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

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  • lauraellie10
    lauraellie10 Posts: 273 Member
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    bump to read later.

    snap
  • Sheperior
    Sheperior Posts: 4
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    It mean pushing yourself a little more than normal. Meaning if you been lifting 5lbs maybe by increasing it to 8lbs. You don't have to lift a 100lbs in order to consider your weight to be heavy, 10lbs could be lifting heavy. As long as you getting a good workout and you feeling the the weight you lifting and making sure it not to light or easy,you are lifting heavy.
  • jessica182517
    jessica182517 Posts: 390 Member
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    Bump to finish reading later..lots of good info!! :) Thanks for the post!
  • VpinkLotus
    VpinkLotus Posts: 849 Member
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    Love this thread. Thanks :)
  • nik2710
    nik2710 Posts: 49 Member
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    Bump for later
  • dandandee
    dandandee Posts: 301 Member
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    great thread! thanks for taking the time to write this all up !
  • Diana7021
    Diana7021 Posts: 61 Member
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    Interesting info-bump
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    I'm a small-framed woman with some injuries and joint issues, so there are some exercises for which I use three-pound dumbbells. They are not a waste. I don't like machines, except for the lat machine, cable row, and triceps dip, also the preacher curl and assisted pull up, chin up. I use dumbbells on my shoulders, pecs, triceps and biceps and have never been above 15-pound dumbbells. I had definition. If you want definition, it's rather simple. Don't be fat in that area.

    My upper body did get bigger, which is fine. I didn't want my lower body, which holds more fat, to increase so I don't use direct resistance strength training there. This is standard advice for people who are training for basic strength and aesthetics.

    I think women should aspire to whatever level of strength and shape they desire. But it is not true that weights don't make you bigger. And I am not talking about professional body builder bulky, just bigger. If a woman is concerned about that she should be informed, not lied to.

    Even in men, I prefer, a slim, trim, compact build, not someone who looks muscle-bound. As a woman it's not the look to which I aspire.

    Lifting weights has only made me SMALLER! I've lost 60 lbs since I've been lifting--started with kettlebells and added heavy lifting a couple months later.

    I've lost 15 inches from my waist. 9 inches from my hips. 1 inch from my neck. 5 inches from each thigh. 2.25 inches from each of my calves and 2.5 inches from each upper arm. I've also lost 11% body fat.

    Also, it is NOT "standard advice" to skip training your lower body if you happen to be like many women and carry more weight there. That is absolutely ridiculous.
  • Daresie
    Daresie Posts: 41 Member
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    Bump to read more later. Kids' track meet calls.....
  • FootsoreRambler
    FootsoreRambler Posts: 80 Member
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    I started lifting in late September '12, so it's been a little more than seven months. The numbers are what I can do for at least 2 sets of 6-8 reps. I'm about 127 lbs, 5'4".

    1) starting bench press? current bench press? how long have you been doing bench presses?
    I haven't been bench pressing, but I progressed from 45-degree pushups to proper ones, and I can now do 15 proper pushups in a row. I'm about to start bench pressing.

    2) starting squat? current squat? how long have you been doing squats?
    Starting: just the bar (45 lbs)
    Current: 105 lbs

    3) starting dead lift? current dead lift? how long have you been doing dead lifts?
    Starting: 50 lbs
    Current: 135 lbs

    4) starting overhead press (OHP)? current OHP? how long have you been doing OHPs?
    Starting: 20 lbs
    Current: 45 lbs
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    It has probably already been mentioned, but 'lifting heavy' is what the individual can do for up to 8 reps while maintaining proper form. A good routine will have progressive loading built in.

    While people can use others as inspiration, we should never use others' lifts as progress for us as individuals. Everyone is at a different stage in their lifting live and have very different factors that play a role, such as genetics, lifestyle, training intensity, 'real life', age, whether they are at a caloric deficit etc etc etc. Also, others' lifts may not be comparable due to, for example, depth of squat etc.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    I'm 5'2 and currently 120 lbs. I've been lifting off and on for 15 yrs and knew about the values of heavy lifting way before MFP. I took 2.5 yrs off and have been consistently lifting for over a year. I follow my own routine of an upper/lower split. I have different set/rep ranges for 6-8 week spans and will throw in pyramiding for 3-4 weeks to change things. Saw great strentgh gains in my pyramid sets. Currently working with a 3-4 set and 6-8 or 8-10 rep split. Heavy to me is having difficulty on the last few reps but not ruining form. If I can perform my rep range, the weight goes up the next week.


    Bench:
    Starting- 45 lbs
    Current- 4X8, 85 lbs

    Squat:
    Starting-45lbs
    Current- 4X6, 135 lbs

    OHP:
    Starting- 45 lbs
    Current-4x8, 70lbs. I only started doing traditional standing OHP in the last month. I've done seated DB and seated BB.

    I do not currently deadlift due to a back issue but do alternate forms of it. I also can do unassisted pull-ups for 3-4 sets at 10-12 reps.

    This is heavy for me and I know there are others much stronger than me. However our goals and routines differ so one should never compare to others.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    A question for those squatting much more than 100 pounds: Are you squatting to parallel, or doing partial squats? I'm not wanting to debate the merits of either, just curious.

    I've been following the Stronglifts 5x5 for 6 months or so now, and find that once I reach about 95# on my squats, I stop regularly hitting parallel, and have to dial it back to work on my form again. The concept that I might someday get to a 200# parallel squat just seems so far out of reach. If any of you are doing that, it gives me new hope! :)

    I squat just below parallel. Current 1RM is 240lb.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Stats:
    Height: 5 6"
    Weight: bulking so it's going up daily! 156'ish

    I pretty much started with the bar or less for all lifts and have been doing them for about a year. Current lifts are:

    Bench: 145lb

    Squat: 240lb

    Deadlift: 280lb

    OHP: 100lb
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I'm a small-framed woman with some injuries and joint issues, so there are some exercises for which I use three-pound dumbbells. They are not a waste. I don't like machines, except for the lat machine, cable row, and triceps dip, also the preacher curl and assisted pull up, chin up. I use dumbbells on my shoulders, pecs, triceps and biceps and have never been above 15-pound dumbbells. I had definition. If you want definition, it's rather simple. Don't be fat in that area.

    My upper body did get bigger, which is fine. I didn't want my lower body, which holds more fat, to increase so I don't use direct resistance strength training there. This is standard advice for people who are training for basic strength and aesthetics.

    I think women should aspire to whatever level of strength and shape they desire. But it is not true that weights don't make you bigger. And I am not talking about professional body builder bulky, just bigger. If a woman is concerned about that she should be informed, not lied to.

    Even in men, I prefer, a slim, trim, compact build, not someone who looks muscle-bound. As a woman it's not the look to which I aspire.

    Women *can* get bigger on a surplus if they train intensively.

    On a deficit, we can make some very small mass gains when first starting. There will be a small size increase on top of that because of glycogen/water retention in the muscle and neuromuscular adaptations (the muscles get 'woken up' so to speak).

    However, insinuating that people are lying is a bit of a stretch - a small increase due to glycogen/water possibly not being mentioned is hardly lying, especially in the context that these statements are made. Unless someone is lean the decreases in fat (assuming that is also happening, which is the majority of the time on here) will far outweigh the increase in the muscle due to newb gains and the 'swole' you get.

    It's funny that you use the word 'muscle bound' - I am not sure what you are insinuating with that...someone who gets a bit of pump in their activated muscle is muscle bound? Or is it someone lean enough for the muscles to show?

    Standard advice for strength is to not directly strength train? You lost me on that one.
  • danagolding
    danagolding Posts: 49
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    LOVE this post! I have been seeing all of these awesome threads (with pictures for proof) about women lifting heavy and not only being not bulky but super lean! I assumed that lifting heavy meant really HEAVY and that seems intimidating. I've been wanting to try out weight training and after seeing what some other women are lifting I realize that I used to lift somewhere similar to that or even more in my high school weight lifting class so I can totally do this! Thank you for the great post! Now to just get up a bit more motivation and courage!
  • chymerra
    chymerra Posts: 212
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    i've been progressively lifting heavier; started with curling 3lbs and now up to 17.5lbs... started (shoulder) pressing with 8lbs and now up to 22lbs.

    i do bodybeast and LOVE the program; prior to BB i did p90x and loved that too.

    you will not get bulky, ladies (unless you eat a consistent surplus) but if you just love lifting, you just get defined, awesome muscles.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    You seem very knowledgeable, so let me ask this. I have been using dumbbells for about a month now. I am pleased with the results so far. I seem to be building some strength and, since I am eating in a deficient, am losing fat that is covering my newly stronger muscles.

    I have a set of 14" dumbbell bars, they weigh 4 lb. I have a set of 2.5 cap plates and 5lb cap plates for each dumbbell. These cost me $55, and I do not have the money to invest in more right now, and can do 12-15 reps fairly easily on most of my moves. My question is, will doing higher reps with this max weight build strength and help me get lean until I can purchase more weight plates (or maybe even a bar), or do I really need to scrimp and save and try to get more plates asap?

    To be honest, you may be better of including some body weight exercises that challenge you more. If what you have is easy at 15 reps, then adding more reps will not give you the progressive loading you want.

    Google "Convict Conditioning" for some examples of body weight exercises that you do not need specific equipment for.
  • Summer5555
    Summer5555 Posts: 104 Member
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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?

    Bench Press : Start 20 kg Current 32.5kg ( 6 months - I suffer vertigo so am reluctant to push myself too hard)
    Squat: Start 20kg Current 42.5kg (6 months)
    Dead Lift: Start: 10kg Current 40kg (6 months)
    OHP: Start 10kg Current 20kg (Only started doing this 2 weeks ago)

    Over the 6 months I caught a virus which took over a month to go so it set me back a lot, I have also had a one week lifting break when I felt that I wasn't recovering sufficiently after trying a deload. I think I could probably be lifting more if I adjusted my calorie intake upwards a bit but I still have a lot of weight to lose so my goal is to keep what muscle I have now and lose the weight slowly. Once I am the dress size I want to be I want to be able to say I can squat my body weight and maybe bench press it too.
  • mrsartis1
    mrsartis1 Posts: 42 Member
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    BUMP for later reading. thanks =)

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