Question about weights at the gym

happyfeet2010

So I have joined the gym. I am female 10stone 11.

I am currently using the machine weights. I can do 65 (kg??) with the two leg abductors. I usually do 50 on each machine.

I think I'm doing 20kg with 2 of the machines aimed for the arms. I also do 50 of these.

Would I be better off sticking to the machine weights or should I use the free weights instead. It's just that I read somewhere on here that free weights are better than machine. If that's the case what type of lifts should I be doing in order to lose weight/tone up.

I don't think I'm doing the weights properly. Like I'd say I would have sat at 4 different machines. Two arms, two legs- go for 50 on each machine and I would be done in about 15 minutes...

I understand that the the best weight is the one that once you've done 8 and you start to struggle. Can you take a very short break and then do more? As that is what I do. It's just that I see people doing machine weights and they don't take half as long as me. Thankfully, there is no-one else waiting to use them...

What should I be doing to get a good hours worth of weight training in? I would like to do weight training about 3 times a week. Will also be doing cardio work twice a week.

Thanks in advance!

Doug Cartel

You should be doing the exercises in sets - so do 8 repetitions, take a break then do 8 more, and so on. The number of sets and repetitions you do and the length of the break between sets will depend on what your objectives are. You should also have some kind of a plan to which exercises you do, and not just do a couple of machines and leave it at that.

You'd probably be best off asking for some advice from the people who work at the gym, or even hiring a personal trainer for a session or two. They can make up a plan for you and make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. You'll make much better progress if you're doing things right.

Elohim

Get a proper plan for yourself, don't just wander around the gym to random machines at a whim. Have targets to meet when doing weights (sets, reps, weight). The break you take between sets should be long enough for you to be able to just about complete the next set after the break but not too long!

Free weights are better alright, you're not stuck to a rigid range of motion like you are on the machines.

You want to lose weights and tone up? You'll read everywhere on this forum that it's compound exercises that you should be doing (just google it). They use a good number of muscle groups and you'll see much quicker progress I think.

gymfreak

Yes, a weights program will help you significantly to reach your goals. It's definitely something that I would recommend.

However, you are completely wasting your time on those abductor/adductor machines. My advice to you would be to get a proper structured program done for you in your gym. Most gyms offer them. I'd definitely recommend using freeweights, so if you were interested in using them ask the instructor to structure your program around them.

Finally, a word of advice. No offence intended to anyone, but a LOT of personal trainers and gym instructors do not know their stuff. They may be enthuasatic about their job but alot of them don't do any sort of continuing professional developement courses after passing their initial course and just refeed the basic information that they may have been taught in their course...(not always sound information). So..if you do decide to get a program done, be wary that it may not be fantastic. There are a lot of people around here that REALLY know their stuff..so ask questions, be skeptical and read through the logs.

Transform

stick with the basics like lunges, squats, press ups, chin ups/one arm rows, core work, overhead press etc any good trainer will outline a program based on free weight or body weight exercises rather than machines as you basically get better bang for your buck with the former.

jasonf9ace

try one of these workouts would be alot more productive imo > http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/women.html