loveweary11 Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Maybe we should be defining the following to continue the discussion? Weights: What are we talking about, exactly? Size, Reps, Diet: The most important part. As Emigma points out, it changes what "weights" do. if in a huge calorie deficit, nothing is building. Agreed. Woman: Average build? Husky build? Naturally thin? Various levels of hormones exist in individuals. Ones that need upper lip waxing maybe need to avoid weights? Yoga: Can easily provide the resistance weights do while exercising more muscles at once with less isolation. I have a feeling we ar all talking about different situations. Link to post Share on other sites
introverted1 Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Maybe we should be defining the following to continue the discussion? Agreed. Weights: What are we talking about, exactly? Size, Reps, I mix it up. I do one day of 5x10, one of 10x3, and one of 8x6. Different fibers respond to different set/rep ranges. Diet: The most important part. As Emigma points out, it changes what "weights" do. if in a huge calorie deficit, nothing is building. Agreed. Yes! You can't out-train a bad diet. Weight-lifting is a supplement to an on-point eating plan and healthy weight, not a substitute for either. Woman: Average build? Husky build? Naturally thin? Various levels of hormones exist in individuals. Ones that need upper lip waxing maybe need to avoid weights? Meh, there is less difference in build than people would like to believe. But yes, this goes to the issue I touched on befre -- using weights to balance out imbalances. Before I started lifting I already had well-defined glutes and calves (likely from years sprinting in high school) but my quads lagged. Weight lifting let me bring my lower body into balance. Yoga: Can easily provide the resistance weights do while exercising more muscles at once with less isolation. I've done yoga. I like yoga. But it's not a replacement for weights. Nor are weights a replacement for yoga. I should add that, the older we get, the harder it is to maintain let alone grow muscle and the more important weight lifting is. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
dichotomy Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Agreed. I've done yoga. I like yoga. But it's not a replacement for weights. Nor are weights a replacement for yoga. I should add that, the older we get, the harder it is to maintain let alone grow muscle and the more important weight lifting is. Yep...Agree. I need both in my life as I age. Link to post Share on other sites
hasaquestion Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 You don't have to lift and build muscle and look like a dude...just enough to get toned - that's what I strive for. I don't wanna look like a Serena Williams, that's a bit much for me. Not that this is you, but nothing cracks me up more than when women say they don't lift weights because they don't want to have big, bulging muscles. Honey, you could lift all the weights in the world without ever looking butch. Oh, and if you were somehow able to 'accidentally get too big', marketing and selling your system would make you a millionaire. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
thefooloftheyear Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Not that this is you, but nothing cracks me up more than when women say they don't lift weights because they don't want to have big, bulging muscles. Honey, you could lift all the weights in the world without ever looking butch. Oh, and if you were somehow able to 'accidentally get too big', marketing and selling your system would make you a millionaire. This is really not 100% true... Id guess that Serena Williams probably has more quality lean muscle mass than a good percentage of the weenie guys that inhabit most gyms these days... And I don't even think she has any kind of weight training regimen... Point is yes, some women can put on muscle mass...No, they wont be Phil Heath, but there are mesomorph body type women out there that can put on muscle mass... TFY.. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
loveweary11 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Good thread. So many variables here, I'm not sure I even have an opinion anymore. Seems like the answer to OP's question is: "it depends" lol 1 Link to post Share on other sites
hasaquestion Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 This is really not 100% true... Id guess that Serena Williams probably has more quality lean muscle mass than a good percentage of the weenie guys that inhabit most gyms these days... And I don't even think she has any kind of weight training regimen... Point is yes, some women can put on muscle mass...No, they wont be Phil Heath, but there are mesomorph body type women out there that can put on muscle mass... TFY.. Well I didn't mean literally. No sh*t women CAN become incredibly strong. My point is you aren't going to look in the mirror one day and say 'oh sh*t my muscles accidentally got too big!' That's not something you will ever have to worry about. Unfortunately it stops many people from trying it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 OP, I'm fairly new to weights as well but FWIW, the first few times I tried I got pretty bad pain in my shoulders the next day as well. I did some research on technique and watched myself in the mirror, realized my technique wasn't right and altered it. After that I don't get that pain anymore, just a bit of soreness in the right places (the good kind of soreness, not a sharp pain). If you're in a group class, it's highly likely that the trainer can't watch everyone's technique all the time. I know personal trainers are expensive, and it's not the kind of money I would want to fork out either (so I don't). But watching some reputable videos online and watching yourself as you do it can help. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
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