"Lifting Heavy". What does that really mean for women?

lisav6

bump

shaywallis

I've been lifting since January and here is my progression so far. (these arent 1RM, just what I use to workout with)

Front Squat 45/95 (115# RM)

Back squat 55/95 (135# RM)

Power Clean 45/75 (85# RM)

Push Press 35/75 ( I can jerk 95# a few times)

Thruster 35/75

Deadlift 55/135 (havent done a 1RM in a few weeks)

Overhead squat 35/65

Snatch 35/45 (havent done these in quite awhile, I could probably do 55# but this lift is my greatest weakness)

Belinda658

Start Bench: 45
Now : 60

After about 8 weeks of consistant 3 per week workouts. Haven't lost much weight but the inches are dropping off No gains anywhere!

PetulantOne

:flowerforyou:

Love this post!

fullofquirks

Loving this thread.

When I started Stronglifts about 5 weeks ago, I had to start everything with a bar. It's wasn't even a 45# bar, it was a 15#.

Squats- I've had to start from scratch as I messed up my R knee running too much. Currently 35#.
BP- 45#
OHP-45#
Rows-50#
Deadlifts-70#

I'm very proud of myself for giving it a go, I'm loving dong it (I'm doing the program with my father so it's quality time too) and I can SEE the progress based on the amount of weight I can move around now.

A big reason I even tried it is b/c of lurking around on here and reading/seeing posts about lifting. So thanks MFPers you rawk!

Mads1997

I am not going to come close to lifting what the the other ladies do as I have a muscle disease and some days can barely manage to get out of bed. What's important is that you challenge yourself regardless of how heavy.

But over the 4 months (i think) I have seen big improvements in my strength.

started
squats 10 kg- now 30kg
bench 10 kg - now 20kg
deadlift 20kg - now 62kg
rows 10kg - now 22kg
I don't do OHP's

Lifting has also helped my bad back greatly.

Belinda658

I am not going to come close to lifting what the the other ladies do as I have a muscle disease and some days can barely manage to get out of bed. What's important is that you challenge yourself regardless of how heavy.

But over the 4 months (i think) I have seen big improvements in my strength.

started
squats 10 kg- now 30kg
bench 10 kg - now 20kg
deadlift 20kg - now 62kg
rows 10kg - now 22kg
I don't do OHP's

Lifting has also helped my bad back greatly.

.

That's great! I have limitations too but do what I can

nomeejerome

Bump

Jean251

This is a great post. Thanks for the info!

toutmonpossible

"Lifting Heavy" for me means feeling stronger as time goes on. I see ( or don't in this case) many women at my gym who don't lift anything heavier than 10lbs.. sucks. I on the otherhand am not afraid, my body is slimming and toning and it feels good. So women pick it up and feel the power!

No, it doesn't "suck" if that's their choice. Learn how to respect other people's p.o.v.s. Not everyone defines "power" as you do. Depending on your build, level of fitness and type of workout, you can get development from even 10 pound dumbbells although for strength you would need to go higher.

ukgirly01

If only lifting heavy ment bulky, I spend a lot of time lifting weights that give me more muscle but compared to a man I put on LBM soooo slowly- lucky testosterone filled gits lol

shiseido_faerie

This is awesome! Bumping to finish reading later!

hungryhobbit1

I put on a good amount of muscle 10 years ago when I was lifting heavy for a long period of time. I've been back in the gym for 4 weeks now, after an 8 year hiatus (and about 60 pounds of extra weight.) I can't describe how good it feels to be back, it's like my muscles are smiling at me. I started with the 45 pound bar my first day back and worked my way back up fairly quickly. I don't feel like I'm near failure on my last squat rep right now, so I'll be bringing that up more on Monday.

I seem to put on lean body mass more easily than other women, if you look at it as a continuum I'm probably on the "bulky" end of it, but it doesn't matter because I've never been able to bring my body fat percentage down low enough to really see all of that definition. I get down to about 24% and can't go lower without losing hair and muscle mass, so still look pretty "feminine" if by feminine you mean squishy. Anyway, it's all good. The number on the scale goes down slowly but I can see rapid changes in my body, the way my clothes fit, and my measurements. Also I feel freaking awesome.

Current weights:

Squat: 145
Deadlift: 115
Chest Press: 65
Shoulder Press: 55

and I'm doing the May push up challenge. These are standard pushups not "girl" ones. Currently on day 5 which is 22 pushups. I could probably do more if I took them in sets but I've had rotator cuff issues in the past and I'm going easy on my upper body. By the end of the month, the goal is to do 100 in a day, so that ought to be pretty sufficient if I can get there.

For women of any size, pushups and pullups (or assisted pullups) are a great way to "lift heavy" for your upper body.

EmilyJackCO

This makes me feel a lot better. I have been lifting for 4 years, but only REALLY started pushing myself in the last year. Previously, I had a trainer that was afraid of my health conditions (I started training at 113 lbs), and I had severe form and balance issues. So I do lift heavy - for me, and am getting progressively better every week. Even if now, I have to push my trainer to push me further. :P He helps me with a lot of the unfamiliar and support musculature stuff, and I do the big stuff on my own. Thank you for putting this out there, it *really* helps me see how far I've come.

Kidostud

Thanks for this inspiring thread!! It makes me feel a whole lot better about my 25kg BP and squat and the other exercises not looking much heavier!!

CandaceLachuma75

I wanna do this toooo! You ladies DO NOT look bulky. Please give me advice. I have fibre. I was advised to download an app called "You are your own gym" You can message me LADIES please if you can give me good tips for beginners. :0))

celtic0ne

bump

Sarauk2sf

I wanna do this toooo! You ladies DO NOT look bulky. Please give me advice. I have fibre. I was advised to download an app called "You are your own gym" You can message me LADIES please if you can give me good tips for beginners. :0))

If you do not have access to a gym, You are Your Own Gym is a good starting point. Also look into Convict Conditioning.

IIISpartacusIII

Note - "bulky" is left undefined because it means something different to each person. I assume to most people it means something akin to looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger from his bodybuilding days, or at least the female equivalent.

It's interesting to note that in this day and age Arnold Schwartzenegger would no longer be considered "bulky" in bodybuilding terms. At 6'2" and a competition weight of 235 he would have a fitness model's physique not a professional bodybuilder's physique. At 6'2" in today's standards bodybuilders compete at 265 - 300 plus pounds. Standards change with time. So he wouldn't be considered "bulky" but instead lean and athletic looking as well as reasonably tall which always makes an impression.

jkmiller82

bump!