Jane,

Here are my opinions.  As with anyone's, take them with
a grain of salt.  The best protocal is what you find
works for you.

> I know this is off topic, but i have a question about
> exercising.  I began working out twice a week (I know
> not really enough, but it is all I can do at this
> time).

Not true.  I weight train twice weekly for 45 minutes
(plus bike commuting to work daily), and I am making slow
but steady progress.

I find the HIT protocal lends itself to those with limited time.
Check out the HIT FAQ at http://www.cyberpump.com/training/hitfaq/

The the trick is to use your training sessions to the fullest.
Then rest thoroughly before training again.

I usually do 30-40 minutes of cardio followed
> by weight training.

I would suggest breaking your workouts, if possible, into
cardio days and weight days.  Thus you would be training
4 times a week, but for only half as long.
Again, this is just me.  Do what you like best.

I simply want to increase muscle
> mass.

If you are looking to increase mass, you might benefit
from less cardio.  I suggest you try replacing your current
cardio session with 8 sets of 20-second sprinps (HARD sprints)
with 10-second rest intervals.  Don't forget to warm up/cool down
for a couple of minutes.  If you've never sprinted before, I suggest
you ease into it by slowly increasing your sprint effort over a few
weeks (4 to 6 sessions).

Is it better to do more reps at a lower weight,
> or increase the weight as it becomes easier?

The most basic tenate is progression.  Always try to do 1 more rep
and/OR slighly higher weight than last time.  (Aim for 8 to 12 reps.)
I like to stay at the same number of reps, but increas the resistance by
2, 1.5, 1, or even 0.5 pounds (That's no typo.) at every workout.  (I'm
aiming for a 1% increase.)  Since you are new to training, you should be
able to make faster progress than that.  5 %/workout is not crazy.

Also, I
> use mostly weight machines, not free weights.  Is
> there any difference, benefits, negatives, etc.
> between them?

The main thing is to train HARD and infrequently.  (Your muscles must be
recovered before your nest session.)  I like feel of free weights,
but if you like machines, stick with it.  You might want to try
to mix it up a bit, for variety.

One more thing.  You should concentrate on basic, multi-joint exercises,
especially if you have limited time.  The core of your workout should
be squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and pullup (or the
machine equivalents).  Do each exercie once a week.  (Thus, you'll need 2
workouts.)

OK, one MORE thing.  Try to use a moderate tempo, like 2-0-4.  You don't
want the weight to have much momemtum;  your muscles should be doing all
the work.  Avoid explosive moves.

Micheal

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