Looking for lifting advise.

DeeVanderbles
DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Dang-it. advice, not advise...

Hey, all!

A little background. I am a 5'1" female and 170 lbs. I'm looking to lose about 38lbs (my goal is by Christmas but that's neither here nor there). The weight loss aspect is on hold as I'm getting married in about a month and can't lose any more inches without needing my dress altered again, so I'm focusing on toning up my arms so they look a bit better in my strapless dress and will resume the weight loss after the honeymoon.

I have decided to give the "lift heavy" theory a good go. I've tried reading up on it on the threads as much as I can. Some of you may recall recently a thread where some were of the opinion the original poster "lost her chest" from her heavy lifting. I'm a small chested girl to begin with so I'm worried about this happening to me. Is it common? Should I be worried about it?

Now, I'm just starting out so my "heavy" weight is only 8lbs, going up from 3lbs. When it starts to get a little easier I'll go grab some heavier weights.

My current routine is the following; 8-10 reps of each and working up to 3 sets, I only got through one set my first night:
Bicep Curls
Tricep Extensions
Tricep Kickbacks
Lying Flys
Shoulder Press
Upright Row
Rear Deltoid Raise
Squats
Lunges
Wrist Curls both palms up and palms down.

My questions are those asked above, and is this routine too much? Am I missing any muscle I should also work? How often should I do this routine?

Thanks for the help!

Replies

  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    I'm looking forward to an answer too...I'm dying to get into lifting but need a little guidance.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    I'm willing to bet money you can lift heavier than 8 lbs... like, yesterday. Seriously. You can up that weight a good bit, don't do so many exercises in one day... and think compound exercises: deadlift, squat, overhead press, bench press.
  • lil_pulp
    lil_pulp Posts: 701 Member
    bump to read responses
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    Bump for reading.
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    First, you need to read this; all of it. Don't skip past the parts about diet, nutrition etc, read it all as a complete package for understanding fitness:

    http://4chanfit.wikia.com/wiki/Harsh's_Worksheet_(WIP)

    Now, the biggest thing you need to get away from is your own misconceptions. As that link will clarify, you cannot get big or gain muscle anywhere near as quickly as people think you can. You know how most women get that built and ripped to the point they look like dudes? Drugs; and/or weird hormone issues. Don't do drugs kay?

    Glasses Mc'Brunette up there was right; you need to be lifting heavier and keeping it simple. You will do more for your body, fitness, and progress doing maybe 5 different lifts over 3 days a week than you will doing 12 lifts over as many days a week as you can manage.
  • mommamuscles
    mommamuscles Posts: 584 Member
    YEp, heavier weights and compound exercises, less isolation. Think bench press, chest fly, shoulder press, deadlifts, bb rows, squats, lunges
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    I'm willing to bet money you can lift heavier than 8 lbs... like, yesterday. Seriously. You can up that weight a good bit, don't do so many exercises in one day... and think compound exercises: deadlift, squat, overhead press, bench press.

    QFT.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    I'm willing to bet money you can lift heavier than 8 lbs... like, yesterday. Seriously. You can up that weight a good bit, don't do so many exercises in one day... and think compound exercises: deadlift, squat, overhead press, bench press.

    ^^^^What she said x 2.

    You don't necessarlly lose your chest from heavy lifting, that's more from losing body fat. I lift heavy and I'm not flat-chested. And I'm betting that your purse weighs more than 8 lbs. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself. Good luck and congrats on the upcoming wedding too.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    wow that session must take you about 75 minutes to go through..

    my opinions as follow :

    - too much isolation on your smaller muscles and not enough on the larger ones (ie where's your upper back exercise?)
    - if your goal is fat loss then maybe at the moment you should focus on big movements that work multiple muscles at once : squats, barbell rows, bench press, clean and press, deadlifts, pullups, pushups,

    as for the chest thing, why worry about something that hasnt happened? also what's more important, being at a healthy weight or having larger breasts?
  • mazasmusings
    mazasmusings Posts: 74 Member
    Where did you get this workout from or is it something you developed yourself?
    How many times a week are you doing this?
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    Where did you get this workout from or is it something you developed yourself?
    How many times a week are you doing this?
    I developed it myself, which is why I'm here asking for advice because I'm certainly no expert.

    I literally just started it. I did one set on Sunday and haven't done another yet because I wasn't sure how many days per week I should be doing weights, which is part of what I'm looking for here.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    is there any reason you are doing wrist curls? that seems like a really random exercise for a beginner to pull out of their *kitten*. :laugh:
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    I would advise you to maybe pick up a copy of "The New Rules of Lifting for Women". The book is a great starting point for beginners. It helped get me started and I made nice progress too.
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    is there any reason you are doing wrist curls? that seems like a really random exercise for a beginner to pull out of their *kitten*. :laugh:
    Meh. Just trying to cover my bases. I didn't really like them.
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
    Hi! I think you should just do 3 days a week heavy lifting-big, compound moves-squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows-inverted, bent over, overhead presses, push ups, pull ups/chin ups-assisted to start with or negatives. I don't think you should be doing isolation work at all. The big,, compound moves will take care of ever muscle. Do you work out at home? Do you go to a gym? What kind of equipment do you have?
  • chris1816
    chris1816 Posts: 715 Member
    is there any reason you are doing wrist curls? that seems like a really random exercise for a beginner to pull out of their *kitten*. :laugh:
    Meh. Just trying to cover my bases. I didn't really like them.

    Just about every heavy compound movement with you gripping the bar as tight as you can (pretend you are strangling Hitler or something), will build tons of forearm and wrist strength; especially with dead lifts.
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    Hi! I think you should just do 3 days a week heavy lifting-big, compound moves-squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows-inverted, bent over, overhead presses, push ups, pull ups/chin ups-assisted to start with or negatives. I don't think you should be doing isolation work at all. The big,, compound moves will take care of ever muscle. Do you work out at home? Do you go to a gym? What kind of equipment do you have?
    I currently workout at home with dumbells. Eventually I'll get some resistance bands.

    I also typically do Turbo Jam and am going to start the 30DS after the wedding.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    strong lifts is also another good program to look into : http://stronglifts.com/

    also starting strength. definitely take a look at this since mark rippetoe is THE god of teaching proper form, so you want to check out his youtube videos : http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs
  • auzziecawth66
    auzziecawth66 Posts: 476 Member
    Bump
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    I certainly won't be bored tomorrow. I've got a lot of reading to do. :tongue:
  • CrystaLight74
    CrystaLight74 Posts: 88
    Helpful advice. Many thanks to the original poster, and those who responded!
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    bump
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Get Rippetoe's book Starting Strength and there's a DVD that he put out that goes with it. It's him coaching several different people on the basic compound moves. It's all you'll need. Don't get hung up on all those isolation exercises that are going to make you think you're doing "all this stuff" and that you need it. You don't. You need: deadlifts, bench press, squats, chin-ups & pull-ups (when you get to that point), and maybe some barbell glute bridges & lunges. That is ALL I do and I kick *kitten* now ;) I just did my first unassisted chin-up today... 2 months before the goal I set for myself.

    Also... if you search you can figure out how to download both the book & the DVD for free. That's all I'll say about that though :)
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Is a gym out of the question?

    If it is, you'd be better off finding a good body weight routine than using 8lbs weights. I know there are some good ones out there but don't personally know what they are.

    The problem with lifting with little dumbbells at home is that you need to first start heavier, and second you'll need to progress upward relatively quickly. Gyms obviously have a lot of different weights.

    If you can go to a gym, I'd really suggest StrongLIfts 5x5, New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women, or Starting Strength.
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