I believe it can. Now let me start by saying that I’m not a trainer and the only expertise I bring to the table is my own experience. With that being said, here’s my two cents. I know alot of woman kind of shy away from weight training b/c they don’t want to bulk up, think only aerobics will make them thin or see it as the “guy section”. I’m here to say the weight section will improve just about any other sport you’re trying to excel at. If done properly it can only help you.
Weight training can also be aerobic. I think alot of people “screw-up” by taking too long btw sets. They just sit there forever. I remember this one time that this guy stayed on a machine I needed so long I was able to do 4 other machines before he got off. When I joined the gym the trainer said never take more than 60 seconds btw sets or you start loosing momentum and lose some of the effects of the machine. I generally count to 10 between sets. If I’ve done really heavy weights I may go up to 20 seconds but that’s it. By keeping this pace going my heart rate goes up and it becomes an aerobic workout also.
Why am I bringing this up now? Friday’s are my weight training days. I had a really good workout this morning. I was doing the arm curl machine that works out your biceps and I could actually see that I had muscles popping out! It was very exciting. My arms have never been my best feature. Even when I was a teenager and in perfect shape my arms were never anything to write home about. They are still pretty thick and I don’t like to wear anything without some kind of sleeve but today I noticed they are starting to get some definition if I flex them abit. It’s a start and I’m excited.
On a side note, if you are a facebook fan you know that the family and I went to Chili’s last night. Why do restaurants have to put so much sodium in everything they cook? I mean even their guiltless recipes have a ton of sodium. I think Chili’s is especially bad on the calorie count also. Most of their apps have around 1000 calories. So if you have an app and then an entrée you are most likely already over 2000 calories! Holy crap. I knew going in it was a mine field. I looked at all the guiltless options and none of them sounded good. I just couldn’t do it. I had their big mouth bites. I had them hold the ranch dressing and didn’t eat any of the fried onions they insisted on putting on my plate even though I asked them not to. I only had a few of the fries. (I know I should have gotten veggies- I’m only human.) I also only ate 2 3/4 of the hamburgers. I figure I still came out of there around a 1000 calories. Ouch. I’m up 2lbs this morning but I really think it’s water weight b/c I do retain water pretty badly. I can just look at the salt shaker and I start swelling. My calorie count total was just under 1700 for the day. I normally stay around 1300 so that was high for me but I don’t think it’s 2 lbs worth. So hopefully with drinking lots of water today, my work out this morning and mowing the lawn this afternoon I will get rid of those 2 pesky lbs. I’m going to try to be good tonight but a girlfriend and I are suppose to go out to eat and they have this amazing crab dip that I just can’t resist. It’s probably 1000 calories per bite!
23 hours until my first 5K of the season so think fast thoughts for me tomorrow morning! I can’t wait! It’s only suppose to be in the 50′s tomorrow but I’m looking at it as motivation to run faster so I can get back into the warmth sooner. I don’t think I can ask my family to stand out in the cold while I run so there probably won’t be any pictures until the event releases them, if they do them. Happy weekend! What are you up to this weekend?
I believe weightlifing can be aerobic if done at a pace fast enough to raise your heartrate and little rest between sets. anything that raises your heart rate is aerobic