CommunityBrowse groupsBlogEtiquetteInvite Your friendsSuccess Stories

Lounge
Community 


Sets and Reps

I am 5 2", 162, 23 years old. I'm pretty strong and have a good amount of muscle on me, but i want to lose weight and lean down.

Usually when I workout I try to target the following groups (not all in one day, of course):

Bi's/Tri's
Chest and Shoulders
Abs and lower back
Legs and Glutes

Amy idea on how many sets/reps are okay for my goal? Usually I do 4 sets of 20 reps or 5 sets of 15. It varies. I go with light-med heavy. (8 lbs for bi's curls and shoulder presses) and the rest varies.

Is this okay? Any suggestions?


Fri. Jul 6, 7:34pm

Add comment  
Check this out

http://www.skwigg.com/blog/

Sounds like you are looking to lose fat. I'd say more cardio, definitely interval cardio and do some circuit strength training as well to up the burn.

You might want to intersperse cardio bursts in your lifting -
You might try doing a front/back split instead of the 4-day one you're doing now - front muscles one day, back the next - so that you can take advantage of peripheral heart action (body shunting blood from lower parts to upper parts )

If you do cardio in the morning and weights in the evening, you might increase your afterburn instead of doing it all in the same block of time.

At your age, diet isn't probably a huge deal factor, but you might try cleaning it up anyway because you are what you eat, and 23 doesn't last forever, LOL!

Hope this helps!



Friday, July 06, 2007, 9:12 PM

Add comment
I would definitely clean up your diet and I would also suggest you lift heavier than 8lbs...you won't get anywhere lifting that....and keep doing cardio and if you can do 4 sets of 20 then you're lifting too light....I would shoot for 4 sets of 12-15 or you can do 3 sets of 15 vary it up a little bit to keep your body guessing

Friday, July 06, 2007, 10:13 PM

Add comment
I'm also 23 and a little bit overweight. I used to be a gymnast and you know when you stop all the working out...

Anyway, with weight training, it's best to do 3 sets or even 2. Try to do the sets till failure. For example, once I can do 10 curls at 12 pounds for 3 reps, I bump up to 15 pounds. I can then only do 10 curls, the second rep maybe I get to 9 and the third rep maybe I get to 6.

I've been lifting since I was 12 and haven't bulked up, so don't worry about having huge muscles.

It's really good that you realized the importance of weight training--muscle burns more calories than fat does, so you increase your resting metabolism by lifting.

You're on the right track!
Good luck!

Sunday, July 08, 2007, 9:11 PM

Add comment








Related Content:

How To Lose Weight- The Basics
Weight Watchers Points System
The Fat Smash Diet
The Eat To Live Diet
The Beck Diet Solution
How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight

 

How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer

How To Burn Fat
Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works
Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight?
Tips On Using PEERtrainer
Visit The PEERtrainer Community
Diet and Fitness Resources

Fitness

Weight Watchers Meetings
Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are
Writing Down Your Daily Workouts
Spending Money On A Personal Trainer?
How I Became A Marathon Runner

 

Preventive Health

How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout
Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot?
Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer?
Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy
Reversing Disease Through Nutrition

New Diet and Fitness Articles:

Weight Watchers Points Plus
How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise
New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program
New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive
Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program
 

Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne:

Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough
How To Delay Short Term Gratification
How To Stay Motivated
How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule

Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions

Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight?
Are Protein Drinks Safe?
Nutrition As Medicine?
 

Everyday Weight Loss Tips

How To Eat Healthy At A Party
How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight
The Three Bite Rule
Tips On How To Stop A Binge