QUICK Help: How heavy to lift?

[curvymommy]

Hey helpful hard bodies,

I'm planning my workout waiting for my kids' Scooby-Doo episode to end before we leave for the gym.

I have been lifting weights to the point where I cannot lift them anymore. Sheer and total exhaustion. Sometimes, the last one cannot go all the way and I go to failure then finish with a higher number rep at a lower weight that I can do easier. Then, by the end of that I can barely lift that either.

Anyway, I have been really sore and I can totally feel the muscles growing. After my workout I was so shaky that I almost poked my eye out with my mascara in the dressingroom afterwards.

Is this right? My goal is to build muscle and look good. Basically up til this point I have been a former fat girl locked in a skinnier body so, I am still learning all this stuff.

Edited to add: the reason I am doubting myself is that for so long I "underdid" my workouts. Am I "overdoing "it now?

 

[cindylou]

No you are fine. Dont worry so much

Its heavy enough if you can barely just barely do the 10-12th rep

thats my opinion but thats a good place to start. Might take some trial and error the first couple times, so keep a log so you know where to start next time and can add to it hopefully

 

[jenscats5]

I would only be concerned if you begin to feel over-trained......make sure you're also getting good post-training nutrition.....

 

[curvymommy]

I would only be concerned if you begin to feel over-trained......make sure you're also getting good post-training nutrition.....

Thanks you guys. It went great today. I decided to do scissors and lunges instead of as many machines and found it to be more self-regulating since it is only my own body weight. And it was still hard. Real hard. So, I'll go from there!

 

[Tatyana]

Going heavy and failure with forced reps or a rest pause rep, or just moving it as much as you can is GREAT.

Mix it up every now and then with higher reps.

 

[curvymommy]

Going heavy and failure with forced reps or a rest pause rep, or just moving it as much as you can is GREAT.

Mix it up every now and then with higher reps.

Thanks so much. I did my upper body today and was the only girl in there with my little 12 pound dumbbells but it felt great! My muscles felt rock hard after that and I got my kiddos from the daycare and tried to take them swimming. I was sooo tired that I wasn't much fun for them in the pool. Anyway, thanks for your advice! I will continue like this then.