Muscle Training Question.

[Sparkly Eyes]

How do I get stronger muscles without increasing their size? I think I have big muscles, but they are not as strong as they should be. How do I go about weight training so that my muscles stay the same size? Or should I just do cardio and don't mess with weights?

 

Thanks.

[Cheeks18]

Try doing 10-15 reps of the weight your capable of doing that amount of reps at. Cardio wont make you stronger, it will build your endurance, and help lose fat.

[guynextdoor]

You should incorporate free weights in your training. You won't get bulky. Work your way up on the weights, like a pyramid. More reps with the lighter weights and each time you increase you do less reps. GL

[Sparkly Eyes]

Try doing 10-15 reps of the weight your capable of doing that amount of reps at. Cardio wont make you stronger, it will build your endurance, and help lose fat.

 

This is what I usually do at gym. But doesn't it make the muscles even bigger? shouldn't I do lighter weights and more reps?

[Nerdyjock]

In general, to NOT gain size but to work your muscles, you decrease the amount of weight your lifting but do more repetitions. So if you are pushing VERY hard on an exercise and straining a lot to get weights/resistances lifted, you are doing the wrong weight for your goals.

[Cheeks18]

This is what I usually do at gym. But doesn't it make the muscles even bigger? shouldn't I do lighter weights and more reps?

 

10-15 reps is the max amount of reps in my opinion.....Has what your doing at the gym made your muscles bigger?? How long have you been working out?

[Sparkly Eyes]

10-15 reps is the max amount of reps in my opinion.....Has what your doing at the gym made your muscles bigger?? How long have you been working out?

 

I'm not sure if gym did it or it always was, lol. But, what I used to do at gym was doing 12 reps (3 times) for as much weight as I could tolerate. I have stopped going to gym for a while now.

 

My final goal is to lose weight and to have strong medium sized muscles.

[BellaDonna]

Yoga can make you stronger. I also lengthens and firms up your muscles.

 

I weight train weekly with both machines and free weights and have increased my reps and weight amount significantly since starting but my muscles do not look that much bigger at all. They only look a lot more defined in my legs, but that is what I wanted. I would rather have a more sculpted look.

 

I think for most women, unless you have genes that make you bulk up, you don't have to worry about your muscles getting much bigger if you weight train. Most women won't get big.

[penelope13]

Pilates also increases strength without increasing muscle bulk

[Cognitive_Canine]

Honestly, unless you are trying to make your muscles larger (through a very rigourous workout many hours a day, including protein powders) you're muscles aren't going to bulk.

 

It's extremely hard to bulk muscles as a woman. Also, low weight/high rep will not make you stronger. A lot of women will stick around the 5 to 10 pounds weights and find that they aren't any stronger months down the line. Every couple of weeks, you'll need to increase your weights by a few pounds in order to continue gaining strength. 8-15 reps should be sufficient for any exercise. In order to gain strength, you have to push yourself so that you are very much struggling (but keeping your form) with the last few reps.

[agent1607307371]

You could try the bodyweight exercises at bodyrock.tv.

 

But low weight/high reps are not going to do anything for your strength. If you want to be strong, you have to lift heavy things.

[Sparkly Eyes]

Interesting. Does cardio do nothing for strength really? What about something like swimming?

[Cognitive_Canine]

Interesting. Does cardio do nothing for strength really? What about something like swimming?

 

Swimming will as it's resistance and cardio.

 

Cardio training will give you strength but it's not as focused as weight training is.

[BellaDonna]

Interesting. Does cardio do nothing for strength really? What about something like swimming?

 

I use an ellipitical crosstrainer machine at the gym for my cardio most of the time and it has been part of the reason my legs are in good shape. I only do separate weight training for my calves and adducters because using that machine gets my cardio in but also adequately works my quads, hamstrings, and glutes. If I were to do separate weight training for those muscles after using that machine, they would be over-trained.

 

Have you ever tried one of those machines and put the incline and resistance high?

 

Example:

 

image removed

[Sparkly Eyes]

I use an ellipitical crosstrainer machine at the gym for my cardio most of the time and it has been part of the reason my legs are in good shape. I only do separate weight training for my calves and adducters because using that machine gets my cardio in but also adequately works my quads, hamstrings, and glutes. If I were to do separate weight training for those muscles after using that machine, they would be over-trained.

 

Have you ever tried one of those machines and put the incline and resistance high?

 

Example:

 

image removed

 

yep. Actually I find them easy to use too. I usually do some kind of interval training with them. I find this to be harder and it works my legs even more:

 

image removed

 

Sometimes I used the machines and also the weights, but yeah it was overtraining and I couldn't do weights properly. I think it's better to do cardio or weights in each session, at least for me. I hate cardio tho.

[catfeeder]

Honestly, unless you are trying to make your muscles larger (through a very rigourous workout many hours a day, including protein powders) you're muscles aren't going to bulk. [...]

 

I agree with this. Legs can be overtrained much easier than upper body if you combine heavy elliptical use with, say, too much work on a leg press.

 

Newly trained muscles actually get smaller than untrained muscles because they compact. They don't bulk up without repeated heavy building, so moderate strength training puts you in little danger of that.

 

My best results have come from learning about recovery time more than anything else I've done. I was frustrated by hitting a plateau with everyday workouts even when I increased my reps, my weights and my time spent on cardio. I've since learned to alternate because every other day on strength is what produced results and broke my plateau--even when I reduced my reps and weights. Gentle cardio on days in between also produced better results than overkill. Increasing my sleep drops fat like magic, and I wish I had learned this sooner.

 

Experiment but don't measure or weigh every day, and allow for your monthly cycle to add temporary water weight and occasional bloat. In fact, don't weigh or measure during the week before menstruation or it will mess with your head.

 

Stretch exercises can help elongate muscles and keep you limber. Doing this after cardio or strength work is best because you've warmed yourself up and are at less risk of pulling.

 

Last suggestion; avoid any machines that have you sitting while resisting, as this can compress the spine and injure your weakest point. NOT worth it.

 

Congrats on your health pursuits, and I hope you'll post back your experience.

[Lamour detruit]

Do *not* be afraid of using free weights. Too many women are afraid of bulking up. Unless you're going to be using steroids with this, this is a fear that you need to forget. The only thing you will accomplish by eating well, cardio..and lifting weights..is getting the firm muscles that you are looking for.

 

Work out your entire body..doing squats, deadlifts, benchpress, exercises for your entire body..and you will be pleased with the results. Go for High weight, low reps.

[sidehop]

Women never need to worry about bulking up with just lifting, it's physically impossible unless you take steroids due to the very low testosterone in the body. You'll need to lift quite a bit and cram enough protein in your body a day to see some results.

 

Free weights are always good and mix it up with machines and basically confuse your muscles to make strong. And I agree about yoga and pilates. Core workouts and being flexible is just as important in having an overall strong body.