Question for hard lifters

So how many cals do you guys think should actually be added per hour of lifting? MFP tells us around 200, but if any of you out there really lift, I don't mean just moving weights, but doing 25-30 sets to failure with 90-120 seconds in between to the point that you can barely lift your arms to grab the steering wheel to drive home as you fight the urge to vomit all over your dashboard, you would agree it seems like 200 is a little low. There is such a discrepancy between just "weight training" and really busting your *kitten*. Any of you who have spent time in the gym know what I'm talking about. And what about the "after burn"? MFP doesn't really take that into account, or does it? I'm trying to do a slow bulk, and it seems like I'm not eating enough, so I'd like to know what I should really add to account for the cals burnt at the gym.

Replies

  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    I don't concern myself with how many calories I burn weightlifting. It's difficult to measure accurately and somewhat irrelevant for bodybuilding purposes.

    Just improve every week and you will be fine, 1 extra rep, 1 extra kilo, week after week and you will look better in a years time than you do today.
  • envy09
    envy09 Posts: 353 Member
    If you can do 25-30 sets, you're not lifting heavy. Even if you meant reps (I hope you did), that's still a really high number of reps.
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
    If you can do 25-30 sets, you're not lifting heavy. Even if you meant reps (I hope you did), that's still a really high number of reps.

    3 muscle groups / 3 different movements per / 3 sets per movement = 27 sets. It takes me about an hour, and I didn't say lift "heavy", I said lift hard. My sets range from 6-15 reps depending on the exercise, but it's always to failure. If you don't think this is possible, you're not lifting hard enough.
  • envy09
    envy09 Posts: 353 Member
    If you can do 25-30 sets, you're not lifting heavy. Even if you meant reps (I hope you did), that's still a really high number of reps.

    3 muscle groups / 3 different movements per / 3 sets per movement = 27 sets. It takes me about an hour, and I didn't say lift "heavy", I said lift hard. My sets range from 6-15 reps depending on the exercise, but it's always to failure. If you don't think this is possible, you're not lifting hard enough.

    27 sets total, ah ok.
    (wtf is lifting "hard")
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I don't mean just moving weights, but doing 25-30 sets to failure with 90-120 seconds

    I'm trying to do a slow bulk,

    What are you trying to do? :huh:

    Calculate your TDEE, add 200 calories to that and eat that every day.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
    If you can do 25-30 sets, you're not lifting heavy. Even if you meant reps (I hope you did), that's still a really high number of reps.

    3 muscle groups / 3 different movements per / 3 sets per movement = 27 sets. It takes me about an hour, and I didn't say lift "heavy", I said lift hard. My sets range from 6-15 reps depending on the exercise, but it's always to failure. If you don't think this is possible, you're not lifting hard enough.

    27 sets total, ah ok.
    (wtf is lifting "hard")

    I defined it above, but basically I mean lifting to failure and pushing your body to do things your brain tells it not to do. Pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion and sweating your *kitten* off. Lifting to the point you know you're going to be sore for 3 days. Anyway, any opinion on the cals?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I just go with the TDEE-based approach. I calculate my TDEE based on somewhere in between "moderate" and "heavy" exercise. And then I eat at a deficit or surplus depending on whether I'm trying to lose or gain weight.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    If you can do 25-30 sets, you're not lifting heavy. Even if you meant reps (I hope you did), that's still a really high number of reps.

    3 muscle groups / 3 different movements per / 3 sets per movement = 27 sets. It takes me about an hour, and I didn't say lift "heavy", I said lift hard. My sets range from 6-15 reps depending on the exercise, but it's always to failure. If you don't think this is possible, you're not lifting hard enough.

    27 sets total, ah ok.
    (wtf is lifting "hard")

    I defined it above, but basically I mean lifting to failure and pushing your body to do things your brain tells it not to do. Pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion and sweating your *kitten* off. Lifting to the point you know you're going to be sore for 3 days. Anyway, any opinion on the cals?

    That is not lifting, it is cardio
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    I try not to be hard when I lift

    Also I don't think it is cool that ladies have been excluded by this criterium
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    That's cardio? Wow. I mean, wow. I know suggesting anything besides SS or SL is verboten on mfp, but you guys do realize there are other programs that also work, don't you? Cardio?? I do basically what the OP does. Please come lift with me and tell me that you feel like you're on an elliptical.

    Anyhoo, to the OP, they are right about you not really needing to be concerned with how many calories you're burning while lifting. I agree, the mfp listing is on the low side, but if you're going a "slow bulk" then eat maintenance plus 300-500. Trying ti eat much more than that is going to add more fat than you probably want on your current goals
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    When I lift, I lift heavy. What you are describing is cardio. Just log it as circuit training or wear an HRM. Problem solved.
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    That's not hard lifting.

    *This* is hard lifting:

    tumblr_m8cq4j6xcR1qasthro1_500.png
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    That's not hard lifting.

    *This* is hard lifting:

    tumblr_m8cq4j6xcR1qasthro1_500.png

    *That* looks like a recipe for disaster/serious injury.
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    That's not hard lifting.

    *This* is hard lifting:

    tumblr_m8cq4j6xcR1qasthro1_500.png

    *That* looks like a recipe for disaster/serious injury.

    He's got a spotter.
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    That's not hard lifting.

    *This* is hard lifting:

    tumblr_m8cq4j6xcR1qasthro1_500.png

    *That* looks like a recipe for disaster/serious injury.

    He's got a spotter.

    Looks like too much weight on his toes to me
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
    When I lift, I lift heavy. What you are describing is cardio. Just log it as circuit training or wear an HRM. Problem solved.

    I lift heavy. I said above I do 6-15 reps to failure. What do you consider lifting? Anything under 6 reps is not for body building, it's for power lifting. I think I could wait a little longer bewteen sets, but I get bored. A lot of guys loaf around the gym, chit chat, throw a bunch of weight around every once in a while, and call it lifting. They might be lifting more than me, but they're also puffy. I don't lift to get bigger, I lift to look better. I think lifting "heavy" is lazy and guys feel like if there moving a lot of weight, they're improving themselves.
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    That's not hard lifting.

    *This* is hard lifting:

    tumblr_m8cq4j6xcR1qasthro1_500.png

    *That* looks like a recipe for disaster/serious injury.

    He's got a spotter.

    Looks like too much weight on his toes to me

    It's a compound exercise, and is working the ankles and toes as well.

    Compound is better than isolated!
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    When I lift, I lift heavy. What you are describing is cardio. Just log it as circuit training or wear an HRM. Problem solved.

    I lift heavy. I said above I do 6-15 reps to failure. What do you consider lifting? Anything under 6 reps is not for body building, it's for power lifting. I think I could wait a little longer bewteen sets, but I get bored. A lot of guys loaf around the gym, chit chat, throw a bunch of weight around every once in a while, and call it lifting. They might be lifting more than me, but they're also puffy. I don't lift to get bigger, I lift to look better. I think lifting "heavy" is lazy and guys feel like if there moving a lot of weight, they're improving themselves.

    Heavy means different thing sto different people, but a lot of people would say 85+% of 1rm

    When you lift heavy, you need a good amount of rest between sets

    Being puffy is a product of diet, not lifting routine

    "Looking better" is opinion

    If their goal is to lift more weight and they are adding more weight to their lifts, that IS improving
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Yes... because those who have 600+ lb raw lifts are lazy. There is no hard work needed to attain such a level.....

    But to answer your question, eat about 200-300 cals above your maintenance.
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
    Yes... because those who have 600+ lb raw lifts are lazy. There is no hard work needed to attain such a level.....

    But to answer your question, eat about 200-300 cals above your maintenance.

    I'm talking about average joe puffy guy. anyone can eat a lot, lift alot and get big. It's alot harder to get ripped.
  • When I lift, I lift heavy. What you are describing is cardio. Just log it as circuit training or wear an HRM. Problem solved.

    I lift heavy. I said above I do 6-15 reps to failure. What do you consider lifting? Anything under 6 reps is not for body building, it's for power lifting. I think I could wait a little longer bewteen sets, but I get bored. A lot of guys loaf around the gym, chit chat, throw a bunch of weight around every once in a while, and call it lifting. They might be lifting more than me, but they're also puffy. I don't lift to get bigger, I lift to look better. I think lifting "heavy" is lazy and guys feel like if there moving a lot of weight, they're improving themselves.

    Dude, you'll never win this argument on MFP...Everyone on MFP has gotten drunk on the SL/SS Koolaid, so brush it off and keep doing what you're doing...you know what works.

    The vast majority of people on here think that if you lift more than 5 reps and you do anything other than squats and deads, you're not lifting. They ALL get a huge facepalm from me...every day. As for the calories, here's another vote for 200-300 above maintenance. Best wishes.
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Yes... because those who have 600+ lb raw lifts are lazy. There is no hard work needed to attain such a level.....

    But to answer your question, eat about 200-300 cals above your maintenance.

    I'm talking about average joe puffy guy. anyone can eat a lot, lift alot and get big. It's alot harder to get ripped.

    I don't quite know about your gym but most of the people who eat like **** look like **** lmao...

    I can really only pinpoint a handful of strong guys at my gym, and most of them are only strong because they follow strict progress and decent nutrition.
  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    When I lift, I lift heavy. What you are describing is cardio. Just log it as circuit training or wear an HRM. Problem solved.

    I lift heavy. I said above I do 6-15 reps to failure. What do you consider lifting? Anything under 6 reps is not for body building, it's for power lifting. I think I could wait a little longer bewteen sets, but I get bored. A lot of guys loaf around the gym, chit chat, throw a bunch of weight around every once in a while, and call it lifting. They might be lifting more than me, but they're also puffy. I don't lift to get bigger, I lift to look better. I think lifting "heavy" is lazy and guys feel like if there moving a lot of weight, they're improving themselves.

    Dude, you'll never win this argument on MFP...Everyone on MFP has gotten drunk on the SL/SS Koolaid, so brush it off and keep doing what you're doing...you know what works.

    The vast majority of people on here think that if you lift more than 5 reps and you do anything other than squats and deads, you're not lifting. They ALL get a huge facepalm from me...every day. As for the calories, here's another vote for 200-300 above maintenance. Best wishes.

    Agreed
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    Yes... because those who have 600+ lb raw lifts are lazy. There is no hard work needed to attain such a level.....

    But to answer your question, eat about 200-300 cals above your maintenance.

    I'm talking about average joe puffy guy. anyone can eat a lot, lift alot and get big. It's alot harder to get ripped.

    "Getting big" is easy. Getting big muscle is not so easy.
  • rabidrabbott
    rabidrabbott Posts: 4 Member
    I think the amount of calories burned is so small, because you're just lifting. Cardio burns more calories because your heart rate increases. Someone else said not to worry about how many calories you burn when lifting and I agree. Focus on your calorie intake to help build muscle. Make sure you're getting protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins instead of fat, cholesterol, and sugar.
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    The vast majority of people on here think that if you lift more than 5 reps and you do anything other than squats and deads, you're not lifting.

    Push ups are important too. Especially compound pushups:

    PlayingPushups5-th.jpg
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    I don't quite know about your gym but most of the people who eat like **** look like **** lmao...

    I can attest to the accuracy of this statement. From personal experience.
  • The vast majority of people on here think that if you lift more than 5 reps and you do anything other than squats and deads, you're not lifting.

    Push ups are important too. Especially compound pushups:

    PlayingPushups5-th.jpg

    lucky guy...lol :laugh:
  • diodelcibo
    diodelcibo Posts: 2,564 Member
    Well I calculated one an average day of : (chest,triceps and shoulders) calories burned within the time spent doing exercises was 300 which is about 150 more per hour than I typically require.