ShapeFit.com

[shneckie]

Hey there this is my first post so please be kind!

I have only recently started weightlifting as I have never done it before (i only ever do cardio) but I now want to start using weights to gain strength, endurance and to tone the body. What kind of thing should I be looking at?

Ideally I dont want to give up the cardio. Cardio endurance is important to me but someone told me that if you want to do weights then you have to tone down the cardio? Is that true?

Like I mentioned I have only recently taken up weights so am very new to this sort of training. If you can give any pointers I would be grateful!

Cheers

[rynuku]

there are 2 types of muscle...fast twitch and slow twitch

your going to have more slow twitch since you do cardio more...

you dont really have to tone down your cardio but it will take you longer to get stronger...thus why u never see powerlifters on the treadmill or cyclist maxing on the bench press lol...but your not worried about getting huge so just incorporate some weight training in with your normal cardio exercises...add weights depending on your goals...you might end up seeing bigger muscles and want to cut cardio in half to get bigger muscles...u see them Olympic sprinters...they got huge legs...the stronger their legs are the less % work they have to do to carry the body weight...so they can run faster...im getting off subject so for your question i would just say no...stay with your cardio but definitely add weights

[swanso5]

you need to be able to do 20 perfect split squats, 20 perfect push ups and 20 perfect inverted rows before touching any sort of external wt...and a perfect prone ab brace/hover/plank x 2mins

so can you??

[shneckie]

i have no idea what perfect split squats are, i can do 20 perfect push ups and again no clue to what perfect inverted rows are. the plank i would say i can do for a minute.

im not really looking to get bigger, well maybe a little bigger but only to give shape. I just want some strength and to tone my body. My upper body strength is shocking. Yes i can do the 20 push ups but not much else!

i was thinking 3 days weights with 20 mins of sprinting and then 3 days of indurance cardio and 1 day rest a week... or does this sound too much?

thanks for the replies... this site is amazing and the help you are giving me is just brilliant!

[MrCheese]

Maybe an extra rest day in there. Resting is as important as the actual stuff you are doing. Maybe put one of the sprinting at the end of a weights day if there is time?

[swanso5]

search youtube for the other exercises

tone is muscle with little bodyfat so without gaining some muscle you'll be "toneing" nothing

3 resistance sessions and 3 sprint orendurance sessions are all you'll need...you've already done a lot of endurance shit so i wouldn't bother with more than 1 of those a week

what are you eating?

[shneckie]

ok so i need to gain muscle before i can tone it?

i currently eat 3 meals a day and to be honest they are relatively large meals with a lot of carbs tho there will at least one portion of meat (except at breakfast where it is cereal and toast)

i understand i will need to change my diet because training is useless unless you have the right diet

3 resistance sessions... i guess that means weight training?

[swanso5]

for food go to diet section and read "read before posting...'

well if you can't do the above, wts will probably end up hurting you short and/or long term

search "your body is a barbell" by alwyn cosgrove