Women on Weights Program at the YMCA

[Terri_A]

Has anyone ever participated in this at their YMCA? It's a free program that you register for at the start of a semester. Once a week you meet with a trainer and 2 other women for a workout. The idea is that you come back on your own at least 2 more times during the week to repeat your workouts. Registration at my YMCA starts on Monday of next week and I'm seriously considering it ( I need accountability to force me into the gym ), but am looking for some feedback from someone who's participated.

[gabbyh]

Terri, Although I've never been in this program, I was a member of our YMCA in Bethlehem, PA for over 25 years before we moved to South Florida...it's where I learned lots about weight lifting...although I was a member of the Women's Fitness Center, I also spent lots of time in the weight room with all the "heavy" lifters:D

I would highly recommend joining the YMCA! Great classes, very reasonable...lots of really nice people wanting to share their experiences...why I really liked it: I could wear my favorite torn tee, and old sweat pants, and no one cared! No need for the fancy gear!!!

~Gail

[Triathlon13]

Hi Terri,

Not sure this will help you, but I teach a women & weights class at a corporate fitness center and my ladies LOVE it! They come back every week and when they can't come they email me to let me know and ask what they should work on. What I do with my ladies will be a bit different than what the Y will do with you-but I highly encourage it--you will be so much more comfortable and the attention you will get with just three of you (I always have 3-6 ladies). Who knows maybe you will meet a woman that you bond with and you two will hold each other accountable. 3 of my ladies use each other as a means to get theirs butts down here-haha.

Good Luck and have a blast!!!

Michelle

[Robyn1007]

I'd definitely go for it! It sounds like you'd essentially be getting free personal training advice AND have some other women to work together with on goals.

[alisajean]

My YMCA doesn't have that particular program but my sister's does. She did it about 4 years ago and she lifts weights 5-6 times a week to this day. The only thing about her YMCA that I don't like is that they keep track of how much weight you actually lift in a month and they post the results. To me that's too much like a competition. Unfortunately, my sister thinks it is too and has become obsessed with it (a long story). I don't think it's anyone else's business how much I lift!

[Terri_A]

I did register yesterday morning. It starts the week of Labor Day. I was the first person to sign up! I am really excited about it and think it'll be good for me in several ways, ie energy, strength, help the weght loss efforts, sleep better, etc. On the downside, I'm going to sweat which I seriously dislike doing! It looks like the pluses won thoguh!

[alisajean]

Good for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I really feel that lifting has helped my weight loss (20 lbs. on WW since January). It took me forever to loose it though -- I think I lost the majority of my weight between the 12 and 16th week on WW! Not sure if this is true but someone told me that muscle burns calories faster than fat (plus is looks better in your swimsuit :D ).

[Robyn1007]

I did register yesterday morning. It starts the week of Labor Day. I was the first person to sign up! I am really excited about it and think it'll be good for me in several ways, ie energy, strength, help the weght loss efforts, sleep better, etc. On the downside, I'm going to sweat which I seriously dislike doing! It looks like the pluses won thoguh!

Okay, Terri, you know I luv ya but I have to ask, you hate sweating and you live in Houston? I can't open the front door in Houston without sweating. As far as dealing with it (and I tend to be a really heavy sweater during exercise) I get the right clothes and make sure I take a shower soon after exercise. Moisture wicking shirts especially help, stay away from cotton. Underarmour makes some good t-shirt looking and feeling ones that I get at Sports Authority for about $20 each. I think even Target has some now. I use moisture wicking stuff for both summer time stuff and skiing (it's amazing how much you can sweat when it 20 degrees outside!) Oh, and if it helps get some of the quick drying towels from someplace like REI and carry that around the weight room with you to mop your brow/face etc.

[Triathlon13]

This may help-I dont remember the formula for figuring this out-but this will give you a rough estimate of how much muscel will increase calorie burn-but I think it is too high and couldn't seem to find anything in my Strength and Conditioning text books----so take it for what it is worth--I would say for every extra pound of muscle you burn ad additional 25-35 or 40 at the most (I think 50 is like body builders). Just think too-a weight lifting session burns much more calories than just an aerobic workout---put the two together and you are golden!!! You will see great results. Becareful and make sure your technique is picture perfect so you can keep up with it and not get hurt-you will be thankful and hopefully like it!!!

This is what I found-but read above for actual calorie burn:

"Studies have estimated that for each pound of muscle that you add to your body, you burn an additional 35 to 50 calories per day. So, an extra 10 pounds of muscle will burn approximately 350 to 500 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 7 to 10 days, without making any other changes. In another study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. This is because muscle is 'metabolically active ' and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you're not moving."

[Terri_A]

Yes Robyn, I hate to sweat and I live in Houston! To add to that...I'm a drug rep, which means I'm in and out of my car about a dozen times a day in a SUIT! So, even though I hate to sweat, I do it A LOT!!! I keep saying I"m going to develop a line of business suits that the lining is made of that moisture wicking fabric!!!

[Terri_A]

An update...

This evening was my first workout with my trainer and the two other women. Shockingly, I'm in better shape than the other two, although I'm not thinner. That was interesting to me. Anyway...the workout was good. When we did weights, we worked upper body mainly. Next week we'll do lower and then the 3rd week we'll start a mixed workout of upper and lower. He showed us how to keep our total workout to 1 hour. I think making it doable is a big part of this program. He took all of my measurements ( ugh! ) so we can see our progress at the end. I think I'm going to like this! One of the other women is a friend of mine and the third was a lot of fun, so we're all a good fit. The trainer said we were, by far, the most fun group so far this week!;)

If your YMCA offers this and you're not already following a workout with weights in it - I think this is a GREAT way to ease into it.

Now I need to do at least 2 workouts on my own before next Wednesday. I think I'm going to shoot for 4, that way if I miss a day I'm still ahead of the game!

[Robyn1007]

Terri, it sounds like a wonderful experience, I'm so glad for that. Maybe if you're having fun you won't mind sweating too much. ;)