Do you lift heavy? Are you bulky?

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  • jayliospecky
    jayliospecky Posts: 25,022 Member
    bump for inspiration :) I am so backward. I am doing stronglifts 5x5 and I can do:
    Squats: 60
    Bench: 70
    Dead: 100
    OHP: 45
    Rows: 60

    See??? I can bench more than I can squat. I'm weird.

    I suck at squats. I hate them so much. Plus, I suck at them.

    *sigh* I do them anyways.

    I can still squat more than I can bench, but not by a really impressive amount.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    bump for inspiration :) I am so backward. I am doing stronglifts 5x5 and I can do:
    Squats: 60
    Bench: 70
    Dead: 100
    OHP: 45
    Rows: 60

    See??? I can bench more than I can squat. I'm weird.

    Mine are close. I'm very careful with squat form so I've always moved up very slowly on it, and that's not a bad thing. Back when I was lifting regularly my squat was 135 and bench was 115 (and deads were 200).
  • zumbajheri
    zumbajheri Posts: 200 Member
    Great job everyone!!
  • Stephiestephs
    Stephiestephs Posts: 132 Member
    I looked at strong lifts, but do any of you know of any plans I can start with at home that only requires dumb bells. I could get a bar but can't get any of the other types of equipment. Thank you.
  • airen123
    airen123 Posts: 149
    Stephiesteps look into sandbags, etc!
  • Stephiestephs
    Stephiestephs Posts: 132 Member
    Stephiesteps look into sandbags, etc!

    Great idea!! Thank you. Kettle bells too or no? I cant lifft too heavy yet. Do you know of a program? I like to follow something to help with goals.
  • airen123
    airen123 Posts: 149
    A lot of people recommend New Rules of Lifting. I personally know you don't need much equipment if you are doing at home, you can adjust. I have found these to be the best moves, that produce results: squat, squat, squat ;) dead lifts, overhead presses, bench, planks. You can Google or YouTube variations on these-like for overhead press, use your two dumbells, or 2 jugs of water, etc. do squats holding your kid. And push-ups are great, also. You just have to start somewhere!
  • airen123
    airen123 Posts: 149
    And I love kettlebells but think buying the gym membership is cheaper! I supplement my heavy lifting routine every now and then with kettles when I get bored.
  • msmirandakate
    msmirandakate Posts: 13 Member
    i lift heavy, and im shrinking before my eyes. every week is a new pb, my latest? 705 pound leg press. ooh yeah.
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
    I've just started lifting heavy- just finished week 2 of NROL4W. I am bulky, but that's because i'm fat. I'm hoping to get less bulky as i get stronger.
    So, only 6 workouts in and I am really impressed. Right now, i can Deadlift- 110lbs, and Barbell squat- 70lbs. I started off basically using body weight or the unloaded bars. I can't wait to see how things are in a month!
  • cogsblogs23
    cogsblogs23 Posts: 33
    OK, since all eyes are on this thread (you all look fantastic and WOW, so inspirational), I guess it's the best place to voice my concerns.

    I really want to start lifting heavy. I've started some basic, light-weight exercises that I do at home to help get myself used to form and start workin my muscles, since I've never really lifted before. I'm going today to get a bar and some dumbbells that go up to ~40 lbs each- I figure they will get me by for awhile.

    Here's where I'm worried. I have SUCH a hard time reconciling weight lifting and diet. It's ingrained in my brain that, as an obese women, I MUST cut a large number of calories if I want to see weight loss. But, I don't just want to see the numbers on the scale drop. I want to get stronger, I want to lose fat, and I want to eventually build muscle so I can look GOOD, and not just smaller.

    Are there any women out there who started out in the obese category who can help me? Should I drop some weight first, then start lifting? Should I lift now while maintaining a caloric deficit? Should I up calories and lift? I'm so lost.

    Stats, if it helps:

    5'2
    227 lbs
    25 years old

    Start lifting now - it will help preserve muscle mass while losing weight, so your losses are fat. Lifting should not be about the calories burned (they are a bonus) but about body composition (plus a bunch of other things). You can still do cardio.


    Such a wonderful thread. I've just started lifting heavy (well working up to lifting heavy - lets just say I'm lifting as heavy as I can personally manage right now) and this is the answer I've been trawling the forums for. I am also adding 30-45 minutes cardio every day and trying to eat healthy (much healthier than before I started but not 'clean'). I have a lot to lose, and the weight isn't falling off, but I can feel a difference. Thank you - such inspiring before and afters.
  • carissar7
    carissar7 Posts: 183 Member
    This is me, on the LEFT in September 2012....I was my "bulkiest" at 142 lbs. Next to me is Jenyne Butterfly (famous pole dancer). I look huge next to her! It was a true wake up call. I only pole danced at the time and did other forms of resistance training, but nothing with barbells. I also ate whatever I wanted because I thought I looked 'fine'. I'm calling it my bulking phase lol. I gained 20 lbs in less than 2 years and told myself it was all muscle (of course that's far from the truth).

    2504h0j.png

    This is me TODAY, at 126 lbs and 23% BF. Hardly bulky, and that's after I started lifting! It's kinda hard to tell though from the pic because I'm wearing REALLY baggy pants.

    2m2vou0.jpg

    I started stronglifts 5x5 a few weeks ago, but have been lifting since January this year. I also eat at a deficit (paleo-ish) in order to lose fat. It's been amazing so far. My stats are:

    Squat: 80 lbs
    Bench: 50 lbs
    Barbell row: 50 lbs
    Deadlift: 95 lbs (although I don't think my form is that good)
    Overhead press: 45 lbs (been STUCK at this for like 2 weeks! Grrrrr...)

    Again, this is just from a few weeks so I'm still a newbie. But I can already tell a huge difference from the beginning of the year. I love picking up heavy things!
  • montcowgirlwyo
    montcowgirlwyo Posts: 4
    Awesome!! My daughter is same weight as you and looks awesome!! She does mostly yoga, various planks, and hand weights. I am just getting started. Can't wait to see to be back in shape again!!
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
    I don't think so.
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
    Bump for later inspiration!
  • J3nnaLyn
    J3nnaLyn Posts: 125
    Bumpppp. Loving this thread!
  • coffee4me57
    coffee4me57 Posts: 195
    bump
  • inkysmurf
    inkysmurf Posts: 168
    bump
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    Bump for the awesome she-hulks :P I hope to be able to post my own success one day! :D<3 You ladies are gorgeous!!!!
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    I've only been weightlifting for a little bit. I had my introduction to it about three months ago and just started a solid plan 3 weeks ago. I don't know exactly how much I can lift yet, but I plan on trying for some maxes next week so I'll know soon. When I do I'll post some pictures!
    Alright, so I just started this week, and I obviously am a total weakling.This week, I got pretty much just the bar for everything, except for bench. So 45 squat, 45 deadlift, 55 bench (will try OHP next week).

    What weight did you guys all start out on? I'm definitely sore, and was really pushing for the last rep, so I know I'm doing as much weight as possible. But I feel kinda lame, because in high school I was lifting triple this in most of my lifts. :/

    Also, I'm doing 5 sets of 5 reps, because I've seen it mentioned a lot. Suggestions?

    This is an old question but it's a good one so I wanted to reply.

    I didn't start putting weight on the bar until at least a week into serious training, and all the practice I had before that was with PVC pipes and bars. I use a 35lb bar, and I was plenty sore just from going through all the new movements.

    I've been adding weight really pretty slowly. There's been a few times when I've approached failure, though, even at these low weights. So yeah, looking at all the ladies stats in this thread makes me feel pretty weak.

    But I'm stronger than I was last week, and that counts for a lot. I started with a 55lb squat and now I can do 75lbs. One day I'll be able to squat my body weight, and then I'll work for more. We all start somewhere.

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