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Damsel in dis Dress - 21 Mar 2004 02:40 GMT

We go to a gym that's unattended a great deal of the time (usually when we
go there), so I can't ask this stuff when the owner is available. I hope
someone here can help me with this.

I stick primarily with the circuit training stuff. I'm not yet in good
enough shape to work on cardio without my heart exploding. It gets a good
enough workout just by lifting and stretching other parts of the body.

My main question ... what's the name of the muscle group that makes up the
calves? I have *enormous* calves. Very muscular. I'd like to tone them a
bit, while avoiding building more muscle. The machines have instructions
and pictures, and they tell what muscles you'll be exercising on the
machine. If I knew what those muscles were called, I could adjust and use
very low weights while using those machines.

Tonight, Crash said he could see the veins on my arms popping out when I
was on a sitdown machine with a bar way above it that you pull down to your
chest, then go back up. Does this sound like a problem, or is it a normal
response to working out? Crash thought it was really cool. Heehee!

I'm doing the whole rigamarole, getting a total body workout, although I'm
focusing much of my energy on abdominal and lower back exercises.

Would love any constructive feedback.

Thanks in advance,
Carol

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227/220/150
Atkins since March 12, 2004
Type 2 Diabetic since May 15, 2001

This is what backsliding does:
http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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Roger Zoul - 21 Mar 2004 02:56 GMT

:: We go to a gym that's unattended a great deal of the time (usually
:: when we go there), so I can't ask this stuff when the owner is
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
:: were called, I could adjust and use very low weights while using
:: those machines.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/MFemale.html

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Gastrocnemius.html
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Soleus.html

:: Tonight, Crash said he could see the veins on my arms popping out
:: when I was on a sitdown machine with a bar way above it that you
:: pull down to your chest, then go back up. Does this sound like a
:: problem, or is it a normal response to working out? Crash thought
:: it was really cool. Heehee!

No, it's really cool :)

:: I'm doing the whole rigamarole, getting a total body workout,
:: although I'm focusing much of my energy on abdominal and lower back
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
:: This is what backsliding does:
:: http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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Damsel in dis Dress - 21 Mar 2004 03:08 GMT

>http://www.exrx.net/Lists/MFemale.html
>
>http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Gastrocnemius.html
>http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Soleus.html

Thanks, Roger. This is gonna keep me busy for quite awhile! And some of
the exercises they suggest can be done at home. I'm becoming addicted to
physical activity. No one who knows me would ever believe that! Now I can
do stuff at home while waiting to go back to the gym. LOL!

Carol

Signature

227/220/150
Atkins since March 12, 2004
Type 2 Diabetic since May 15, 2001

This is what backsliding does:
http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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Damsel in dis Dress - 22 Mar 2004 01:16 GMT

>http://www.exrx.net/Lists/MFemale.html
>
>http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Gastrocnemius.html
>http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Soleus.html

Thank you again for these links, Roger. You're one of the good 'uns, too!
*smile* By following through on different sections of the site, I found
out which muscles I'm having trouble with (the trapezius group, mostly
upper), and found which types of exercising works them. When we go to the
gym tonight, I plan on still using those machines, but at the lowest
possible weight, and with only 10 repetitions. I want to improve the
muscles, not abuse them.

One of my problems is, I'm pretty strong for an out-of-shape middle-aged
woman. <G> I tend to do too much when I exercise. That's how I exploded
one and injured two other lower back discs. "Don't know my own strength!"

I just want you to know that your kindness and generosity is very much
appreciated, and will have a tangible positive effect on my life.

Carol

Signature

227/221/150
Atkins since March 12, 2004
Type 2 Diabetic since May 15, 2001

This is what backsliding does:
http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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Roger Zoul - 22 Mar 2004 01:50 GMT

:: On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 20:56:12 -0500, "Roger Zoul"
:: <rogerzoul2@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
:: Thank you again for these links, Roger. You're one of the good
:: 'uns, too! *smile*

:) Thanks.

By following through on different sections of

:: the site, I found out which muscles I'm having trouble with (the
:: trapezius group, mostly upper), and found which types of exercising
:: works them. When we go to the gym tonight, I plan on still using
:: those machines, but at the lowest possible weight, and with only 10
:: repetitions. I want to improve the muscles, not abuse them.

Right. Slow and consistent are good things to keep in mind here. Don't do
too much too quickly, and stick to it. Increase over time as you become more
confident and learn the limits of YOUR body.

:: One of my problems is, I'm pretty strong for an out-of-shape
:: middle-aged woman. <G> I tend to do too much when I exercise.

That's common -- especially when getting started.

:: That's how I exploded one and injured two other lower back discs.
:: "Don't know my own strength!"

Right..

:: I just want you to know that your kindness and generosity is very
:: much appreciated, and will have a tangible positive effect on my
:: life.

Well, I'm glad you're in there doing your best. That's all you can do and
that's what counts. Good luck.

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JC Der Koenig - 21 Mar 2004 03:00 GMT

> Tonight, Crash said he could see the veins on my arms popping out when I
> was on a sitdown machine with a bar way above it that you pull down to your
> chest, then go back up. Does this sound like a problem, or is it a normal
> response to working out?

That's normal.

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The Windsors - 21 Mar 2004 03:40 GMT

Good for you! More muscle means a higher metabolism even when you are
sleeping!

One thing to remember is that there is no way that you will get "bulkier"
if you are a weight training woman. Can you see the definition in your
calves?
or are they just big? If you ask people that weight train for a living who
are
trying to put on "bulk" it is very difficult. They have to eat alot and
suppliment with
creatine and sometimes androgen to get their testosterone levels up.

The squat machine or leg press gives you the most bang for your buck. it
exercises your butt, thighs and calves
all at once. In my own experience, when I was walking alot my calves tended
to get more
muscular and when I was running or using the stair climber they got slimmer.
Low weights
really do nothing, basically you are not even working the muscle at all. If
you consider that
your bod is used to 200 pounds of stress, 5 pounds is equal to changing the
channel on the TV.
Work towards a maximum of 15-20 repititions of the same exercise. If you can
do 20, change
it up so you can barely do 14. This will make you sore. That's what you are
aiming for.
Try to get more cardio though, I found that when I switched my cardio up to
over 40 minutes
I lost alot of weight.
I used to be really buff, then I got depressed, lost my job, my dad, died my
marriage was on the rocks
etc etc and I ate my way into at size 20! Woof! I can't do stress very
well.

Let me know how it goes,

Jennifer
230/217/135

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Damsel in dis Dress - 21 Mar 2004 04:15 GMT

>Try to get more cardio though, I found that when I switched my cardio up to
>over 40 minutes I lost alot of weight.

The problem with that is that I have high blood pressure. I do just fine
while at rest or under mild exertion. But even the small amount of cardio
at Curves turned my skin completely red, my pulse pounded in my skull, and
I got light-headed and started falling off the machines. Therefore, I have
to take it easy on the cardio.

At the end of a workout, I do try to spend a little time on either the
treadmill or the recumbant bike. But I won't do those until all my toning
exercises are completed, or I may not be physically able to go back to
them.

This is all virgin territory for me. I think I've avoided exercise a lot
of my life because of problems I had in gym class in school. I could never
keep up. Didn't get my asthma diagnosed until I hit 40. I think that
explained a lot. Now that the asthma's under control, and I've crossed
that "can't do it" barrier, I can finally start getting into shape.

Carol

Signature

227/220/150
Atkins since March 12, 2004
Type 2 Diabetic since May 15, 2001

This is what backsliding does:
http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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The Windsors - 21 Mar 2004 16:44 GMT

Do you bring your blue puffer to the gym?
I have exercised induced asthma too and I sure need to take my puffer if I
am planning on doing cardio!
I also used ephedra (which is now banned) It is a broncho-dialator and
helped me to be able to do more
when I was out of shape.

> >Try to get more cardio though, I found that when I switched my cardio up to
> >over 40 minutes I lost alot of weight.
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> This is what backsliding does:
> http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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Damsel in dis Dress - 21 Mar 2004 04:30 GMT

>One thing to remember is that there is no way that you will get "bulkier"
>if you are a weight training woman. Can you see the definition in your
>calves?

I messed my calves up one summer, in junior high, when I was bicycling
every day for hours. They became huge. If I stand on my tip-toes, you
can see the muscles clearly.

When I signed up with Bally's a few years ago, the trainer they assigned me
had briefly been a professional football player. He was JEALOUS of my
calves!

I know I'll never have beautiful legs, but I really don't want to make them
worse. <G> It's good to know that that isn't likely to happen.

Thanks again,
Carol

Signature

227/220/150
Atkins since March 12, 2004
Type 2 Diabetic since May 15, 2001

This is what backsliding does:
http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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The Windsors - 21 Mar 2004 16:47 GMT

Probably the best thing to do is ignore them and hope they will go away.
My boss and I used to work out together, and she ended up with gorgeous
thighs and still had
bigger calves. The only exercise for calves that I can think of is where you
repeatedly stand
on your toes, and then flat foot. Which might explain the cycling and the
squaredancing! lol

Jennifer
230/217/140

> >One thing to remember is that there is no way that you will get "bulkier"
> >if you are a weight training woman. Can you see the definition in your
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> This is what backsliding does:
> http://photos.yahoo.com/carol_arie

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Cailleachschilde - 21 Mar 2004 08:17 GMT

>One thing to remember is that there is no way that you will get "bulkier"
>if you are a weight training woman. Can you see the definition in your
>calves?
>or are they just big? If you ask people that weight train for a living who
>are
>trying to put on "bulk" it is very difficult.

>Jennifer

I think it's different with calves. I used to folk dance when I was young. My
calves were huge. All the women's were. Were talking serious muscle here. We
all had to buy specially made boots.

Yvonne

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