Q: Hi Gina,
I have a client that is 20 years old (Very fit, well incredibly fit) She plays netball and touch rugby. Has never done weight training in the gym just body weight circuits. She is never sore after her training, and she works so darn hard, it’s unreal We have be training legs 2-3x per week with light to medium weights, Circuit training with high reps of 15-20-25 3 circuits of body weight squats, all types of lunges, leg press, hack squats, leg extn, stiff legged dead-lifts, Romanian dead-lifts, lying leg curls etc, Drop sets, Pyramid training, Superset etc
For some reason her legs are getting bigger. From my knowledge and experience plus what I’ve learned at my university, to tone, etc, It’s all about medium weight maybe light, high reps, Not much rest in between.
I don’t let her rest in between exercise’s but give her 1 min rest after each circuit then we go again. Any advise please.
I’m always throwing in core work plus upper body. A little confused why her legs aren’t getting smaller?! The tape measure has increased so I realize the muscle is growing but she wants her legs to get smaller not bigger…? Thank you.
A: Great questions! First of all, you are completely right in your thinking that typically to decrease size you should focus on circuit training, higher reps, higher intensity, drop sets, pyramid training, etc. Typically that is what you will hear for overall fat-loss and decreasing size but you have to remember that change is key and that everyone requires different types of training, depending on their body type, muscle fibers etc. I suggest you change things up and start doing one day of circuit training, as you are, and one day of heavier weight training. You have to remember that the added muscle will actually burn through body fat and increase metabolism. So many people are afraid of lifting with heavy weights, thinking they will get big, but this is often not the case. I also suggest that you reign back to 2 days of lower body training vs. 3. You may be slightly overtraining and therefore not getting the results you want. Remember that being sore does not equate to a good workout but at the same time, it does sound like her body is use to what you have been doing so change is in desperate need and I guarantee that a heavier isolated workout will result in muscle soreness. Again, not that that means that is a better workout but if she hasn’t been doing that type of training and her body is not use to it, she will definitely experience soreness. As you continue with this type of training the soreness will subside but that does not mean that she isn’t working hard. The results will follow, promise! Change routine to one day circuit style, as you have been and then one day of heavier weight training and give it 4 weeks. Remember to give it 4 weeks. Take measurements and go with it for 4 weeks and see how she does. Best of luck and great questions. Hope this helps and please do keep us all posted with her results!
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