To Lift Or Not To Lift?

[blueta2]

I've been seriously considering not lifting anymore....I see older women like Madonna and Demi saying they stopped lifting to ease up on the "abuse" one takes when lifting. They simply do pilates and yoga now and look awesome.
I was thinking of doing the same.
I'm 40, in good shape but my joints are sore, my energy level is low (tougher working out) and I just plain hate getting to the gym.
Any input on this? Have any of you women just stopped lifting weights and continued with another way of fitness?
Do you think I will still get the benefits of lifting from pilates and or yoga?!

 

[Gymgurl]

I personaly think you should lift...but you don't have to lift to the extreme...It just maintains that nice muscle tone as we get cough cough older

 

[Gymgurl]

Not to mention bone density too

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Madonna and Demi neglect to mention the personal chefs and or plastic surgeries they have to keep them looking the way they do. I also highly doubt either of them lifted over a 20 lbs dumbell in there life which makes there statements even more crazy. There is a lady I know just turned 50 doesn't even look 40 and she lifts a lot still competes in BB. If your body is taking a beating the sure makes sense to lower the weight but to stop completely not a good idea at all IMHO

 

[cindylou]

I stoped lifting for 3 months last year becasue I took a break I had no time and I figured the time I had needed to go to cardio.

I have no idea why but it had something to do with the scale I just had to get that number down. I kept doing cardio and random pilates etc.

I knew better but I did it anyway.

It was the worst move ever!!

 

[blueta2]

Thanks ladies..all such helpful input.

I mean I feel great when I work out, but I just feel my body needs something different. I guess incorporating maybe pilates with lifting could be good.

QT, I don't think Madonna had any plastic surgery, but what do I know.
I just recall an interview with her where she said she was so fed up of lifting weight and found pilates and she felt even better then when lifting and that she would never step foot in a gym again. Sure she has chefs etc...but the bottom line is she is very discipline.

Cindylou why was it the worst move ever?!

 

[Sassy69]

"Lifting" = resistance training - build, maintain muscle mass. There are LOTS of ways to "lift" - I think you will be hard pressed to find women w/ the toning (ugh that word) like Madonna got who don't do something that involves some sort of resistance training. Even yoga can count as that as far as I'm concerned.

But if it does anything for you, my mom is 65 and had so little muscle development around her knees, that her knees used to pop out of place (lol I know "technical" - but this is what the doc told her - and she's not fat but has 40% bodyfat -- if its not "too much fat" it must be "not enough muscle") -- she started doing a fitness class similar to that power bar or whatever it is and she's soooo much stronger now. There are all sorts of studies about sedentary people in nursing homes doing resistance training w/ soup cans and making crazy changes in their body composition.

I hear ya on the 40 & joints -- elbows, shoulders & knees right now - everyone joint has a problem that directly impacts my life every day since last summer. I certainly won't stop lifting. Just gotta find different ways to do it.

 

[highoctane]

I personally couldn't imagine not throwing all different components together in terms of working out. I couldn't imagine not going into the gym and doing my dips or curls, or taking it to the next plate on the press, etc. I also couldn't imagine only doing JUST that. For me, and not that I'm one to talk yet, but a combination of all of that; weights, cardio, pilates, etc. etc. are what have been the key to success.

A while back I used to run every single day for an hour (like 2 years ago). That was all I did. Granted I was in great shape...but it was BORING! Combining everything makes it a much spicier experience.

My 2 cents.

 

[blueta2]

I personally couldn't imagine not throwing all different components together in terms of working out. I couldn't imagine not going into the gym and doing my dips or curls, or taking it to the next plate on the press, etc. I also couldn't imagine only doing JUST that. For me, and not that I'm one to talk yet, but a combination of all of that; weights, cardio, pilates, etc. etc. are what have been the key to success.

A while back I used to run every single day for an hour (like 2 years ago). That was all I did. Granted I was in great shape...but it was BORING! Combining everything makes it a much spicier experience.

My 2 cents.

I agree, there is a certain "high" when you do weights. I feel good when I do it, but my body, I think, is just tired!

 

[blueta2]

"Lifting" I hear ya on the 40 & joints -- elbows, shoulders & knees right now - everyone joint has a problem that directly impacts my life every day since last summer. I certainly won't stop lifting. Just gotta find different ways to do it.

Yeah this is how I feel......I need to find different ways. More sex? More shopping? eating more chocolate? I hear these are good too...hehe!

Sassy, how many times a week do you work out? Do you go heavy? Do you have a log anywhere on EF?!