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

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  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
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    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#

    definitely include the bar's weight!!!
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    I was told on here recently that the term 'lifting heavy' only applies to compound lifts.
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
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    Here's the solution: "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. It simply means that as your muscles strengthen and adapt to your current weight loads, you progressively increase those weight loads to keep pushing your muscles. thus, "Lifting Heavy" really means "Lift Progressively Heavier".

    This is very well said. My goal is not to lift heavier weights, but to continue to force my muscles to grow. I up my weight by 5lbs whenever I feel my muscles have adapted to the weight I've been lifting. I am not trying to enter a bench pressing contest :P..although I would win because I win everything.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    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.

    check out Yoovie's group for women who strength train

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12919-girls-who-lift-the-guys-who-spot-them

    also, #freeyoovie
  • squirrell79
    squirrell79 Posts: 155 Member
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    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.

    Some good options:

    If you don't mind used: Play it Again Sports, Craigslist, Goodwill for dumbbells and/or a barbell
    If you prefer new: Wal-Mart for same

    I apologize for not stating just ONE purchase as requested. I've been very happy just using dumbbells, but obviously lots of people use barbells too. And both used dumbbells and used plates are almost always available at places like Goodwill for uber-cheap.

    Good luck!
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
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    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?

    20# ---> 69# 15 years off and on, in a set routine since February. The 20# is my February weight, which I used while I checked my form & made sure it was in line with Starting Strength's description.

    Bodyweight ----> 122.5# 15 years off and on but with poor form. In February I started doing deep squats, which I had been warned off of for years, and that was why I started with my bodyweight in order to get my form right according to Starting Strength's description.

    60# ----> 160# 15 years off and on, but I had not done them recently when I started following Starting Strength in February.

    20# ----> 51# I had never done standing overhead presses before February.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    Bump, so more of my friends can see this
  • Ivian_
    Ivian_ Posts: 276 Member
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    Awesome thread! Thank you for sharing!

    This is all I got so far as I'm just starting.

    Bench Press - 6x85lbs and 1x105lbs
    DL - 5x155lbs and 2x185lbs
    Squat - 5x165lbs and 1x195lbs
    OHP - 5x55lbs and 1x95lbs (bar)
    Rows - 3x10x95lbs
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
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    Best thread in a long time!!
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,217 Member
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    Can anyone help me. I have had a bad left knee since I was 16. A physio told me recently that it is a patella that doesn't run smoothly but grates to one side. It flares up now and again, and then improves, but always feels vulnerable. This puts me off any form of squatting. I have started dumbbells for my arm definition but would like to squat with them and build up the weight. I don't want to go to a gym. Is it possible to do this with a crap knee? I am 63.
  • _SusieQ_
    _SusieQ_ Posts: 2,964 Member
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    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.

    Some good options:

    If you don't mind used: Play it Again Sports, Craigslist, Goodwill for dumbbells and/or a barbell
    If you prefer new: Wal-Mart for same

    I apologize for not stating just ONE purchase as requested. I've been very happy just using dumbbells, but obviously lots of people use barbells too. And both used dumbbells and used plates are almost always available at places like Goodwill for uber-cheap.

    Good luck!

    All great suggestions. I got all my stuff for home from Play It Again Sports at a much lower price than new. Barbell, plates, bench, dumbbells.

    My suggestion would be get the empty dumbbell bars (Walmart has them) and then buy plates to add. Much better than buying sets of different weight pink or blue ones.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    My suggestion would be get the empty dumbbell bars (Walmart has them) and then buy plates to add. Much better than buying sets of different weight pink or blue ones.

    ^ this. fixed weight dumbbells are fine for a gym, but it's a waste of money if you plan on using these at home because the lower weighted ones become useless as soon as your muscles adapt past them.
  • SarahBeth0625
    SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
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    Great info. Using your own body as a tool can be helpful too!

    When I first started, I could only bear 10 regular pushups and THAT was quite the feat. So I did modified to up my strength. Within 2-3 weeks, I went back and tried regular ones and now I do sets of 25-30 without even really FEELING it until the last 5 reps. I do 75-80 pushups every day and it has made SUCH a difference on my core. I can't even express, but the transformation from mid-March - mid-April was very apparent to me. Visual difference.

    As far as the other lifting, I do the Cybex machines and haven't ventured into the dead lifts yet.

    But on the machines, I do:

    70-75 lbs on the row machine
    50 lbs on the overhead press
    55-60 on the chest press
    75 lbs on the fly machine (not sure what else to call it, but that's what it says)
    210 lbs on the leg press

    I don't really consider this heavy lifting, but it's where I am at, and if it starts to feel easy, I up it 10-15 lbs at a time.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions! I was thinking a barbell would be best to start with, but wasn't sure. And I didn't even think of Goodwill....
  • xprplstardust
    xprplstardust Posts: 105 Member
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    I'm new to lifting, I started out with JM 30 DS which incorporates weights. I started off with 3lb dumbbells & that was extremely hard! I now use 5 lb weights bc the 3 lb weights were not enough. I haven't done it in a while & am just starting up again, but still with the 5 lb weights. When the 5 lb gets too easy, i have a set of 8 lb weights just waiting for me on my bedroom floor. I'm not sure what to do once those get too easy for me bc I can't afford a gym (and now my car needs much needed repairs) & the higher the weights, the more expensive they are. I'll probably have to buy them one at a time.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
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    bump
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    :heart:
  • ruggedBear
    ruggedBear Posts: 295
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    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?

    Lifting progressively heavier (OP - I LOVE THIS PHRASE!) for 4 months. Spent over a year before that losing lots of fat with bodyweight/kettle bells/dumbbells. These are my 'working set' weights (8-10 reps) - I will be dropping the reps and adding more weight next round!

    Start BP: 45lb
    Current BP: 90lb

    Start Squat: 90lb
    Current: 165lb

    Start DL: 110lb
    Current: 170lb

    Start OHP (I do a Front Squat/Press version per NROLFW): 45
    Current: 55 (yeah, I know - this one is slow to improve!)
  • toomuchbootyindapants
    toomuchbootyindapants Posts: 811 Member
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    EXCELLENT thread!!!!

    To answer your questions - I started with the barbell for everything because I wasn't sure what my strength was on the lifts. If it was too easy - I just added a bit more weight each time (well, a lot more for deadlift). I followed NROL4W at first...but then during Starting Strength I was adding 5# each workout or week until I hit stalls.
    1) starting bench press? 45# - the bar
    current bench press? working sets vary from 80-95#, PR at 110#
    how long have you been doing bench presses? Since August 2012
    2) starting squat? 45# - the bar
    current squat? working sets from 145-170#, PR at 205#
    how long have you been doing squats? Since March 2012
    3) starting dead lift? 45# - the bar
    current dead lift? working sets at 185#, PR at 225# barbell, 250# trapbar
    how long have you been doing dead lifts? Since March 2012
    4) starting overhead press (OHP)? 45# - the bar
    current OHP? working sets at 70#, PR at 90#
    how long have you been doing OHPs? since March 2012
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
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    I have been lifting heavy solidly for 13 months now and have been doing strength training on and off since I was 19 years old.

    1) starting bench press? 66lbs current bench press? 143 lbs
    2) starting squat? 110 lbs current squat? 242 lbs
    3) starting dead lift? 132 lbs current dead lift? 242 lbs
    4) starting overhead press (OHP)? 45 lbs current OHP? 93.5 lbs
    5) starting barbell row? 66 lbs current barbell row? 159.5 lbs

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