Women strength training... for real

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  • Derv
    Derv Posts: 84 Member
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    Love love love weight training. Nothing like the buzz of hittinga pr on a lift (95kg/210lb deadlift, yay!!)
    There is also a great sense of progression when you lift weights.
    AND it feels awesome to be strong. My 6ft father couldn't believe it when his "little girl" was able to lift him off the ground :D
  • TheMrsFitnessGeek
    TheMrsFitnessGeek Posts: 89 Member
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    Try bodybuilding.com! They have amazing workouts!
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    I think with enough education, you guys can do better than the stuff bb.com is pimping. Which might be a little biased on my part... I'd have to see an example of one of their routines to really say.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Okay, I finally watched the video (my wifi is really slow and I had to let it load and forgot about it) and I have a question about form on the squat. The first woman especially was kind of popping at the end and locking her knees. Is that good?

    And we are supposed to go until our thighs are level with the ground right? As long as our knees don't go in front of toes?
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    The first woman especially was kind of popping at the end and locking her knees. Is that good?
    ur knees don't go in front of toes?

    Was wondering the same thing about the pop at the end. A sudden jerky movement like that doesn't seem quite right... Curious to hear what stroutman says about this. He's well trained and experienced in this stuff.
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
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    Yea, that popping is strange. If she was under my supervision, I'd have her stop just short of doing that. I do suggest a full range of motion... don't really have problems with locking out. But excessive popping like that can lead to hyperextension.

    And as far as knees in front of the toes... that's not a concern. Try walking up or down steps without your knees going ahead of your toes. It's a natural range of motion. That said... I do advocate sitting back rather than straight down, as many people are apt to do.
  • corimac
    corimac Posts: 30 Member
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    Bump
  • kasmir8199
    kasmir8199 Posts: 507 Member
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    I love weight training! Looking to get my 6-pack back by next summer!
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
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    Sir, your ideas are intriguing and I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.

    or

    "bump"
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
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    I really should take a photo of myself and post it here the next time I'm doing deadlifts. I routinely pull 225 for 5 reps and I weigh 125 pounds. I have fairly muscular legs, but that's mostly a happenstance of genetics. The rest of me is lean, but not bulky. Most people have no idea I lift heavy, based on my size. This whole "bulking up" myth is very irksome.

    Ladies, lift heavy!
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    Great thread for ratio of smart people. I'd friend almost all of you.

    I will say some of it was Greek to me. If you're new and want to start a program with weight training, I'm doing body for life. You can look at their website or get the book. There's a bunch on Amazon used. Don't necessarily think you have to use his supplements or anything. You can just follow the program and do pretty well. Its awfully reasonable strength AND cardio AND reasonable diet. Any plan that doesn't have all three I wouldn't touch.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Great thread for ratio of smart people. I'd friend almost all of you.

    I will say some of it was Greek to me. If you're new and want to start a program with weight training, I'm doing body for life. You can look at their website or get the book. There's a bunch on Amazon used. Don't necessarily think you have to use his supplements or anything. You can just follow the program and do pretty well. Its awfully reasonable strength AND cardio AND reasonable diet. Any plan that doesn't have all three I wouldn't touch.

    I do zero traditional cardio. My 'cardio' consists of heavy bag work in a tabata format on off days, when I feel like it. I lost 40lbs in three months, the last month of which my diet has been absolutely dismal.

    I'm not saying one should or shouldn't do some form of cardio...I'm just saying that a plan that doesn't include it, isn't necessarily worthless =D.
  • craftykimmer
    craftykimmer Posts: 37 Member
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    I LOVE THIS!!!! I just started training with a personal trainer 2 months ago and have found out what "real" exercise is..LOL! I have never worked out so hard but had so much fun! And these women absolutely inspire me!!! Good for them! I
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    Fair enough. I would say that tabata can kick some folks' cardio-butts. But you've got great results and you're happy so I say yay you. I like that I look at my little print out and see that tomorrow is day 50 and therefore lower body weight training and what that means is laid out for me and the only thinking I do is, do I up the weight on the starting set of any of the exercises from last time?

    But seriously yay you.

    My comment was thinking more about silly plans lile eat only grapefruit and don't work out and you'll lose.
  • SMarie10
    SMarie10 Posts: 956 Member
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    I totally agree with the OP on this, and am perplexed with my women friends - In real life who never lift any weights and are really surprised when I explain to them that it's part of my normal workout. I look forward to the weight lifting much more than the cardio parts of my workouts. I just turned 50, and if lifting will help me maintain my muscle mass, you bet I'm going to be dedicated to doing it all the time.
    My only question is how to determine the right amount of weight to be lifting. I don't completely understand when a weight is considered Heavy vs. normal. Any advice there?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I totally agree with the OP on this, and am perplexed with my women friends - In real life who never lift any weights and are really surprised when I explain to them that it's part of my normal workout. I look forward to the weight lifting much more than the cardio parts of my workouts. I just turned 50, and if lifting will help me maintain my muscle mass, you bet I'm going to be dedicated to doing it all the time.
    My only question is how to determine the right amount of weight to be lifting. I don't completely understand when a weight is considered Heavy vs. normal. Any advice there?

    I've always done 12 reps. The last 2-3 reps should be hard, really hard on the last set. If it's not, move up weight. However, now I think "they" say 8 reps....(or maybe even lower).
  • pinkita
    pinkita Posts: 779 Member
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    I want to know what that song is--great workout music!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Fair enough. I would say that tabata can kick some folks' cardio-butts. But you've got great results and you're happy so I say yay you. I like that I look at my little print out and see that tomorrow is day 50 and therefore lower body weight training and what that means is laid out for me and the only thinking I do is, do I up the weight on the starting set of any of the exercises from last time?

    But seriously yay you.

    My comment was thinking more about silly plans lile eat only grapefruit and don't work out and you'll lose.

    I'm glad you took it how I meant it! Which was to say that many (not all) plans can be successful without certain things people think of as 'mandatory'. Well rounded is always good...and assuming your plan is...I'd certainly take nothing from it.

    And thank you, by the way. I've worked hard, and its a great feeling, as well as an incredible motivational tool, when people notice =D.
    I totally agree with the OP on this, and am perplexed with my women friends - In real life who never lift any weights and are really surprised when I explain to them that it's part of my normal workout. I look forward to the weight lifting much more than the cardio parts of my workouts. I just turned 50, and if lifting will help me maintain my muscle mass, you bet I'm going to be dedicated to doing it all the time.
    My only question is how to determine the right amount of weight to be lifting. I don't completely understand when a weight is considered Heavy vs. normal. Any advice there?

    I've always done 12 reps. The last 2-3 reps should be hard, really hard on the last set. If it's not, move up weight. However, now I think "they" say 8 reps....(or maybe even lower).

    I like 5 reps, because in order to do only 5 reps...the 'intensity' has to be pretty high (more weight). I make up for the short reps via higher volume...meaning 5 sets, rather than the typical 3.
  • jenomaha
    jenomaha Posts: 631 Member
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEkpST0vSbg

    I'm sharing this video to highlight that it's possible to get very strong without turning into a man. I know I say it time and time again on the forum and in email conversations. But I also know that seeing is believing and many of the women might 'hear' me but it's just not enough.

    The kicker is... in my experience, in order to reach the physique that many women are shooting for... they need to be picking up heavy stuff and putting it back down. Form follows function. The slightly lean, yet still feminine look that many women are shooting for is a strong look. Get strong and look strong.

    I posted this on my blog earlier today and there wasn't a lot of comments. Which is fine... but I hope women weren't turned off or scared by what they saw in the video.

    And of the comments I did get on my profile... a common theme was "I lift weight but nowhere near that heavy." Please don't miss the forest for the trees. This isn't about lifting that much weight. Don't compare where you are are to where the women in the video are. They've built that strength over a lot of years are dedicated and hard work.

    The important thing is to start at a point that's appropriate for you... no matter how light that might be. And then, after you start... the next step is to focus on getting stronger over time.

    Just some random thoughts.

    Stay strong,

    Steve



    YES!!!!!!! That's what I'm talking about!!!! :love:
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    Great thread for ratio of smart people. I'd friend almost all of you.

    I will say some of it was Greek to me. If you're new and want to start a program with weight training, I'm doing body for life. You can look at their website or get the book. There's a bunch on Amazon used. Don't necessarily think you have to use his supplements or anything. You can just follow the program and do pretty well. Its awfully reasonable strength AND cardio AND reasonable diet. Any plan that doesn't have all three I wouldn't touch.

    I do zero traditional cardio. My 'cardio' consists of heavy bag work in a tabata format on off days, when I feel like it. I lost 40lbs in three months, the last month of which my diet has been absolutely dismal.

    I'm not saying one should or shouldn't do some form of cardio...I'm just saying that a plan that doesn't include it, isn't necessarily worthless =D.

    I want to say though, that this could be misleading to women. Men have a tendency to lose bf% easier and faster than women, and can do it with diet and lifting in a lot of cases. (We're not talking about the obese or such here.) But women don't have that luxury and often cardio is needed to aid in their body recomp.

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