[Michaela]

Dear Nicole!
For a good workout when you target a major muscle group like legs or back – for how many sets do you usually go? I learned a while ago to go with about 24-25sets, do you think that is okay or too much/too little?
PS: My main goal is to build muscle, I work out 5 days/wk, no cardio currently. thank you, Michaela

[Michaela]

Hello everybody!
My name is Michaela, I’m 32 yrs old, from Austria in Europe, amazing to see some other people from Europe as well. 🙂
Love the community here!
I’ve always been a fan of Nicole’s, but just joined the site recently – best decision I ever made.

A little about me:
I’ve always been a healthy eater and active. Looking back, sometimes I wanted to do too much and make everything right – I used to do lots lots lots of dance cardio and jumping around while eating very little, on some days only a salad, some nuts, fruit and half a can of tuna, because I was afraid to gain fat.
Eventually that lead to a eating disorder, combined with lots of cardio, left me with 5’3 and 86lbs.

Sometime during that bad time in my life, I saw a picture of a fitness model, that obviously was into weight lifting – that day I got hooked on weight lifting/bodybuilding and havent looked back since. 🙂
Unfortunately I kind of wasted my first weight lifting year, by lifting but still eating way too little. Today I can say, I’ve been lifting for 2 yrs, but about 1 yr with the support of food. 🙂
I’m a macro addict, I weight everything exactly and have been tracking my macros for +700 days straight, never missing a day. 🙂

I consider becoming a certified personal trainer, because I love training, the healthy lifestyle so much and I could talk about it for days (usually annoying my family). LOL 🙂

So if you’re looking for someone to talk to about fitness, feel free to contact me 🙂
Thank you for this site, i love it!
Cheers, Michaela

[Michaela]

Would love one in Europe, preferably closer or in Austria 😉

[Michaela]

I absolutely go to agree! Was always a fan of Nicole, but only recently joined the site and I’ve been hyped and pumped ever since. 🙂 Information, inspiration, additional motivation – this is the best site I ever spent money on!
Was thinking about a personal trainer and some other things, but this site provides exactly what I needed and was looking for. Thank you Nicole, you elevated my workouts! Please keep it up!
Michaela from Austria in Europe 🙂

[Michaela]

Testing as well 🙂

[Michaela]

For natural foods I usually google their nutritional data and use the data from 2 other additional sites and than I use the average data of all those 3 sites and create a “new food” in my fitnesspal.

If all 3 sites have the same info, I will use that, but I usually try to get a least 3 different sources and make a new entry in myfitnesspal, so I get it as accurately as possible. Hope this helps a bit, Michaela

[Michaela]

Dear Nicole,
after watching most of your hams/glutes video, I added sgl.leg stiff legged deadlift (dumbbell) & glute ham raise (weight add. weight, foot on bench) as a superset and good mornings to the beginning of my workout, I did 3 sets x 15 reps each.
I really feel it in my lower back (esp. glute ham raise), is that okay & should I just keep on going, or do you think I need to work on my form?

Also, I’m 5’3, weigh 98lbs, so I need & want to gain lots of muscle and build big hams and glutes (esp. develop the upper part of the glute to the lower back) – would you keep 15 reps range?

I know these arent “max out” exercises, so keep a higher range on these exercises (like 12-15? or more?) and keep the “max out”/heavy lifting for squats, rom. deadlifts, stiff leg barbell deadlift, hip thrust etc.?

With my goal, what rep range would you suggest on these heavy lifts (about 10 reps?)
Would you suggest doing 3 heavy lifts per workouts and 3 additional exercises like those mentioned at the top (and may glute kickback?). I usually make sure I get a good 24-25 total sets per leg workout in. (2 leg workouts per wk, divided in quads/hams).

Thank you so much for all your help & great content you provide!
love, Michaela

[Michaela]

-in addition to my post above, I forgot to ask:
in my case (5’3/98lbs) and goal: muscle gain, would you do supersets at all?
I used to do them, but now I only do them on Chest/Arms and sometimes shoulders, but stopped doing supersets on leg and back day?

Thank you! Michaela

[Michaela]

Hi Nicole,
I recently joined your site, I got it as a birthday present (btw. happy belated birthday to you, our birthday’s are 2 days apart) 🙂

I absolutely love the site and all you do for us, so thank you! I also got so many questions, but will try to keep them to a miniumum for now. 🙂

Started weight lifting about 2yrs ago, but kind of wasted yr.1, because at 5’3/86 lbs (this was my worst time, due to a eating disorder and way too much cardio) I only ate salad, nuts and half a can of tuna.
Started seriously supporting my weight lifting 1 yr. ago, in my mind i’m still afraid of fat gain but it’s getting better daily, I’m currently at 5’3/95lbs.

I used to lift 6 days a week and did daily cardio, but a trainer told me to stop doing cardio if I want to gain muscle, so I stopped about 6months ago.
Also, felt my energy was always low on day #6, so I switched to a 5 days/wk schedule, with two leg days (seperate quad and hams with glutes), shoulders, back and a day with chest/some additional back,arms etc. and it’s been better than ever.

I want/need to gain a lot of muscle mass, keep the fat gain low, but a little is ok. 😉
I lift heavy, usually in the 8-12 range, my question:

-would you focus more on 10 reps (maybe for compound moves) and 12-15 for isolation moves?

Have been tracking Macros for 2 yrs and pumped them up from 1200cals and lower during my bad times to nowadays 1750-1900cals (depending on workout type and intensity), macros are 170-190 carbs/40-45 fat/protein 170-190, my goal is to gain muscle, lots of it 😉

– would you suggest any changes to my macros?

I got my 1st fitness photoshoot scheduled for end of May and want to look muscular, lean and fit for it.

– And, or you coming to Europe anytime soon? I need to meet you one day and thank you in person for all you are doing, since I joined your site, I got additional motivation, inspiration and kicked up my workouts – loving it 🙂

thank you, Michaela

[Michaela]

Hello, My name is Michaela, i just joined a few days ago and I love the site! Is it still ok to ask questions for the January Q&A here? When will they get answered? Thank you!

[Author]

Posts