Weights

Between 2008 – 2010 I did weights in the gym, as shown by the gym instructors and I eventually researched best practice and developed my own weights routines.

In 2011 I’ve tended to have moved away from doing weights in the gym in favour of doing HIIT training in the form of circuits or kettlebell tabatas.

Anyway, here are some versions of my Weights workouts I’ve done in the past:

3 x 8 sets… lower weights, more reps.

5 x 5 sets … higher weights (max), more sets, less reps.

Sets are done as supersets of opposite muscles were possible.
Eg – 5 reps of chest, 5 reps of back, repeat 5 times.
/ 5 reps of biceps, 5 reps of triceps, repeat 5 times.

I’ve got some of my ideas from here:
Body Building.com/Women
It promotes the idea that women can lift heavy weights and that although they won’t get big and bulky like men (due to lack of testosterone)… it’s a good way to get strong and toned.

My weights workouts are always changing…always developing so that I don’t plateaux.  I try to change my weights workouts every 8-12 weeks.

Winter Strength Challenge 2011:

In December 2011 I started a 12 week Winter Strength Workout Challenge … aiming to do 2 weights workouts a week, plus circuits once, kettlebell once and running and swimming.

I want to take a break from long distance running for a month or so and see if I can build up some strength by weight training.

The weights are done in supersets of 2 exercises, with little rest between
– see detail here: New weights routine for Winter?  I’ll do 5 supersets (or 6 if I want to).

And then I’ll do a circuit of abs work (between 3-9 exercises).  Each weights routine should take between 45 minute to 1 hour including a 10 minute warm up of easy cardio.

Here are some posts about Weights workouts:

Weights or no weights?
New weights routine for Winter?
Winter Strength Workout Challenge 

Spring Summer Strength Challenge:

Here are the weights workouts I’ve developed for Spring Summer of 2012:

TIMINGS

WEIGHTS & PLYO: 3-4 TRIPLE SUPERSETS

PLYO OR ABS: 3 CIRCUITS OF 6-10 EXERCISES

KETTLEBELL OR BOSU BALL: 3 CIRCUITS OR 10 OR 12 EXERCISES