9 replies to this topic

[lalala123]

Salam,

After ramadan is over, I would like to start an exercise regime to imrove my fitness and strength, particularly upper body strength.

I will probably exercise 3 or 4 times a week, for 20 or 30 minutes minute bursts.  I know it's probably better to exercise for longer than that, but i'm lazy and I know I won't.

My main conern is, I don't want to lose weight, and I don't want to start looking muscly.

Does anybody have any advice as to which would be the best exercises to go for?  For fitness, I think i'm just going to stick to walking, maybe jogging but I don't know what to do to improve my upper body strength, without starting to look muscly.  I don't want to start looking like a pre-pubescent girl.

[Follower]

I would use light dumbbells and do lots of reps (15+ reps per series). You could try the following exercises:

Traps: dumbbell shrug

Shoulders: deltoid raise, shoulder press

Biceps: curl, hammer curl

Forearms: wrist curl

Chest: butterfly, dumbbell bench press

Back: dumbbell row

You can also do different variations of push-ups

hands far apart (shoulders)
hands at shoulder level (chest)
hands close to each other (triceps)

Try not to work the same muscle group two days in a row. Get energy before the exercices (carb-containing snack/meal) and make sure you get some protein straight after to repair the muscles (fish (esp. tuna), lean meat/chicken, cottage cheese)

By working with weights that allow you to do 15+ reps per series, there's no way you'll get muscly. In fact, it's unlikely that someone ever gets muscular without wanting to because of the hard work/diet involved.

Edited by Follower, 11 August 2012 - 09:01 AM.

[Murtada]

Push ups. Push ups. Push ups.

[gajarkahalva]

Best thing to do is press ups which will tone you up.

Is walking exercise? you must be >60 years old if you think that.

Just to bench presses and dumbell curls for your arms. That is enough really.

Maybe get a pull up bar and use that to work you back etc.

If you do it for 30 mins 3 -4 days a week, you will get a good shape, but you won't look like a freak. You only start looking like a freak if you exercise like a freak (protein shakes, exercise 24/7 etc)

[coldcow]

There is no such thing as "toning."  A muscle can either grow, or shrink, it can't get toned.  A "toned look" comes from having a low body fat percentage and strong muscles.  And as a female, you're not going to "look muscly" without an immense amount of hard work or steroids.

Please read this: http://jasonferruggi...e-jessica-biel/

If you're interested in lifting heavy and being strong, then I'll come back and help you with advice.  Or you can just google "Mark Rippetoes' Starting Strength."  It has somewhat advanced lifts in it, like the squat and deadlift, but if you can get someone to teach you them, you'll be good to go.

Alternatively, if you just want to workout at home, we can figure something out for that as well.

Edited by coldcow, 14 August 2012 - 02:43 PM.

[abdulaalee]

Start yoga! it is great for your posture, it looks  like it is so slow and easy, but it is not. And the most important thing is that you will fell fresh and relaxed after exercises enjoy

[awaiting_for_the.12th]

Do squats with heavy weights, dead lift to get stronger back, military press for strong shoulders. Also lil bit of steroids

[Zenshiite]

lalala123, on 11 August 2012 - 08:27 AM, said:

Salam,

After ramadan is over, I would like to start an exercise regime to imrove my fitness and strength, particularly upper body strength.

I will probably exercise 3 or 4 times a week, for 20 or 30 minutes minute bursts.  I know it's probably better to exercise for longer than that, but i'm lazy and I know I won't.

My main conern is, I don't want to lose weight, and I don't want to start looking muscly.

Does anybody have any advice as to which would be the best exercises to go for?  For fitness, I think i'm just going to stick to walking, maybe jogging but I don't know what to do to improve my upper body strength, without starting to look muscly.  I don't want to start looking like a pre-pubescent girl.

3-4 times a week and under 40 minutes is actually pretty ideal. There's a point of diminishing returns in training and 40 minutes is pretty much the point at which that occurs. You always have to factor in stress when it comes to attaining fitness goals. If you're working, or a parent, or both you're going to have the everyday stress that releases stress hormones like cortisol. Cortisol puts on fat, and cannibalizes your lean muscle tissue. I know trainers that say 3 times a week is max for the average working person.

Do bodyweight training. I use Convict Conditioning for progressions and all that, it takes time and you won't end up all Hulked out or anything, though you could potentinally if that became a goal. I can get you a digital copy of that book if the price is too high. Don't sweat hypertrophy, as stated by previous posters... it takes a ton of specialized training, supplements and drugs for women to get that way. You're not going to end up looking like She-Hulk.

Look into kettlebells too. You can completely dispense with cardio like jogging when using kettlebells for ballistics.

Edited by Zenshiite, 16 November 2012 - 04:20 PM.

[Darth Vader]

We all should also realize that the root cause of this health and fitness problem is our modern lifestyle. Our modern foods, our eating habits, desk jobs. If someone is still studying and concerned about this issue then they should preemptively select a 'dream job' that is not a desk job. Or perhaps even adopt a lifestyle that lets you bypass the root cause. Do physical work, and enjoy this work. I can't think of a better fitness program that lasts. Walking is also a very good cardiovascular exercise. So is standing. Anything physical. So if you're concerned, try not to end up behind a desk.