[jenne1017]

Hi all-

I am getting back to the gym and need some help. My old routine will no longer work, since my new gym has miniscule stuff (stairmaster, elliptical, stationary bike, treadmill, free weights and a few weight machines). Plus, I wasn't losing, only toning. I need help.

I went to the gym 2 weeks ago and got shin splints from doing too much too fast.

Can someone recommend about an hour's worth of a routine that can help me continue to lose without killing myself? I am following WW if that matters any.

Thanks everyone!

[RobertW]

Hi Jen,
Some more information might be helpful. What is your ultimate physique goal? Do you want to be really muscular or just skinny and toned?

Personally, I favor an emphasis on diet and heavy strength training, but if I wasn't naturally muscular I might not emphasize the strength training as much.

Robert

[Ilene]

This is a great site with lots of ideas for beginners and seasoned pros

[jenne1017]

Honestly, my body has never really had MUSCLES, so I don't know. I've never been weak, but I've never been toned. Except my calves. I have good calves.

I don't want to be "skinny" per someone else's view. I want to be healthy. 165 won't be skinny, to anyone but me.

My ultimate goal is to fit comfortably into a size 10 or 12, be toned and healthy.

[jenne1017]

Ok I see "tone" is a forbidden word here...

I want someone to see me in short and go, "GREAT CALVES" and to see my arms and think "MY GOD WOMAN!"

Is that any better?

[Ilene]

Originally Posted by jenne1017

Ok I see "tone" is a forbidden word here...

I want someone to see me in short and go, "GREAT CALVES" and to see my arms and think "MY GOD WOMAN!"

Is that any better?

YEP!!

[RobertW]

Originally Posted by Ilene

This is a great site with lots of ideas for beginners and seasoned pros

That is an excellant site. Krista's begginer's workouts would be good starting routines. You could abbreviate even further, but I would definitely try to include a big muti-joint press (OHP, bench, incline etc), pull (row, pull up) and a big lower body lift (squat, deadlift etc.) whatever routine you try.

The most important thing is to stick with your routine and train consistently, which can be very hard to do while you are dieting. In my experience I do better training more sets with lower reps while I am dieting. You might try training a 5x5 scheme if sets of 10 or 12 reps are really wiping you out.

I do believe it is really important to "build a foundation" through simple straight forward strength training before one gets too caught up in chasing size and symmetry. McRobert's advocates pursuing strength goals alone until one is strong enough to achieve a ClassII powerlifting total (~1200# or 400# Squat-300# Bench-500# Deadlift for a 198# man; ~660# 240#Squat-115#Bench-300#Deadlift for a 148# woman). At that point he advocates starting more specialized training. His theory being that, up until a certain point, stronger muscles=bigger muscles.