HALP! Heavy Lifting Made Me SUPAH Bulky!!!

PikaKnight

I just spent about an hour reading through these threads and you ladies are all lovely, inspirational and amazing! Congrats to you on your hard work and well deserved results.

I would love to start lifting - but I do not have a gym membership (and I am more likely to workout at home anyways). Right now, I am I trying to lower my BF % with home body weight routines and diet. One day, I want to get to the gym and start a program like stronglits or NROL for Woman...Anywho, congrats to you all!

I don't have access to a real gym either. Lucky my apartment has some weight machines. But for those without machines or access to free weights, try looking into Convict Training or You Are Your Own Gym.

Johlawrence

I know this is a very stupid question, as I know NOTHING about weight lifting, but what does 5x5 and 3x5 mean?

iulia_maddie

I know this is a very stupid question, as I know NOTHING about weight lifting, but what does 5x5 and 3x5 mean?

5 sets of 5 reps and 3 sets of 5 reps respectively.

aakaakaak

Edit: I wasn't fast enough to answer the question first.

I'm just here to look at all the beautifully "bulky" women anyway.

beyondjupiter

Keeping this for later! You ladies are amazing!!

1ConcreteGirl

I just spent about an hour reading through these threads and you ladies are all lovely, inspirational and amazing! Congrats to you on your hard work and well deserved results.

I would love to start lifting - but I do not have a gym membership (and I am more likely to workout at home anyways). Right now, I am I trying to lower my BF % with home body weight routines and diet. One day, I want to get to the gym and start a program like stronglits or NROL for Woman...Anywho, congrats to you all!

I don't have access to a real gym either. Lucky my apartment has some weight machines. But for those without machines or access to free weights, try looking into Convict Training or You Are Your Own Gym.

Just a small note, but the program is actually Convict Conditioning. :flowerforyou:

I have done You Are Your Own Gym and it is fantastic. It's adaptable for any fitness level and you need no special equipment.

Belinda658

I have a question:

Can I still achieve the same/similar results using the circute machines rather then free weights? After reading this thread (as well as the several others that have popped up over the past few days), I realized that the way I WANT to look cannot be achieved by the low weights I am doing now, so I upped everything today.
Please feel free to critique my work out/weights and let me know what I can do differently or better:

I would say get off the machines if you can. They isolate muscles and only allow movement in a fixed pattern. It's great that you're lifting heavier. That will help. But one of the benefits of strength training is that you're recruiting many muscles at once. For example, when you squat you're working glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, hip adductors, quads, and your core. Therefore recruiting more muscle fibers, burning more calories, and stimulating hormones that are productive to weight loss and muscle building.

Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women, Stronglifts Starting Strength.

this

I have abnormally weak stability due to cns defects and don't have all of my cranial nervous, and my shoulders are a little deformed and don't go "back" properly so I can't do OHP and i find rows and deadlifts hard to get form right. I'm not very confident without a PT and see one twice a week> I use a couple of machines but do bench press/tricep dips/pushups, and front squats sometimes

Sarauk2sf

I have a question:

Can I still achieve the same/similar results using the circute machines rather then free weights? After reading this thread (as well as the several others that have popped up over the past few days), I realized that the way I WANT to look cannot be achieved by the low weights I am doing now, so I upped everything today.
Please feel free to critique my work out/weights and let me know what I can do differently or better:

I would say get off the machines if you can. They isolate muscles and only allow movement in a fixed pattern. It's great that you're lifting heavier. That will help. But one of the benefits of strength training is that you're recruiting many muscles at once. For example, when you squat you're working glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, hip adductors, quads, and your core. Therefore recruiting more muscle fibers, burning more calories, and stimulating hormones that are productive to weight loss and muscle building.

Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women, Stronglifts Starting Strength.

this

I have abnormally weak stability due to cns defects and don't have all of my cranial nervous, and my shoulders are a little deformed and don't go "back" properly so I can't do OHP and i find rows and deadlifts hard to get form right. I'm not very confident without a PT and see one twice a week> I use a couple of machines but do bench press/tricep dips/pushups, and front squats sometimes

You should be able to follow the basic concepts but adapt around your limitations.

For example, you could do lateral and front raises instead of OHP (assuming that you can do these) and do seated cable rows instead of the Pendlay or bent over rows. If you do this I would up the reps more to say 8 - 10.

Deadlifts hit the posterior chain and so something like glute bridges would be a decent swap based on your possible limitations. You may also want to throw in some back raises to get the lower back.

MicheleWE

bump

SerenaFisher

This is why I need a gym membership you ladies have the best butts and abs!

fruitandgreens

Just want to say you ladies look AWESOME. What inspiration you are. I am so motivated and inspired. Thanks for sharing.

hannydee

I love threads like this. So inspiring!

Sparlingo

BUMP!

If I'm ever tempted to skip my lifting class in favour of cardio, or if I need another reason to up my weights and push myself, this thread is SO it.

I'm in. One day I'll post my lifting transformation!!

SandersWifey

Bump! I just starting lifting and am loving all these pics!:bigsmile:

croooz

Thank you Ladies for posting your pics. I can't even begin to imagine how much courage that takes for you and I thank you so much. I've been trying to convince my wife to begin lifting weights but she had bought into the "bulky" myth. Thanks to your pics and stories she no longer believes it and she's excited to start StrongLifts. I'm thrilled because she's counting her calories and now wants and more importantly believes she'll get her body back through heavy lifting.

Thanks! Perhaps in a couple of months we'll post a couple's transformation pic.

originalcookiemonster

blurgghlflagjthpbt!!!! Thats what just came out of my mouth. All you ladies are INCREDIBLE! More fuel to add to my lifting fire! Patience is not a virtue I possess but I will NEVER GIVE UP! Thank you all for posting these, you have helped so much!

KaleidoscopeEyes1056

blurgghlflagjthpbt!!!! Thats what just came out of my mouth. All you ladies are INCREDIBLE! More fuel to add to my lifting fire! Patience is not a virtue I possess but I will NEVER GIVE UP! Thank you all for posting these, you have helped so much!

^^ Same here! One day, cooks, we'll be as hawt as these ladies!

Crankstr

Thank you Ladies for posting your pics. I can't even begin to imagine how much courage that takes for you and I thank you so much. I've been trying to convince my wife to begin lifting weights but she had bought into the "bulky" myth. Thanks to your pics and stories she no longer believes it and she's excited to start StrongLifts. I'm thrilled because she's counting her calories and now wants and more importantly believes she'll get her body back through heavy lifting.

Thanks! Perhaps in a couple of months we'll post a couple's transformation pic.

I LOVE this!

shaywallis

I can never EVER get pics to work. Drives me insane, and yes I do the whole lowercase IMG thing. Anyways, I've been lifting since January. Here are my progress pics if you want to check them out = ) OOOrrr someone can post them to this thread for me =D

http://s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet Noelle/fitnessjourney.jpg.html?sort=3&o=34

Picture on the left is Dec 2012, pic on right is Feb 2013

http://s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet Noelle/birthday_zpsf70e3ec0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=17

Taken two weeks ago

http://s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet Noelle/IMG_20130411_110143_zps47f5981e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

bergpa

I would love abs. Some women need to realize it's not their boob tissue they're losing it's the extra fat they're carrying on and around it. Some people have this horror story made up in their mind (particularly if they're not well endowed). But the more muscle you keep the more they perk and the more fat you lose the less they sag. I lost 8 band sizes and while my boobs have gotten smaller, so has the rest of me, proportionately.

So true! I'm only about 10 days into this and I'm already happy when I glance downward.

KelLifts

Awesome inspiration ladies!

veganbaum

These threads, with pics, are always so inspirational. I wish I had known about the benefits of heavy lifting early in my weight loss, I would probably be a lot happier now. Thanks for posting, ladies!

aakaakaak

I can never EVER get pics to work. Drives me insane, and yes I do the whole lowercase IMG thing. Anyways, I've been lifting since January. Here are my progress pics if you want to check them out = ) OOOrrr someone can post them to this thread for me =D

http://s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet Noelle/fitnessjourney.jpg.html?sort=3&o=34

Picture on the left is Dec 2012, pic on right is Feb 2013

http://s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet Noelle/birthday_zpsf70e3ec0.jpg.html?sort=3&o=17

Taken two weeks ago

http://s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet Noelle/IMG_20130411_110143_zps47f5981e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

Use the "Direct" links instead of the "Email & IM" links like this:
s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet%20Noelle/fitnessjourney.jpg
s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet%20Noelle/birthday_zpsf70e3ec0.jpg
s117.photobucket.com/user/shaypagan/media/Scarlet%20Noelle/IMG_20130411_110143_zps47f5981e.jpg

Then add the [ img ] URL [/ img ] tags (take out the spaces when you do it) and it should come out like this:

Edit: photobucket sucks. Move to imgur.com for better picture access.

eevincheezburger

MrsWells1983

I ordered NROL4W online and also the men's version for DH and am hoping to get them soon! I seriously CANNOT wait (weight LOL) to start! I HATE cardio! The most I do is cycling and circuit (Michelle Bridges Super Shredder which I LOVE). I hate running (at the moment because I'm so fat and it hurts!). Just need to find an affordable weight set for both DH and I!

I'm just about to head off and take before pics for later! I want to be toned and have a super sexy PERKY *kitten* and shapely thighs!

You girls are HOT and a total inspiration! I want that to be me!

Shan790

Ok ok I'm convinced. I'm just starting my journey but my to do list includes
Take before photos
Pick up the weights!!!
( but keep running because you know zombies and reavers )

KelLifts

Love your legs! Great Job!

dietstokes

Bumping to look at later. From them first few pages, you all look amazing!

ummlovelovesyou

BUMP! Love all of these photos...so inspirational :happy:




SOMEONE teach me how to lift :sad:

read

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs

and watch youtube videos on form
i watched these this week to check my squat form...i really liked them...there are 5.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME8gEN54Ao

Thank you!!!!! :flowerforyou:

irishblonde2011

Hi

Can I say you all look amazing. As someone who is very new to weight lifting I would just like to add about the mental side. I have never felt happier and it's because for the first time in my life I feel strong. Now lets get back to the show...