and am on compete rest. I am seeing a specialist on Wednesday and wil shave an MRI scan and am hoping to discuss which exercises I can do, especially n the TRX as it is not weights.

I also run (or did til this week!) and do Body Pump classes, but was starting to do gym sessions where there was no class so was interested in the kettle bells too. Hopefully I willbe backin track soon soapy to hear any tips from you!

Hooray! Hello you two.

Trx is quite new to me. DH just bought it and we were at the park this morning trying some things from the climbing frame while several dogs were very curious about what was going on. Maybe we can swap exercises?

Petesmum you will be surprised how fast your muscles remember. I fear I might be using baby weights. What weight kettle bells does he have you using?

I use free weights and kettlebell most of the time with my trainer.
Currently using 7.5 kg for arms and kettlebell is 8kg.
Love them.

Do any of you do barbell lifts, like deadliest and clean and presses?

I did that as part of Body Pump class. For working your back muscles.

Hi rhonda:) I'm very into free weights/ strength training / bodybuilding type stuff...and like you I've met very few women who have the same level of enthusiasm.
I'm invariably the only women in the 'mens' section of the gym
I think women just see it as a male only activity and just dont go there

I feel like cheering every time I see a woman in the gym doing any kind of serious strength training

Oh! Can I join in? I am very new to weights and feel like I am muddling through. I do enjoy it though, but not sure I am doing it 'right'! Can I pick your brains please?

I am doing it at home though. DH has We have variety of weights and bars but I am just using hand weights and this workout at the moment but am confused by how heavy I am supposed to lift as DH is not here to advise me atm. I can complete all the reps the first time round and could do more, should it be heavier? Any advice would be super welcome . If it should be heavier do I just take break, for example in the second set, and then just go again until I finish all the reps?

I have found it hard to filter the information as mostly people want to sell me their super duper programme/products. I know the answer is in the exercise and nutrition but it's all a bit buried. I have also dropped my carbs and increased protein to help melt the fat and build muscle.

Thanks in advance.

Oh hooray there are more of us!

I've been off training this morning and feeling good except tht my gym is very small and I couldn't get near the smith machine. I've got a twelve week programme and it said to do three sets of chin ups today, but I don't have the upper body strength to do that yet so was going to do pull up/reverse push ups on the smith machine, bit annoyed I couldn't.

Jelli someone with more knowledge might correct me but I was told, if you do three sets, you use a weight that is comfortable the first set, makes you push a little second set, and hurts for the third set. You don't rest in each set, so if you do three sets of twelves you do twelve in a row then rest. If you aren't pushing it and a bit achy afterwards, you aren't working your muscles hard enough.

If you want to build lean muscle, you do more reps, so have to use a lower weight. Your programme says 6-12 reps per set and I'd do the 12, that would mean in order to finish each set you will need to use a lower weight than if you did 6. Does that make sense?

Diet is where I fall down but basically, lots of protein, complex carbs so whole meal everything and leafy veg, drink tons of water, avoid processed foods and eat the rainbow.

I do kettlebells at home and have found some routines on Youtube which I follow. I am amazed how quickly they have strengthened me up. They're fun as well.

Jellibelli 'am confused by how heavy I am supposed to lift ' if the programme says do 10 reps then you should use a weight that you can manage 10 reps with, if you can only squeeze out 6 reps the weight is too heavy.
If you can do 15 reps the weight is too light.

Generally if you can do more than 15 reps the weight is too light for strength training purposes.

Take a break of a minute or 2 between sets.

Make the first set a lighter high rep set..acts as a kind of warm up prepares your body for the heavier sets.

Hope that makes sense! :)

rhonda 'If you want to build lean muscle, you do more reps, so have to use a lower weight.'
all muscle is lean muscle, perhaps you mean that using lighter weights will make it more of a cardio workout so that you'll burn fat at the same time?

Generally the heavier the weight/lower the rep range the more muscle you will build.
But women dont gain muscle in response to strength training to the same degree that men do...you wont get 'hench'

This is reading too many fitness magazines I was meaning the difference between lean muscle and bulking up which seems to be the terms they use?

Lovesa explained it much more clearly than me.

hmm, I'm thinking what you're getting at is the difference between a lean and toned physique and a 'bulkier' more muscular physique?

Very few women have the genetics achieve a high level of muscularity..so I'd suggest using heavier weights, it's good for your bones and you'll get stronger more quickly

I'm always curious as to what other women class as heavy weights? I know I can't keep up with the boys so I don't really have anyone to compare to.

I'm all for going as heavy as you can, but I think the high reps are good too?

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

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 )

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'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

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

Ahhh Lovesa I get you now. I usually do 8-12 reps with something that makes me grunt terribly the latest two (I am not very ladylike in the gym, I'm usually refaced and sweaty and making strange noise!). Does that sound about right?

I love the sound of the baby bell.

Cornish, I use between 12 and 20k kettle ell for strength work and a 8 if I do the kettle bell cardio class at my gym, but it would depend on your own strength and how long you've been training etc. I'm a bit wary of kettle bells now as the only proper injury I've had was when I did a swing and it went one way and my back refused to follow, it is a very old injury from over reaching trying ti catch a vase that flares up from time to time though and probably my own fault for not stretching properly.

Baby Bell dvd :)

yep that sounds about right to me Rhonda! :)

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

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