Lifting Heavy - How to Get Started

kyleekay10

Hello everyone, happy Monday!

Stats for reference: 5'5", 22 years old, 125.4 pounds as of my last weigh in. I am trying to follow a 1,200 calorie/day goal (which is usually more on the weekends).

I am within five pounds of my goal weight, and I'm starting to realize the scale is not as important as how my body actually looks. I'm currently doing a boot camp 2x per week, but in a few weeks my classes will be over (I got a groupon for it) so I need to figure something else out for when those are done. The boot camp is 60 minutes long and starts with a run, then 30 minutes of interval training (there are typically 6 stations- first 60 seconds is cardio, second 60 seconds is strength training).

Anyway, I'm interested in lifting heavy despite the popular advice of "low weight high reps". I've read that lifting heavy is considered using a weight that you can do 5-8 reps with, with only a little bit of "gas" left in the tank. I just have no idea how to determine how much weight to use, and what type of routine to do.

I'd likely be attending Planet Fitness. I can't afford my own membership, but I can go for free as long as I go with a friend who has a membership. I'm mentioning Planet Fitness because their weights only go up to ~80 pounds and there is no deadlifting option.

TL;DR- I need help determining how much weight I should lift for lifting heavy, and I need a beginner's routine to get me started. I'd also like to know how much cardio I should work in with a lifting plan. Thanks!

timbrom

Buy Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe. Everything you need to know to get started.

Planet Fitness is definitely not the best option for heavy lifting, but it may suffice for a while. And I've heard that some are better than others in terms of equipment, hopefully yours is one of the better ones.

And if you set off the lunk alarm, make sure to give it the finger. That's what it deserves.

jaimrlx

I'm curious to see where others guide you (for my own benefit), but have you ever considered reading New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROLFW, if you've seen the acronym here before)? I got halfway through the book and need to finish it, but it's got some great stuff for lifting in there. I got it for around $15 on Amazon Prime. Good luck! :drinker:

lgblack

Best and safest bet is see if you can hire a trainer just to go through that process with you. Everyone can lift different weights, but the most important thing is to make sure you are using the correct TECHNIQUE!! I am 54 and graduated to heavier weights over the past year. Working with weights and just going higher by 5-10 lbs each time to find your max is one thing. But doing it so you don't hurt yourself is soooo important. So easy to hurt your back,leg, shoulders...with poor technique. Good luck.

MFPfriend

New Rules of Lifting for Women or Starting Strength are good books to start with. I'd personally recommend NROLFW- it goes over nutrition, cardio, and weights (everything you asked about).
As for deadlifts, I'm not sure what to tell you. They're kind of a good lift to have. And you may quickly out-lift the 80 pound limit at Planet Fitness.

jdaley90

I think New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great place for you to start. You can buy the book for about $12 and it'll coach you through a 3 Phrase program that introduces you to lifting & how to do it. I haven't done it myself but my friend (fittiephd) had great success with it when she first started lifting & was learning how to perform the lifts. I think Starting Strength is also a good beginner program.

The one other piece of feedback I have is to take a look at your cals. We have nearly the same states (I'm 22, 23 on Friday, 5'5, and 120lbs). I used to be a 1200 calorie eater but found that I had better success (I was 125 when I started lifting) eating 1500-1800 cals/daily depending on the level of activity.

Feel free to add me
*edit for spelling...

kyleekay10

I'll have to check out those books.

As for a personal trainer, I unfortunately can't afford that at the moment.

@MFPfriend, yeah, from what I've read deadlifts are awesome. I'll probably have to try and save up for an actual gym membership so that when I outgrow Planet Fitness I can move on to a better equipped gym.

What about calories when lifting? It's easy enough to try and eat back calories when I'm doing cardio, but how many calories are burned by lifting (estimations)? I know I need a HRM but again, finances are tight. My husband and I split ~6 months ago and he left me with the dogs and the debt, so it's just a bit tough right now.

sum1s

If you're going with Planet Fitness, they have personal trainers there that can help you with technique and how to get started. You have to have a membership, though, to be able to use the trainer. I personally think it's worth it, since the trainers are free with the membership. I am considering getting a member ship there as well, strictly because of the access to a trainer.

eazy_

http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

timbrom

What about calories when lifting? It's easy enough to try and eat back calories when I'm doing cardio, but how many calories are burned by lifting (estimations)? I know I need a HRM but again, finances are tight. My husband and I split ~6 months ago and he left me with the dogs and the debt, so it's just a bit tough right now.

It's pretty much impossible to accurately measure calorie burn for weight training. Personally, I switched to the TDEE - % method for calculating calories when I started lifting, because then your activity is already factored into your calories, so you're automatically eating back your exercise calories. If you're not familiar, search for "In place of a road map" and read the posts.

I'd also recommend reading this: http://thefitcoach.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/584/

It's going to seem like an obscene amount of food, but you aren't going to be able to make strength gains on a 1200 calorie diet. Just simply not going to happen on that little fuel.

mbird2132

This should answer many of your questions. I personally love all pros workout. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=151032123

Edit: Good Luck

timbrom

If you're going with Planet Fitness, they have personal trainers there that can help you with technique and how to get started. You have to have a membership, though, to be able to use the trainer. I personally think it's worth it, since the trainers are free with the membership. I am considering getting a member ship there as well, strictly because of the access to a trainer.

Very, very few of which actually have a clue what they're doing.

JAllen32

I started with Jamie Eason's Live Fit program. I don't do the nutrition, just the lifting. PF doesn't have any free weights, does it? Thats what I've heard anyway, some locations may be different. If your has dumbells, one of the moves in JELF is a single leg dead lift. May not be the same as a deadlift, but its something. And its done with one dumbell. So thats an option.

Whichever direction you go, good luck!!

emirror

Check out the group: "Stronglifts 5x5 for Women" http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

I started out at about 40 pounds for each exercise and did (or tried to do) one set of 5 reps. If it was too heavy (I couldn't finish or could barely finish), I lowered the weight. If it was too light, I increased the weight slightly. You want to start off fairly light, so that you can learn proper form before you start really packing the weight on there.

I work out at Planet Fitness. You can make it work using the Smith machine, but it is not ideal. I'm going to join a different gym soon so that I can get the proper equipment. The Gold's Gym in my area has a $10 per month membership, and I think it will be worth going out of my way a little to get to that location. I wanted to try out the program for a while to see if I liked it before I went and switched gyms.

Anyway, if you have to use the Smith machine for now, just know that you are going to have to lower your weights when you get free weights and re-train some muscles you aren't engaging; AND be sure to look up how to have proper form on the Smith machine.

I do about 10 minutes of cardio to warm up on lift days, then I do 30-60 minutes cardio on the other two weekdays.

MFP has a listing in cardio for weight lifting, but that is just calories burned while doing the workout.

quellybelly

I started with Stronglifts 5x5. Prior to this I had NO experience with heavy lifting. It's got 5 basic moves, with 3 moves per workout and 3 workouts per week. You start off with basically an empty barbell for most of the moves and you increase by 5 pounds each time you complete the full 5x5. As you can imagine, it starts off pretty easy in the beginning but it's a good way to get your form perfected before you get heavier. I really enjoy this program and recommend it as a starter for any female lifter with any program you decide to do, make sure you have someone checking your form because you can easily hurt yourself! Best of luck xo

Tessyloowhoo

(Disclaimer i do not lift heavy but i am trying to learn)
IDK if your as weak as me but i really couldn't start on the machines and such because everything was a bit to complicated and heavy... I started with kettlebells and i am enjoying it a lot
Routine 1
http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/979131/full-body-kettlebell-workout-for-women
Routine 2
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/kettlebell-workout

It is a nice switch from cardio to a more cardio/strength workout

jdm_taco

Nothing wrong with planet fitness. I lost all my weight there and put on a good bit of muscle. It blows my mind that people don't think you can get a lot done with what they have.

With that said....its stupid they forbid deadlifting and squats and do not have larger dumb bells.

kyleekay10

Wow, these are all great responses. Much appreciated everyone. :flowerforyou:

I will definitely check out all of these websites and try to piece together a workout that will work for me. I do think the PF that I'd be going to has free weights, and since I'm so weak, I'm guessing they'll be heavy enough to last me a while before I outgrow them.

What about calories when lifting? It's easy enough to try and eat back calories when I'm doing cardio, but how many calories are burned by lifting (estimations)? I know I need a HRM but again, finances are tight. My husband and I split ~6 months ago and he left me with the dogs and the debt, so it's just a bit tough right now.

It's pretty much impossible to accurately measure calorie burn for weight training. Personally, I switched to the TDEE - % method for calculating calories when I started lifting, because then your activity is already factored into your calories, so you're automatically eating back your exercise calories. If you're not familiar, search for "In place of a road map" and read the posts.

I'd also recommend reading this: http://thefitcoach.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/584/

It's going to seem like an obscene amount of food, but you aren't going to be able to make strength gains on a 1200 calorie diet. Just simply not going to happen on that little fuel.

I've been toying with the idea of switching to TDEE as well, I just haven't been active consistently enough to feel comfortable with it (I felt like I'd be overestimating my activity level). I will give that a try once I settle into lifting, though.

timbrom

Nothing wrong with planet fitness. I lost all my weight there and put on a good bit of muscle. It blows my mind that people don't think you can get a lot done with what they have.

With that said....its stupid they forbid deadlifting and squats and do not have larger dumb bells.

It just depends on your goals. Glad to hear it worked for you, that's an impressive number in your ticker. I'm working towards a 1200 total - 500 lb deadlift, 400 lb squat and 300 lb bench press. I have a ways to go, but I couldn't do that at a gym where I can't deadlift or squat. The OP says she wants to lift heavy, and planet fitness just isn't the best place to go if that is your goal. Still, it may suffice for a while and it's certainly a darn site better then nothing.

kyleekay10

Nothing wrong with planet fitness. I lost all my weight there and put on a good bit of muscle. It blows my mind that people don't think you can get a lot done with what they have.

With that said....its stupid they forbid deadlifting and squats and do not have larger dumb bells.

It just depends on your goals. Glad to hear it worked for you, that's an impressive number in your ticker. I'm working towards a 1200 total - 500 lb deadlift, 400 lb squat and 300 lb bench press. I have a ways to go, but I couldn't do that at a gym where I can't deadlift or squat. The OP says she wants to lift heavy, and planet fitness just isn't the best place to go if that is your goal. Still, it may suffice for a while and it's certainly a darn site better then nothing.

"Still, it may suffice for a while and it's certainly a darn site better then nothing." <-- Yup, pretty much @timbrom! I wish I could go to a gym that has ALL the options I need, it's just not viable for me right now. I think PF will help get me started while I figure out a way to afford a different gym membership.

FrnkLft

Stronglifts 5x5 is a great program, really simple. Great app to keep track of things on your phone too.

Also free, and doesn't require you to read a book. Also, the website has an excel spreadsheet that you can download that will tell you where to start with your weights... and how to up the weight over time. Simple.

If what you want is to educate yourself some more, NROLFW is a good book.

snivvy

I'm your height and just a few lbs heavier and I started "lifting heavy" a fortnight ago.

I just figured out through trial and error. This is what I'm doing at the moment (on a 20kg bar, dpon't know whetehr you include the bar or not when writing it down);

Squat- 10kg each end for first set then up to 15kg each end (finding the position on shoulders more restrictive than the weight)
Deadlift- 12.5kg each end
Bench- 10kg each end

When you put some weights on your bar it may feel fairly light but stick with it and focus on keeping your form good because what feels light at first is actually quite a challenge at 5 sets of 8 reps. And remember the weight of the bar too so don't feel too downhearted if you've not loaded much weight on.

Also, simple question but could someone tell me, when you write how much you've lifted, is it convention to include the bar in that weight? e.g. My squat above would be 50kg, right?

jdm_taco

Nothing wrong with planet fitness. I lost all my weight there and put on a good bit of muscle. It blows my mind that people don't think you can get a lot done with what they have.

With that said....its stupid they forbid deadlifting and squats and do not have larger dumb bells.

It just depends on your goals. Glad to hear it worked for you, that's an impressive number in your ticker. I'm working towards a 1200 total - 500 lb deadlift, 400 lb squat and 300 lb bench press.

Most will never accomplish that and planet fitness is most certainly suitable for beginners and even many people that have been lifting.

Great work and very impressive numbers. Keep it up, hoss.

kyleekay10

I'm your height and just a few lbs heavier and I started "lifting heavy" a fortnight ago.

I just figured out through trial and error. This is what I'm doing at the moment (on a 20kg bar, dpon't know whetehr you include the bar or not when writing it down);

Squat- 10kg each end for first set then up to 15kg each end (finding the position on shoulders more restrictive than the weight)
Deadlift- 12.5kg each end
Bench- 10kg each end

When you put some weights on your bar it may feel fairly light but stick with it and focus on keeping your form good because what feels light at first is actually quite a challenge at 5 sets of 8 reps. And remember the weight of the bar too so don't feel too downhearted if you've not loaded much weight on.

Also, simple question but could someone tell me, when you write how much you've lifted, is it convention to include the bar in that weight? e.g. My squat above would be 50kg, right?

Thanks for the tips! As for your question, I'm no expert, but my ex used to lift a lot and I believe he DID include the bar weight. But I could be wrong.

emirror

Yes, you include the bar weight.

thinklivebefree

Keep It Simple Stupid....KISS!

Capt_Apollo

others have mentioned books that are very helpful. but here are some links that have helped me out:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/02/28/strength-training-101/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/03/05/101-equipment/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/03/18/strength-training-101-finding-the-right-gym/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/15/how-to-build-your-own-workout-routine/

ishkabob

bump for later

Huffdogg

I'd likely be attending Planet Fitness. I can't afford my own membership, but I can go for free as long as I go with a friend who has a membership. I'm mentioning Planet Fitness because their weights only go up to ~80 pounds and there is no deadlifting option.

Sorry to hear that you'll be stuck in one of these awful places. When I was traveling for work and forced to use Planet Fitness. I just pulled a bar to the floor and deadlifted anyway. As long as you don't drop the bar every rep, I don't see why it would matter.

I'd echo any recommendations to buy Starting Strength and do what it says.