Advice needed regarding weight training

[Crazyladee]

Hi

I'm probably a stone over my ideal weight and I'm not dieting as such but I'm trying to cut down on portion sizes and cut out the crap. I am a typical pear shape so I'm very small up top and have a small waist but flabby thighs, knees, and bum. My stomach is okayish.

I'm a member of a gym and always just stuck to cardio.. Although I hate it. However I've recently through poring over stuff via the Internet, decided to base my gym routine over focusing on weight training rather than cardio.. And I have to say I am enjoying it a lot more.

I do a warm up on the cross trainer and then on all the weight machines for the upper body. I then do another 5 minutes on the cross trainer to keep my heart rate up and then do all the weight machine exercises for the lower body. I do 3 or 4 sets of 12 reps on each exercise. The whole routine lasts about 50 mins which is enough for me.

My question is does that routine look okay? And is it true that if you exercise your bigger muscles whether you need to focus on that muscle or not, you burn the most calories? On my upper body I am using the chest press and fly which as my upper body is already quite skinny, I am only focusing on that area due to what I've read about those muscles burning the most calories.

Hope this all makes sense!

I should add if anyone mentions it that I can't afford a personal trainer as they charge £45 per hour. The gym also don't do any induction programmes either.

Do you just use the weight machines? Without knowing the names of each exercise it’s extremely hard to judge exactly what muscle groups you are doing. Do you use any free weights eg a lateral raise with dumbbells? Or squat, pull ups,

Warming up and cooling down on the cross trainer isn’t wise you need to actually activate the muscles your going to be working by gently stretching and foam rolling use a lacrosse ball to activate too.

That’s quite a lot of sets, you may need to check you can lift a bit heavier. The last rep on each set has got to be almost to the point that you can’t lift it (but can!)

Have you got any back specific machines like Lat Pulldown or Row/rear fly?

Yes they are all weight machines in a kind of circuit as opposed to using free weights. I am too chicken to enter the free weight area!

The machines I use are

For upper body, chest flys, lateral pull downs, shoulder press and tricep machine.

For lower body, leg press, glute trainer machine and both of the hip machines ( can't remember the names but the ones that does your glutes and upper/inner thighs by opening and closing your legs. (In a very undignified fashion)

Strongbeatsskinny

I have read that stretching a cold muscle is dangerous as can lead to injury.

The warm up on the cross trainer is just to raise my heart rate.

Been a coach many years and I’ve never heard such lunatic idea you stretch before and afterwards. Think you’ve been mis informed without a proper warmup your heading for injury trust me I’ve seen it with clients and it’s a recipe for disaster in more ways than one.

⬆️ Utter crap- there is very little evidence that stretching before exercise prevents injury. The cross trainer is absolutely fine for a warm up as it’s mobilising a lot of joints (although I’d make sure you travel on it using both forward and backward motion). It’s low impact and if it’s getting your heart rate up then it’s fine for you now. As you get stronger you may want to move onto the rower, which is another great all rounder.

The circuit you’ve got is good for targeting the big muscle groups and using the machines does help keep good form whilst performing the move but there will be a limit- more so the boredom factor before you hit the max weight on there!! If you have time and the machines are there I would add the leg curl for hamstrings and add another back exercise because there are bigger muscles in your back than your chest and these need to be stronger to help with the rotation of the shoulders (our ‘slouched’ posture most of us have!)

I would suggest down the line getting a pt just for freeweight instruction, some training ideas and checking your technique on some of the important exercises such as squats and deadlifts as these are high risk for injury. Free weights are much better for training but only if you’ve got the technique, it’s a shame (and slightly dangerous) your gym doesn’t have even this basic of instruction!!

As for stretching...well the mantra for rehab after injury is lengthen then strengthen so in my experience during your stretching routine I would pay more attention to the hamstrings (as these are an under-utilised muscle group), the hip flexors and calf muscles as these are areas I see most injuries or pain. Also once you’re confident with your routine I would have a look at glute activation techniques as this muscle group is your power house but we just don’t do enough with them. They assist the hips and lower back but if they’re not strong enough then the back and hips over compensate resulting in niggly injuries.

It’s great that you’ve taken time to research into your workout, so many people don’t and wonder why they’re not getting results!!

First of all the op has already stated she can’t afford personal training. Although in the long run I do think for technique and correct execution of each excercise benefits the novice. In preventing injury and forming bad habits.

I have a sports and science degree alongside nutrition aspects. I’m no run of the mill PT you find in the commercial gyms. I’m not a £45 an hour coach either my price tag is far higher.

So all my clients are advised and shown an excellent warm up program that opens up your body for the excercise ahead go take a look at Joe Defranco limber 11 over on you tube the 20 minute version. Opens up the hip frexors and yes limbers up the muscles which you’d recruit in lower body excercise.

Thank you both for your suggestions.
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Strong* I hope I didn't offend with me querying the stretching cold muscles. I read an article in muscle and fitness magazine plus I have heard it from a previous personal trainer. I do appreciate there is a lot of conflicting information online though.

The reason why I love the weight machines as oppose to free weights is firstly due to the set up of the gym, the free weight section is in an area dominated by muscular men strutting around the place. And to a novice, it's very daunting! The other reason is I very badly injured my back a year ago from moving a piece of furniture that bizarrely was not particularly heavy. Cue me being in agony stuck on the floor literally unable to move! I'm left with a weakness in my back so I am scared to death of using incorrect form and find the weight machines assist with this. For example the leg press which is my favourite machine, is a great alternative to me struggling to get the correct form whilst squatting using a barbell or dumbells.

Killer thanks for the useful information in your post. I will continue with the elliptical but use the backwards motion as well as forwards as you have suggested. I'll also incorporate the rower too.

Sorry for the bold fail in my previous post! What a mess!

What Killer said. Really there is so much rubbish out there about stretching. But pre-stretches have no evidence to support them. In fact, for over a decade studies have shown that there has been a lot of evidence that cold and/or static stretching pre- workout has a negative/tightening effect on muscles.

So go ahead, warm up on the cross trainer, do some static stretches after your workout for the the bits you need to, Killer's list is a good one - I have to take special care of my Achilles because of a gait imbalance - Look up dynamic stretches and make them part of your warm up. And, if you can, save up some money for session/s with a trainer for some more in depth/specific help.

I have a few decades under my belt too, masters in exercise and health, specialising in the unfit and overweight, with lots of sub clinical/post rehab client hours and lecturing years too - just for the Top Trumps game, you understand

Absolutely no offence taken and I fully understand why you won’t enter the weights room. However it’s a room with people in there mainly men I know the scenario well. They are in there to train and some will be just getting on with thier workout. Others well I’d need blinkers on because their form is shocking lifting weights that’s too heavy for the exercise they are doing which will lead to an injury eventually.

Even with the machines eg weighted row or a lay pull down the most common machines for poor execution are that people don’t lock themselves into the excercise you are only meant to be moving your arms and squeeze the muscles. Leg press again if you don’t lock your butt into the seat or if your knees aren’t in-line you could twist your hip or back.

You’ve stated in your last post about an injury to your back I’d work on strengthening your back and glutes ( bottom) for at least six months glute bridges and back extension highly recommend. All my clients have a full biomechanics body assessment so I can help them to achieve their goals safely as possible when I’m not with them.

I don't look like I should be in the free weights section either (middle aged, over weight, etc) and felt like you, but was persuaded in by a PT. I love it now, and can feel it making such a difference.

Don't be nervous about the big muscle men - in my experience, when they talk to you, it is always to offer advice and encouragement, I've never had any negative comments.