"Ward... James Ward" wrote:
>
> On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, Edith McKlveen wrote:
>
> > However, it would be nice to have some "girl" resources.  Something
> > that is slightly less gung-ho than what I've found so far.  Every
> > time I've approached a fitness program by trying to do the "guy"
> > thing, I've hurt myself, pulled or sprained the crap out of a
> > variety of muscles, and been forced to stop.
>
> I've had the same experience and I'm a big ol' guy (42, 6', 210#).  I
> used to always wreck my back and end up quitting.  The last time I hit
> the weight training wagon though, I had much better luck.

Me too. Over the last twelve years I've started up a new attempt at a
weight lifting routine every couple of years and usually hurt myself, so
it's not just women. I'm a 43 year old guy, 5'-11", 168#. I think it is
very important to start out really easy if lifting free weights, since
there are probably muscles that are weak that are assisting the main
muscles of a particular lift and that will easily be strained, setting
you back. You mustn't let a friend or a trainer push you too hard, or
push yourself too hard. But I think it is important to keep in mind
progressive resistance. Start out very light and let the weak muscles
catch up, maybe doing higher numbers of reps, such as 20. But gradually
increase the weight so you get to where you are working out with higher
intensity and are only able to do 10 to 15 reps. Then, when you can do
more than 15 reps, increase the weight. I've just been doing the basics:
Squats, leg extensions and curls, bench and incline presses, lateral
raises and upright rows, concentration curls, pulldowns, dumbbell rows,
crunches, and dumbbell side bends. I usually do two sets of each and it
only takes about an hour, so I don't bother with complicated split
routines. My results over the past six months have been very exciting.
I've lost 20lbs since January, along with significant gains in strength
and muscle mass. I hope the body weight stuff works for you, but I can't
see how it could be as effective as weights, whether you're a man or a
woman. I think many women don't view themselves as capable of the
intensity of effort, even though they are--if they ease into it. But
that's true of many men I know too. And I know there are many women who
have broken through what seems like hesitation.

Hilary McClure
Danville, Vermont

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