Women lifters.....

strunkm4

I lift 3 times a week, every other day with cardio in between and take one day off. This is what my week looks like:

Monday: Bi's / Tri's
Tuesday: Cardio
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Cardio
Friday: Chest / Back
Saturday: Cardio

I don't have a set routine I follow each day, I get bored super easy doing the same routines over and over, so when I used a trainer, he had me mix up my sets so I wasn't doing the same thing on repeat. Some of the different things I do are preacher curls, incline curls, overhead tri extensions, dumbell presses, bench press, tricep dips, squats, dumbbell lunges, dead lifts, wide grip lat pull downs, and pull ups.

Hope this helps!

aprilgicker

And the Smith machine is your enemy. It teaches horrible form and doesn't work as many muscles as just squatting from a rack.

I totally agree with this I always felt when I backed to the bar the right way I was leaning backwards. I had never felt like that when I squatted with out it. I would never put myself in that position in real life I would pull my back.

aprilgicker

What is the difference between a "squatting rack" and a "Smith Machine"

Depends if you know the difference. A Smith has a pulley and release.
the squat rack is just a resting place for your bar

rebeccap13

What is the difference between a "squatting rack" and a "Smith Machine"

Google it. A squat rack is literally how it sounds, just a rack that you put the bar on so you can get under it without having to clean it from the floor to squat. You step out from the rack to perform the squat. The Smith machine overcontrols your form. It puts extra strain on your knees during the squat, it keeps you in a straight plane of motion which is unnatural, and it eliminates the need for most of the balance required to perform a squat with just a bar which in turn doesn't work your smaller, stabilizing muscles. And you don't burn as many calories because while doing the same weight on Smith machine you won't work as hard as doing the same weight squatting from a rack or cleaning into a squat from the floor.

badgerbadger1

What is the difference between a "squatting rack" and a "Smith Machine"

Squat rack, or preferrably a power cage is just that, a rack or "cage" where you can load your weights at chest level, lift them off the rack, do your squats freely then put them back on the rack. You need this if you are using a barbell. The cage has lower horizontal bars that you set below where the bar would be on your lowest (*kitten* to grass) squat, so if you can't get back up you can put it down on the bars.

A smith machine, aka the devil, has a bar in a locked linear position, up and down, sometimes on a slant, which does not allow you to develop balance, core stability and forces you into an unnatural squat position.

rainbowbuggy

What is the difference between a "squatting rack" and a "Smith Machine"

Google it. A squat rack is literally how it sounds, just a rack that you put the bar on so you can get under it without having to clean it from the floor to squat. You step out from the rack to perform the squat. The Smith machine overcontrols your form. It puts extra strain on your knees during the squat, it keeps you in a straight plane of motion which is unnatural, and it eliminates the need for most of the balance required to perform a squat with just a bar which in turn doesn't work your smaller, stabilizing muscles. And you don't burn as many calories because while doing the same weight on Smith machine you won't work as hard as doing the same weight squatting from a rack or cleaning into a squat from the floor.

Got it, I use the rack, I had no idea a machine exsisted! My bar is on the hooks (rack) and I have to lift it from the hooks (rack) step backwards and then squat. Thanks!

rainbowbuggy

What is the difference between a "squatting rack" and a "Smith Machine"

Squat rack, or preferrably a power cage is just that, a rack or "cage" where you can load your weights at chest level, lift them off the rack, do your squats freely then put them back on the rack. You need this if you are using a barbell. The cage has lower horizontal bars that you set below where the bar would be on your lowest (*kitten* to grass) squat, so if you can't get back up you can put it down on the bars.

A smith machine, aka the devil, has a bar in a locked linear position, up and down, sometimes on a slant, which does not allow you to develop balance, core stability and forces you into an unnatural squat position.

Thanks for responding. I get it now. I use the rack. Just didn't know a machine like that exsisted. Thank you for the help.

Aries03

Bump

curvatrino

Bump for later - thanks for the advice everyone, so good to hear from experienced lifters, as it's something I'm only starting to look into myself.

Thinking about Stronglifts 5x5 - anyone using this?

MMarvelous

Lifting

rebeccap13

Thanks for responding. I get it now. I use the rack. Just didn't know a machine like that exsisted. Thank you for the help.

Perfect! You were already doing it the right way! Good job!

badgerbadger1

What is the difference between a "squatting rack" and a "Smith Machine"

Squat rack, or preferrably a power cage is just that, a rack or "cage" where you can load your weights at chest level, lift them off the rack, do your squats freely then put them back on the rack. You need this if you are using a barbell. The cage has lower horizontal bars that you set below where the bar would be on your lowest (*kitten* to grass) squat, so if you can't get back up you can put it down on the bars.

A smith machine, aka the devil, has a bar in a locked linear position, up and down, sometimes on a slant, which does not allow you to develop balance, core stability and forces you into an unnatural squat position.

Thanks for responding. I get it now. I use the rack. Just didn't know a machine like that exsisted. Thank you for the help.

Sorry, I didn't realize there were 13 other people answering your question at the same time. I think your question was very helpful to others though, who might tend to use the smith and/or otherwise unfamiliar with the equipment. My previous gym had only a smith and no squat rack.

anotheryearolder

bump

rainbowbuggy

Bump for later - thanks for the advice everyone, so good to hear from experienced lifters, as it's something I'm only starting to look into myself.

Thinking about Stronglifts 5x5 - anyone using this?

I started this yesterday. Fairly simple once you get the correct form down. Most important thing is form to avoid injury and to ensure your getting benefits from what your doing. Good news is....your in and out of the gym in no time. Let's see how the next 2-3 weeks go but today I am only sore from the squats. As my friend would say...*kitten* TO THE GRASS!

I will add this...I was alittle nervous in the gym yesterday doing it because its ALL men on that side of the gym. It was just me and one other girl. And she was using those barbie weights so I felt like all eyes were on me but I just had to suck it up and get to work!

shamr0ck

I do that. I watch all the other folks working out, making note of what looks good to try.

Since i still work out exclusively with a trainer while lifting, my exercises vary quite a bit - he's The Boss.

Today is chest day, and we'll do a two hour session. Typically, we'll start with chest stretches using elastic bands, to loosen me up. Then flat dumbbell presses, butterfly press, flyes. Next set will be something like a superset of incline presses on the Smith machine, and biceps curls. Then we'll throw in something for my core, like hanging leg raises, some pushups, maybe some decline chest presses. We'll do some cable work, maybe cable crossovers, and probably finish with flat bench presses with the barbell, to see if my max has improved.

Leg day, we do split squats, cage squats, lunges, hanging knee tucks, leg press, leg extension, ham curls (sometimes standing, sometimes prone), stability ball pull-ins (to stretch out my hams).

For the shoulders, it seems like he comes up with new torture every week. Frontal/lateral dumbbell raises are a given, then several different variations of shoulder press, with machines and without. Lots of cable work.

Back - rows, rows, and more rows. Lat pulldowns, assisted pullups

And we do a lot of core bodyweight work. One hour a week dedicated to it, and one or two exercises every day thrown in with my other stuff. I work out with him 9 hours a week, total of 5 days. One day completely off, one day with light to moderate cardio only. I do cardio most other days after my lifting.

Good luck! Lift heavy, lift hard, and you'll see a difference that you'll love.

MaddameKat

I lift 3 times a week currently on stage 2 on New rules.

Strict shoulder Press: 20kg (Started at 7kg)

Back Squat: 35kg (about 77lbs) (started at 15kg)

Front squat and press: 25kg (about 55lbs) (Started at 20kg)

Deadlift: 50kg (about 110lbs)(Starts at 20kg)

I find front squtas really difficult but they get the job done!

jjblogs

Here's one other question...kinda dumb I guess, but do you workout with someone for all this lifting? I find I'd really like to have a permanent spotter so I can push myself more. But, omg, I'm scared to death to ask one of the guys standing around to help. Don't want to bother them...:blushing:

Rae6503

I just finished 4 months of "bulking", which is lifting a lot and eating ABOVE maintenance in order to build muscle. Building muscle size requires a lot of "volume" to the lifts so I'd do the big compound lifts followed by additional isolation moves, but in general isolation moves are not required.

Right now I can deadlift 155lbs or 3 sets of 8.
Squat 95lbs for 3 sets of 8
Bench 85lbs for 3 sets of 8.
Shoulder press 22.5lb dumbbells for 3 sets of 8.

I'm going to take a deload week, and then since I'm now eating at maintenance (soon to be below that) and want to focus on strength instead of size I think I'm going to switch to Strong Lifts 5X5.

Rae6503

Here's one other question...kinda dumb I guess, but do you workout with someone for all this lifting? I find I'd really like to have a permanent spotter so I can push myself more. But, omg, I'm scared to death to ask one of the guys standing around to help. Don't want to bother them...:blushing:

I do workout alone. Wish I had a spotter. This is probably why my deadlifts have progressed so much more than my squats. You don't need a spotter on deadlifts. I really doubt a guy would mind if a woman asked him to spot but I know it's hard to do.

rainbowbuggy

Here's one other question...kinda dumb I guess, but do you workout with someone for all this lifting? I find I'd really like to have a permanent spotter so I can push myself more. But, omg, I'm scared to death to ask one of the guys standing around to help. Don't want to bother them...:blushing:

Well there should be trainers that are walking the floor. You can ask them for help. If your anything like me, you don't want to ask and I get that part......but in the end you’re going to have to ask someone to show you what to do and 9 times out of 10, they will be way more than willing to help you. Most of them will cheer you on as they all know lifting is the meat and potatoes of this all! You just need to know the names of what lifts you want to do and they will show you. Personally at this point right now, I am not lifting heavy enough to need a spotter. I just needed someone to watch my form to make sure I was doing it correctly to avoid injury.