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I have always had strong calves, but now I see and feel the top of my hamstrings. This is not a tiny muscle group, apparently.
Being on a weight plateau for a long time, led me to increase my exercise. I walk farther and faster, jog when I can, and work 12 minutes each on the step machine and elliptical. No change on the scale. Someone on FS said start on the weights. So I have worked through some the basics of weight lifting. I do abdominal crunches, lateral flies, wide grip lateral pull downs, and bicep curls. I avoid the leg press. My legs are too strong. Yesterday I tried pyramid loading for all my lifts. This might be the best routine for me to keep up and makes a lot of sense. I have to come up with a circuit routine. Go-go grandma. So what have I learned? All this learning takes a LOT of time. I will become even more of a conversation bore. What is more boring than doing weights are people who talk about weights. Worse, all my hard work and time does not show on the scale.
I suppose some weight lifting nerd out there will suggest that reverse pyramid loading will make it all better.
Anyway I drank coffee at noon yesterday. Bad sleep. My new muscle needs a lot of sleep. So does my mood. Me and my hamstrings will go out now and kick down a tree.
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 Comments
You find weight lifting boring?
30 Sep 16 by member: schmetterlinge34
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Yes, counting is boring. I lose track. Was I at 10 or 3? It is probably better to go with a buddy. The pyramid loading might help keep me concentrated. And all those muscle groups. Even more boring BS to sort through. My head is spinning and I feel a bit silly reading up on all this stuff. I probably have no real need to build muscle. But I am curious. I would like to believe that moving my slightly bigger muscles will burn calories. And may I can get rid of my flabby arms, and feel comfortable in a sleeveless dress.
30 Sep 16 by member: Annba
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Apparently if we weight train, we are supposed to train more leg and other large muscle groups if we want to burn more calories. So, I do have to do those leg presses afterall, and learn to do squats, which look kind of dangerous. https://www.sharecare.com/health/exercise-weight-loss/muscles-train-burn-most-fat
30 Sep 16 by member: Annba
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Resistence training is good for bone strength and longevity. What is pyramid loading?
30 Sep 16 by member: LadyinDenim
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I always found that if i backed of weight and did more reps I could pull any muscle group back into the same proportion as the rest. so if you are leg pressing 100 or squatting 100 or 50 or 40 try cutting that weight into a third and doing more reps longer time.
30 Sep 16 by member: ZakChange
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LadyinDemin.
Just a routine for lifting weights. Apparently better to use physical weights than bands, etc. well it seems to be taking a decreasing repetitions of a movement as you the weight gets heavier.
So for bicep curl weight routine, I might hypothetically do:
1 kg - 12 rep
2 kg - 6 rep
4 kg - 2 rep
Then you go onto something else and do the same. Breathing out as you lift, breath in as you slowly lower. Or something. You must breathe in any case.
Of course maybe I might not be able to do the final heaviest lift at all but will work towards it.
It's all in my "lady weight lifting book".
Oh, its a start. Taking it very slowly and easy.
You should just try and find your own thing.
I will give a report after a month or so.
30 Sep 16 by member: Annba
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ZakChange: yes, that is one idea. repetitions and lighter weight until the muscle can't do doing one more time. I don't want to count.
30 Sep 16 by member: Annba
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Good job Annba! :) I've been lifting since 1984, non stop. One of the books I've read is Flex Appeal by Rachael McLish who talks about how many women fear looking like a hulk. :) but says this doesn't happen; women bodies are different, plus rarely have the genes for bulky muscles, instead lifting builds muscles to everyone's genetic potential and no more (unless we take steroids, which is a very bad idea).
Another women on local radio is an advocate for weight training. She says "you can burn more calories laying down resting next to your treadmill than you did when using it before weight training." That is true: muscles burn calories just resting, sleeping, sitting, standing. Maintaining body heat, for instance.
Keep up the great work, and to me it's not boring, just a routine habit I do twice a week. :)
30 Sep 16 by member: billtech66
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Thanks for your comments Billtech66: I am convinced. Weights are clearly a extremely effective way to engage muscle. But I am 53, so I have to be a bit cautious -- posture, over-exertion, etc. But I am sure it will be time well spent. And learning something new won't do me any harm.
02 Oct 16 by member: Annba
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