Lifting Weights

I am debating with myself about strength training.  Most magazines I read say that strength training is necessary to keep your muscles strong and growing.  After a certain age though, muscle density begins to lessen every year.  A lot of trainers say you cannot lose weight unless you add strength training into your cardio workouts.

I have lifted weights since the eighth grade.  Every summer my high school required student athletes to attend 30 workouts throughout the summer.  These workouts consisted of an hour of cardio (ex: sprints, stadiums, long distance, intervals, etc) and one hour of lifting weights.  I loved lifting when I was in high school.  Max day was my favorite.  I was so competitive with myself that I would push my body to limits it probably shouldn't have been going as a 15 year old.  My squat max as a 15 year old girl, 125 lbs, 5'4" was 185 lbs! I must say that is a little ridiculous for a 15 year old to be lifting.

I would never consider myself fat in high school.  Yes, I had baby fat but most of all I had muscle mass.  So after high school, I banned weights from my workouts completely.  I ran occasionally, ate what I wanted to, and went to the student act once or twice a month.  So my workout routine went from working out everyday for 2 hours with cardio and weights to once a week just doing cardio.  Freshman year I lost 15 pounds of baby fat and mostly muscle mass.  I had no big arms anymore (my biceps actually fit in a fitted t-shirt), my tights finally fit in jeans without leaving lines on them when I took them off, and I was happy with the way I looked.

Until last year,  I was still eating whatever I wanted and doing the rare workout.  I decided I wanted to be toned again.  So I began training for a half-marathon.  My legs (I must say) were to die for! My calves were finally sitting up high instead of 2 baby calves looking for their momma cow! But I still didn't have the definition I wanted.

So I go back to my first paragraph where all of my fitness magazines tell me that weight lifting needs to be apart of your usual workout.  At least two times a week.  I tried P90X last summer hoping that would change things and I got huge (muscle wise).  I think some women gain muscle differently than other women.  There is nothing wrong with that but how do you determine what is good enough for your body?

Today I attended a BodyPump class by Les Mills at my gym (Gold's Gym).  I'm always afraid this class is just going to make me bulk.  I think I've decided to incorporate it into my weekly workout routine once a week.  I just want to see what it does for me and if it will truly help me tone all the places I want toned.  Give me your feedback on how you feel about lifting weights.  Does it help you, does it make you bulk, just tell me what you think.

Hope you enjoyed the blog,

Kayla