So I hear this time after time and it just plain pisses me off and I wanna smack these "chicks" who just have NO FRIGGIN CLUE!!!! "I wanna tone!" "I don't like to lift heavy because it makes me bulky..." wah wah wah! shut up already! It's not the lifting heavy that makes you look "bulky" but it's the FAT layered on top the newly built beautiful muscle that makes you look bulky! To look lean you have to also burn FAT but cardio alone will NOT shed all the fat!
Now, I'm no personal trainer....nor am I a fitness expert, but I know what works and I know that you females will NOT become Mr Olympia by lifting weights! Yes to shed fat, you do need cardio, but not as much as people make it seem or THINK. My trainer has been saying this over and over and over again. And for the first time....I listened to him. For the past 3 weeks I have limited cardio and actually increased in my lifting and included more functional movement training (thanks Joe for helping me out there). I think I have leaned out faster and more in these 3 weeks alone than the year and a half I spent on hours of WASTED cardio and most important wasted TIME! "Jeanie you finally LISTEN!" was my trainers response. Now I know.
I have conversations time after time with a lot of females who always say "Weight lifting makes me bulky." Well, yes it does....at first. I had that same problem. But it's because of the FAT. To lean out, you need the muscle to help shed fat more efficiently. Cardio alone will NOT lean you out. I mean it might, but unless you are including weight training, you will always have that "squishy" look. "Skinny fat" is what my trainer calls it. I agree. I do cardio maybe only twice a week. Tues nights when I teach my spin class and maybe on thursdays if I feel like it. Mon and Wed I train with Satan and all we do is lift heavy. If you see me training you KNOW how we do it. The only form of "cardio" is the first 5 minutes he has me on that damn Jacob's ladder. The rest of the days on my own I will do a functional training that Joe sends me or on my own do heavy lifting again. Oh lets not forget the diet. Just get rid of the processed crap and you're good. I will blog about that another day.
Just as the title says...."Good girls tone (gag), but the bad girls LIFT." The reason why a lot of women (like the ones you see on oxygen magazine or fitness magazine...hell even the celebrities) look "toned" is because they LIFT! You don't get muscle tone by "toning". So challenge yourself and get off the stupid ellipticals, get out of your comfort zone, and try something out of the oridinary. Try lifting heavy and actually try something like HIIT or functional movement training and I guarentee you WILL get results! It took me over a year and a half to figure this out and actually listen. lol! =)
I am including new training methods to my regimen and actually working with new coaches. Let's see what the next 3 months brings! =) I am going to give it 110% and push ten folds! =)
Hey...so I am training with a pro body builder right now...all summer actually. It's fun....most of the time :o) At least, after the workouts it's fun.....my question to you (and my trainer) is what is functional movement training? My trainer has had me on low weight and tons of reps for the last 4 weeks (first 4 weeks training with him)....then this week, he significantly increased the weight and said that we were going to focus on weights this week. It's been a kick-butt workout everyday this week and I am amazed at how much I have progressed from my previous workouts.....
ReplyDeleteSo still curious as to what your trainer has you doing on average? Is there something you do on average; I know my trainer changes what I do every workout, so it's hard to predict what I am supposed to do when I am by myself....
Just curious....trying to lose weight and increase muscle mass....so willing to do whatever it takes.....hate the 4:30 am wake-up calls though!
Kimera