A few people have asked me to share my strength training routine, so that’s what I’m going to do!
I’m not going to share any science stuff, or claim that you should do what I do. In fact, please don’t! I’m obviously not an expert and only know what I’ve learned from reading and being around fitness people for a while. It’s always beneficial when you start strength training to get an expert to show you how to do things. If you can afford it, buy a personal trainer for a session to show you how to properly execute moves. If your gym offers this for free, even better. If not, try to find a personal trainer friend (someone with qualifications) or get a job at a gym and make some friends (unusual, but that’s honestly what I did). Bottom line, don’t just go in the gym and do it – get someone to show you proper form and then check you and see that you are doing it right.
Always check with professionals first! (This includes a doctor if you are new to exercise or strength training!)
Okay, now that that’s out of the way…
I strength train five days a week. It might sound like a lot, but it’s something I love to do. I do three longer days and two shorter days (like 20 minutes).
HIGH WEIGHT, LOW REP
Weekdays I lift heavy weights. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I do upper body and Wednesdays and Fridays I do lower body (those are my short days). On the days I lift heavy weights I do one warm up set with half the weight I’m going to lift for my real sets. Then for the next two sets I lift as much weight as I can, as many times as I can up to 12. If I hit 12 twice I move up to a higher weight.
Here are the exercises I do and the weights I’m up to:
Upper Body
- Bench Press: 70 lbs
- Shoulder Press: 50 lbs
- Upright Row: 45 lbs
- Lat Pulldown: 75 lbs
- Bicep Barbell Curl: 60 lbs
- Tricep Pushdown: 60 lbs
- Assisted Pullup: 160 lbs
- Pushups: Body Weight
Lower Body
- Leg Press Machine: 140 lbs
- Hamstring Curl Machine: 65 lbs
- Inner Thigh Machine: 100 lbs
- Outer Thigh Machine: 120 lbs
- Calf Raises: Body Weight on stairs
- Toe Raises: Body Weight
- Squats: Body Weight
- Plie Squats: Body Weight
Sometimes I also do straight leg deadlifts which I prefer over a leg machine, but lately my gym has been busy and I’ve just been using the machine to save time. I also sometimes do lunges, but not as often because I just don’t like them. I also do abs at least 3 times a week, plus yoga on my upper body weights days which makes it crazy hard!
LOW WEIGHT, HIGH REP
On my one other day a week I do the same exercises in a completely different way: low weight and high reps. I do all the same things with the lightest weights. Like 5 lbs. I also do a few other exercises like lateral raises for arms and some punches/kicks. I do three sets of 15 to 20 reps for each exercise. In between sets I do bursts of cardio like the punches/kicks or jumping jacks or other movement. I honestly make that part up as I go and often combine things together for a set. It’s fun and still just as hard as lifting heavy weights but in a different way because it works on my muscle’s endurance.
WHAT TO DO? WHICH IS BEST?
Obviously I’m not going to answer that question. There are people on both sides who think they are right. I will say that I never saw great results until I bumped up the weight I was lifting. For example, I used to lift 10-15 lbs for biceps and now I’m doing 30 lbs… and now I can literally see my biceps. My body really didn’t change much until I used heavier weights.
But I also love the extra day I’m not doing with low weight and high reps. It’s really helped too and I’ve only been doing it for a month. It’s actually tough and it burns a ton of calories when I do it since I include cardio bursts.
A lot of newbies to strength training (and people who just hate strength training) like to start in a class. This is a great idea! I personally don’t like strength training classes but I know they are very helpful in the beginning. You know that qualified person you need to watch and correct you when you start? The class instructor will do that for you. Starting in a strength training class like Body Pump or whatever your gym offers is a great way to get started.
If you aren’t strength training now, you should be. It’s important. It will help you achieve your goals, be healthier, live longer. Being strong is sexy. So find a way to work strength training into your fitness routine and do it!
Do you strength train? Do you like it? What do you do?
I’m a HUGE strength training fan. I’ll take weights over cardio any day of the week. Don’t get me wrong; I like both and usually do both when I work out. But something about the weight room just makes me happier than trudging away on a treadmill for an hour. :)
I know plenty of people are the exact opposite (and given what my gym looks like, people like us are in the minority – most seem to prefer cardio), but weight days in the gym are always my favorite. Now core… that’s a different story altogether. :)
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been dissuaded from the personal trainer route because everyone keeps telling me it’s a ‘waste of money’. When I tell people that I don’t actually know what I’m doing, they always tell me just to look online, or go on youtube, or just go with something like p90x or insanity! But the fact is, videos or articles are not going to tell me when I’m doing something wrong. Given that I have an existing knee injury the last thing I want to do is to worsen it, or incur another injury.
The only thing is that the local gyms only do ‘packages’, not just a couple of sessions with the personal trainer. I’m waiting for a promotion of sorts!
IT IS NOT A WASTE OF MONEY!!! Not at all. It might not be your thing to pay for every week but if you’ve never lifted weights before it is more than worth it to pay for someone to teach you and check your form. I see people in the gym doing stuff that is really wrong and just an accident/injury waiting to happen. If you already have a knee injury then it’s definitely worth it because you can totally screw up your knees with squats and stuff. I was lucky to have someone work with me and teach me to do squats so it doesn’t bother my knees.
It’s really hard to self correct – you probably don’t know what you are doing wrong which is why it’s so beneficial for someone else to watch you.
Try finding an independent personal trainer who has all the same qualifications and experience but does things outside of working for a gym. They might be able to work for you and just do one session or two.
I love it! I think it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself. I think you have to do cardio too to be healthy, but the weights make a huge difference in your body shape, your health, your endurance/strength. I’m definitely a low weight-high rep person (usually with cardio in between as well). But you’ve probably inspired me to try higher weights, low reps at some point, though I’m not really looking for any more definition or anything, it would just be an awesome change! Thanks for the idea!
Damn girl! You can lift some heavy weights–YOU ARE STRONG!
I try. ;)
I totally agree on the personal trainer thing – not a waste of money, especially if you are just getting started or looking to revamp your current routine.
I love being strong. I love getting on the leg press and having to increase the weight after a guy gets off the machine. ;) I do need to work more on upper body and not concentrate so much on lower body though…how about I do your lunges and you do my tricep exercises? Deal?
I don’t love strength training but I’m getting better about just doing it. I get so bored in the weight room and if I’ve already done cardio I use that as an excuse not to hit the iron. I have been going to a Tabata class which I imagine is similar to body pump. It’s good to have someone pushing me to finish my reps and increase my weights. Stay strong!
I agree with you, Mary! Having a trainer really educates you as to proper form for different types of strength training exercise. There is only so much you can learn from a picture. That being said, I love Bob Greene’s (Oprah’s trainer) books on the “Essential Eight” exercises for weight training.
I’m psyching myself up to change gyms – I go to Curves at the moment, but for less $ I can join the local gym with weights, treadmills etc and have classes included.
The weights are scaring me at the moment but I know once i’ve been a few times I will be fine! Thanks for sharing your routine :)
I think Curves is good for people who are starting out with exercise and don’t know what to do. Then there is a point where you need more. Most gyms have some type of beginner program for people who have never lifted weights. They don’t want people to hurt themselves in the gym.
Don’t be scared! It’s the same movements (sort of) as curves, just better!
I personally was never a fan of the Curves model. I just don’t like the idea of being in a circle with other people. I tried it out before too and didn’t feel like it was a great workout, but it would be good as a beginner. But you definitely would need to move up at some point. don’t be scared to do that!
I strength train 3x a week with Body Pump and then 2x a week doing my own thing. With Body Pump, it’s high reps with low weights (although I still load them up!) and then the 2x on my own, it’s lower reps with higher weights. That way it’s a little of both worlds.
I have done Body Pump and really enjoyed it! The only problem though is I started to develop problems with my shoulder and had to stop.
Strength training is SO IMPORTANT. It will not only help you become stronger but will also help you increase efficiency in your workouts and also contribute to your endurance and overall strength.
I hired a trainer last year and he was beneficial in showing me how to lift without hurting myself, especially areas I have had prior surgeries, such as my back and knee. Also, having a commitment to meet the trainer at the gym was important too. I didn’t want to let him down.
One thing I think that is important when lifting is to alternate high impact cardio with lifting so you raise your heart rate and then are lifting during recovery. You will burn more calories this way. You can do this by doing knee lifts, marching in place, jumping jacks, chair squats, etc. Anything you can do near your weights that will raise your heart rate. Do it for 60 to 90 seconds, and then go and do a few more sets.
Also, if you have a lot of weight to lose you want to make sure you are working your larger muscle groups: glutes, quads, abs, and back. So if you do arms one day, then make it arms and back or arms and abs.
The other thing is to work on things like balancing, such as standing on one foot and then doing bicep curl at the same time. You will be engaging your abs, your legs, and working your arms all the same time.
When I lift weights, I do longer sets. I do sets of 25 to 30 until it really gets the burn. If I can do a set of 25 or 30 without burn then I would go up in weight.
I also lift (fast) on the 1 count and then let down (slow) in 3 counts (2, 3, 4.)
Everyone has to find something that works for them. Glad you found something you like to do.
That’s next on my agenda… And I will definitely get a trainer to help me. I’m intrigued by the idea of alternating the reps and weights on different days.
I didn’t love strength training until I started taking Bodypump classes! I’m now addicted to it, and can actually see the benenfits! I know it’s making me a faster runner, too!
Mary, you know I love the weights!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like you have a good program going!
You mentioned how people say all different things & I agree with you. There are certain things I do think people should pay attention to and YES, FORM, or you will get injured… but I have found that within certain guidelines, things may work different for people. What I do is way different form others & my body has always responded differently than others so …
Like you said Mary – make sure you are doing correct form & if you can, get a professional or knowledgeable person to help you first .. AND after you are past beginner stage, see what your body likes & does not like & how it reacts to different moves rep ranges and go from there.. and change it up! :-)
You go Mary!!!
I LOVE bodypump! So fun! I look forward to it every week. It definitely helps me because she demonstrates the form and exercises each time, and otherwise I’d forget and do it wrong. I still ended up hurting myself, but only once so far.. so fun to feel the burn in my muscles what a great feeling! The only other real strength training I do is in pilates. We do small weights and stuff like that. Coming the day after my big bodypump workout, it always is still a hard workout for me. I don’t like doing weights all by myself not in a class, I have a horrible memory for exercises. PS Mary wow you’re so STRONG!!
Thanks Mary!
I’m always nosy at the gym watching other people but it’s nice to see it written down and what you think of it.
I do Body Pump but now I’m going to try and move to the gym a bit to get more strength training in.
I like the way you split it into upper and lower body so I think I will give that a go as I’ve always done full body and get bored half way through!
Thanks again for writing about this!
Hi Mary I’m probably being a little silly but what are toe raises?
It’s basically just raising your toes when you are sitting. You start with your feet flat then raise your toes…. over and over. It works your shins and builds endurance which is important for me because I get shin splints easy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwSHedODuJ8 shows you how to do it.
Thanks Mary, I was drawing a total blank on those!
Hey nice blog here and great post, a real eye opener. Thanks for sharing the regiment, and I’ll be sure to pass this along to my female readers, thanks