Progress: My first month lifting, and what it means

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Replies

  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    Congrats!

    I am 5'2" as well- START LIFTING HEAVY, more in the 10 rep range. You will not bulk.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    bunnerfly wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Are you squatting and deadlifting? Fun stuff. You should try a program like stronglifts

    Yeah. We alternate days and do legs and back, arms, and chest. Fun stuff.

    split routines are typically best for intermediate/advanced lifters. You typically get more bang for your buck (stronger faster) with a beginner full body workout, like stronglifts.com, starting strength, fierce 5, and so forth.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    youre not going to bulk. LIFT HEAVY!
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
    I lift heavy, and I don't think I look "bulky." I'm also 5'3 and dropped from a size 8 to 2 with heavy lifting (took close to a year though)...so yeah, you won't likely get bulky either. Do whatever you prefer and will stick with, but definitely don't buy into the "bulky lady" thing.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    FWIW I am also 5'2". I love lifting. So.Much.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    In the meantime, every male in the world who's eating like crazy, gulping down protein shakes and lifting until their eyes bug out of their heads WISH it was so easy to "accidentally" get bulky.....
  • bunnerfly
    bunnerfly Posts: 197 Member
    Part of the reason it worried me about the "looking bulky" thing, is that I DO have a hormonal imbalance. Nothing major. But I've always ended up with big thighs and arms, and I'd like to avoid it if I can help it. However, big and muscly beats big and flabby for me, so I guess we will see!
  • bunnerfly
    bunnerfly Posts: 197 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    In the meantime, every male in the world who's eating like crazy, gulping down protein shakes and lifting until their eyes bug out of their heads WISH it was so easy to "accidentally" get bulky.....

    It hasn't been accidentally in the past. My arms and legs are (and have been since I was a teen) very muscled. My shirts never fit in the upper arm area, even when fit, and my pants are always tight in the thigh. I'm trying to slim them down.

    But I feel blessed that I don't have to go all eye-buggy. I do enjoy my protein shakes though...
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    You should lift heavy. You won't bulk up. Especially in a deficit. All you're doing is maintaining lean body mass, and possibly getting a little bit of newbie gains. If you look in my profile there is a side by side, the picture on the left is me at my slimmest--the results of lifting heavy *kitten* weights in a deficit.
  • bunnerfly
    bunnerfly Posts: 197 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    You should lift heavy. You won't bulk up. Especially in a deficit. All you're doing is maintaining lean body mass, and possibly getting a little bit of newbie gains. If you look in my profile there is a side by side, the picture on the left is me at my slimmest--the results of lifting heavy *kitten* weights in a deficit.

    Thanks. I started lifting at my max today. I'm doing 3 sets of 5/5/5 (not sure how to put it) at 130lbs on rows, 2.5 sets of 5/4/2 (I tuckered out lol) at 110lbs on pull downs, 3 sets of 12/10/8 at 80lbs on back extensions, and then a bunch of ab work. I didn't do a whole lot as far as lifting goes because my partner wasn't there and the weight room was crawling with high school boys just hanging out on the equipment (so annoying, but I didn't really have the guts to chase them off), but I will be lifting more tomorrow when my fiancé will be there to spot. Thanks for all your help and input!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    bunnerfly wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    You should lift heavy. You won't bulk up. Especially in a deficit. All you're doing is maintaining lean body mass, and possibly getting a little bit of newbie gains. If you look in my profile there is a side by side, the picture on the left is me at my slimmest--the results of lifting heavy *kitten* weights in a deficit.

    Thanks. I started lifting at my max today. I'm doing 3 sets of 5/5/5 (not sure how to put it) at 130lbs on rows, 2.5 sets of 5/4/2 (I tuckered out lol) at 110lbs on pull downs, 3 sets of 12/10/8 at 80lbs on back extensions, and then a bunch of ab work. I didn't do a whole lot as far as lifting goes because my partner wasn't there and the weight room was crawling with high school boys just hanging out on the equipment (so annoying, but I didn't really have the guts to chase them off), but I will be lifting more tomorrow when my fiancé will be there to spot. Thanks for all your help and input!

    So glad you're going heavy! So you want to go with something like 3x5? You could run Starting Strength, or if you like 5x5 run Strong Lifts. Really great to stick with a program to make sure you are hitting muscle groups appropriately and getting that progressive overload.
  • bunnerfly
    bunnerfly Posts: 197 Member
    edited February 2016
    I'm going to have to look into those programs. :) Right now we are doing something my guy found on a body building forum. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    bunnerfly wrote: »
    I'm going to have to look into those programs. :)

    Yay! Pretty easy to follow. I vote Strong Lifts, personally.

  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    i've got a friend who's a year older than me, an inch or two shorter, and 100 pounds heavier. to tell the truth, i'm kind of envious of her. just by doing air squats she's moving the same amount of weight it took me months to work my way up to with a barbell.

    she's not gonna get bulky. or to put it a different way: she's ALREADY 'bulky' - if being that strong equals bulk. all that can happen to her is she'll shrink.

    and holy cow, if you can pull 130 with your rows right out of the box, you're in the same kind of shape. it would be crazy to waste it, if you ask me.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    Right? My rows are at 75 lbs
  • bunnerfly
    bunnerfly Posts: 197 Member
    I really do feel like I'm wasting my "gifts" so to speak, lol. That's what really motivated me to start getting serious about getting in shape. (That, and an upcoming wedding ;-)) I keep in mind, if I'm impressed with what I can do now, imagine what it'll be like in a year! Motivation for sure, lol.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Ah, not good to start comparing weight lifting in that way. We have different...stats :) I'm between 130-140 pounds and row 110x5.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I row 125 5x5 @ 134 bw but I am addicted to back exercises
  • bunnerfly
    bunnerfly Posts: 197 Member
    I have a VERY physically demanding job. I'm an aide in a nursing home, and regularly move people who can't move themselves. So technically, I'm not entirely new at lifting... Just new at lifting weights. ;-)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Another voice for lifting heavy and compound lift programmes like
    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
    https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
    http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength

    Check out
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

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