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

1ConcreteGirl

Great post. I think bulky = getting bigger in measurements, not smaller.

Stats from a new lifter... I started five weeks ago with New Rules of Lifting for Women and have since switched to 5/3/1.

Deadlift start: 90#
Deadlift current: 165#
Deadlifting for five weeks

Squat start: 45#
Squat current: 110#
Squatting four weeks

Bench start 1RM: 95#
Bench current 1RM: 100#
Benching three weeks

OHP start: 55 lbs
Still working at 55, only done it two weeks.

squirrell79

This is a great thread. Thank you to the OP for starting it. Your timing was actually quite excellent, as the whole "heavy lifting" thing has been on my mind recently. Let me explain.

I'm a runner who is doing my first half-marathon in a couple weeks. The running side of things is sunshine and daisies. But I figured I should add some strength training to the mix, and I know that I personally operate best when given a structured, regimented program to follow. So I got a used copy of Chalean Extreme and have loved it. I view the program as a sort of "weights for beginners" thing, and for me it has been a great way to get comfortable with dumbbells. Clearly, it isn't "heavy lifting" in the usual sense of the MFP message boards.

BUT:

"Lifting Heavy" when talking about 99% of the women on this site, refers only to the notion that you lift weights while progressively adding weight over time to continue to stress your muscles and force them to grow. It does not mean trying to bench press 300lbs by the second week of training.

So for me, having started at Level 0, Chalean has been "heavy lifting." And that is a good thing. As several other people have mentioned, it's really all about where you are starting from. 2 months ago I could barely do anything with a 15 lb. dumbbell; now I can curl them fairly easily. Small potatoes to many people, but ya gotta start somewhere. :-)

The other good thing is that having been introduced to the world of weights, I am eager to continue working with weights after this program is over. I would like to start learning "heavier lifting" (the way everyone else seems to mean it), e.g. doing actual deadlifts, squats, etc. with a barbell. I'm not looking to bench 300 lbs, but it would be nice to continue getting stronger and leaner.

supplemama

Very good info!

Most women already 'lift heavy', at least if they are mothers. I talked to some silly woman in the grocery store the other day, she told me she won't lift more than her 2 pound weights because she doesn't want to 'get bulky'...all said while holding her sleeping 3 year old, 35 pounds son!! Anyone who has ever carried a sleeping toddler knows that is all dead weight. I pointed out to her that she could lift and carry her son around with no problems on a daily basis, and that didn't make her bulky. She insisted that it's 'different' than lifting even 5 pound weights. Hmmmmm.

SleeplessinBerlin

bump to read later.

mmddwechanged

I appreciate this thread. I just started lifting again and the weight is minuscule compared to how I lifted ten years ago. I still have killer DOMS though and am already seeing newbie gains:)

1 week of strength training:
Squatting 50 pounds barbell or dumbell squats 2X8
Deadlift 50 pounds with dumbells
No bench presses or overhead presses yet because of a shoulder issue.

parys1

i agree. i'd like to hear from some of the women here on exactly what their progression has been. in short, to simply answer these questions:

1) starting bench press? current bench press? how long have you been doing bench presses?
2) starting squat? current squat? how long have you been doing squats?
3) starting dead lift? current dead lift? how long have you been doing dead lifts?
4) starting overhead press (OHP)? current OHP? how long have you been doing OHPs?

1) BP starting wt 65, progressed to 100 lbs. Started in Jun 2012 to Feb 2013. I took a hiatus over winter and shall be resuming the lifting Monday. (note: there were some breaks in there as well, for rest and once for injury.)
2) Starting squat 70, progressed to 160 (same dates and notes as for bench)
3) Starting DL 85, progressed to 175 (same as above)
4) I've never done OHP, I've done push press. Started at 45, progressed to 75. Note: This is not the same as OHP, momentum is used.

katy_trail

it's going to depend on your ability level, as long as you're challenging yourself, and on a progressive program, you'll keep improving. Eventually dumb bells are just too awkward or you have out grown them. It's actually easier to use the barbell.
It's an unfounded fear. Plus, using compound lifting moves is such a efficient workout. We should teach all the women very early how to do a simple 3x a week program. Even if you have have kids and are really busy, you can fit it in.

notworthstalking

I really like this thread. For me, I am using dumbells , because this is what I have available. I move up weight when I reach 12 reps. It normally mean 1 or 2 kilos progression on each arm. I am gaining a heck of functional strength and my posture as improved heaps. I would love to do stronglifts, but it current circumstances ipI don't have the equipment, I am loving what I am doing though

charliehefferon

bump to read later

suelegal

1) starting bench press? 5lb DBs current bench press? 30# dbs how long have you been doing bench presses? about 1 yr
2) starting squat? body weight and struggling current squat? 85# how long have you been doing squats? 1 yr
3) starting dead lift? 25# current dead lift? 150# how long have you been doing dead lifts? 1 yr
4) starting overhead press (OHP)? 5# DBs current OHP? 25# how long have you been doing OHPs? 1yr

Upper body is abviously my biggest issue as it is for many women.

I just want to add that I'm 61 yrs old, went for 20 years or so with little or no exercise. It's never too late to start getting healthy AND lifting weights helps a multitude of potential age related issues including bone density and muscle loss!

_SusieQ_

i agree. i'd like to hear from some of the women here on exactly what their progression has been. in short, to simply answer these questions:

1) starting bench press? current bench press? how long have you been doing bench presses?
2) starting squat? current squat? how long have you been doing squats?
3) starting dead lift? current dead lift? how long have you been doing dead lifts?
4) starting overhead press (OHP)? current OHP? how long have you been doing OHPs?

I started around October of last year, got lazy around the holidays. Picked back up in January then stalled due to knee pain in March. Started back up doing Wendler's 5/3/1 two weeks ago.

1) Starting BP - Oly bar @ 45#, Current 75#
2) Starting squat - Oly bar, Current 90# (was up to 100# before taking break)
3) Starting DL - 90#, Current 135# (highest 5x5 reps 170#)
4) Starting OHP - 45#, Current 55#

I_Will_End_You

Thanks! I really would like to start lifting, but don't have the resources. I tried to lift my boyfriend's 25lb dumb bells yesterday, and couldn't get them past my chest. :embarassed:

Question...if someone has very limited money and could make ONE purchase to get started lifting...what should it be? I'm talking around $100.

supplemama

i agree. i'd like to hear from some of the women here on exactly what their progression has been. in short, to simply answer these questions:

1) starting bench press? current bench press? how long have you been doing bench presses?
2) starting squat? current squat? how long have you been doing squats?
3) starting dead lift? current dead lift? how long have you been doing dead lifts?
4) starting overhead press (OHP)? current OHP? how long have you been doing OHPs?

1) starting bench press = 10 lbs.
current bench press = 25 pounds
how long have you been doing bench presses = 10 months

2) starting squat = just the bar, no added weights
current squat = 30 pounds + the bar
how long have you been doing squats = 10 months

3) starting dead lift = 0
current dead lift = 0
how long have you been doing dead lifts = I have not done them yet :embarassed: I will start the next time I go lift. Today!

4) starting overhead press (OHP) = 10 pounds...and it was a STRUGGLE to do that little at first. I hate this one, truly. But I feel I have conquered it!
current OHP? = 60 pounds :drinker:
how long have you been doing OHPs = 10 months

jenilla1

I used to lift a moderate amount of weight for sets with 15 reps. I did this for a few years and while I was ok with the results, I saw my progress kind of stall, so I took some advice here on MFP and started going heavier with fewer reps. To me, lifting heavy is lifting enough weight that I can do no more than 5 or 6 reps in a set. I may not be very strong compared to a lot of people, but I've doubled (or more) the amount of weight that I can lift in the 6 months since I started "lifting heavy." (That's great for me, because I've always been slow to progress in anything athletic or physical.) And even after all this time, I'm STILL increasing weight. I haven't stalled out. I'm cool with that. (And there appears to be no danger of bulk so far...:laugh: )

Betty_Canada

1) starting bench press? current bench press? how long have you been doing bench presses?
2) starting squat? current squat? how long have you been doing squats?
3) starting dead lift? current dead lift? how long have you been doing dead lifts?
4) starting overhead press (OHP)? current OHP? how long have you been doing OHPs?

NOTE: Started in late January 2013 with the Stumptuous workout, switched to midified (see note on Squats) Stronglifts 5x5 in March, and had to deload back to the bar once for benches and rows when I realized I was doing them wrong. I also have knee damage, so the squats are a work in progress

1) A 5 lb vinyl dipped bar with two 10 lb plates on it (25 lbs total) ---> 55 lbs (45 lb bar and 2 5 lb plates)
2) 5x5 bodyweight squats with a support nearby for balance issues (I tend to tip over at the bottom, but I push up without support now, so that's a lot farther than the hanging on for dear life I started with!)
3) 45 lb empty bar ----> 125 lbs (45 lb bar, 2 25s, 2 5s, 2 2,5s)
4) A 5 lb vinyl dipped bar with two 10 lb plates on it (25 lbs total) ---> 45 lb empty bar (sort of, I'm at 5x5x5x4x3, but I'll get there)

I'm also doing some leg press to supplement the squats, since my balance issues and knee pain make them hard. (I have noticed a definite increase in knee flexibility and overall stamina since I started, though), and those are at about 120 for 5x5 - I started with 55 lbs.

Hope that helps! It's not much, but I'm new at this, so I'm going slow.

-Betty-

ETA: Note that, when I started SL 5x5, I thought I couldn't / shouldn't do it because I was so feeble I couldn't even start with the empty bar for most of it, and it seemed like it would be pointless until I was "stronger". But I was topping out at what I could do for 12 reps of any given task, so I decided instead to try it anyway and just start with where I was and work up to the bar. I'm telling you, the first time I could bench press the "big kids" bar, I practically cried, I was so happy with myself. So don't be afraid to try it, even if you have to go a little slower than you might like - overnight success isn't.

xstarxdustx

bump-thank you.

AmandaJ

Thank you for this, I understand this now!

TriClaudia

Very helpful thread. Question for those of you who are posting your progress: When you're posting the weight is it the weight you have on the bar? Or is it the weight on the bar + the bar's weight. For example today I had 20# on the bar, but I've learned the bar is 45#. So it's actually 65? I'm in the second week of NROLFW, and I'm having a hard time figuring out what my weight should be. I pushed them up by a decent percentage today and felt like I was closer to where I should be. How did you determine your starting point?

Squat: 65# (felt like I could go higher)
Deadlift: 50 (ditto)
Shoulder Press w/ barbells: 15# (pushing it at the last couple reps)
Seated row: 85#

SerenaFisher

I need to weight train. I use to but cannot afford the time for the gym (or money) at this time. Perhaps when I am traveling less for work I can look into a membership.

2 yeas ago as I recall these were my weights.

10lb (each side) chest press.
15lbs curls
90lbs thigh press
20lbs calf extensions
60lb bench
--- this was results at two months at the gym---
I am sure if I went back now I would be close to all but the bench, obviously I'd love to go higher. Strength training is what i am missing to finish my goals.

lwoodroff

1) starting bench press? 25kg current bench press? 35kg
2) starting squat? 32.5kg current squat? 45kg (went up to 50kg and back down to work on form)
3) starting dead lift? 50kg current dead lift? 80kg
4) starting overhead press (OHP)? 20kg current OHP 27.5kg
and Pendlay rows started 30kg current 45kg

started Stronglifts 5x5 March 10th, so not yet 2 months