women who lift heavy

tameko2

i lift heavy... for me. That said I am sure there are ladies on this forum that can and would beat me up with only one hand . I lift at least 3 days a week, I up my weight as soon as I can do three sets of any one exercise without getting real close if not hitting muscle failure. I have just started doing more leg work, because legs just don't make me as happy as upper body. So my numbers for lower body are probably less than impressive. I don't eat my exercise calories (sometimes I dip into them if I am hungry or out with friends) so I don't eat any different. I always try to get loads of protein when I lift... But also on my days when i don't lift.

Lifting heavy for you IS lifting heavy, period. Lifting heavy just means you couldn't possibly go more than 8-12 reps. If that's only 10 lbs for you and you're lifting 10 lbs, then you're lifting heavy. And some of us prefer to lift lower reps, like 5. Still coo. Basically if you can do a jillian michaels video with your dumbbells its not heavy lifting.


I lift um...1-3 days a week. *blush* I'm so lazy. And I barely do cardio. My weight loss tends to be entirely dependant on my overall activity and how well i control my food -- meaning it doesn't matter WHAT I do, if i'm reasonably active during the week, whether its jogging, walking, lifting, whatever and I keep my food the hell under control, I have been losing 4lbs/month pretty well and the only reason its that low is because I have my deficit set pretty small.

teagin2002

So far I have a split workout routine:

3 weeks working out 5 to 6 days a week:
3 days lifting heavy for 1.5 to 2 hrs (I never claim them all on here cause there is some rest between sets) then a 30 min aerobics and stretching.
2 to 3 days 30 min lifting heavy, then 15 min HIIT with stationary bike (30 sec @ tension 20, then 1 min @ tension 5), 30 min bike @ tension 5, then 25 min calisthenics and stretching.
Food wise I eat 400 under my maintenance + cals back from exercise with macros 30% protein, 50% carbs, 20% fat.

1 week working out 5 days a week:
4 days lifting heavy 1.5 to 2 hrs then a 30 min aerobics and stretching.
1 day HIIT as listed above.
Food wise will eat @ maintenance with 5 days macros 50% protein, 20% carbs, 30% fat (workout days)
2 days still @ maintenance but eating what ever I want not paying attention to macros and only going to walks with my sweetheart.

Lifting heavy meaning to where I can only do 5 to 8 reps with the amount of weight on the bar or the machine.

I am currently reading up on Intermittent fasting to see if it is a good idea for me to work it in there and when should I do it to get the most out of it.

This is a pretty detailed list of what I am doing now. I am in the 3 weeks routine and today is a mostly cardio day so 30 min weights, then swimming for an hour instead of the HIIT.

The best advise I can give is the tea and do research and read up on stuff. Here are a few website I use:
for nutrition:
http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
http://www.scoop.it/t/fitness-and-diet-on-the-cutting-edge
http://www.t-nation.com/
http://www.gasparinutrition.co.uk/nutrition-recipes-desserts-99.html
and I love Matt's blog:
http://www.gasparinutrition.co.uk/196.html

I also utilize HIIT on my cardio days.
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/HIITvsET.html

I follow what is mentioned on this page for my workouts:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/373801-two-day-full-body-strength-training-routine

So far I have maintained my weight since starting this about 3 weeks ago
I was working out a lot more and eating a lot more before I started this and ended up gaining 4lbs in 3 months and lost 3"
measurements 3 months ago (38, 26, 38)
just before I started this plan (37, 25, 37)
measurements haven't changed in the past three weeks

tameko2

I lied. I only lost 7.5 lbs for the last THREE months. :grumble: But its entirely my own fault for being lazy and eating too much. ITs not the weights or lack thereof.

kaylammurphy

I do crossfit which helps me to get cardio and lifting in. My DL 1 rep max is 145 (currently, but I bet I've passed that) and my thruster 1 rep max is about 75

lannlynn

Bump to read later

jennieodwyer

bump for later

mwest11

I wish i could find my power lifting workouts from high school... Won state championship at 132 lb class. Squat: 225, Bench:135, Clean:130

We did a variety of lifts from percentages of one rep max. Started with high rep and low percentage and increased percentage of 1RM and decreased repitions. Example: 4 sets x 12 reps at 65% at beginning to like 3 sets x 8 reps at 85% towards the end.

Squats
Front squats
Weighted lunges
Power clean
Clean and jerk
Leg presses
Anything for explosive power like squat jumps or split squat jumps
Dead lift
RDL's
Bench, narrow and wide
Military press
Lat pulldowns
Curls
Rows
Pullups, towel pullups, one arm assist pullups, pushups
A BUNCH of core work

SORRY i got carried away, and I don't remember everything exactly, it was 7 years ago. I think I alternated arms and legs every day, and if I lifted really heavy gave myself 2 days rest in between. You have to remember the muscle building part is during rest not your workout. Oh, and core almost every day, gave myself a break if I was too sore.

DixiedoesMFP

Love love love lifting heavy! Just started getting more serious about it a few weeks ago....like in the actual weight room with heavy free weights instead of the machines. Down two pounds eating around 1700 calories a day and a pretty significant change in body composition already (at least I feel like there is).

Currently squatting 150, deadlifting 135, curling 15 each. My legs are much stronger than my arms and I have increased those weights pretty steadily and still going up. That's 1o to 12 hard but not impossible reps so I think I can go heavier.

bahacca

As of right now, time and schedule only allow 2x/week, so both days are heavy and mostly compound lifts.
I did a personal best curl this week-25 lb dumbbell in each hand and did 3 reps of that weight.
I just started bench pressing this week as well. Just the 45 lb bar and then I'll add the baby 2.5s on each end for 50 lbs. You gotta start somewhere!
Squat(I'm doing high-bar, which I don't think is all that popular, but I am most comfy with it) and did 65 lbs today. I'll up that next week to 70 or 75.
Deadlift-I'm doing half deads as my form was bad until I figure out a way to put the weights between floor and the height of the safety rail on the squat cage-I did 75 on those today I think.
ETA-I track weight mainly for another site I'm on. I've lost 3 lbs since Jan 1. I don't care, though.

ValHallaGirl

Bump for later.

stubbysticks

So Ladies who Lift - anyone hit any new PR's?

I did, last week I benched 3 sets @ 145 lbs & got a thumbs-up from a beefcake on another bench doing 20 lbs less. That was pretty cool. :blushing:

I do 2-3 full-body workouts, 3-4 cardio sessions & average >2,000 daily for intake each week since I started lifting heavy. I was losing much faster before I started but the muscle definition I've achieved & feeling strong & powerful are things I would never trade for some number on the scale. I'm still losing, so I'm happy. Plus I make much better progression in my strength training eating at a higher calorie level. I've tried going lower than 1800 & my workouts suck, so I typically don't. Besides, food is yummy.

TrophyWifeSass

Lifting is pure awesomeness

I love it

I can squat 135, BP 85, DL 65 (working on form) and around 70-90 for just about everything else.

I try to eat 1600-1900 depending what I am doing on that day. I am 5'9" and weigh 157 (on some days) the scale has stopped moving or slowed but inches are now dropping. I can wear a size 6 in most jeans. I lift 3 days a week and run 4.5 miles 2 days and I rest all weekend long! Pretty happy with the results and can't wait to see the rest of my transformation by June. Never thought I could be this strong and I love it! Excellent for confidence, so if you haven't started and you are thinking about it DO IT!!!!!!

My all time dream would to be able to do a pull-up and I would love to BP my body weight one day!

fionarama

I am doing Jamie Eason's Live Fit it takes the whole nutrition and weights and cardio and puts it all together to give you an awesome bod! Just finished phase one, lost 2pc body fat, am the same weight and can definitely see some muscle growth.

She has me doing split routines, training five times a week but each body part only once a week. Thats a lot easier than trying to work out your whole body in one session.
3 sets of 10 for each move, lifting to failure. So heavy as you can do it really.
check her programme out, if you are looking for some structure I think its great.

qwe3nz

Before I became pregnant I lifted pretty heavy for my size

dead lift 100kg (220 lbs),
squat 60kg (132 lbs)
15kg (34 lbs) weight for decline crunchs
Hack squat 120kg (164.5)
leg press 100kg (220 lbs)
bench 40kg (88 lbs)
single tri kickbacks 8kg (17.6)
dumbell bicep curl 12kg each (26.4)

I did 6-8 reps 3-4 sets with 60sec rest between each rep. I worked 2-3 muscle groups a day 5 - 6 days a week (gym was a must for me it gave me energy and made me feel better)

nikolaim5

Aim for lifting heavy 3 or 4 times per week. Give yourself at least a day of rest before working the same muscles again. I'm not a woman obviously but training frequency is not gender specific.

mwest11

Aim for lifting heavy 3 or 4 times per week. Give yourself at least a day of rest before working the same muscles again. I'm not a woman obviously but training frequency is not gender specific.

agreed

foster59803

BUMP! Thanks for this post... just started reading New rule this week... can't wait to start! All you ladies are inspiring!

shamr0ck

I lift 5 days a week. My trainer sets the pace, and he pushes me. I think we are ready to up the weights, though, as i've been doing sets of 12-15 on most lifts for the last few weeks. My upper body has made vast improvement, while my lower body seems to be "stuck".

That said, he says i am lifting more, and doing tougher exercises than most of the men at the gym, including a couple of the trainers.

I don't consider what i'm lifting to be serious weight yet, but that's because i set the bar by seeing what the best trainers (male) are lifting. We only have one female trainer that i watch working out on a regular basis. She's currently cutting for a competition, and what she is lifting is less than what i do daily.

Spamee

good thread-bump

MrsFelton2010

Thid is great info, i will look into this.