(sorry I seem to be having trouble posting)

To build muscle (as oppose to toning), I know that you should be doing heavier weights, shorter sets (I think?). But how heavy should the weight you are lifting be? Should it be very difficult to lift, or easy at first and getting harder by the eighth rep?

Hey Raelynn!

For muscle building, shoot for 8-10 reps per set. You should not be able to lift more. Do 4-5 sets per exercise. If you can do 10 reps on your last set, you need to increase the weight next time.

HTH

Hi Raelynn -

Pick up a book on lifting from the library - there's lots of good ones out there - Body for Life, Body Rx, Strong Women Stay Younger, etc. They will explain in detail how to lift , what weights to start with, and when to know you can lift more.

I have learned to hate the word "toning" - you lift weights to grow muscle. Period. If you're not growing muscle, you're not doing anything.

Lifting light weights to 'tone' muscle is like going on a diet to 'shape' fat. Misses the whole point.

BethO

BethO

I also hate the word toning! Man, I wish people would quit using it. :-)

Hi Raelynn! Come on and post with us on the main thread!

I so agree about "toning" -- muscle can only do one of three things: grow, stay the same, or get smaller. And there is no difference between male and female muscle under a microscope. What IS different is that we don't have the hormones (primarily testosterone, I believe) necessary to develop our muscles like men. So we women cannot "bulk up" like men even if we train like men (which we should).

That being said, I think that if you (male or female) are going for strictly power and mass, you go for higher weight, fewer reps and if you are training for muscle development and definition, you go more for higher reps (like 10-15). But you always lift to failure (when you physically can't complete another rep). It's a complete waste of time to do endless reps with light weights.

Meg

Thank you for your replies. Sorry it took me so long to get back to this thread. I moved and was offline for a week.