Question: If women are younger, have access to a gym, and
want more of a fitness look can they use the same program as
for the middle-aged women, or can it be tweaked to provide maximum
cosmetic effect for minimal time investment? Maybe not fitness
competitor but approaching that look if that is even possible
on a minimal program. A lot of this is out of personal interest.
I'm naturally muscular so probably can get by on a minimal amount
of weight training and spend the rest of my time on cardiovascular
exercise.
The appropriateness of a fitness program will depend more
upon an individual's fitness level and health more than chronological
age. I understand what you are really asking though. The program
I outlined is more of a general conditioning program intended
to be used when little equipment is available.
Access to a gym may provide many benefits at any age. Many
individuals may find too many distractions at home and consequently
may end up not exercising regularly at home. Calisthenics work
may force the exerciser to use resistances that are either too
heavy or too light. The equipment found at a gym can be easier
customize to the exerciser. There is more of a variety of exercise
to choose from allowing for a program that is less boring and
may provide stimulus for continued progress. Also see Restimulating
Progress by Changing Exercises
On the other hand, other individuals find a fitness facility
either to intimidating or consider the trip to to the facility
too inconvenient, particularly if it is greater than 15 minutes
away. In this case, exercising at home is certainly an advisable
compromise.
Each case will have to be assessed to determine the most suitable
program strategy. There will always be a compromise between what
may be recommended and what the individual is willing to implement
in their lifestyle. Also see Exercise
& Sports Psychology Tidbits.
The process of toning involves restoring as much muscle as
losing body fat. Since muscle is denser than fat, individuals
who tone may not lose weight but appear slightly smaller and
consequently more fit looking. Conversely, weight loss involves
losing more fat than gaining muscle.
I believe it is more difficult to achieve the fit look without
a combination of weight training, aerobic exercise, and a sound
dietary modifications. Those that can achieve this look without
implementing all three components are most likely already, or
naturally not far from this idea body type.
I encourage choosing the least number of weight training exercises
with the fewest number of sets particularly with the goal of
toning or weight loss. With an abbreviated weight training program,
more time can be spent performing aerobic exercise. The duration
and frequency of aerobic exercise are important factors for fat
loss.
Aerobic exercise will burn fat during exercise. Anaerobic
exercise, like weight training, can continue to burn fat for
hours after exercise. It seems the intensity of the anaerobics
is the primary factor in sustained metabolism hours after exercise.
The article you shared with me regarding HIIT was very informative
an illustrated this concept. I have summarized the HIIT
study on ExRx.net.
The combination of weight training and aerobics has found
to be more effective in fat loss as compared to only performing
weight training or aerobic exercise alone, even at the same caloric
expenditure. See Resistance
Weight Training With Endurance Training Improves Fat Loss.
It has also been theorized that a increase of muscle mass
may enhance our ability to burn fat. Weight training exercises
that utilize the greatest muscle mass has the most potential
for fat loss through both an increased metabolism via anaerobic
exercise and an increased muscle mass.
For individuals attempting to achieve fat loss for aesthetics,
the intensity of weight training can be a double edge sword.
When beginning an exercise program, muscle mass increases may
out pace fat losses, resulting in a small initial weight gain.
Significant fat loss requires a certain intensity, duration,
and frequency that novice exercisers may not be able to achieve
until they develop greater tolerance to exercise. If an exercise
and nutrition program is not adequate for significant fat loss,
a lighter weight with higher repetitions may be recommended to
minimize any bulking effects, although less fat may be utilized
for the hours following weight training. If an aerobic exercise
and nutrition program is sufficient enough to lose fat, a moderate
repetition range with a progressively heavier weight will accelerate
fat loss with a toning effect. If a muscle group ever out paces
fat loss, the bulking effect is often only temporary. For a toning
effect, fat can be lost later when aerobic exercise can be significantly
increased or the weight training exercise(s) for that particular
muscle can be ceased altogether. The muscle can atrophy to a
pre-exercise girth within months. Higher repetitions training
may be later implemented and assessed.
Also see Toning with
Weights and Women's
Weightlifting. This question is also related to one of your
following questions:
Q: A lot of women want the "long leg", "slim
hip" look of fitness competitors and Miss American contestants,
rather than the bodybuilder legs/hips. Their two favorites from
what I've read are squats, and lunges. So my question is, how
do you create the illusion of the slim butt, long leg look using
a minimal training program, if that is possible? In my experience
lunges do create the long-line effect better than squats. What
about foot stance for squats if a narrow effect is what is wanted.
What about front squats and hack squats in achieving this. What
exactly is being done to achieve this look? Developing rectus
femoris? Would it be better to include 2-3 sets for Quad/Glute
and reduce exercises somewhere else?
Each individuals shape and proportions should be analyzed to
determine a suitable program strategy. An exercise professional
can help their client develop a realistic plan in accordance
to the individuals potential. Certainly, it is not realistic
for a Rosanne Donald type body to transform into a Calista Flockheart
(Allie MacBeal) type body. Most high level beauty contestants
tend to have a natural ectomorphic (slender) body type.
Squats seem to be a better muscle builder than lunges. Variations
in foot placement will emphasis certain muscles but will not
reduce fat in these specific areas. See Spot
Reduction Myth. Placing the feet wider will emphasize the
hip adductors. Placing the feet higher on a hack squat or a leg
press will emphasis the glutes and deemphasis quadriceps. Front
Squats will emphasis the quadriceps. Also see Squat
Analysis.
Exercises for quadriceps
and hamstrings can normalize
hip and thigh proportions. The accentuated curve of the hamstrings
and glute along with fat loss on and below the glute area can
decrease the sharp angle of the glute-ham fold. Fat loss around
the hip and inner thigh with restoration of quadriceps fullness
will normalize lower body shape and proportions. Development
of the glutes with a simultaneous fat loss on and below this
area will lift and tighten this area. All of these improvements
can accentuate the vertical lines of the lower body creating
the illusion of longer legs.
Again if the muscle mass out passes the fat loss, the individual
may not achieve the look they desire. Although, understand very
few men and even fewer women can develop big muscles even if
they wanted. The goal in this case is to lose enough fat to compensate
for the slight increase of muscle mass restoration.
Some individuals may already have greater than normal muscle
mass in particular areas from either genetics or training. This
creates a dilemma since these large muscle groups (glutes, quads,
and hamstrings) have the most potential of increasing the metabolism
(as discussed above) yet further increases and muscle mass may
not be conducive to ideal aesthetics. An alternative training
program may be implemented if it is deemed the quads and/or the
glutes are already over developed. An alternative training plan
may also be use if the individual had experience greater than
normal muscular hypertrophy from past training. Furthermore,
it should be determined that no amount of fat loss will compensate
for the potential increase of muscle in this specific area. In
addition, it may be decided that significant fat loss is not
likely because the individual is unwilling or unable to perform
enough aerobic exercise or dietary modifications to lose adequate
fat from these areas. Realize, though, the thighs and hips are
commonly an area on women that it seems to get lean last.
A training modification may involve lighter weight with more
repetitions although less fat may be burned for hours after weight
training with this compromise in intensity. The burning sensation
associated with high repetition training seems to be the primary
deterrent for achieving higher intensities. Certainly, someone
can adapt to the muscular endurance necessary for this high repetition
training, but it still may be very challenging to train as intensely
on a high repetition program even after this adaptation.
Another alternative is to simply eliminate an exercise that
effects a muscle that you feel is already overdeveloped. This
would be particularly true if an individual feels they have too
much muscle mass in the calf area. In this case, calf exercises
can be strategically omitted or discontinued later for a several
reasons. Obviously, the muscle does not need to hypertrophy if
it is too large, even if the exerciser may be only experience
an 1/8" increase in circumference. Secondly, omitting the
calves would not significantly compromise the weight training
program's effect on increasing the metabolism since it is a relatively
small muscle in comparison to other larger muscle groups like
the glutes, quads, hams, back, and chest. Since most people do
not store large amounts of fat on the lower legs, it may be more
difficult to lose enough fat on the lower leg to compensate for
even the smallest increase of muscle girth. As mentioned above,
it most individual seem to get lean in the peripheral first although
fat is lost throughout the body at different proportions. Some
people may feel this initial muscularity in the lower leg is
not the look the want. Alternately, other individual's may either
desire this look, will not have the potential of achieving an
over muscular look, or may in fact prefer the other benefits
of direct calf work like enhanced lower leg strength and joint
integrity..
You could perform an additional set on quads/glutes if you
wish, just realize the first workout set will deliver 95-100%
of the benefits. With adequate muscle mass. I believe you are
fine in just performing more aerobics, although you will probably
have to perform more aerobics or watch your diet more closely
than if you where performing some sort of anaerobics.
An alternative training methods may include HIIT
like the cycling protocol in the study you shared with me or
sprinting on level ground or on stadium steps. Sprint swimming
can be performed by may not adequately condition the lower body
muscles.
Realize though most beginners do not yet have higher levels of
muscular endurance required for HIIT training. Even the anaerobic
group in the HIIT scientific study had a 5 week conditioning
period. Incidentally, unlike the original study which implemented
a passive recovery between sets, I would recommend an active
recovery between sprints; cycle on level for about 4 minutes.
This should hasten recovery between sprint bouts. Since cycling
is fast and repetitive, it is not recommended to lock out; 5°
bend. If the seat is to low, or to close to the pedals, you will
experience greater muscular fatigue due to this mechanical disadvantage.
For those with higher levels of body fat, diet modifications
will play a very important roll in creating leaner and longer
looking legs. Fat loss around the thighs and hips is critical
in normalizing proportion and complimenting vertical lines throughout
the legs. See: The Attractive
Body