women training

[chain_gang_member]

guys had a talk with my frnd and he says that for women it is important to train with HEAVY weights  and do cardio everyday so they burn fat..
but i said  doin cardio 4 times a wk and training moderate  weights  2 times a week is enough!

as i think cardio and diet is more important to loose FAT!
what u all say??

[pumpster]

With any type of training including weights or cardio, the degree of intensity will effect results. Moderate use can work in terms of more moderate results, if coupled with a good diet, depending on the person's metabolism and degree of weight loss required.

As far as training, cardio would be the most important ingredient but weights are also important both to tone the muscle in ways cardio won't, and in terms of the additional fat-burning benefits.

While moderate training can work, the more often cardio is done the more effective it will be, within normal bounds. As far as weights, heavy isn't the right word. Intense weight training done three times weekly using light/light-moderate weights and moderate-to-high reps would yield more benefits than moderate twice a week training, though moderate training would still help.

[JPM]

As a general rule I might suggest two to three times a week with resistence exercises. The average women does not want to look overly muscular but toned and fit. Tone is a nice way to say muscle firmness. Fit would be a way of saying less body fat, with a leaner, fresh healthy look. Something akin to the California girl look. (my personal choice would be women's Pro beach volleyball players, but that's just me)

Most women will adjust well to machine equipment rather than free weights. They will believe that BB's & Db's are too manly. Then there are the progressive women who can understand the benefit of using both types of lifting equipment. Women should workout pretty much the same way as men (8-12 reps), even heavy at times (4-6 reps). And like men, each respones a different way to each system. Where I train at we have three women (not the token type). One lock's out 400 on the bench for partials, in regular workouts and the other two about the 330 to 340 lockout range. They are ladies in every sense of the word, but do enjoy lifting to challenge themselves.  Any women can train light to extra heavy and gain the rewards of BB'ing, depends on the women and how her body respones.

Cardio is  best done twice to  three times a week, no more a week would be required. Cardio is pictured as treadmills or running. There is also spinning, Air-Dyne, rowing machines (outstanding cardio), power walking, trail hiking, etc. Consider not doing the same form of cardio each workout.  One does not have to train as a marathon runner to get in top shape. Interval training, as Tabata protocol, has a different slant on cardio and can actually give better overall results (in much less time invested) as far as fat lost and keeping muscle tissue.

Two accepted ways to manage fat lost and keeping it off. Manage the carb's or focus on whole, dense carbs. With the low calorie diets, a lot of healthy and needed muscle tissue can be losted along with the fat. Good Luck.

[runnerbabe]

I do bench but prefer dumbells over machines since you have more control. I lift 3-4 x/week with 2 heavy and 2 lighter days. I am not as strong as JPM's 300+ ladies (yet) but for my size and weight I can definitely hold my own against many of the men in the gym where I work out--and help spot.

I also prefer the non-anorexic runner look for myself and do spinning, running, and power walking, eliptical, swim, etc. 3-4 times week to burn fat and stay good aerobically.

Diet is 90% of the battle for minimizing fat in women especially as we age.

[shiftedShapes]

As a general rule I might suggest two to three times a week with resistence exercises. The average women does not want to look overly muscular but toned and fit. Tone is a nice way to say muscle firmness. Fit would be a way of saying less body fat, with a leaner, fresh healthy look. Something akin to the California girl look. (my personal choice would be women's Pro beach volleyball players, but that's just me)

Most women will adjust well to machine equipment rather than free weights. They will believe that BB's & Db's are too manly. Then there are the progressive women who can understand the benefit of using both types of lifting equipment. Women should workout pretty much the same way as men (8-12 reps), even heavy at times (4-6 reps). And like men, each respones a different way to each system. Where I train at we have three women (not the token type). One lock's out 400 on the bench for partials, in regular workouts and the other two about the 330 to 340 lockout range. They are ladies in every sense of the word, but do enjoy lifting to challenge themselves.  Any women can train light to extra heavy and gain the rewards of BB'ing, depends on the women and how her body respones.

Cardio is  best done twice to  three times a week, no more a week would be required. Cardio is pictured as treadmills or running. There is also spinning, Air-Dyne, rowing machines (outstanding cardio), power walking, trail hiking, etc. Consider not doing the same form of cardio each workout.  One does not have to train as a marathon runner to get in top shape. Interval training, as Tabata protocol, has a different slant on cardio and can actually give better overall results (in much less time invested) as far as fat lost and keeping muscle tissue.

Two accepted ways to manage fat lost and keeping it off. Manage the carb's or focus on whole, dense carbs. With the low calorie diets, a lot of healthy and needed muscle tissue can be losted along with the fat. Good Luck.

WRONG

the answer for girls who want to look fit is as follows: lift heavy, don't eat too much (try to still intake sufficient nutrients), and do cardio if you have the energy.

This is also the answer for guys who want to look good.  It is so simple but it doesn't sell any supps so you will probably never see it in FLEX

[JPM]

I could never imagine Runnerbabe ever aging, just blooming into the fullness of charm and beauty of a mature Goddess. Of course, aging like a single malt bottle of Balvenie Scotch isn't bad either.   

Those women are 30 something, one a not so desperate housewife (I lift with her husband) the other in TV sales and divorce twice. Each weight around 130-140. The strongest one has been lifting for a good ten years, weights 160 (very low body fat). Locks out 400+ from a six inch top distance. Squats 400, no problem.Single mother of two and got some very big bucks when her aunt died (plus a condo off of Mission Bay, San Diego). And talk about clean eating, she can drink most men under the table.  I do think, that pound for pound, some women have the potentional to be stronger than men in the lower body lifts. Women seem to complain less about training than some men do.  I may be bias, I love women. Good Luck.

PS: Shifted Shapes..No offense, but.......don't read Flex or any other T&A muscle(?) mag but that may be misleading advice you posted. Sound like you would also suggest taking a few line's to really hold the weight down, like most of the Fitness girls do.