The recommended rep failure level is 10-15. Just sos you know.

Yeah, or you could probably find it online. Exercisey people are always squatting. :laugh:

really? i keep reading 6-8. :o

Oh, that's cool. Yeah, some people are going with the heavier, less reps thing. It's probably all fine, I just didn't want you to not do those other weights at home b/c you thought it was too light. I mean, up your reps, and it will probably get heavy enough eventually. :laugh:

I mean you do not want bulging muscles like guys get. You want to be toned, which the bands can do.

Also - the more reps the better - but form is everything as form isolates the muscle you are tageting with the exercise. Bad form means other muscles are being used to help that one.

Don't be trying to tell girls what kind of muscles they do and don't want. :mad: :laugh: :xoxo:

But seriously, I've always hated the thing where people think muscles on girls are not cool, and not feminine. Most girls can only bulk up to a certain point, anyway - you gotta be very serious to get like those weightlifterey girls.
I think muscle definition is what separates the Girls from the Brick Houses. "Bow chooka bow bow!" :cool: :laugh: I love looking strong.

How much definition is best? Coincidentally, the amount that I have. :p

But Strand is right - you could bulk up.

Some people I know care about that. I try to bulk up certain body parts, and debulk others - the point being to get an overall proportional, symmetrical thing going. In other words, I do extra weights on every body part except my thighs. :laugh:
But I gotta say, my muscly arms were/are my favorite body part. :shrug: I think they look good on girls. You know, definition?

i do want toned, but i also want definition. i want to be lean, but i also want to look strong. wait, i just realized that everything i'm going to say, amber already said. :laugh: even the legs thing - my calves could use more definition, and i don't mind working out my hamstrings, but my quads are fine just the way they are ... they don't need any more help. :lol:

So true! We also moved from the city to the country. So my whole life has to be re-adjusted along with my pant size:lol:

Things will get better once I have a stove, new fridge and counterspace.

I have to try the resistance bands and just get my bum out that door and take a few walks:) I just got too lazy this summer and lost my motivation.

That is great, David!!!! Everyone seems to be doing pretty well on the Ledge with their exercise/diet programs. Thanks for motivating me to get back on track.

exactly. I've always read that you know if you have the proper weight by how many reps you do. I normally do 20 reps, but you're supposed to barely be able to do the last rep and don't rest between alternate exercises. I'm actually starting to see some definition around my shoulders...fab.

Congrats!!!!!

You are gonna be beating them off with a stick!!!!!!

First off - the notion of girls bulking up like guys - I've heard that basically impossible unless you take all sorts of supplements and work the weights like mega-crazy...women and men are just built differently - so basically we don't automatically bulk up like men by doing regular everday weight training and exercise :shrug:

I was SO sore yesterday - could barely walk :laugh: But again, it was a good sore, I'm getting better at the gym - and it was the first real leg workout I'd done in months.

I just went to the gym again this morning (just cardio) and stewed at Mexican Soap Opera woman. I can't seem to beat her there - every time I alter my time - she's there...I think she must camp out there all morning :mad:

You're right. For years women have not been lifting heavy enough weights because of that myth. To bulk up you'd have to really try or be a mesomorph body type. Even still, you can pack on a lot of muscle before looking bigger. I'm finding it is making me look smaller. Muscle weighs more than fat. Although some say that has also been overstated. I do 3 sets of 10 reps as advised by a trainer friend of mine.

Yeah - I knew I'd heard/read about that - and I prefer heavier weights with less reps to lower weight/more reps - but the myth is that heavier/less makes you bulk up.

Not so...at least for normal day to day workouts like what we all mostly seem to be doing. I do 3 sets - 1st set of reps 12 - then 10 then 8...that's what my trainer told me to do - although three sets of 10 works too - I like the 12-10-8 thing though....works well for me :D

I am at that point - if I can keep up the gym I will do ok - I'm not dreading going anymore - and I am finally, once again, feeling good after workouts - so I'm hopeful that this time I will stick with this!

Cool. The best thing to do is to stay in the moment. Maybe you can't exercise for the rest of your life but you can do it today. Know what I mean? It took my friend telling me to go up on my weights for me to do it. For some reason I was really wimpy about it, probably because I didn't want to appear any larger, stoopid!

Are we slacking? Too busy to post? I've been kind of slacking, made it to the gym twice last week, so not enough. I'm going to go at least 4 times this week though. As far as eating, yesterday I did really well. Today I am starving so eating kind of a big lunch. But I don't care, I'm hungry dammit! Fortunately I haven't gained any weight, I was a little worried. But I need to reel it in a bit.