Building Muscle?

So about how many sets should a beginner be doing? Also, what would an example of a full day leg workout look like (again, for a beginner)? I have a friend that has been trying to get me ino the New Rules Of Weight Lifting for Women. I am really excited, yet intimidated to start trying it.

:rofl1::rofl1: I laughed so hard when I read this.

Over the past few weeks or so I've been trying really REALLY hard to eat unprocessed/more natural and healthy foods. Oh my gosh it makes such a difference! (Except for last weekend when I went camping, I totally and completely fell off the wagon. Um, hello, SMORES?!!)

Before I started I was having bouts of nausea almost every day. EVERY DAY! It had been going on for quite a few months and I was seriously beginning to think that I had something seriously wrong with me. Started eating healthy and voila, absolutely no nausea. It's awesome. Even my mood in general has improved.

I'm trying to go lower carb/low grain. Right now I have whole wheat bread and some oatmeal, and I try to keep that as the only grain I let myself have. I eat plain sweet potatoes on a regular basis though. I'm really trying to up the amount of protein I eat. Lots of eggs and greek yogurt is how I've been doing it. I'm basically living on fruits and veggies at this point though, I need to learn to incorporate more meat and fish.

I can't wait to go home for dinner break, I have this waiting for me in the crockpot: http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/04/29/stovetop-pork-carnitas/

I've been eating about 75% Paleo during the week and I need to eventually go whole hog because its really helping me have less hunger ups and downs and all that fun stuff.

Omg, so last sept I started lifting again after a three year hiatus... I gained 15lbs of muscle really fast. I was really surprised at how heavy I could still lift despite the hiatus. I am extremely bored with the basic gym moves though and I'm thinking about trying a local Crossfit certified kettlebell instructor. I can't really afford to drive to Meridian or Boise for Crossfit five days a week and this kettlebell place is very closeby.
http://www.idahokettlebells.com/

Generally for a beginner you're looking at 3x8 (3 sets of 8 reps each). My leg day is as follows

3x8 pistol squats (weight vest once you can reach 9 reps)
3x8 lunges (weighted)
3x8 body weight squats (weight vest once you can reach 9 reps)

Take this with a grain of salt as I do a routine that involves zero free weights

Pistol sqauts arent exactly for a beginner I wouldnt think.

Depending on your fitness level, starting out with one set for a week or two to get a feel for the mechanics isn't a bad idea.

That said . . . I jumped in the deep end, lol, but I was in pretty good shape.

I love squats, BUT (or is that BUTT?) I never, ever do full squats. Women's knees really aren't set up for that, and I've noticed that full squats tend to give your butt a square shape. I get the best results from squats essentially doing deep plies with weights, in first and second position, and with my feet in a variety of different positions. I do the same thing on the leg press machines. It works the muscles differently and gives you more control over the shape you get.

There is no "one right method." My best advice is to try out a lot of different movements and exercises and develop your own routines that work for you. You'll find yourself changing them up, too. The farther along you get the more often you'll change things around.

The best rules are:

1. Pay attention to your own body
2. Stretch between exercises
3. DON'T HURT YOURSELF
4. The only rules that apply are the ones that work for you*

*except for gym etiquette . . . ALWAYS STRIP YOUR WEIGHTS when you're done.

I respectfully disagree, big time! The Crossfit Games are airing on ESPN2 now, I believe, and check out any of those women. They have bodies to die for, round asses included, and they all regularly full squat below parallel with heavy weights. As for women's knees not being made for squatting, look at women Olympic weight-lifters....they are masters at full squats.

http://www.biomechfit.com/2012/02/09/3-squatting-myths-that-refuse-to-die

I have seen way too many women's asses in my time, and the square flat ones have all been either obese, overweight, or out of shape "skinny-fat". Also, though I've never seen it in person, is the body-building women's square ass, most likely obtained through the use of steroids, hence the man-shaped ass.

Nothing is absolute. Notice I said I never do them. It's something I noticed in my own workouts and in the women in the gym whom I helped train. I've also noted that the women I knew and still run into years later, who did full squats, even very correctly without maxing their weights (I usually worked with around 450 pounds) all seem to have knee problems or have had knee replacements.

Have I done them in the past? Sure. Will I do them again? Nope. Totally unnecessary -- for me, at least. I can get all the results -- better results -- without the risk.

Full squats aren't worth it, especially not without a great spotter/partner and especially not for a beginner. If you're going to do full squats, you need to know what you're doing and have the motion correct, starting with having the weight balanced properly before you ever start the movement.

If you can get results without the risks, why risk it? I'd feel terrible if I recommended them to someone -- especially someone starting out -- and they got hurt.

Why get weights when you have your body to weight you down?

There's tons and tons of muscle building exercises you ca n do just wth your body. Push ups, sit ups, pull ups, run up and own stairs or hills, etc etc. Ask any football player you know what exercises they do. Crab running, jogging in place then kiss the ground, etc.

Free weights are nice but people have been muscular far longer than all this tech stuff existed. If you can't do a pushup, cheat until you can do it.

I'm just curious of you were lifting a free barbell, or in a rack.

And that actually is a very good point about the danger of lifting alone and learning proper form first. A good coach is priceless when learning the lifts.

We used a free barbell -- but I had a great, experienced (20 years in bodybuilding) partner. Now, even working lighter I use a rack or Smith machine.

I strongly suggest a Smith machine working alone, especially starting out. You can set the stops nearly exactly where you need them and it definitely helps you focus on your motion -- which is what gets your results -- and removes a good deal of the potential for torquing your spine.

It was hard for me to "come down" to using a machine, lol. That ego thing . . . "machines are for sissies." Fortunately, common sense and a dislike for all the drama and fuss that goes along with an injury won out. I can deal with injury pain; I don't want to deal with injury drama.

A protein shake that worked really well for me was the goat milk protein ones from Mt. Capra.

I've been by their farm, the goats are all raised and cared for by them, and kept pastured on grass. When I was pregnant I drank this formula:

http://www.mtcapra.com/caprotein/

It has a goat milkish aftertaste, but if you mix it with Nesquik or Ovatine it tastes pretty awesome. Then again, that was when I was pregnant and hated the taste of everything so maybe it tastes better normally. You can add it to baked goods and stuff too and it has no weird additives.

Sam was born big with huge muscles, so maybe it helped. lol.