Anonymous wrote:My mantra - weights weights and more weights....forget cardio, its a waist of time!

As women - assuming OP is a woman - we are conditioned to believe that we have to do hours of cardio to maintain our weight and look good in a bikini. I am here to tell you that is 100% incorrect. You have to lift moderately heavy to heavy weights in order to maintain not just your overall health and strength but to also maintain your figure/physique.

I'm the PP above who recommends strength training, and I'm definitely pro-weights.

But I think it's foolish to say "forget cardio." Cardio is important too. I think, long term, the best approach is a balanced one that includes strength training and cardio, as well as stretching/mobility exercises.

Here you go - tons of free plans here.

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/find-a-plan.html

^^^^LOL....that should say waste not WAIST!^^^

My mantra - weights weights and more weights....forget cardio, its a waist of time!

As women - assuming OP is a woman - we are conditioned to believe that we have to do hours of cardio to maintain our weight and look good in a bikini. I am here to tell you that is 100% incorrect. You have to lift moderately heavy to heavy weights in order to maintain not just your overall health and strength but to also maintain your figure/physique.

16:16 here.

And compound movements with the free weights will give you the biggest bang if you are short on time.

There are some great youtube videos with movements/routines that you can start with.

HAS Fit is a good one.

Anonymous wrote:The books The New Rules of Lifting are great. There's one for women which is one of the best programs out there. An hour of cardio and 15 minutes of weights isn't going to transform your body. It should be closer to the other way around!

+1 I'm not familiar with the book. But start with 10 minutes of ab work to engage your core. Then do 20-25 minutes of cardio, and use the rest of the time to do circuits with free weights (skip the machines). Pay for a couple of sessions with a personal trainer to teach you some basic circuits (and good form) and figure out a good starting weight. Then you gradually up the weight.

If you are new to working out, start with the elliptical for your cardio. The elliptical is extremely low impact, so it's good for people to start. As you build up your muscular strength, eventually switch to running on the treadmill to kick it up a notch.

The cardio will get your heart pumping and warm you up, but if you do circuits (with little to no rest in between) and incorporate some lunges and squats, your heart rate should stay up through the strength training.

Ideally, though, if you are trying to fit all of this in only going to the gym twice or three times a week, then I'd plan for more like 2 hours at the gym.

If you are going more than that, then you can alternate and only do like 10 minutes of cardio to warm up on strength-training days and then on non-strength-training days, fit in a longer cardio session with a nice long stretching session after.

But always do some core work -- always

Anonymous wrote:Get a copy of the book "Strong." I love it. All the workouts are mapped out for you. My shoulders look amazing.

Not OP, but I ordered this book and I'm excited to get started on it. Glad you mentioned it, thanks!

The books The New Rules of Lifting are great. There's one for women which is one of the best programs out there. An hour of cardio and 15 minutes of weights isn't going to transform your body. It should be closer to the other way around!

Get a copy of the book "Strong." I love it. All the workouts are mapped out for you. My shoulders look amazing.

My current plan is 30 min elliptical + 30 min stair stepper or bike + 30 min weight machines + 15 stretch before and after. I'm not the best with the weight machines so any tips appreciated!! What would you add to this plan? Or make me a new one to mix it up??