StrongLifts 5x5 for WOMEN?!?!

puggleperson

How do I modify the program and make it work for me (a girl)

Am I totally dense? I don't really get it but I want to

_hi_hat3r_

Lift like a man, look like a goddess. No modification needed. LIFT HEAVY using the compound lifts the program suggests.

kdiamond

Yup, you don't need to modify. Same exercises for women.

DaveRCF

How do I modify the program and make it work for me (a girl)

Am I totally dense? I don't really get it but I want to

Beside possibly needing to start with a bar lighter than an Olympic bar (45 lbs), you should be fine. Lots of women, my wife included, are doing it.

Just be careful not to overextend your lower back, as women tend to be more flexible than men in this regard.

taso42

No mods needed.
See also http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

pyororon

I do it, and I'm a ballet dancer (very petite frame and my muscles are not at all bulky).

No modification needed for us girls, and don't let anyone tell you you're going to turn into some Arnie looking thing if you lift heavy; you won't, and even better, your bum will be a thing of glory.

ZombieSlayer

Musculoskeletal system = same for male or female (minus testosterone levels). Lift heavy = look awesome.

p.s.

TheAncientMariner

Well said guys. I started my wife off with the BAR ONLY on everything. Some of the more taxing lifts I had her repeat with the bar for a couple weeks before adding weight, that's about the only modifications we made.

wyze

While your at it, observe good form to avoid injury. Start lighter and progress slowly :-).

hennyben

Yeah, if they have some free time when they're done cooking.

:laugh: :laugh:

I'm strongly thinking of doing this (Stronglifts, not cooking ). I've just finished stage 1 of NROL4W and looking at stage 2, some of the exercises are a bit :huh: If they annoy me too much I'm just gonna change to stronglifts. I'm kinda sorry I didn't look into this before I got New Rules as it's a lot more straight forward.

ZombieSlayer

Yeah, if they have some free time when they're done cooking.

:laugh: :laugh:

I'm strongly thinking of doing this (Stronglifts, not cooking ). I've just finished stage 1 of NROL4W and looking at stage 2, some of the exercises are a bit :huh: If they annoy me too much I'm just gonna change to stronglifts. I'm kinda sorry I didn't look into this before I got New Rules as it's a lot more straight forward.

That's what my husband and I did... we did NROLFW for Stages 1, 2, and a week of 3 and said "screw it".... switched to a home brew 5x5 program with the big lifts.

Qarol

You could wear pink chucks, like I do...they're very girly...

puggleperson

oh okay.. great.. thanks for the advice. I guess I just assumed I would need lighter weights... I am such a weakling I hope I can change that

Zombie- Love the picture you posted!

badgerbadger1

Don't change anything.

puggleperson

You could wear pink chucks, like I do...they're very girly...

Girl, you know I already do :laugh:

puggleperson

How do I modify the program and make it work for me (a girl)

Am I totally dense? I don't really get it but I want to

Beside possibly needing to start with a bar lighter than an Olympic bar (45 lbs), you should be fine. Lots of women, my wife included, are doing it.

Just be careful not to overextend your lower back, as women tend to be more flexible than men in this regard.

What weight bar should I look for? Any suggestions? Thanks

I am seriously new to this, I don't even have any equipment. I will need to go out and make a purchase..

ZombieSlayer

How do I modify the program and make it work for me (a girl)

Am I totally dense? I don't really get it but I want to

Beside possibly needing to start with a bar lighter than an Olympic bar (45 lbs), you should be fine. Lots of women, my wife included, are doing it.

Just be careful not to overextend your lower back, as women tend to be more flexible than men in this regard.

What weight bar should I look for? Any suggestions? Thanks

I am seriously new to this, I don't even have any equipment. I will need to go out and make a purchase..

What can you lift now?

1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human's skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head or a gallon of milk
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephant's heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay or 10 reams of paper
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!)
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the World's Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony

docktorfokse

Do we really have to slap "for women" at the end of everything to get women to do it?

ZombieSlayer

Do we really have to slap "for women" at the end of everything to get women to do it?

Or dowse it in pink. :grumble: :grumble:

ishtar13

On overhead presses and bent over rows, I started with a 30? 35? lb bar. By week 3 I was using the 45 lb bar. Started with the 45 lb bar on all the other lifts. I'm progressing faster on some lifts than the others, mostly because my legs are stronger than my upper body, but that's common.

puggleperson

uh no you don't.. do you have to be rude to get your point across? Apprently

I only asked because I naturally assumed those weights would be too heavy for me... which they probably are... I will have to modify it at first and thats basically what I was asking....

Girl power!!!!! Like oh my god

puggleperson

On overhead presses and bent over rows, I started with a 30? 35? lb bar. By week 3 I was using the 45 lb bar. Started with the 45 lb bar on all the other lifts. I'm progressing faster on some lifts than the others, mostly because my legs are stronger than my upper body, but that's common.

okay great! Thank you! Maybe I should just start with the heavier bar so I don't have to purchase two bars.. Seeing as how quickly you progressed

Qarol

Do we really have to slap "for women" at the end of everything to get women to do it?

Or dowse it in pink. :grumble: :grumble:

but...but...I like pink. I like squatting in pink chucks.

kobzal

Do we really have to slap "for women" at the end of everything to get women to do it?

Or dowse it in pink. :grumble: :grumble:

but...but...I like pink. I like squatting in pink chucks.

I do my 5x5 workouts in pink chucks too! They're fun!

ZombieSlayer

Do we really have to slap "for women" at the end of everything to get women to do it?

Or dowse it in pink. :grumble: :grumble:

but...but...I like pink. I like squatting in pink chucks.

More power too you! Really... I just prefer lifting in orange socks. :laugh: *so overdosed on pink as a child*

LabRat529

I only asked because I naturally assumed those weights would be too heavy for me... which they probably are... I will have to modify it at first and thats basically what I was asking....

Girl power!!!!! Like oh my god

If you've never ever lifted before, than yes, the bar is probably going to be too heavy.

So... this is probably not a "stronglift" thing exactly, but you can start out with dumb bells if you need. For squats, hold them either down at hip level, one on each side (though I personally don't like that because it puts your center of gravity in the wrong place) OR hold them right in front of your navel. Squat just as you would with a bar. Same form. Less weight.

Do dumbbell bench presses too until you get to where you can do 45 lbs, then switch to the bar.

Alternatively, there are often straight-bar weights that people use for curls. They can go pretty low in weight... use that instead of an olympic bar until you get where you need to be. I'd recommend using those for deadlifts.

Good luck. You can do this. And you WILL love it.

LabRat529

I only asked because I naturally assumed those weights would be too heavy for me... which they probably are... I will have to modify it at first and thats basically what I was asking....

Girl power!!!!! Like oh my god

If you've never ever lifted before, than yes, the bar is probably going to be too heavy.

So... this is probably not a "stronglift" thing exactly, but you can start out with dumb bells if you need. For squats, hold them either down at hip level, one on each side (though I personally don't like that because it puts your center of gravity in the wrong place) OR hold them right in front of your navel. Squat just as you would with a bar. Same form. Less weight.

Do dumbbell bench presses too until you get to where you can do 45 lbs, then switch to the bar.

Alternatively, there are often straight-bar weights that people use for curls. They can go pretty low in weight... use that instead of an olympic bar until you get where you need to be. I'd recommend using those for deadlifts.

Good luck. You can do this. And you WILL love it.

P.S. I have found that a lot of lifting, at least at the beginning, is about mental strength and not physical. I started off thinking I 'couldn't' lift a lot. Then, after dallying for a couple of weeks and accomplishing nothing, I said to myself, 'This is silly. I can lift that' and I did In one week, I'd advanced from 45 lbs (the bar) to 95 lbs on my deadlifts and I'm certain that was almost 100% mental gain, not muscle.

nz_deevaa

At my gym in the 'ladies only room' they have smaller bars set up with set weights.

I started with the 10kg (22lbs?) bar and worked up from there.

Once I could lift the 20kg bar I had to migrate downstairs to the free weights section and work out with Olympic bar with no weight on it (Olympic bar = 20kg/44lbs)... now I can do everything with the Olympic bar and deadlifts/rows with weight on, and I've only been doing Stronglifts for 8 sessions.

ishtar13

P.S. I have found that a lot of lifting, at least at the beginning, is about mental strength and not physical. I started off thinking I 'couldn't' lift a lot. Then, after dallying for a couple of weeks and accomplishing nothing, I said to myself, 'This is silly. I can lift that' and I did In one week, I'd advanced from 45 lbs (the bar) to 95 lbs on my deadlifts and I'm certain that was almost 100% mental gain, not muscle.

So.much.this!

I read about "lifting heavy" for YEARS. I started programs with dumbbells and machines multiple times, thinking I had to "work up to" barbells.

I hired trainers and said, "I want to get strong" only to have them put me on machines or hand me barbie bells. Or worse, the weight lifting class I took at a community college. . . I asked the instructor for help on proper form for squats, and he led me to the Smith machine. *sigh*

I'm not sure what clicked with me internally this time, but I'm glad it did.

NotGoddess

I started with a 15lb curling bar because I thought I was weak and as I'm shorter the full bar seemed too long. It helped me get into it. Now I'm looking for a long bar because I don't want to buy more weights just yet.

SparklesPlenty

Do we really have to slap "for women" at the end of everything to get women to do it?

Or dowse it in pink. :grumble: :grumble:

We could throw some glitter on it! I love glitter.... :flowerforyou: