Need Advice

[sprwpdl]

Hi, I just joined a gym and I'm just starting out with the weight lifting and cardio. My goal is to lose weight. At the gym I'm at now, the trainer told me I should be doing 1 set of 18 reps, slowly. She said I could build up to 2 sets, but I would have to make sure to give the muscle a good amount of rest in between sets. But I have also been told that to lose fat, I should be doing a few sets back to back at a faster pace. What do you think?

 

[The Shadow]

hmmmm....one set of 18 reps.....



Use the weights to build/preserve muscle...leave the fat burining to diet and cardio

 

[velvett]

Hi, I just joined a gym and I'm just starting out with the weight lifting and cardio. My goal is to lose weight. At the gym I'm at now, the trainer told me I should be doing 1 set of 18 reps, slowly. She said I could build up to 2 sets, but I would have to make sure to give the muscle a good amount of rest in between sets. But I have also been told that to lose fat, I should be doing a few sets back to back at a faster pace. What do you think?

I have never heard of one set of 18.

3 - sets of 12-15 or to failure maybe - but 1 set of 18?

 

[Nonerz]

My goal is to lose weight.

I'm assuming you want to lose fat. Weight includes muscle too...which burns more calories per pound than fat. Most likely, you don't want to lose that kind of weight! Can you elaborate on your physique, goals, current training, diet, etcetera. I'm with

Please, fill us in...we don't know a thing about you...yet!

And welcome to the boards!


for the record...I've never heard of a "1 set of 18 reps program..."

 

[sprwpdl]

Yes, it is to lose fat. I'm 5'3" and I consider myself very overweight so really what I want is to get smaller and reshape my body. I'm doing the atkins diet. As far as working out, I have in the past, but not in a long time. The last time I had a trainer, I did 3 sets of 12, with about 30 seconds of rest between each set. We did the whole body three times a week. He told me this was considered "dynamic" working out and the best way to lose fat and tone. 1 set of 18 doesn't seem right to me, which is what the person at the gym I'm at now told me to do.

 

[2Shy]

One set of 18 sounds strange to me, too. Will the trainer have you up sets/reduce reps in a week or two? What's the average weight you're working with?

I agree with Nonerz. You want to be adding lean body mass. This will help increase your metabolism and give you the reshaping you're looking for.

I'm a BFB (Big Fat Broad). Let's face it. I'm obese. Anyway, I lift as heavy as I can for a fewer amount of reps. You won't get big and bulky or anything like that. Besides, shorter, heavier sets are a lot more fun than kazillions of 5-lb dumbbell curls.

Sadly, not every trainer in a gym/fitness center knows what he or she's doing. Not saying yours doesn't, but it's something you need to keep in mind.

Right now, I eat a high protein/low carb hybrid. I concentrate on eliminating white foods (sugar, white rice, white potatoes, white flour). I find with lifting I need a few more carbs than I would if I wasn't. I concentrate on those that have a lower Glycemic Index rating. I like to have oatmeal and some protein about an hour before I lift. I'm a bit torn when it comes to fats myself. I know I don't eat as "clean" as others here do. I try and consume most of it with the fat that comes via my protein and use high Omega-3 oils (like olive oil) for cooking. Everyone's body is different, though. You'll figure out what works best for you.

~ 2Shy

 

[boscoe wilson]

Have to agree...Shorter heavier reps are always best, and I don't know about anyone else, but the "around the gym in 10min" workout doesn't cut it for me...I have to have approx 2 min. inbetween each set. But my goals also differ from yours. Right now I am only trying to bulk.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

18 reps 1 set ok it sounds WRONG! What the first trainer told you seems more reasonable except rather than the whole bod split it upper and lower hit um each twice per week.

 

[RottenWillow]

I'm doing the atkins diet.

That's going to make it tough to have enough energy for a productive workout. You might want to reconsider that. Carbs arent the satan that the Dr. portrays them as. Low glycemic carbs are the best possible fuel source for the kind of exercise you're doing now.

 

[jenscats5]

I've never heard of 1 set of 18 reps either. I don't claim to know everything, but I liked the split of push/pull/legs per week although I'm splitting my body up into different sections now to build more strength.

I can say that when I did start lifting heavier weights regularly, I lost 15 lbs in 3 months about 4 years ago. I now hover around the same weight even tho I don't always eat clean.