women lifting "heavy"

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bentobee
bentobee Posts: 321 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've read on here many times about women needing to lift "heavy".

What exactly IS heavy? What guidelines are there to determine what heavy is for each individual?

In the case of free weights - what indicators should I go by to decide what poundage to use?


At home I use 10 pound weights. I have to really struggle to get to 30 reps. The last five are torturous. I have a hard time thinking that ten pounds constitutes "heavy" though. :laugh:
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  • Missylydia
    Missylydia Posts: 304 Member
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    bump
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
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    I would say that anything "heavy" would be whichever weight brings your muscles to failure at a low rep. Like with ChaLEAN, I use 5s, 8s, 10s and 15s. They can all be heavy depending on how much resistance you create with them, what type of exercise you're doing & how many reps.
  • sociable15
    sociable15 Posts: 98
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    I was always told that "heavy" means that you should be lifting 8-12 reps per set and the last couple should cause you to strain without hurting yourself. So if you can get to 12 without straining, go up to the next weight. You should strain at 8 and work your way to 12.
  • RDH0513
    RDH0513 Posts: 245 Member
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    lifting 4-6 reps for me is heavy, 8-12 is moderate, and so forth is high reps. there is no set weight for anyone
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    Typically whatever weight you can lift to 10-12 reps, struggling on the last one or two and couldn't do more, but still able to maintain form.
  • XBabigrl72
    XBabigrl72 Posts: 88
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    I think "heavy" is just what ever number you find to be a challenge to you.
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
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    I'm reading Strength Training for Dummies and it says that lifting "heavy" would be the max of what you can lift in 6-8 reps before muscle fatigue.
  • Shizzman
    Shizzman Posts: 527 Member
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    If you are doing 30 reps....probably not heavy.
    If on the other hand you have trouble getting to 10...good chance you are going heavy.

    Another way to tell, if there is a chance your purse is heavier than the weight you are lifting...then you aren't lifting heavy.
    If there is something you carry during the day that is heavier compared to what your lifting...you aren't going heavy. (Other examples than a purse things like baby, backpack, etc)
  • Anidorie
    Anidorie Posts: 291 Member
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    oh i feel weak. i had a 5lb kettle weight. i lefted it up and...dropped it on my face. i couldnt lift it. i think i might be slgihtly weak.
  • Crowhorse
    Crowhorse Posts: 394 Member
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    Right now, heavy for my biceps is 20 lbs. I start struggling around 6.

    It depends on the muscles you're working, too. My triceps are a lot weaker, so I go a lot lighter with them.
  • DanNoonan
    DanNoonan Posts: 40 Member
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    If you are doing 30 reps....probably not heavy.
    If on the other hand you have trouble getting to 10...good chance you are going heavy.

    Another way to tell, if there is a chance your purse is heavier than the weight you are lifting...then you aren't lifting heavy.
    If there is something you carry during the day that is heavier compared to what your lifting...you aren't going heavy. (Other examples than a purse things like baby, backpack, etc)

    Except most women usually don't perform 30 curls with a purse nor a few dozen chest flies with their babies. Althoooough this sounds like a great idea for a new DVD workout routine which we can market... You and me buddy, lets do it! We'll split the earnings right down the middle, 70/30!

    OT:
    *Lifting heavy would typically refer to a weight which would cause you to strain/fail in the 6-12 rep range. Lifting in this fashion leads to building bulky muscle.
    *Lifting a weight that you can perform 15-20 reps with before you tire is usually used for toning and building lean muscle.
    *Lifting a weight that you can perform 30+ reps with is not lifting, that's just you waving your arm at anyone who happens to be looking in your direction :)
  • RDH0513
    RDH0513 Posts: 245 Member
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    If you are doing 30 reps....probably not heavy.
    If on the other hand you have trouble getting to 10...good chance you are going heavy.

    Another way to tell, if there is a chance your purse is heavier than the weight you are lifting...then you aren't lifting heavy.
    If there is something you carry during the day that is heavier compared to what your lifting...you aren't going heavy. (Other examples than a purse things like baby, backpack, etc)

    Except most women usually don't perform 30 curls with a purse nor a few dozen chest flies with their babies. Althoooough this sounds like a great idea for a new DVD workout routine which we can market... You and me buddy, lets do it! We'll split the earnings right down the middle, 70/30!

    OT:
    *Lifting heavy would typically refer to a weight which would cause you to strain/fail in the 6-12 rep range. Lifting in this fashion leads to building bulky muscle.
    *Lifting a weight that you can perform 15-20 reps with before you tire is usually used for toning and building lean muscle.
    *Lifting a weight that you can perform 30+ reps with is not lifting, that's just you waving your arm at anyone who happens to be looking in your direction :)



    I lift 4-6 rep range, do I look bulky :)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    Your perception of heavy will depend on your strength levels. But what others have said is basically correct.

    max weight for 1-5 reps: strength gains
    6-8 reps: strength and hypertrophy
    8-12 reps: mainly hypertrophy and some strength
    12+: muscular endurance

    This is the most amount of weight you can lift for the above reps with decent form.
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    If you are doing 30 reps....probably not heavy.
    If on the other hand you have trouble getting to 10...good chance you are going heavy.

    Another way to tell, if there is a chance your purse is heavier than the weight you are lifting...then you aren't lifting heavy.
    If there is something you carry during the day that is heavier compared to what your lifting...you aren't going heavy. (Other examples than a purse things like baby, backpack, etc)


    OT:
    *Lifting heavy would typically refer to a weight which would cause you to strain/fail in the 6-12 rep range. Lifting in this fashion leads to building bulky muscle.
    *Lifting a weight that you can perform 15-20 reps with before you tire is usually used for toning and building lean muscle.

    15-20 is more for endurance than anything. 6-12 range isn't going to cause women to look like huge bodybuilders.
  • DanNoonan
    DanNoonan Posts: 40 Member
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    I lift 4-6 rep range, do I look bulky :)

    Yes, incredibly bulky! Please stop now before it gets any further out of hand!! :D (this is of course a joke)

    But generally those guidelines are the rule of thumb for lifting, sooo don't know what else to say really. Males naturally put muscle on quicker than females, so that's going to have some influence on things.

    Edit: @Schwiggity - Nor would it make a guy turn into Arnold either.
  • lesliemk
    lesliemk Posts: 382 Member
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    Lifting to failure is "heavy." I do my strength training w/ ChaLEAN Extreme, love it! I love lifting heavy--you feel SO strong! Some circuits require you to lift to failure at 6-8 reps and other circuits require failure by 10-12 reps, so you adjust your weights accordingly. I use mostly 10's, 15's, 20's and sometimes 25's.
  • bentobee
    bentobee Posts: 321 Member
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    Good info, thanks for the responses!
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
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    I started lifting "heavy" a couple of months ago (as opposed to the low weight,high rep rubbish I had been doing)

    A PT at my gym helped me workout my "heavy" weights. We did a weight for ten reps. If after that ten I felt I could do 5 more reps the weight went up. When I genuinely couldn't do 5 more reps that was this my weight for that exercise.

    It is not an exact science, obviously I was fatiguing over the session but we did it over a couple of sessions to make sure it was as accurate as possible.

    It seems to be working well for me. I do 3 sets 10 reps of each exercise. Each time at the end of this I feel I could do 5 more reps of any exercise I move the weights up one level and that becomes my new weight for that exercise.

    When I started most of my machine upper body weights were around 21 pounds they are now all around 30 pounds. So I am definitely getting stronger and my I can see my muscles becoming more defined. Good luck! x
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    My ADD won't let me lift for 30 reps, I'd lose count!!! LOL Lifting heavy for me is 8-10 reps and being able to barely squeeze out that 10th rep.

    Go heavy or go home.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    My ADD won't let me lift for 30 reps, I'd lose count!!! LOL Lifting heavy for me is 8-10 reps and being able to barely squeeze out that 10th rep.

    Go heavy or go home.

    Love your new pic, btw, edorice. Lookin good :wink:

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