Good weight lifting goals for women?

amandaeve
amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm thinking of making some goals for weight lifting, you know, so I can meet a goal and feel proud of myself. Not sure how much weight is reasonable to expect to be able to do. 3 months is a nice time frame. But how much can a 40-year-old woman reasonably increase in 3 months? 5 lbs? 50 lbs.? 500lbs.?

I work out 2-3 times a week. I want to be challenged, but not sore. I most enjoy having the energy to switch from set to set quickly with minimal rest time, supersets are great. When I am so tired after a set I have to rest a minute or more, I tend to space out and next thing I know 5 minutes have gone by.

some current stats:
leg press machine: 155 lbs
chest press machine: 40 lbs.
machine row: 55 lbs.
machine dips: 70 lbs.
machine biceps: 30 lbs.
machine shoulder press: 25 lbs.
machine lat pulldown: 70 lbs.
leg press quads machine: 100 lbs.
hamstring pullback machine: 35 lbs.
plank 60 seconds

Thanks for all your help, mfp community! :smiley:

Replies

  • gojaqs
    gojaqs Posts: 471 Member
    I hate to tell you, but you will have to be sore. That's part of the process of hypertrophy.

    What you don't want to be is in PAIN.

    Sore is the result of challenging yourself.

    And... you are supposed to rest between sets. Also the process of hypertrophy.

    I'd suggest working with a personal trainer, who can help you design a progressive program, as well as explain some issues that you seem not to understand about strength training. (I am not putting you down - simply responding to your comments.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Are you following an actual program? In order to get maximum results it's highly recommended to follow a well laid out program created by educated lifters. I would also move more towards free weights.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Are you following an actual program? In order to get maximum results it's highly recommended to follow a well laid out program created by educated lifters. I would also move more towards free weights.

    Also this...willy nilly doing whateverr is going to leave you spinning your wheels for the most part....follow a structured lifting protocol.

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    While soreness isn't a direct measure of progress, or workout quality, you will probably experience a little bit of soreness.

    I see a lot of machines in that list. You might see more benefit from free weights. You gain more balance and stability, and the path of movement is more natural. You might also benefit from finding a solid pre-built program that has progression built in. I really like Strong Lifts 5x5. New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women is good too (and a solid read even if you don't do the program). I've heard good things about Starting Strength too. This programs have big compound lifts that can be difficult to master, so start low, and build slowly, maybe get some guidance on form from a friend or trainer who knows their stuff. Or you can take videos and post them on MFP for critique.

    This website has some good standards:
    http://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/female/lb
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
    Body weight strength standards are great goals, male or female. And they can easily be adjusted for age as well.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited November 2016
    BrianKMcFalls wrote: »
    Body weight strength standards are great goals, male or female. And they can easily be adjusted for age as well.

    i usually use this, but i'm not sure how that translates into the work the op is doing.

    eta: and doh, i see you said 'body weight' so not the same thing. leaving this here anyway, but now curious if you know of any references for bw standards.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Very individual and it would depend on the program but I like setting goals for compound lifts such as squat and deadlift.

    Deadlift 2x bodyweight is a goal of mine. Currently at 1.5x for one rep.
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    Like others said, soreness is part of the deal. When did you start working out? If it was recently, please speak to someone who knows what they are doing to monitor your workout. I say this because if you are new to lifting, some of these weights are high (the leg press for instance). You want to make sure you have proper form and are performing the lift at the correct speed. If you go too fast, it'll be mostly momentum and you will see little to no gains and can potentially injure yourself.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Soreness comes with the territory, at least when you change up sets and reps. Get on a program, and enjoy the growth.

    Putting an absolute number goal on lifts within a timeframe can be counter productive. Are you progressing and having fun? Then awesome.
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    Thanks for all the advice everyone! My old trainer had me on free weights and set up plans with changing reps and weights. But he left the gym and my current trainer has me on machines and won't suggest amounts to lift, just routines. That's why I am trying to figure out what a good rate would be; my trainer doesn't go into that. Maybe I need to change trainers?
    I'm not new to the gym, but I am relatively new to working with a professional trainer and being goal-oriented. When working with the old trainer, he occasionally set me on high-weight low-reps (like 6 or 7) and I was so exhausted the following day I could barely move. I don't mind feeling some soreness, but my bike is my only mode of transportation so it's not an option for me to be exhausted. The biking is the reason I am stronger in some areas and weaker in others; my strength isn't balanced. I am confident about my form.
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »

    This website has some good standards:
    http://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/female/lb

    Thank you for posting that! This was the exact sort of thing I was looking for! :smiley:
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    edited November 2016
    You don't need a trainer once you know how to do the lifts. You can find programs online and go from there. I do my own tweaked version of stronglifts 5x5. I recommend following the program before making changes unless you need some sort of modification.
    I have a goal of benching my body weight. Would have reached it already if I hadn't gained, lol. I'd also like to work my way back up to 10 pullups. Other goals are to just keep making small progressions without injury.
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    Very individual and it would depend on the program but I like setting goals for compound lifts such as squat and deadlift.

    Deadlift 2x bodyweight is a goal of mine. Currently at 1.5x for one rep.

    Yes! Me too.. currently at 1.7x BW 2x BW would be amazing :p
  • jolive7
    jolive7 Posts: 283 Member
    amandaeve wrote: »
    Thanks for all the advice everyone! My old trainer had me on free weights and set up plans with changing reps and weights. But he left the gym and my current trainer has me on machines and won't suggest amounts to lift, just routines. That's why I am trying to figure out what a good rate would be; my trainer doesn't go into that. Maybe I need to change trainers?
    I'm not new to the gym, but I am relatively new to working with a professional trainer and being goal-oriented. When working with the old trainer, he occasionally set me on high-weight low-reps (like 6 or 7) and I was so exhausted the following day I could barely move. I don't mind feeling some soreness, but my bike is my only mode of transportation so it's not an option for me to be exhausted. The biking is the reason I am stronger in some areas and weaker in others; my strength isn't balanced. I am confident about my form.

    If your trainer has you on machines, time to get a new trainer :)
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    Deadlift 2x bodyweight is a goal of mine. Currently at 1.5x for one rep.

    that's pretty awesome. i'm chipping my way towards 1.5 and even if it's going to take a looooong time, it's starting to look possible.
    amandaeve wrote: »
    When working with the old trainer, he occasionally set me on high-weight low-reps (like 6 or 7)

    occasionally doing something like that sounds to me like it would be a different kind of shock to the system, compared with being on a consistent programme of progressive challenge. i bike for most of my transportation as well, and it is true that lifting 'ambitiously' does take some zip out of my legs but it's not debilitating to that extent. sl starts out not too bad, and nothin says you have to add 5lb every time. i mostly did it on the 'i'll move up when i feel strong and i'm confident of my form at this weight'.

  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    jolive7 wrote: »
    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    Very individual and it would depend on the program but I like setting goals for compound lifts such as squat and deadlift.

    Deadlift 2x bodyweight is a goal of mine. Currently at 1.5x for one rep.

    Yes! Me too.. currently at 1.7x BW 2x BW would be amazing :p

    I'm at 1.7x for deadlift, too. Aiming for 2x bodyweight!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I agree with the set program using free weights personally.

    Try googling Strong lifts 5x5 or Starting Strength.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    As for goals when I started lifting I listed them in my profile and they are still there...and if achieved the date I did it.

    btw nephew is 12 now...hehe.

    I personally feel that goals are pretty personal and based on what you want to achieve. I want to be strong to survive the zombies so benching my bodyweight is important to me...and being able to pull myself up a wall too...

    Goals:
    Bench 9 YO nephew 13.09.18
    OHP 9 YO Nephew 13.11.13
    Straight arm Chin up 14.01.16
    Straight arm Pull up 14.01.17
    DL Bodyweight 14.01.15/BW+80lbs 15.04
    Squat Bodyweight 14.03.03/14.06.16/BW+45lbs 15.04
    BP BW - 17lbs away 15.06.08 132.5x3 PR
    DL 1.5x BW (1.65 @ 15.04.21)230lb PR
    Triple Diget OHP 98.5...getting there
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I dunno about good goals, but my goals are to be able to do these (3 sets of 5 at least):

    Deadlifts 1x my bodyweight
    Hip Thrusts > 1x my bodyweight
    Bench Press half my bodyweight
    Overhead Press half my bodyweight eventually
    (all weightlifting goals are postponed because I broke my finger and it's still healing, I am not allowed to lift yet so though I was close, I will have to work back up)

    and

    Handstand
    5 pull-ups, 5 chin-ups
    5 push-ups without too much struggle
    Get back to able to run 5k at least (this is also postponed because my knee hurts since the fall that broke my finger, I am waiting for that to heal)

    Those are the things I want. And eventually I would like to have front splits.
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