Weight training/fat loss

[SRV524]

I think this can go in both forums...so that's why I'm posting it twice.

I'm trying to decide what reps and sets I can use for fat loss. I read that 6-10 is muscle building and 10-15 is toning, but how come a lot of ppl do 15-20 reps for toning? I've been reading about nutrition and weight lifting for the past 8 yrs, so I know a lot about it, but I'm confused at this part. My schedule so far (limited bc of a bowflex, bad tricep and bad back):

chest flys- 3 sets of 12-14
dumbbell shoulder press- same
dumbbell curls- same
then I do wall sits for 1 min each, 3 sets with 30 secs rest. The rest btwn the weights are 45 secs. I do this 3 days a week, 1 day of rest btwn and 2 on the weekend.

When I go back to school tomm, I'll have better facilities, so I'll be doin more like:

Seated dumbell rows, barbell curl, shrugs, barbell press, bench press, hack squat or leg press. Sometimes I can do triceps pushdowns but my right tricep clicks when I do overhead triceps extensions and my lower back is so bad, I can't even do 5 partial hyperextensions without it killing me.

For all of these weights, I'll be doing either 3 sets of 12-14 reps or 3-4 sets of 15-20 with a BIT lesser weight....but not sure about the reps. Basically, I'm looking for definition and fat burning, not muscle building. I could do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, but that still includes some muscle building.....I want to lose weight, not gain muscle (adds weight). No muscle, just fat loss and definition...got it? Good! lol....thanks all.

 

[Adler1983]

SRV:

There really is no such thing as toning. For your muscles to look "toned" You need to have a low level of body fat; it's that simple. 6 reps (ish) recruits the most muscle fibers and will result in muscular development; while the higher reps will serve to maintain your existing muscle. Going to super high reps like 20+ will train your muscles for endurance activities.

To lose fat you want to burn calories. Perform you weight training as a circuit or in superset form. This will burn more calories. Once you get your body fat down to a percentage that is acceptable to you then you can begin to perform lower rep activities and begin to build up muscle.

As for your weight training it looks like full body workout. You've got good exercises in here. Put your squats etc first, then work largest to smallest. I typicall will follow this order: leg, push, pull, leg, push, pull or something along those line. So i'm working sort of in a circle.

Shoot for 3 or 4 sets of 10 - 12 reps; when you're all done - do 20 minutes of HIIT and you'll be all set.

Oh; and dont' neglect your core/abs

GOOD LUCK!

 

[SRV524]

well let me ask this then lol...
i dont want to bulk up or even add muscle, I just want to take what I have and tone it a bit. You know how men's health has the cut athletes that don't weigh much whereas muscle and fitness has the big, ripped guys? I'm looking for the men's health look as opposed to the m&f look- I want to be cut, keep my weight (maybe lose some, I'm 5'10, 212 lbs and could get down to 190 or so), and just get definition without adding too much weight.
I have strong abs, but I'm still doing the ab workouts 3 days a week....it's just that I have the fat covering the abs so I'm trying to reduce the fat (by eating ramen, crackers and juice bc this stupid college has nothing else to eat).

 

[Fil]

To tone and not gain muscle means to cut down your body fat significantly. These forums have hundreds of posts on how to do it.

how come a lot of ppl do 15-20 reps for toning

To tone and gain muscle is a matter of doing high-reps at low-to-moderate weight. This results in more muscle hypertrophy (growth) than strength gain, so your muscles get larger faster - but without proportional strength gains. If you wanted better strength gains, you'd do higher weight, fewer reps.

Also, don't make the assumption that lifting is going to make you huge. Most people who want to get huge struggle at it for months and years before they get big. Though, if your target weight is 190 and you're 5'10" you probably already have a significant amount of muscle-mass as it is. Muscle aside, someone with your height would still be technically overweight at 190 lbs.

What kind of cardio are you doing?

 

[malkore]

To back up Fil's statement about getting huge: getting huge requires huge food intake. If you train like crazy, but fail to take in a large enough surplus of calories, you won't add very much mass at all.

 

[rip]

I am with Fil on your weight. If you want a Men's Health type body, you need to be around 180 for 5'10". You prolly have more fat than you realize. Try measuring your BF%. To have that "toned" look, you will want between 9 and 15% BF. Preferably below 12%! At 175-180 lbs. with 10% BF you would most likely look very similar to the M.H. models.

As has already been said, the muscle is already there. Tone is just a cliche used to describe people with a healthy body fat percentage. Your muscles are there. That is why your body can function and move the way it does. Burn a bunch of that fat off and you will be very happy with the results.

To do it without adding mass, avoid the high weight / low rep workouts. And, include some cardio. Also, healthy eating and loads of water are key.

Cut out all trans fats. Try and find a good balance of carbs/protein/fat for your bosy to burn fat. Many people find that 20% fat / 20% protein / 60% carbs is a good ratio for fat burning.

Don't eat before your cardio and hit up the carbs (with a dash of protein) immediately after the weights.

Finally, get ample rest. Take a day off between weight routines and sleep 8 hours each night.

It is tough, but easier than you may think. The key is sticking to your plan.

Good luck, and keep us posted,
Rip

 

[SRV524]

Cardio- every MWF before the weights I do a 10 minute warm up, then the weights, then a 5-10 minute cool down. T TH and Sat I do 25-30 min of cardio, usually 10 min on the stationary bike and 20 minutes of running.

I know that lifting won't get you huge, but when I worked out for 3 months, without any shakes/protein increasements or calorie ups, good cardio and good health, I gained 15 lbs of muscle. 2 yrs ago in college we did strength training (4-6 reps of 4-6 sets) with heavy weights, and I was about 180 then...I got home from school and in a month or 2 I put on 15-20 lbs bc we did so much cardio (60-90 minutes a day, 6 days a week) that I sweat it all off and kept it off without realizing it. I just want to keep my weight the same, lose weight and "tone" up....meaning no strength gains but rather taking what I have and slimming down. Freshman yr in hs (about 7 yrs back) I was 5'10, 175 lbs and about 14% bf....3-4 yrs of weight lifting and a yr of strength training later, I'm at the 212, so I think that 185-190 would be a good goal if I had 10% bf, I'm not sure about lower bc of all the weight lifting I've done.

Sorry for the long post, but basically- eating less, gonna start drinkin my shakes more as meal replacements (1-2 a day, if that), cutting out the fats, oils, junk food, etc., cardio, weights and just overall better nutrition. Our school doesn't have much to begin with, so I eat what I have around here (not much), do cardio and just eat better overall. For weights, I've been doing 10-12 reps with moderate weight, by no means light. Should I keep doing this or do I switch to 15-20 reps and drop the weight just a little? I'm not looking for a model body, I just want a trim waist, decent chest and good health, not 20 inch arms or bench pressing 400 lbs. Just overall good health, low bf and some toning, not bulking.