Ladies - How much do you lift?

Reza151

I am so worried about having Butch arms so I don't do more than 15lbs and about 3 reps of 10.

Do NOT be worried...I lift heavy..heavy until I see stars heavy..I do not have butch arms

It is impossible for women to have butch muscles and be really bulky the way men get uless we take steroids because we don't have the same amount of testerone in our bodies that men do! Women who lift get lean, tone, and a little muscular. Women who lift and take steroids get the bulk

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Day 1: Upper Body Power Day
• Pulling Power Movement: Bent over or Pendlay rows – 105#
3 sets of 3-5 reps -
• Assistance Pulling movement: Weighted Pull ups (unweighted x5)
2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Auxiliary Pulling movement: Rack chins (15#)
2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Pressing Power Movement: Flat dumbbell presses (35#, wish we had 37.5# as 35 is too easy . . . but I’ll move to 40’s next week)
3 sets of 3-5 reps
• Assistance pressing movement: Weighted dips (15#)
2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Assistance pressing movement: Seated dumbbell shoulder presses (27.5#)
3 sets of 6-10 reps
• Auxiliary curling movement: Cambered bar curls (45#)
3 sets of 6-10 reps
• Auxiliary extension movement: Skull crushers (35#)
3 sets of 6-10 reps
Day 2: Lower Body Power Day
• Pressing Power Movement: Squats (moved back down to 165# to work on form)
3 sets of 3-5 reps
• Assistance pressing movement: Hack Squats - 75
2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Assistance extension movement: Leg extensions - 75
2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Assistance pulling movement: Stiff legged deadlifts - 140
3 sets of 5-8 reps
• Assistance pulling/curling movement: Glute ham raises – no wieght
2 sets of 6-10 reps
• Auxiliary calf movement: Standing calf raise - 70
3 sets of 6-10 reps
• Auxiliary calf movement: Seated calf raise - 80
2 sets of 6-10 reps

MoreBean13

If i can get to 6 reps, I add weight. I am interested in strength, not hypertrophy. The only exception is warmup and burnout sets that i do at a lighter weight.

1-5 reps = Strength
5-8 reps = Strength + Hypertrophy
8-12 reps = Hypertrophy + endurance
12+ reps = endurance

Believe me, you won't get 'bulky' in the strength range, lol. I weigh a LOT more than I look like I do.

RunHardBeStrong

For me, I'm in the 8-12 reps more than 25 lbs range. Though I agree with some of the other statements, it doesn't matter as long as you're challenging yourself and seeing progress!

hsnider29

I'm doing the strong lifts 5x5 program. I started 3 weeks ago so I'm not lifting that heavy yet.

Squats 80lbs
Overhead press 60lbs
Deadlifts 115lbs
Bench press 65lbs
Barbell row 60lbs

This is 5 sets of 5 repetitions.

lacurandera1

I curl with a bar, about 45 #. ETA: 3 sets of 8-10 and to failure on the last set, which is generally under 8. That's how I try to work most of my lifts, heavy to the point that I can't finish the last set without assistance.

But, OP, if you're lifting for general body benefit, you should really incorporate squats, Romanian dead lifts and rows, if you don't already. Compound lifts that use your whole body (or most of it) are going to be your real game changers.

To the lady who is afraid of getting butch arms...I know lots of people already told you but....You will not look like a man. Promise. Sans testosterone shots or steroids, you don't have the hormones necessary. I don't know who started that lie, but if they're still alive they should be shot.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

When I do them, which is only once a week as I usually focus on compound moves, I do 3 sets of 8 reps with 28lbs.

Just to clarify, that's for dumbbells. Dumbbell bicep curls, 28lbs each arm.

LoraF83

If i can get to 6 reps, I add weight. I am interested in strength, not hypertrophy. The only exception is warmup and burnout sets that i do at a lighter weight.

1-5 reps = Strength
5-8 reps = Strength + Hypertrophy
8-12 reps = Hypertrophy + endurance
12+ reps = endurance

Believe me, you won't get 'bulky' in the strength range, lol. I weigh a LOT more than I look like I do.

^All of this.

Especially the part about weighing more than I look like I do.

da_bears10089

I lift heavy. I follow Stronglifts 5x5. Compound moves, no isolation. My cup of tea. 5 reps x 5 sets

Exercise A

Squat - 135
Bench - 65
Bent Over Row - 70

Exercise B

Squat - 135
Overhead Press - 65
Deadlift - 135

HeidiMightyRawr

I don't do more than 6 reps for anything, apart from warm-ups. I usually either do 5x3 or 5x5.

Bicep curls: 20kg (44lbs) for 5 sets of 5. This is a barbell, I don't do DB bicep curls.

Other lifts:
Squat: 55kg (121lbs) 5 sets of 3.
Deadlift: 82.5kg (181lbs) 5 sets of 3.
OHP: 35kg (77lbs) 5 sets of 3
Barbell rows: 40kg (88lbs) 5 sets of 5
Bench press: 52.5kg (115lbs) 5 sets of 3

elainecroft

Just some advice -
Don't be afraid to try heavier weights. At first it may seem like you can't do it, but once you start, you'll be surprised at how fast your body adapts to using heavy weights. I never found that it made me look bulky or weird either - just healthy.

Now when I lift I don't keep hard numbers because I tend to adjust the weight based on failure. i.e. will do 10 reps, and if I have to struggle through the last 2 then I'll keep the weight the same for the next set. If 10 come easy, I'll up the weight. If I can't make it through 8, I'll lower it. This is easier to do at the gym. At home, I will generally use 7 pound weights and do 3 sets of 20 or so, or mix it up with cardio (i.e. 30DS).

Aitm20

Seated Bicep curl 3 reps of 25 at 40 lbs
Tricep extension 3 reps of 25 at 30 lbs
Leg press 3 reps of 25 at 110 lbs
Seated calf extensions 3 reps of 25 at 70 lbs
Abs 3 reps of 25 at 30 lbs
Abdominal twist 2 reps of 15 at 30 lbs
Hip abduction 3 repa of 25 at 70 lbs

northfresh

This is probably not going to sound good, but I don't lift. I do however enjoy and take my time with lifting and transporting 50lb sacks of potatoes and flour and moving 80lb boxes of beef about three times a week at work. I would like to get a regime going though.

sarahstrezo

I seriously LOLed at "butch arms". What does that even mean?!?!??

Anyway...I lift heavy and I love it. I've been doing so since the first week of September 2012 and I'm no following the stronglifts program. Here's where I'm at now:

Squats: 135lbs
Deadlifts: 135lbs
Over head Press: 55lbs
Bench Press: 70lbs
Bent Over Row: 75lbs

Kristinemomof3

Wish I could lift heavy again, I was doing Chalean Extreme, lifting heavy and dissected an artery causing a SCAD heart attack. Just be careful lifting heavy. I'm back to using my own body weight and less than 10 lbs.

HeidiMightyRawr

I just realised...this post started in January 2011, then was randomly re-bumped today. The OP probably won't even see this now, nor will the previous people (posting about butch arms etc)

I like seeing how much everyone's lifting though!

ZoeLifts

I just realised...this post started in January 2011, then was randomly re-bumped today. The OP probably won't even see this now, nor will the previous people (posting about butch arms etc)

I like seeing how much everyone's lifting though!

Who keeps reviving these old posts? I need to start checking dates....

cjlorigan

This was my last workout @ the gym:

Exercise Sets Reps Weight (pound)
Leg Press 3 8 160
Bench (Chest) Press, Machine 3 8 40
Lat Pulldown 3 8 70
Shoulder Press 3 5 50
Seated Row, Floor, Machine 3 8 50
Abdominal Crunches 1 8 50
Leg Curls 3 8 75
Leg Extension 3 8 80
Triceps Push Down 3 8 55
Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl 3 8 30
Abdominal Crunches 1 8 55
Abdominal Crunches 1 8 60

And I have 0 training...I just lift what I can handle.

ereach4731

Hey ladies I'm curious how much do you lift? For example bicep curl - do you do 15-20 reps around 10 pounds or do you do 8-12 reps 25 or more pounds?

Thanks

What are you trying to do? Do you want to build muscle or tone?

No matter your goal, the first thing you want to do is find your one rep max. This means you see what the heaviest weight you can do one time. Let's say you do 50 lbs.

If you want to tone, take 40% of this, which is 20 lbs. So do 3 sets of 20 reps at 20 lbs. You may not be able to do that starting off, but you can work up to that and do this for a while if you wish to tone. Over time you will get stronger and will need to find your one rep max again to restart the process.

If you wish to build muscle, then you take 60% of your one rep max, which would be 30 lbs. You do one set of 20 reps at 30 lbs, one set of 15 reps at 35 lbs, and one set of 10 reps at 40 lbs. Again, you may not be able to do this right away and you might have to work up to it.

This formula came from my Health and Wellness Professor who works with NFL quarterbacks and college level quarterbacks in the off season. Of course, I am aware that there are many variations to this, so the best thing is to find what works for you.

Ermahgerd_Derpina

I use the machine at my gym, for the most part.
For arms, most things I use 45 pounds, except pull-downs, which are 65.
Legs are currently at 65 for everything I can do with a machine.
Abs are 45 too.

I do everything at 3 sets for 5 - 8 reps.
I'll start one weight at 5, go to 6 the next day, and do that until I get to 8, and then I'll go up another 5lbs.
Note: I alternate arms, legs, and abs. So the "next" day, is really like 3 or 4 days later.
It doesn't seem like a lot of reps, but just a couple months ago I could barely do an arms workout at 25lbs on any machine.