Started working out, started gaining weight

[Ber Rabbit]

So it's not a bad thing that my muscles I've been working since I started aren't getting sore after the workouts now? I've only done a couple workouts now that we've added biceps and triceps and they, plus my elbows and forearms are the only things that get sore.

The YMCA is crowded now and I was swapping reps on the chest press machine with a guy I've seen there since I started going regularly. He was kind enough to let me "work in" and I found that actually pushed me to do better. I even upped the weight for my final set AND completed it. I admit it, I was envious of his 260+ pound chest presses and my competitive nature kicked in LOL! My 72 pounds on the final set made me feel one step closer to being able to compete with him if only in my mind. Soooo, is 260 lbs an unreasonable goal for a chick my size or should I find someone else to compete with in my fantasy?


I had my body fat analysis yesterday as well. They measured 4 sites; tricep, thigh, area by belly button and fat roll above hip. Average was 26.8% OUCH! Their chart says 23-25% is healthy, I'm "Above Average" on the fat meter--GRRRR! We tried out the calipers I had gotten and even though they say they are within a fraction of the "Gold Standard" they were 4-5% above the value given by the calipers used at the YMCA.

I told the trainer I had gotten a heart rate monitor with chest strap and she said those are pretty accurate. When I told her I had been doing my 20 min cardio and keeping my heart rate in the 87-97% of max range I thought she was going to fall down. What's the point of having a max rate if you're not going to work as close to the rate as possible? I noticed I can only stay in the 95%+ range for maybe 3 minutes before my body says slow down and I do listen to it. 87% of my max is a good "resting" rate for me and I can comfortably maintain that for extended periods. That heart rate monitor is FUN! I need fun
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Green_Manelishi]

So it's not a bad thing that my muscles I've been working since I started aren't getting sore after the workouts now? I've only done a couple workouts now that we've added biceps and triceps and they, plus my elbows and forearms are the only things that get sore.

The YMCA is crowded now and I was swapping reps on the chest press machine with a guy I've seen there since I started going regularly. He was kind enough to let me "work in" and I found that actually pushed me to do better. I even upped the weight for my final set AND completed it. I admit it, I was envious of his 260+ pound chest presses and my competitive nature kicked in LOL! My 72 pounds on the final set made me feel one step closer to being able to compete with him if only in my mind. Soooo, is 260 lbs an unreasonable goal for a chick my size or should I find someone else to compete with in my fantasy?

I had my body fat analysis yesterday as well. They measured 4 sites; tricep, thigh, area by belly button and fat roll above hip. Average was 26.8% OUCH! Their chart says 23-25% is healthy, I'm "Above Average" on the fat meter--GRRRR! We tried out the calipers I had gotten and even though they say they are within a fraction of the "Gold Standard" they were 4-5% above the value given by the calipers used at the YMCA.

I told the trainer I had gotten a heart rate monitor with chest strap and she said those are pretty accurate. When I told her I had been doing my 20 min cardio and keeping my heart rate in the 87-97% of max range I thought she was going to fall down. What's the point of having a max rate if you're not going to work as close to the rate as possible? I noticed I can only stay in the 95%+ range for maybe 3 minutes before my body says slow down and I do listen to it. 87% of my max is a good "resting" rate for me and I can comfortably maintain that for extended periods. That heart rate monitor is FUN! I need fun
Ber :lilbunny:

No, it's not a bad thing that your muscles are not sore but I'd be very careful if your elbows (the joints) are sore. The muscles have become accustomed to the work but your joints might be rebelling. To continue growth you have to give the muscles something to which they are unaccustomed ... more weight, more reps, or different exercises. Your body will adapt magnificently in a very short amount of time to new stresses.

The forced and negatives I've mentioned are an excellent way to shock the muscles into new growth without having to increase the weight. But be careful; you really can't do either without a lifting partner who understands what you are doing with the forced and negatives.

I don't know if 260 is unreasonable or not. A lot depends on your genetics as well as your desire. I've lifted with women who were barely 5ft tall that could squat well over 400 pounds and bench press with ease 150 pounds or so. I do know this; dmnd few men can bench press 260 pounds; it's a lot of weight. I've read that a "good" yardstick is can you bench press your own weight. I think your fantasy is fine provided that you don't do yourself an injury in an attempt to lift too much too soon.

The "sickest" thing I ever saw was the day a man-mountain asked me to spot him. He warmed up with 12 reps of 225 pounds. He then repped 315 for 12. Then he added another 90 pounds for the third set and his fourth set was 455 pounds.

Regarding the max rate; I think there is a window of target and if you are too close to your max for too long it's not good. However, you seem to be listening to what your body tells you and you back off a bit. You can try "intervals" on occasion with the eliptical. When I was swimming I did those 1 day per week. It was a lot of work but very beneficial.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

No, it's not a bad thing that your muscles are not sore but I'd be very careful if your elbows (the joints) are sore. The muscles have become accustomed to the work but your joints might be rebelling.

These muscles have just started being worked so the activity is new to them as well as the joints. There's a whole lot of snapping going on in my elbows when I do the bicep curls so I was keeping 36 pounds as my max and dropping to 24 on the last set. My elbows hurt a lot of times when I dive too. I really have to pay attention to whether or not they hurt before I get in or I get those "am I bent" anxieties afterward.

I do know this; dmnd few men can bench press 260 pounds; it's a lot of weight. I've read that a "good" yardstick is can you bench press your own weight. I think your fantasy is fine provided that you don't do yourself an injury in an attempt to lift too much too soon.

Now, you know the best part of the fantasy is keeping it a fantasy What really inspired me was the fact that this guy really wasn't that much bigger than I am and you could actually SEE how strong he was. He didn't have what I call "fluffy muscles" (think Sylvester Stallone) he had nice definition but to see him you would probably never guess he was so strong.

You can try "intervals" on occasion with the eliptical.

To me, those are intervals: "Go until your body tells you to slow down then slow down until it shuts up and repeat" The funny thing is I really don't even breathe hard during the workouts; I'm inhaling and exhaling on a slow 4-count most of the time and don't feel the least bit winded.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Hank49]

These muscles have just started being worked so the activity is new to them as well as the joints. There's a whole lot of snapping going on in my elbows when I do the bicep curls The funny thing is I really don't even breathe hard during the workouts; I'm inhaling and exhaling on a slow 4-count most of the time and don't feel the least bit winded.
Ber :lilbunny:

The only exercise that gets me winded is squats. For some reason I dread leg days but they say squats is the single best lifting exercise there is. I throw in abs on those days.
I don't know how old you are Ber, although you look 23 in your picture , but I've had problems with my 51 year old elbows a bit too. I've had to take a month of a couple times to get over tendonitis or whatever made them ache. I think the key is to really warm up with maybe 20% or your max weight before you increase weight on curls or tricep pushdowns that isolate you elbow tendons.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I don't know how old you are Ber, although you look 23 in your picture , but I've had problems with my 51 year old elbows a bit too. I've had to take a month of a couple times to get over tendonitis or whatever made them ache. I think the key is to really warm up with maybe 20% or your max weight before you increase weight on curls or tricep pushdowns that isolate you elbow tendons.

LOL! Been a while since I was 23, just turned 38 Christmas Day but most people don't think I look my age.

I think I may have been overextending my elbows on the downward motion. They were "snapping" something terrible and while it sounded nasty they didn't hurt much Saturday.

I found my workout sheets from the last time I tried to start a workout program. I lasted one month before I burned out, that was in Feb/March 2000 so I haven't worked out in 7 years. I've actually got a good start going this time and think I can maintain this program without burning out but we'll see. I'm getting better at scheduling my time and making my workout a priority even if it's only 3 days a week. My husband said, "Are you doing anything on Monday? I wanted us to run to Cincinnati." I told him I had my workout but was free after that I try to go to the YMCA right after work and since I can be there by 4pm and he doesn't get off work until 5:30pm I can usually get home about the same time he does.

I bumped my cardio on the elliptical to 25 minutes on Saturday. I do the "Cross Country" course and usually try to keep a pace that's just under a 10 minute mile. My body had evidently adapted to the 20 min workouts because by 21 minutes my arms started getting numb and I started feeling some serious anxiety. My body screamed "slow down" so I did and my body said "slow down MORE" and I took its advice. It only took 2 minutes for my heart rate to drop to 95% of max; the weird feelings went away and I was able to go back to my pace and meet my distance/time goal. When I checked my heart rate monitor my max rate was 102% of the max for my age, I'm guessing that's when I started feeling funny.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Hank49]

You're from near Cincinnati? I was born and raised in Harrison, the last town off I74 just before you cross into Indiana. I still go there to visit my sisters a couple times a year. You must be a hard core diver. When I go there, I don't think about diving too much.
One thing I've learned (and read) about pain when starting an exercise. STOP, if it hurts. It'll only get worse...unless you less than 20.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

You're from near Cincinnati? I was born and raised in Harrison, the last town off I74 just before you cross into Indiana. I still go there to visit my sisters a couple times a year. You must be a hard core diver. When I go there, I don't think about diving too much.

I'm in Brookville which is off of I-70 and half way between Dayton, OH and Richmond, IN. Takes me about an hour to get to Cincy if the traffic is moving.

I actually prefer cold water diving, guess that's one of the hazards of spending most of your life here LOL! Warm water trips are a nice break but I'm always glad to be back when I hit cold water again...warped I know.

One thing I've learned (and read) about pain when starting an exercise. STOP, if it hurts. It'll only get worse...unless you less than 20.

I figure a little pain is ok as long as it doesn't linger. I won't work a joint that hurts before I begin and when things start snapping and aching I reduce the weight to a comfortable level.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I actually managed to get through 30 min on the elliptical without boring myself to death yesterday! I picked a different program that used different inclines instead of different resistance levels so my heart rate only averaged 136 but that's ok.

We added the arm exercises a couple weeks ago and I finally felt confident enough to start pushing the weights a bit on those. Going to have to be careful with my left shoulder, I'd had some problems with the muscles holding the rotator cuff together a few years ago and they were acting up a bit during the workout.

I get to "graduate" from the program Jan 20. I found out it's only the 10 machines that are included so I've almost completed 6 weeks of working out on a regular basis...YAY ME!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Hank49]

I actually managed to get through 30 min on the elliptical without boring myself to death yesterday! I picked a different program that used different inclines instead of different resistance levels so my heart rate only averaged 136 but that's ok.

We added the arm exercises a couple weeks ago and I finally felt confident enough to start pushing the weights a bit on those. Going to have to be careful with my left shoulder, I'd had some problems with the muscles holding the rotator cuff together a few years ago and they were acting up a bit during the workout.

I get to "graduate" from the program Jan 20. I found out it's only the 10 machines that are included so I've almost completed 6 weeks of working out on a regular basis...YAY ME!
Ber :lilbunny:

Good for you. I finally am over my shoulder and elbow pain and now I'm back into it as of last week. Nothing but aching muscles....normal for start up. I'm grumpy...ha.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Good for you. I finally am over my shoulder and elbow pain and now I'm back into it as of last week. Nothing but aching muscles....normal for start up. I'm grumpy...ha.

Shoulder pain BITES! Glad to hear you're back at it!

My armpits are sore LOL!
Ber :lilbunny: