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

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  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
    I always just figure if I am making sure the weight is heavy to me then I'm lifting heavy. As your body adapts to weight the weight is no longer heavy, so you add more to make it heavy again. Not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me.
  • MrsG31
    MrsG31 Posts: 364 Member
    Funny this post is from May, but happened to pop on my side of interesting and active threads just as I had been talking to my husband about this very same topic this morning!

    I have dropped 10 lbs since joining this site, but am not sure how much more weight I feel comfortable losing. If I lose 10 more I'd be back at highschool weight...but do I really want that? I'm a woman now, 2 kids deep, and don't feel like I need to be that skinny again. It's just my stomach - I carry my weight there and while it has gotten smaller, it is nowhere near where I would feel comfortable wearing a bikini. Heck, just last week I got asked if I was pregnant. Granted, the source itself was ummm, not exactly one that I am sweating about, but still.

    Any who, I keep reading the suggestions that if you don't have a lot to lose, but it is the way your body looks you are concerned with, you should lift more. I like the idea of it. I enjoyed taking BodyPump at the Y. But that was 3 years ago. I'n not fraid of getting bulky......more afraid that I just can't do it. In the approx 7 months I was a memeber of the gym, I did add minimal weights to my bar....cuz I totally started with just the bar! I've always been petite and never felt like I had much upper-body strength. Some days in the class I felt so out of place, but it was fun and I really wanted to try. And there was usually this "creaking" feeling in my shoulder and elbows, like my joints are not well-oiled enough for this. But I only took the class 1 day a week and I have been told that is really not enough to have reaped the benefits. (FYI: I still get the creaking feelings doing biceps curls with my 3lb purple weights at home)

    Joining a gym now is not really an option, so what I have been wondering is can you get the same sort of results using something like a Total Gym? (This may have been previously addressed, but I am at work and have already wasted too much time writing this, lol)
  • Sooze_1975
    Sooze_1975 Posts: 89 Member
    Happy Friday!
    I have a strength session with my trainer today and I can't wait; it's my favorite session of the week. I started lifting maybe 6 months ago, with a couple of breaks during that time (fell off the wagon a little). Below is what I remember starting with and what I do now:

    Shoulder row: 45/95
    Bench Press: 65/120 (last week, couldn't believe it)
    Deadlift: 95/165 (my best last week as well)

    I see no definition, however, cause I'm still pretty overweight. I feel fantastic tho!! Sometimes I get frustrated that my reflection in the mirror doesn't show how good I feel on the inside, but I'm getting there.
  • alliebeth88
    alliebeth88 Posts: 59 Member
    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?

    Start/Current (been lifting 2 months except first month didn't have a squat rack so stalled at 70 lbs and no bench so only been benching for about 1 month):

    Bench: 45/72.5 lbs
    OHP: 45/65
    Squat: 45/120
    Deadlift: 90/175 (!!!)
  • beyondmywildestdreams
    beyondmywildestdreams Posts: 79 Member
    Bump!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    I don't technically lift heavy. It's not a goal in and of itself, I have some injuries and it's counter to my aesthetic goals because I do get bigger when I lift. Accordingly, there are certain exercises I avoid. But for the exercises I do I lift the heaviest weights of which I'm capable although I don't exercise to failure.
  • bedot
    bedot Posts: 86 Member
    Wonderful info! Saving for later :)
  • itcanbedone13
    itcanbedone13 Posts: 61
    bump for later
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    I'm a newbie to this and was wondering where to start with dumbbells. I've been using 5kg on each arm but I don't think his is nearly enough. I'm a bit of a wimp in the arm department.

    I just started strength training and use 10lbs dumbbells which is pretty much 5kg. It's not wimpy. We have to start somewhere!
  • JaneO7155
    JaneO7155 Posts: 1
    I have been lifting heavy for about 8 weeks. I'm 125 lb. The 45lb barbell was enough for me my first week. I can now dead lift 105lb. Squat 70 lb. Press 65 lb. Do 4 sets of 8 pullups. My workouts are shorter, and more fun. And I've taken 1/2" off my waist and hips.
  • chele1028
    chele1028 Posts: 248 Member
    Bump
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Lifting heavy means the same thing for women as it does for men, no difference, weight is weight.
  • Ideabaker
    Ideabaker Posts: 531 Member
    Excellent thread! I am a home exerciser, and at present struggle with 24 pound squats.

    I do tricep kickbacks and skull crushers with 10 pound weights, and at present am sore for days after (I know, but I'm new!).

    Once these become easy, it is worth continuing to buy heavier weights? Is it inevitable that I will eventually need to get to a gym to "lift heavy"?
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    Awesome post! :flowerforyou:
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Excellent thread! I am a home exerciser, and at present struggle with 24 pound squats.

    I do tricep kickbacks and skull crushers with 10 pound weights, and at present am sore for days after (I know, but I'm new!).

    Once these become easy, it is worth continuing to buy heavier weights? Is it inevitable that I will eventually need to get to a gym to "lift heavy"?



    The main thing about an effective lifting program, whether you are doing it to maintain muscle mass while dieting, to gain muscle while at a surplus/recomping, or to gain strength is to continually challenge and stimulate your muscles. You need to progressively load to do that (up the reps, within a reasonable rep range and/or the weights). You do not have to do this at a gym as there are some good body weight programs, but doing it with free weights, or a combination of free weights, machines and body weight, is the most effective/efficient way - it just allows for easier progression.
  • kaliedoskope
    kaliedoskope Posts: 20 Member
    I mostly use the machines in my gym...Assisted Pulls ups and chin ups, Lat Pull, Flys, rear delts, low row, Overhead press, Leg Press, Chest press, etc....So these count too, right? Though I have been stuck at certain weights for awhile however when I feel that I can go up in weight I will. I always try to do 12 reps 3 times for each piece of equipment.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    The weights I lift are in the range of 5-30 kg (11-66 pounds), and that's with kettlebells or those light barbells they use for bodypump classes, NOT with an Olympic barbell. I don't consider what I do as "lifting heavy," but I am working to the best of my ability and have been increasing my weights over time. I had a hard time with 4 kg kettlebells when I first started, so I've really made a lot of progress even though I'm still not very strong compared with other people.
  • 0nehappyheart
    0nehappyheart Posts: 120
    Bump
  • SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel
    SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel Posts: 434 Member
    Bump for later :smile:
  • 1968samuel
    1968samuel Posts: 176 Member
    Great information in this tread.
  • sanndandi
    sanndandi Posts: 300 Member
    excellent info. bump to read later
  • unbreakablemoth
    unbreakablemoth Posts: 28
    Bump to follow :)
  • joycloete
    joycloete Posts: 22
    The weights I lift are in the range of 5-30 kg (11-66 pounds), and that's with kettlebells or those light barbells they use for bodypump classes, NOT with an Olympic barbell. I don't consider what I do as "lifting heavy," but I am working to the best of my ability and have been increasing my weights over time. I had a hard time with 4 kg kettlebells when I first started, so I've really made a lot of progress even though I'm still not very strong compared with other people.

    Do you find the weights you use heavy? If so, then you are heavy lifting.
  • dicoveringwhoIam
    dicoveringwhoIam Posts: 480 Member
    Thank you! I've been intrigued by "lifting heavy" but have no idea what kind of weight to start with, and the term definitely sounds more intimidating than starting with the bar and adding weight to it over time. It'd be helpful to hear what women started with for different lifts. I haven't done bench press or deadlift or that kind of thing since highschool so I have no clue where to start without hurting myself. I'll also feel more confident going to the weight area at the gym if I know what weight to grab.

    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) started at 65lbs. Currently 120lbs for 6reps. (a yr)
    2) back squat 165lbs. First time a couple weeks ago at crossfit. 2rep max
    3) start trap dead lift 100. Current 190.. Straight bar 80lbs current 185lbs (a yr)
    4) OHP 45lbs 3months ago. Current 95lbs 2rep max.
  • suemin68
    suemin68 Posts: 11 Member
    bumping for later
  • zombi
    zombi Posts: 16 Member
    making sure I can find this later!
  • Onderwoman
    Onderwoman Posts: 130
    Is squatting more than your bodyweight a good measure of lifting heavy?
  • Healthy_4_Life2
    Healthy_4_Life2 Posts: 595 Member
    Thanks for this.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Is squatting more than your bodyweight a good measure of lifting heavy?

    Remeber lifting heavy isn't about the weight- it's about the reps.

    If you can rep 10 reps of your body weight squat- then no- it's not lifting heavy. It's a warm up at that point :D

    But for me- my squat is rubbish- my one rep max is hovering just above my body weight- so for me that's heavy. It isn't about the weight. It's about the rep range.

    But being capable of doing a full body weight or 1.5*bw squat is definitely respectable.
  • MagicalLeopleurodon
    MagicalLeopleurodon Posts: 623 Member
    For me, "heavy" is any weight i can only successfully lift for 3-4 reps. If i can reach 5 reps, it's time to add weight.

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