I made an update in my journal as to needing some help -- and was told I should come here. So hi!

Here is my routine thus far:

12 minutes on elliptical [180 calories]
10 minutes on recumbent bike [75 cal]

3 reps of 10 on hip abductor machine [80 lbs.]
3 reps of 10 on hip adductor machine [55 lbs. -- I have bursitis and this hurts!]
3 reps of 10 calf extension [155 lb.]
3 reps of 10 leg extenstion [155 lb.]
3 reps 10 on arm "dip" [65 lb.]
3 reps 10 on upright row [60 lb.]

15 minutes on the stairmaster/elliptical [the machine with the incline that moves]

I do this 5x a week. I am not really looking to be a "bodybuilder" but rather, lose some weight while shaping.

Now, I wanted to know if that was a good routine. I am not bored with it, yet! I come away a bit sore, and plenty sweaty!

Some said it's overworking it. I really don't feel that way. It was brought up that I miss my chest -- but I purposefully skip my chest.

See I am a 38H and can't afford to build the muscle up just yet. I want to lose another cup or two before I build that area -- I can't imagine being any bigger than an H! Plus, bras are expensive.

I feel good after the gym. I tinker with the weight # often, be it too much or too little. I am just a gym virgin. I've been to the gym for about 2 weeks now and want to make sure I am getting the most bang for my buck, you know?

Any help would be, well, helpful!

Jenn

Hi Jenn, and welcome. I'm sure Ilene, will find you and give you a big greeting.

sounds like you have a mix of 2 ideologies going on here. Your program sounds a lot like the "freestyle" method of training, which is to "overtrain" the legs by working them 5-6x a week, and to go easy on chest exercises. But, your sets and weights don't seem to correspond to that method. I'm going to let everyone else give you info on the more traditional lifting methods, and I'm sure you'll get lots of good info.

IF you WANT to stay with Freestyle, you'll want to lower the weights to 70% of your max, and up the reps to 15-20 per set, and put the sets at 3-4 sets. Also, if you are working the legs every day, you want vary the exercises that you do for them. Squats and lunges will give you great results, and there is a lot of variety of lunges that you can do so that it's different each day of the week. (forward, reverse, onto a box, from a box, side to side, cross overs).

I did freestyle training for a bit, and my plan was to pick 4-5 leg exercises each day, and not do the same ones 2 days in a row. I'd do calves 3x a week, and abs 3x a week as well. (also varying the ab exercises). I kept the weights light enough to do 4 sets of 15-20 reps, but heavy enough to feel it. I'd alternate the upperbody exercises to hit different muscles each day, so that I didn't do back 2 days in a row, or triceps etc. There's more info on freestyle at the slimandfit.com website and at the gsnyderproductions.com website. I haven't put links in here, cause I don't want to be in violation of any 3FC policies. Hope it's ok to mention the sites for more info tho.

My thoughts:

** first off, don't even bother with the adductor/abductor machines. They really don't do anything, and besides, if you're feeling pain (soreness or muscle failure is one thing, but PAIN is a whole nuther enchilada altogether) that's a sign to *stop* what you're doing and find another exercise (I myself can't do bench dips for that reason).

I'd personally say UP the cardio and DO add in some chest presses and flyes. Most of your 'boobage' isn't muscle, but tissue (i.e. fat and glands) - the fat *will* burn off and building the chest muscles will help you be more comfortable and burn fat. (I went from a D cup to a C cup when I started weight training - and my puppies look 'perkier').

Check the links in our Basic BB Info sticky for the Krista Smash website - there's a LOT of great info there for everyone - including beginners!

I'm sure that the other ladies will have something to say - gotta get back in class now

Thanks all!!

Mrs. Jim -- I have bursitis, which is why it hurts [low pain] to do them. The only reason I do these is because of the bursitis. I stretch as well, but I have some health issues aside and well, need to.

I guess I have ugh, MORE reading to do then. I always assumed that chest excersises gave you MORE boob.

Off to chest I go then.

And Smoki -- thanks for the advice with legs. I just do it all because they feel good.

I do alternate more reps and less weight too. That was just my base -- I do at least that...

Again thanks for all the help. I am off to read.

Jenn

~Jenn~ WELCOME TO LWL!! WE LUVS NEWBIES !!

Soooo.... here is my .02 cents on your program......

I definitely think you are over-working yourself... You will: 1. Get discouraged, because of lack of progress and/or 2. Just plain burn-out....

Your cardio seems fine to me (but I hate cardio soooo the less I have to do the better) the only thing is, make sure you are giving your all out 10.... there are different types of high and low intensity workouts you can do, HIIT, 20MAS, etc... this is when you go all out for 30 seconds, slow down for 30 seconds, then go up and down like that till it’s time to cool down... and this is usually done for only 20 minutes... But the cardio on here can give you the low-down on those.... Intensity is key...

I absolutely agree with Karen if it hurts, don’t do it!! What good is that if you hurt yourself and you can’t go back to the gym, you’re back to square one, or worse....

Now.......................my personal pet peeve!!!! THIS is a MYTH!!!!!!

You will NOT look like a ”bodybuilder” if you train hard and intense!!! You will loose fat.... go to our MSN, LWL group site http://groups.msn.com/3FCLadiesWhoLift and see some pics, specially Meg’s, Mel’s and Karen’s pics, do they look like humongous ”bodybuilders”... I think NOT, they look healthy and strong and more like women than anyone, I know....

Whew!!!! Holy Moly!!!! I’ve said enough, my .02 cents has turned into a couple of $$.... I’ll let the other ”bodybuilders” respond to your weight workout split or lack of split....

I agree inform yourself read, read, read, some more.... at the top of LWL there are some great Sticky to read...

BUT please, please, join us on the main thread, you will definitely get some great advise and we have fun too...

Lanaii

I didn't mean to offend. I personally do not like the totally tight and sculptured look. I don't want my veins to come out of my neck [like SOME] nor my legs.

These ladies look great! It's just not something I am aiming for. I want some flab, as ridiculous as it sounds.

Maybe that goal is just too far away at the moment. But I do thank you for the advice. And I will visit the main board soon....

Neck veins? Am I missing something here?

Jen ~~ You didn't offend at all, takes more than that to offence moi! And I certainly don't want to scare you off either... If you did view the pics at MSN, where did you see neck veins on Mel, Meg and Karen? Just wonderin'....

No I was refering in general...lol

I guess it is the stereotypical image -- the only women who weight life at my gym are so taught you can see every vein and muscle in the neck. I have 2 friends who are weightlifters and they too are the same way....

Maybe it would help if I found a picture of MY ideal....because I am apparently putting my foot in my mouth with each move.

No Jenn... you're not putting your foot in your mouth at all...

You're not offending anyone, don't worry about that! I completely understand what you mean, about wanting a little bit of "softness" on your frame. You have to realize that the extreme muscular women are that way because they *want* to be that way. And believe me, to maintain muscle mass like that, you really have to work at it. At one time, I thought my quads looked a tad too freakish, so I eased up a bit on my lower body training, and am now more pleased with my legs. The cool thing about lifting weights is that it puts you in control of how your body will look. Those who rely primarily on cardio are going to get what they get - but with weights, you can (for example) turn a pear shape into an hourglass shape, and so on and so forth. Just my .02

-Colleen

Since I was one of those who sent you here I want to encourage you to do some more research. Pick up Energy magazine sometime, those women look beautiful.

Working out your chest is a beautiful thing, nipples rise, the cup lumps decrease, and when you hit you lats some of that back stress goes away too.

I am a fat girl, but because of weightlifting I am a compacted fat girl ;-)

Miss Chris

Jen,

Welcome!
I am not going for the Ms. Olympia look myself either, and I still lift hard and heavy. Im a lazy person by nature and the prospect of enless sets and reps to "tone" makes me want to cry.

As I understand it (from reading a lot of info and hanging out on quite a few sites) to get varicosity (veins showing) you would need VERY low body fat %. Definately less than 15% for most ppl. Its a bit of a commitment to drop your bf% that low unless you are either naturally very slender, or you are commited to a pre-compitition diet. Its also a lot of genetics involved. My brother competes in the Ironman competitions, and triathlons, and he has a certain degree of veins that show, but not a whole lot. Certainly not like the very serious male bodybuilders we see photos of. Those guys have incredibly low BF%, but usually cannot maintain it for long periods of time.

I would suggest you try some of the suggestions on here that the experianced ladies give you My un-experianced, un-expert advice is that you try working out with one of your gf's who lifts weights for 12 weeks, or try the BFL plan. You can always change your program if its not giving you the results you want but GIVE IT THE 12 WEEKS! Honestly you need that long to get an accurate picture of how your body is changing.

There are a lot of women who compete in a category/competition called Fitness who may be more of your goal body-type. I cant think of any links right now, but Im sure the ladies here can help ya out!

Hope you stay a while

Tidey

Neck veins? MOI??? I dun thin so...

I get the impression that what you're thinking of is the professional women bodybuilders - Lenda Murray, etc.

I'm going to attempt to post a photo (one of Jim's favorites of me BTW) and you can see that I ain't no Lenda Murray...not by a looooong shot. But I *am* content, healthy, strong...and that's what counts as far as I'm concerned!

Also...this reminds me of something that Krista Scott Dixon said on her website (found under the "Crap List"):

Karen!! You look AWESOME!! Is this a recent pic? I haven't seen a recent pic of you in a verrrry lonnnng time....Beautiful!!

Thank you for posting that from Krista Smith, it is EXACTLY what I was trying to say...