Muscle building/shaping

[r3negade]

Right, my trainer has given me a programme that consists of cardio and muscle building. He hasnt specified what weight (kg) I should be lifting, but he has said 15 reps in 3 sets. I was wondering, when I do weights, I dont feel any pain in my muscles, but may feel some kinda stiffness.

For muscle building and shaping, do I have to make sure my muscles start to hurt...by putting them under stress so more muscle tissue builds or something? If this is true, shall I increase the weight or increase the reps? Want to shape, not build up bulk btw

Thanks!

 

[Reiki9]

I think first you have to measure everything before starting to work out and define the goals that you want and what is your time table so that you can come up with a strategic work out plan.

 

[Bigguy]

Right, my trainer has given me a programme that consists of cardio and muscle building. He hasnt specified what weight (kg) I should be lifting, but he has said 15 reps in 3 sets. I was wondering, when I do weights, I dont feel any pain in my muscles, but may feel some kinda stiffness.

For muscle building and shaping, do I have to make sure my muscles start to hurt...by putting them under stress so more muscle tissue builds or something? If this is true, shall I increase the weight or increase the reps? Want to shape, not build up bulk btw

Thanks!

Muscle building is muscle building.
It does not matter if you do light weight for 15 reps or heavy for 5- you will build muscle. You will not automatically bulk up - if you are female you are more than likely not going to just based on the fact that you lack the hormones to.
Pain means nothing- it is never an indicator of a good/bad workout.
'shaping' is a product of fat loss- it is also know as 'toning'.

I would say to stick with the plan the trainer planned out- it almost sounds like he/she knows what they are talking about.

 

[KaraCooks]

It does not matter if you do light weight for 15 reps or heavy for 5- you will build muscle.

Hmmmm. I think this is only true to a degree.

And if you're lifting weight that is too light, then you can do all the reps in the world and you're not building muscle - you're just building endurance, which is a whole different thing.

Ideally if you really want to build muscle (not bulk, mind you, because bulking takes serious effort and even more for women - because we don't have the testosterone that helps us build muscle the way men do), you need to be lifting heavy enough for it to be an effort. By the time you get to your last rep of your last set, it should be really tough to finish.

Pain is not a good indicator. I usually have a good "well worked" feeling to my muscles after I've pushed myself on a workout - but not sore and certainly not so sore that it hurts to move.

 

[Bigguy]

Hmmmm. I think this is only true to a degree.

And if you're lifting weight that is too light, then you can do all the reps in the world and you're not building muscle - you're just building endurance, which is a whole different thing.

I agree- I assumed that the weight that was being lifted for the 15 reps was heavy enough to cause some resistance. But you know what happens when you assume..........