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.

[lovesadirtylie]

look on you tube:)

[GeneCowan]

[iamaLeafontheWind]

Oh ok, I used to do those in kickboxing, never knew they had a proper name. I'll just add it to the list of things I need to remind my body that it can do, really, two kids later.

[Sleepwhenidie]

I knew that would be your answer re rests Gene, body said NO though . Will keep at it.

Kickboxing tomorrow, my favourite workout..while I love the effect of the weight training it's not really fun! Also I haven't been for a couple of weeks as I was ill then mostly sat around eating cheese and drinking red wine skiing at half term so I have really missed it.

rubberduck if you want to focus on improving your core strength give a TRX a go, nothing else comes close to it IMHO.

How did all of you end up getting into weight training, given that it's not typical "female" exercise? I got a PT a year after having DS1 and he was fantastic, introduced me to proper weight training and gave me a real appreciation for the results it achieves.

[rhondajean]

Yknow, I've just come in from the gym feeling sore anda a bit sorry for my self and this has really cheered me up!

Sleep I do a bit of Thai boxing, not much time just now because I'm doing do many weights but I think I'll book in and go do an hours sparring with a pt soon for a bit of fun.

Split squats - have you tried one legged kettlebell deadlifts? Similar idea.

I got into weights through a programme DH had which I did with him - four weeks later I was half a stone lighter and looking and feeling great! He is actually training to be a pt but I find it easier training with other people cos I take the huff with him if he implies I could do better?

I did go train in the park with him on Friday and as a finisher we used the badminton court ad ran across, did ten situps, ran back, ten squats, all the way down to one. If you can find a space to do shuttle runs, you can pick any two exercises, it's a killer.

For cardio, I do a boxing class, or interval trotting (you couldn't really call it running ) or I put a ŵeights circuit together with lighter weights and belt through it as fast as I can go without losing form. I like the burpee/squat thing - I hate burpees so they must be good for me...

[GeneCowan]

Those of you who use a TRX at home, what do you attach it to? I have been dying to try this for ages and there is not a chance my rubbish gym is ever going to have one installed.

I am doing single legged romanian deadlifts as part of my programme at the moment, but I have to use dumbbells rather than kettlebells. The problem I have a the moment is my grip strength is rubbish. I find towards the end of my workout I am having to use lighter weights than I actually need for the muscle group I am working simply because my hands cannot hold onto the heavier ones for long enough if that makes sense? I suppose this will keep improving with time but it's really frustrating at times.

I got into weights because I was sick of yo-yo dieting in an effort to be slim and failing miserably. I decided to switch my focus to getting strong instead and everything just started to fall into place from there.

Sleepwhenidie I think weight training is fun! I love that each time you train you have a goal to try and improve on what you did last time and the sense of satisfaction when you get that extra rep, hit a new PB is great.

Really nice to find people to discuss this with finally!

[AlpinePony]

sleepwhenidle I'd lost about 7 stone and wanted to get fit, so I got my nerve together and joined a gym and for the first time in my life took them up on their introductory PT sessions. He gave me an enjoyable yet wimpy weights regime.

I found I really enjoyed putting the weights up week after week and then started the Google... And then it kind of all fell in to place - 'free' calorie burning just by simply being present (muscles I mean).

And I'm a skiier and rider, as I said before my posture improved greatly and I had greater core strength and balance across my torso. The muscles in my legs and abs meant that my skiing was better (not technically perhaps, but I had more stamina and confidence). And the horse didn't fuck around as much when I had thighs of steel! ;)

There's also perhaps the fact that I am essentially lazy and uncoordinated. Weights do not require fancy footwork and even if I do my 'full' weights work-out and HIIT I can still be in and out in an hour.

Like so many others I saw bums wobbling week after week on the bikes... And I saw the women on the machines looking sculpted and strong - didn't take too much to put 2+2 together.

As an aside though, I have always been very strong and I build muscle easily, so perhaps this is better suited to my body than a woman who is very, very slight and weighs 6 stone wet.

Oh dear, I'm waxing lyrical about something I can't yet do.

Btw, I would put my almost non-existent baby bumps down to strong abs. My mw told me with number 1 that it was difficult to feel the baby due to the muscle mass.

[AlpinePony]

Ps wrt 'why don't I like/do lunges?' - to paraphrase rhonda I hate them, so they must be good for me! ;)

[Sleepwhenidie]

gene I use a door strap/support that I bought with my trx. You can usually get both for around £100 on Amazon if you keep an eye out. DH has been using it more than me lately because of lack of time to get to the gym, it is making a real difference to his physique, better than weights do in fact.

Wow alpinepony 7 stone? That's amazing, How did you do it, especially before starting to exercise? I bet you still get such a kick out of how different your body must look and feel now, especially when skiing/riding. I do and that was just after losing two stone after DC3. Your comments about observing the wobbly bums on the bikes and the sculpted bodies lifting weights made me nod in recognition...it's amazing to me that other women don't see it too, do you have to sometimes fight the temptation to go up to a woman waving 2kg around and say noooo, you are wasting your time.... try this heavy one...and these exercises! Maybe I am a frustrated PT deep down

[lovesadirtylie]

'do you have to sometimes fight the temptation to go up to a woman waving 2kg around and say noooo, you are wasting your time.... try this heavy one...and these exercises!'

yes frequently, but in reality I think many women are afraid of becoming muscular and looking 'manly'
I also find that alot of women just dont like exerting themselves and dont want to push themselves

[GeneCowan]

I agree about the fear of becoming manly. I lost a couple of dress sizes when I started training (nothing compared with AlpinePony, wow!) and everyone kept asking for the 'secret' but didn't want to know as soon as I mentioned weights. The immediate reaction is always, 'oh no, I just bulk up really quickly, I just want to tone and do exercises which give you long and lean muscles'. I really wish womens magazines would stop using the word 'tone' and explain properly what gaining lean muscle mass means and what it does for you.

Thanks sleepwhenidie have never seen the door anchor before, that is definitely going on my wish list. Such a versatile piece of kit, shows just what you can do with your own bodyweight.

[Sleepwhenidie]

Just make sure you use it strictly according to instructions though gene, not like me when I stupidly put it over a door that didn't close properly and opened towards me....the inevitable happened and I really hurt my bum and head on the patio .

[notyummy]

I actually really rate some of the Jillian Michaels DVDs, but like anything, they only work if you keep pushing yourself and introducing heavier weights. Now because there is a fair few reps and lots of cardio, I struggle with anything more than 5 or 7kg, but when I have mentioned these weights on the Shred threads most people have the same reaction as you have outlined, and appear scared of 'bulking up'. The fact is that a lot of the 'celebrity physiques' that you see must have involved a reasonable amount of weight - even if it is just clever use of your own body weight. I do get frustrated when women tell me that they will 'never be able to do push-ups.' Unless you have a disability you can do push-ups. It may feel bloody hard at first, but you CAN.

[notyummy]

Jillian would approve of this thread. I was doing Bulgarian split squats with her the other day. Ouch.

[lovesadirtylie]

It can take some courage to even go in the 'mens' (ie free weights) section of the gym, it's also an intimidating place for alot of guys

[RubberDuck]

Yes, I agree. I loathe pushups but can now crank out a fair few, avoiding the "girlie" knees version (mainly because I have weak knees and that version HURTS rather than any particular principle ).

My love for bodyweight exercises though comes from chin-ups. I have a door bar and when I started I could barely get myself an inch off the ground. I used to stand on a chair to get up there, then lower myself down until the muscle group got stronger. Built that up to being able to do a total of 18 chin-ups in a session. The feeling of achievement was immense.

The other plus of bodyweight is that it's cheap to do (no expensive equipment needed) and that it's so many little muscles being used as well, unlike machine weights which are very specific and sometimes an unnatural range (especially if you're short) which doesn't help with practical everyday strength. Though I do miss the very obvious tracking of progress you get when you're increasing the weights :)

[lovesadirtylie]

18 chin ups is damned impressive!!
I agree there's alot you can do without gym equipment, I've sometimes used a weighted backpack to add resistance to leg exercises such as lunges & squats

[notyummy]

Many, many years ago (erm.... about 20) I was at University and considering joining the Army as an officer. I went for a 2 day 'taster' session to see what it would involve. It included a circuits session where a female Sgt demonstrated all the exercises....including 10 one armed pull-ups (watching the blokes jaws floor hit the floor must have been a highlight of her day!) A few years later I was watching TV and thought 'I know her!' Turned out that the Army Sgt was....Dame Kelly Holmes.

[notyummy]

Oh yes - I am also impressed by 18 pull ups. I can do 2 on a good day. There is no way DH could do 18. I can do quite a lot of press-ups though. About 45 in 2 minutes at last count....but haven't tried measuring in a while.

[RubberDuck]

I remember being really gutted that I couldn't get it up to 20!

I used this iPhone app to build it up in sets: Twenty Chinups

I probably couldn't manage the full 18 now but I can do about 20 pushups in one set before I collapse, so I've not lost too much upper body strength. As I say, it's my core that's a bit pathetic, though I did manage to do 10 V-sits the other day without ending up curled up in agony with cramp which is a huuuuuge improvement

[RubberDuck]

Oooo notyummy - 45 pushups in 2 mins that is good! I've never timed myself I don't think, and I'm also really quite slow doing them and need a decent pause between sets!

I've been ill today - got horrid sinus headache thing which is making me feel nauseous every time I move my head. Still feel guilty for skipping my exercise though, even though I know it was the only sensible choice.

[GeneCowan]

So impressed by the 18 chin ups, it is my aim to be able to do at least one from a dead hang by the end of this year. I do negatives at the moment like you started out, starting from the up position and then slowly lowering myself. I stopped doing press ups a while ago and have just been doing dumbbell bench press. My new training program calls for press ups and I can barely do any anymore (properly that is, so my chest touches the ground each rep)... shows that one exercise cannot substitute for another. Have had to go back to doing them leaning on the bench to build up the strength again.

[myermay]

i've been following this thread with interest! wow super fit ladies on here

I am trying to loose a stone - i've already lost one. I run 2/3 x 4 mile runs each week plus body pump 2/3 x a week - but would love to get into free weights/kettlebells more, but no idea where to start or what kind of weight to start with. Think i may ask my gym for a kettle bell lesson.

Where do you all get your exercises from? is it magazines, internet?

[lovesadirtylie]

You tube is very good for exercises...I started training around 20 years ago and back then mostly picked up stuff from other people in the gym and body building mags

[Sleepwhenidie]

Hi myermay congrats on your 1st stone loss...re starting training, if possible, a few sessions with a pt, as mentioned earlier in the thread, is a great way to start to give you a basic routine and make sure you understand correct technique, particularly for exercises such as squats and lunges where it is important to get it right and avoid injury. There are also some great books around (Eg New Rules of lifting for women and The Body sculpting bible for women) and magazines such as Bodyfit or Women's Health always have good exercises to try.

I mistakenly ordered two copies of The Body Sculpting Bible recently, if you would like my spare one I'd be happy to send it to you, take a look at it on amazon and if you want it pm me your address.

I am also seriously impressed by your chin ups rubberduck, I can crank out the push ups but chin ups still elude me, I still use the negatives machine (whatever it's proper name is!) must try harder, maybe try it at start of routine rather than end like I usually do [ponder].....