Short ladies doing weight lifting! What weight do you use?

Linnaea27

Hi all,

I'm curious about how much weight other petite women (I'm 5'1") use for their weight training routines. It would be helpful to know how long you've been doing weight training so I can get some idea of where it's reasonable to begin-- I'm trying to figure out how much weight I should try lifting for different exercises starting out, if anyone's willing to provide info that detailed!

I should note that I know that the weight one uses needs to be the highest one can handle for 5-8 reps, generally, but since I'm quite new at this it would be great to have some context!

To give more context about my situation/interests in this, I'm very close to the weight I would like to maintain, and am finding that I still have a bit of tummy that I dislike, plus I'm so light and small that farm/garden tasks that take weight and/or strength are aggravatingly hard for me right now. So, I've started AllPro's beginner weights routine as suggested in this excellent thread (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/902569-barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells).

I use the various dumbbells I have at home (I live in a rural area so gyms are far away and I don't think I would be very dedicated if I had to drive to a gym, so I am going to keep my workouts at home). My dumbbells are not really heavy enough for doing some exercises-- the heaviest pair I have currently is 14 lbs per dumbbell, and while that is fine right now for some things (like overhead presses), it's not nearly enough for deadlifts, rows, and bench presses. I'm planning to buy a set of adjustable-weight dumbbells as soon as finances allow. The sets I'm looking at weigh, total, 105 lbs, which is my goal weight so the things will weigh as much as I do. :ohwell: I would consider a barbell and weight rack instead, but our house is tiny and right now there is literally no room for such a thing. :frown: Maybe someday when we build an addition.

Anyway, thank you everyone!

JoRocka

what anyone else can lift is pretty much completely irrelevant.

To qualify as "heavy" for a progressive lifting routine- you're looking at the 1-5 range of weight.
5-10 will help build size and strength (largely depending on your diet though)
and 10-15 will help you build muscle endurance.

those numbers are a guide.

But what is your "heavy" weight- might be my warm up 15 rep number. It's just 100% completely not relevant what someone else lifts.

Linnaea27

Hmm. Crap. I guess this was a stupid question then. . .

Platform_Heels

Hmm. Crap. I guess this was a stupid question then. . .

Absolutely not a stupid question. It's just hard to say what "heavy lifting" is. The amount of weight that I lift won't be considered heavy to most people but it's heavy to me. On the converse the amount of weight I lift might seem astronomical to someone else For example yesterday when I was doing my Arnold Presses on my last set I did 3 reps with 30lb dumbbells. For me that was heavy, hence only getting out 3 reps before I dropped back down to 25's, but for someone else that could be their warm up set.

Linnaea27

Hmm. Crap. I guess this was a stupid question then. . .

Absolutely not a stupid question. It's just hard to say what "heavy lifting" is. The amount of weight that I lift won't be considered heavy to most people but it's heavy to me. On the converse the amount of weight I lift might seem astronomical to someone else For example yesterday when I was doing my Arnold Presses on my last set I did 3 reps with 30lb dumbbells. For me that was heavy, hence only getting out 3 reps before I dropped back down to 25's, but for someone else that could be their warm up set.

It sounds like you might be on a very similar level to me. . . I may be able to do certain exercises only with lighter weights than that. So you usually use 25 lb dumbbells for things? Do you go to a gym so you can up your weight range whenever you want, or do you have some other way of building on your abilities?

rachelrb85

I just started Stronglifts 5x5 today and unfortunately my gym only has dumbbell weights (although a pretty impressive set). Stronglifts recommends starting with 45 lbs barbell, so I started with 20 lb dumbbells. I realized later I should have used higher weights for the rows. So I plan on using 20-25 lbs dumbbells for squats/press and higher (maybe 30 lbs) for rows/lunges. I agree that "heavy lifting" for other people is irrelevant as every person is different.

ETA: Oh, and I'm 5'4"

JoRocka

this is one reason why people really like Barbell work- it's easy to adjust to your level- and you can always add more weight.

Bar starts at 45 lbs- and often is centered around compound lifts which help over all strength and fitness.

it's not so much that it's a stupid question- it's just probably not the answer you were looking for because you are more interested (I think if I'm reading correctly) the best way to maximize your lifting potential by looking for a weight range- but what's good for me is not good for my friend is not good for someone else- i'ts just SO relative- it's like buying jewlerey- way to hard to say oh this is a great piece- to many variables.

So getting adjustable sets is a great option- the most flexible option for weights are barbell sets.

otherwise some thoughts
adjustable dumbbells
Adjustable sandbags
body weight exercises

all tailor able and adjustable for home use.

Linnaea27

I just started Stronglifts 5x5 today and unfortunately my gym only has dumbbell weights (although a pretty impressive set). Stronglifts recommends starting with 45 lbs barbell, so I started with 20 lb dumbbells. I realized later I should have used higher weights for the rows. So I plan on using 20-25 lbs dumbbells for squats/press and higher (maybe 30 lbs) for rows/lunges. I agree that "heavy lifting" for other people is irrelevant as every person is different.

ETA: Oh, and I'm 5'4"

Thanks-- sounds like I might be on about the same level as you. Good to know.

Perhaps I should have simply asked how much the smaller women lift and when they started, without indicating why I wanted to know. . . I think I approached this from the wrong angle. I think I'm more interested in the weight range people of my size are capable of using, from beginner level on, to have more of an idea of what to expect as I work on my own strength.

Linnaea27

this is one reason why people really like Barbell work- it's easy to adjust to your level- and you can always add more weight.

Bar starts at 45 lbs- and often is centered around compound lifts which help over all strength and fitness.

it's not so much that it's a stupid question- it's just probably not the answer you were looking for because you are more interested (I think if I'm reading correctly) the best way to maximize your lifting potential by looking for a weight range- but what's good for me is not good for my friend is not good for someone else- i'ts just SO relative- it's like buying jewlerey- way to hard to say oh this is a great piece- to many variables.

So getting adjustable sets is a great option- the most flexible option for weights are barbell sets.

otherwise some thoughts
adjustable dumbbells
Adjustable sandbags
body weight exercises

all tailor able and adjustable for home use.

You're right, I am trying to find the best way to get the most out of lifting. . . without having to travel to a gym or cram a barbell assembly into my very small house!

Yes, I am looking into adjustable dumbbells. I am shocked by the price of the apparently more easily adjustable ones like Bowflex-- $350+ for some weights?!!!! I will probably go with the ones that are like miniature barbells, with screw-on weight fastener things (ugh, I do not know the proper terminology). I worry that that kind, which is what I can afford, will be a hassle to work with because changing the weight seems like it might take too much time in the middle of a workout. . . anyone who uses adjustable dumbbells have suggestions?

neandermagnon

shorter people have a mechanical advantage in a lot of lifts. short and large framed (like me) is really good genetics for lifting.

People get conditioned into the idea that being short is a disadvantage in everything... it's not :drinker:

jlapey

I am exactly 5'0" tall. I do Stronglifts 5 x 5. I started with just the bar and if I can complete all sets with good form, I add weight (2.5-5 pounds) in the next session. It's always best to start light and work up from there so that you can concentrate on good form. You'll be lifting more than you thought you would in a relatively short time. Don't rush it. I was doing really well for a while (squatting and deadlifting more than my body weight) and then took an entirely too long break. I started over this week with just the bar again.

sun_fish

This will be short as I'm on my phone, but All Pro has you determine your 10 rep max and start with that, or as close as you can get. I will reply more later with my experience starting out when I'm on my computer.

ItsCasey

I am exactly 5'0" tall. I do Stronglifts 5 x 5. I started with just the bar and if I can complete all sets with good form, I add weight (2.5-5 pounds) in the next session. It's always best to start light and work up from there so that you can concentrate on good form. You'll be lifting more than you thought you would in a relatively short time. Don't rush it. I was doing really well for a while (squatting and deadlifting more than my body weight) and then took an entirely too long break. I started over this week with just the bar again.

Agree with all of this. I'm 5'0, as well. I know where you're coming from. When I first started lifting, I honestly thought I could just ask someone on the Internet how much weight I should be using, but I quickly learned that everyone starts at a different point. I agree with the recommendation to go easy on the weight until you have learned proper form. Then start adding weight as you see that you are able to complete all your sets.

The key, and most difficult, thing here is perceived exertion. Ruthless self-assessment is an invaluable tool. A lot of people seem to have the idea that lifting an amount of weight for 5 reps is not hard. I see it a lot on here ... "I don't like lifting because I just don't feel like I get a good workout from it." Come lift with me, then. Programming differences aside (as not all programs are designed for a 5 rep set to be super difficult), I'm telling you, generally speaking, if it's not hard, it's not heavy enough. I am nervous every time I get ready to begin one of my top sets, and I try really, really hard to improve every session. I can't stand to leave my gym knowing that I settled for what I already knew I could do, as opposed to pushing my limits.

Platform_Heels

Hmm. Crap. I guess this was a stupid question then. . .

Absolutely not a stupid question. It's just hard to say what "heavy lifting" is. The amount of weight that I lift won't be considered heavy to most people but it's heavy to me. On the converse the amount of weight I lift might seem astronomical to someone else For example yesterday when I was doing my Arnold Presses on my last set I did 3 reps with 30lb dumbbells. For me that was heavy, hence only getting out 3 reps before I dropped back down to 25's, but for someone else that could be their warm up set.

It sounds like you might be on a very similar level to me. . . I may be able to do certain exercises only with lighter weights than that. So you usually use 25 lb dumbbells for things? Do you go to a gym so you can up your weight range whenever you want, or do you have some other way of building on your abilities?

Typically I up the weight every set and drop down if I need to and the next time I do the exercise I try to start out at the weight I used on the second set and build from there.

b_ray_73

Hmm. Crap. I guess this was a stupid question then. . .

Definitely not a stupid question, but it is completely relative. I define heavy for me as the heaviest I can lift with good form for 1-5 reps. Some days this is higher than others depending on how I am feeling mentally and physically. Today that is much lighter than a few months ago due to an injury, a few months ago it was much higher than a few months before that.

Don't get too caught up on how heavy the weights start out, you'll progress quickly. Just make sure you're using good form and increase the weight progressively.

JoRocka

You're right, I am trying to find the best way to get the most out of lifting. . . without having to travel to a gym or cram a barbell assembly into my very small house!

Yes, I am looking into adjustable dumbbells. I am shocked by the price of the apparently more easily adjustable ones like Bowflex-- $350+ for some weights?!!!! I will probably go with the ones that are like miniature barbells, with screw-on weight fastener things (ugh, I do not know the proper terminology). I worry that that kind, which is what I can afford, will be a hassle to work with because changing the weight seems like it might take too much time in the middle of a workout. . . anyone who uses adjustable dumbbells have suggestions?

see- not a stupid question- just the wrong way of asking... izokay we can still help!!! we got it figured out. LOL

A sand bag is an awesome toy to have- can adjust or make you're own- google sand bag fitness- check out thedailyhiit.com for their list of equipment which is all for home use.

Also- check out nerdfitness.com and strengthunbounded.com (or strengthunbound) for body weight progressions- little to no equipment needed at all!

stealthq

Go here: http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

That will give you a general idea for lifting ranges for your weight and skill level. These are 1 Rep Maxes, though, so you'd need to go to one of the calculators to find your theoretical 1 RM to compare.

FWIW, I'm 5' 3", 120 lbs. I've done Starting Strength from January to late March and then switched to All Pro's Beginner workout because I wasn't recovering fast enough between workouts w/ SS. All Pro's is supposed to be more forgiving in that regard. Just finished my first 5-week test session this past Monday.

For exercises where I had zero clue what I was doing (squat, deadlift), I started with the bar even though it felt very light. That was smart for me for squats. I find bodyweight squats hard because I tend to tip backward - the extra weight fixed that. It was stupid for deadlifts - I should have at least put the 10 lb bumper plates on so I could lift from the correct position. And honestly, I didn't even feel like I was using any effort until I added a good 40 lbs. to the bar.

For exercises where I knew what to do (bench, ohp, row), I picked a weight where I was using some effort, but could easily finish. Because SS ups the weight every successful session, I figured I'd be at the right weight soon enough.

started SS:
45 lb squat (3 x 5)
45 lb Romanian deadlift (3 x 5)
20 lb bench (3 x 5)
20 lb ohp (3 x 5)
20 lb row (3 x 5)

ended SS:
115 lb squat (3 x 5)
135 lb Romanian deadlift (3 x 5)
70 lb bench (3 x 5)
45 lb ohp (3 x 5)
65 lb row (3 x 5)

All Pro's 1st cycle - I passed all of these except ohp, so increase those weights by 10% for next week:
95 lb squat (2 x 8-12)
65 lb bench (2 x 8-12)
60 lb row (2 x 8-12)
40 lb ohp (2 x 8-12)
95 lb sl-deadlift (2 x 8-12)
35 lb upright row (2 x 8-12)
95 lb hip thrusters (2 x 8-12) (my addition)

chele1028

Bumping for all the great answers

jeicorsair

anyone who uses adjustable dumbbells have suggestions?

I haven't used any of the really expensive ones like Bowflex because they're not in my budget, but I do have some simple metal ones with spin-wheel locks. Changing weights can be pretty quick (anywhere from 10-30 seconds on a single dumbbell depending on how many of the plates I'm switching out.) I try to do the math for each exercise before I even start the workout so I'm not wasting time trying to figure out how many of which plates I need and can set those plates aside if I have enough spares to do so.

Some people also complain about spin-wheel locks coming loose. I've never had them come so loose that it affects my exercises. They do loosen slightly, but it's easy enough to tighten them back up after a set if needed.

sun_fish

I have done 6 cycles of All Pro, and here is a link to a group here on MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12707-all-pro-s-beginner-intermediate-lifting-routines

This link has info on how to find your 10 rep max. And as others have said, what you start out with will be different than someone else. Keep in mind too that your starting weights will be different (lighter) with All Pro than something like Strong Lifts as you have a higher rep range with All Pro.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/915909-what-exactly-is-all-pro-s-routine

When I started I actually went with less than my 10RM, working on form and being cautious as I had recently had physical therapy for knee pain. I used a combination of dumbbells (like others have mentioned that you add plates to with spin wheel locks) and a light (15 pound) barbell that took the same size plates as the DB's. The bar is shorter than an olympic bar so it doesn't take up a lot of room. I had all my weights written down on a spread sheet (including warm up sets) so I could easily swap out the plates. You need to rest in between sets anyway so the time is no big deal. The down side to dumbbells is the increase is 5 pounds, so it was often hard to get the 10% increase but I came as close as I could. I also got creative with large washers from the hardware store to add less than 5 pounds. I have also heard of people using large magnets to add weight. I did single arm floor presses and goblet squats so I could lift safely by myself, and used the BB for the other exercises.

There is a MFP member who is in the All Pro group who used DB's for quite some time. Check out about halfway down on page 7 of this thread, and see cmeirun's stats using only DB's at home.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/916491-ok-let-s-see-your-stats?page=7

I hope this is helpful! Good luck!

UFITYETXX

Bump

Linnaea27

Wow, thank you so much everyone! Every single post is super helpful and addresses something I've been wondering about. I've never considered doing weight training (other than circuit training with 5-10 lb weights) before, so unlike with various cardio sports, I am a complete newbie. This is great! I am glad I clarified what I was trying to find out, since my initial post was garbled/TL;DR!

I bookmarked the thread so I can refer to it frequently. I am glad to see what some people's progressions have been, and it is nice to know that changing the weights on those big adjustable dumbbells I'm considering isn't a big deal.

It sounds like I am going to have to wait to start AllPro for real until I can get that set of adjustable dumbbells, since for some movements, I currently do not have anything close to a 10-rep maximum weight. Blargh. I'm in grad school and working part time and my income for the next couple weeks is devoted to large vegetable garden improvements. . . so I guess for now I will keep working with what I've got, learning about form, and making some progress as far as strength goes, though it won't be as much as I could otherwise.

I've undertaken a big project in the yard/garden that involves hauling rocks from one place to another. I think that supplements my lightish weights nicely right now!

chani8

Your gardening tasks sound great and are a good workout as it is!

If you're going for strength, like I am, think core exercises.

I use a dumbell for these, and they womp my butt:

http://www.iwantsixpackabs.com/my_video_tips/sledgehammer.html

I also do supersets so I get a burnout no matter that I'm using a DB. Try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoIOJtz7Mwk

Just FYI, unless you're going for body sculpting competition, you can get awesome results with just dumbells.

To answer your question, though, I use a range of DBs: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 kilos. I also have a set of the kind that you can add weight to, and I don't use them. I also bought a bar, and I rarely use it, too. The dumbbells are safer all the way around, comfortable to grip, and fun, too.