The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[nickieluv]

I've been doing a workout video for four weeks now. Every two weeks it changes to another workout. But now I'm starting to wonder if I've been doing it wrong.

I've been using the highest weight I can stand, but for some of the moves I have to stop several times.

Should I be using a lighter weight, so that I can do the whole workout without stopping?

It seems to me, after four weeks, that maybe I should have been doing that all along. But after watching workout 3, I know I can't do it with the weight I've been using, and I wanted to know if it was bad to take a lighter weight and do more reps.

Workout gurus out there? Help?

[Lauren]

It's not "bad" to do anything, so don't go so black and white on it. The best idea, when following a video, would be to do the maximum amount of weight that you can sustain proper form for all the reps that they are doing. So, if they are doing 15 reps, pick a weight that is challenging, and that on rep 15 you are BURNING, but your form is still there (but just barely). You should not get to rep 15 (or whatever) and feel great, nor should you conk out at 10.

Now, if you were not following a video/program, then it's more dependent on your goals. For toning/tightening, the recommendation is to do higher reps at a lower weight (like above), whereas for strength building, you may opt for few reps (like 8ish) at a heavier weight.

Regardless, you always want to follow proper form, breathing, stance, and adjust your weight if at any point you can not do that.

Hope that helps, Nick!

Lauren

[nickieluv]

Thanks, Lauren!

The weight I used today was too light for some things, just right for others, too high for one or two things. Part of my problem is that I hate switching weights. I know, I'm impossible. But I prefer to just use the same weight all the way through, rather than having to adjust for different exercises. But I'll do that tomorrow, even though it means I'll need three different sets of weights for the routine. Woe is me, right?

[DogMa]

Nickie, I always have to switch weights when I work out. The fact is that you can lift a lot more with some muscles than you can with others. So if I do bicep curls and then try to use that weight for some sort of shoulder press, I'd never even be able to LIFT it. But if I use the dumbbell I use for my shoulders to do bicep curls, I'll be doing hundreds of 'em before I feel anything.

I'll even change weights between sets.

[nickieluv]

I'm just so lazy it's a miracle I'm working out at all. I have been known to switch to a lighter weight for the second set when I feel like I can't even lift a thing. I suppose I should look at that as an extra tenth of a calorie burned or something.

[cristiano]

Hello there.I'm cristiano from spain.Nice to meet you all.I am also facing the same problem.I've been using the highest weight I can stand, but for some of the moves I have to stop several times.Should I be using a lighter weight, so that I can do the whole workout without stopping?Can anyone help me?
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<edit>links removed - no outside links allowed - UT</edit>

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Cristiano and welcome to the forum,
There's basically 2 types of exercise.

For Strength: Heavier weight with less repetitions for strength and bulk.
For Agility: Less weight and more repetitions for agility and toning.

It depends on your desired goal. You can concentrate more on one or the other or combine the two.

This is basically a forum for weight loss using Medifast products, but you're more than welcome to join in on the exercise discussion.

I removed your external links in your signature. We don't allow them here unless they're related to the topic.

[thinjane]

I tried the heavy weight thing (that is relative!) but found my joints hurt. I just like the more gentle exercise that gets my heart rate up to calorie burning stage.

[DogMa]

You burn calories either way. A higher percentage of them will come from fat if you keep your heart rate in the proper range (but it pretty much evens out, because if you burn more calories, then a lower percentage of them would equal the same number; so, like, I can run and burn 600 calories, and only 30 percent will be fat, so 180 will be fat. Or I can walk and burn 300 calories in the same period of time, and half will be fat, but that will only be 150 total fat calories.).

In any case, fat burning and hitting a target heart rate are cardiovascular exercise. Weight training is generally to build strength and tone muscles (and, as a consequence, speed your metabolism as you build muscle tissue). Two very different things. If you want to build muscle, you're going to have to let them get sore (your muscles, though, not your joints).