HALP! Heavy Lifting Made Me SUPAH Bulky!!!

Rosplosion

*sniffles* I love you ladies.

lyllith

i love this thread so glad to see it back!

Barribomb

This thread is friggin awesome, so inspiring!!

t2kburl

Best thread ever!

tracpo

You all look amazing and so inspirational.

lkplibra

Thank you Lea for starting this thread.

Thank you Moderators for bringing it back.

Thank you everyone who has contributed pictures.

All of you have inspired me and shown me what I want to be "when I grow up"... I want to look like you and you have been kind enough to tell me how. My next step is to start picking things up and putting them down. Thank you again! :flowerforyou:

kdeaux1959

so luv this post! Excellent! Awesome transformation.

Sarauk2sf

I would love to do those things, but I have also developed a growing love for kettlebells...do you think it would be wise to do my cardio, KB, and the squats/lifts? The cardio alone, I'm not so worried about. The kettlebell routine I do is as follows using a 4kg (8.8lb) KB:

Warmup with dynamic stretches.
Around The Worlds, 20 reps per direction
Figure 8s, 14 reps per direction
Shoulder Swings, 20 reps
Kettlebell Cleans, 14 reps per arm
Halos, 10 reps per direction
Straight leg dead lifts, 20 reps
Squat curls, 20 reps
Bent Rows, 14 reps per side

ETA I repeat this 2 more times after a minute long breather in between rounds!

I want to do alllllll of these things, and I don't want to give up my kettlebells!!! Do you think maybe do the Kb routine once a week and the lifting the other 2 days I go? For instance, lift Monday, KB Wednesday, lift Friday?

Do a 2 x a week full body workout with the 1 day KB workout and you will be golden!

MyChocolateDiet

Ladies! A friend and I were just discussing that the term "lifting heavy" may put some off.


The idea here is to lift weights challenging for YOU. The programs that are my favorite have you start with the bar, which weighs 45 pounds. Many of you have picked up children that big, and even squatted down to pick up something you dropped while holding him... or if you don't have kids, a bag of groceries, or a backpack!

In Stronglifts, or Starting Strength you are aiming for a few sets of 5 repetitions...5....that's it...you build strength very well this way...and the next time you add 5 more pounds and give it a go.

So lifting heavy doesnt mean you have to squat 500 pounds, you just need to challenge YOUR muscles.

I hope this helps someone:flowerforyou:

I started this at 40... and my body is better than it has been since I was in my early 20's.

I LOVE what lifting has done for me...physically AND mentally.

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

it helped me. thank you.

WeightHacker

bumping this cause this is awesome<3

cocolo89

wow you girls look amazing. I just now remembered I have NROLFW, i need to get that book back out and get started, I bought it before I found out I was pregnant and never got the chance to do it and quite frankly i forgot I had it. LOL. My son is now 3.5months old. I have 15lbs of extra fat to work off. This is helping me realize being a cardio junkie will not get me where I want to be. Dont wanna look skinny fat.

tdml

Bump

Lupercalia

I would love to do those things, but I have also developed a growing love for kettlebells...do you think it would be wise to do my cardio, KB, and the squats/lifts? The cardio alone, I'm not so worried about. The kettlebell routine I do is as follows using a 4kg (8.8lb) KB:

Warmup with dynamic stretches.
Around The Worlds, 20 reps per direction
Figure 8s, 14 reps per direction
Shoulder Swings, 20 reps
Kettlebell Cleans, 14 reps per arm
Halos, 10 reps per direction
Straight leg dead lifts, 20 reps
Squat curls, 20 reps
Bent Rows, 14 reps per side

ETA I repeat this 2 more times after a minute long breather in between rounds!

I want to do alllllll of these things, and I don't want to give up my kettlebells!!! Do you think maybe do the Kb routine once a week and the lifting the other 2 days I go? For instance, lift Monday, KB Wednesday, lift Friday?

Do a 2 x a week full body workout with the 1 day KB workout and you will be golden!

Whomever posted this question--I combine KB training and heavy lifting on alternating days and it works out great. Just like Sara said, and as you were thinking, do them on different days and make sure you've got at least one full rest day. Should be great!

Oishii

WHat really impresses me is the timescale of a lot of these transformations. What slightly worries me is whether my split stomach muscles from my last pregnancy would affect my ability to lift :ohwell:

ElenakiFra

Oh look, heavy lifting made me bulky, too!


No heavy lifting, after losing 23 lbs:


One month of heavy lifting, 5/3/1 program
The weight difference from the first to second photo is one pound, and I did ZERO cardio or targeted ab work.

*mfkn swoon*

:flowerforyou:

You look fantastic! Thats the kind of body i want! All of you girls did amazing job!

neandermagnon

WHat really impresses me is the timescale of a lot of these transformations. What slightly worries me is whether my split stomach muscles from my last pregnancy would affect my ability to lift :ohwell:

you may need to see a physio or doctor to get exercises to get your abs to go back together again, there are exercises that do this as it's a common problem

I have had 2 c-sections (they have to split the abs muscles to perform a c-section so while not every woman may have this from pregnancy, if you've had a c-section the muscles will be split) and I lift. I also had SPD really badly in my 2nd pregnancy and while i had a little bit of pelvic pain at first with some exercises (mainly abduction and adduction ones) this went away as my muscles strengthened up.

but yes you can lift safely, provided the muscles have returned to the correct position.

toomuchbootyindapants

I am having a proud moment as I scroll through the pictures in this thread - most of these women are my friends on here and I am so blessed to have such an inspiring (there's that word again!), dedicated, confident group of gals to wake up to each morning and shoot the chit with throughout the day. Not only are they full of hotness - they are witty and down-to-earth. I need to find some local friends who fit this bill....life would be so much better if I was always surrounded by strong (physically and mentally) women not trying to beat each other down to get ahead. Encouragement and uplifting ladies willing to lend an ear - and a hand - if needed. I am seriously impressed by ALL of you posting, soooo full of win!

Crankstr

Ladies! A friend and I were just discussing that the term "lifting heavy" may put some off.


The idea here is to lift weights challenging for YOU. The programs that are my favorite have you start with the bar, which weighs 45 pounds. Many of you have picked up children that big, and even squatted down to pick up something you dropped while holding him... or if you don't have kids, a bag of groceries, or a backpack!

In Stronglifts, or Starting Strength you are aiming for a few sets of 5 repetitions...5....that's it...you build strength very well this way...and the next time you add 5 more pounds and give it a go.

So lifting heavy doesnt mean you have to squat 500 pounds, you just need to challenge YOUR muscles.

I hope this helps someone:flowerforyou:

I started this at 40... and my body is better than it has been since I was in my early 20's.

I LOVE what lifting has done for me...physically AND mentally.

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

It helps me! (I'm 42.)

Thanks for all of your encouraging posts in this thread...all the info & the amazing progress pics.

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:



And to all the lifters: Y'all look fantastic!

I am glad! I really want women who are in their 40's and up ( and, well, EVERYONE!) to know it is never too late to take care of your body and reverse some of things we have allowed to happen, and to prevent future problems by being in the best physical condition possible.

Crankstr

Ladies! A friend and I were just discussing that the term "lifting heavy" may put some off.


The idea here is to lift weights challenging for YOU. The programs that are my favorite have you start with the bar, which weighs 45 pounds. Many of you have picked up children that big, and even squatted down to pick up something you dropped while holding him... or if you don't have kids, a bag of groceries, or a backpack!

In Stronglifts, or Starting Strength you are aiming for a few sets of 5 repetitions...5....that's it...you build strength very well this way...and the next time you add 5 more pounds and give it a go.

So lifting heavy doesnt mean you have to squat 500 pounds, you just need to challenge YOUR muscles.

I hope this helps someone:flowerforyou:

I started this at 40... and my body is better than it has been since I was in my early 20's.

I LOVE what lifting has done for me...physically AND mentally.

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

it helped me. thank you.

This makes me so happy....this whole thread and everything that has come of it has made me all sniffly LOL!!! I started off wanting to lose some weight because i was tired at the top of the stairs when i carried laundry up...had to stop and catch my breath.

THEN my friend posted THIS to facebook, and i was next to 3 tan thin neighbors. I felt like the stay puff marshmallow lady! I couldnt believe my arms looked like that, and my belly.



So I said SELF, no WAY are you letting this happen any more, and joined a gym.
I lost some weight, felt better, then found MFP a year ago, and started changing the way I trained...I had no idea of my potential, after all the years of feeling homely and undesirable.

This Halloween I was able to go to a few parties, and dressed as Catwoman, it felt amazing. ( I had to be a rectangle outlet the previous year because i waited too long and it was the only costume that fit over my head in the store)



I look at the difference in my arms and waist, even with the jacket on, and it makes me see how far I have come... I know, I have talked a lot about ME ME ME, but if anyone can identify with me, or it makes them want to make some changes, it is worth it.

HAPPY

Moosycakes

Just wondering, how do you lovely lifting ladies feel about girls like me who don't lift and don't have any interest in lifting ever? :P