Do you lift heavy every workout?

mommylifter
mommylifter Posts: 123
in Fitness and Exercise
At the gym today, I was talking to one of the moms I sometimes workout with and I was telling her how I lift really heavy weights these days and she responded with ''not everyday, right? You do have light weight days, don't you?'' Um, no, am I supposed to be having ''light'' weight days. She told me I shouldn't lift heavy every time I work out or I'll get too big. Any input, is she right?
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Replies

  • d9123
    d9123 Posts: 531 Member
    Lol the only way ur gonna get big is if you eat a lot
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    No no no. No.

    You won't get 'big' without eating a calorie surplus and/or drugs.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    She told me I shouldn't lift heavy every time I work out or I'll get too big

    :noway:
  • Vegasboricua702
    Vegasboricua702 Posts: 149
    Gaining mass is a combination ofr excess calories + Heavy lifting. If your lifting heavy and are eating under your normal calories then you will just get toned and lean.
  • bonitacash08
    bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
    I lift heavy every workout, but not every day. It's important to get at least a day's rest between lifting heavy.

    But yeah as for getting "big", that's not gonna happen through anything we're willing to do.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    No no no. No.

    You won't get 'big' without eating a calorie surplus and/or drugs.

    This. I usually lift 3-4 days a week.
    I wouldn't do more than 4 days, not because of getting big, but your muscles need days off to repair themselves.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    Well, rest days are a good idea so your muscles can recover, but lifting "light" is most likely a waste of your time. You aren't going to get "too big" unless you are taking roids or something.
  • kirk_clawson
    kirk_clawson Posts: 36 Member
    Well, there are a few things that you risk getting big when you lift heavy:

    1. Your strength.
    2. Your confidence.

    So, if she was referring to these, then unfortunately she was right. However, I think she was referring to your muscles. In which case, read all the reply's above me. :)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I lift heavy every time I work out. I don't work out every day. It's stupid to do light weight on off days, because like.... my laundry basket and shopping bags weigh more than her light weights. Don't listen to that silly nonsense.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    At a basic level, diet dictates the outcome of your exercise, generally speaking. Volume, intensity, testosterone level, comes into play of course but diet is perhaps the most crucial.

    I don't lift heavy every workout right now. Right now my workouts I segmented by Max Effort (aka "heavy), Dynamic Effort (speed), Repetition effort (just what it sounds like). Every session doesn't have to be heavy but it can be if done correctly.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    37917482.jpg

    No, you will not bulk...most women simply don't have the genetics...****, it's hard for a dude.

    Also, I hope you don't lift every day unless you are doing splits...even then, it should be like 4 days per week tops...5 if you no how to go without over training.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    do a proper lifting program. you should vary intensity. improper programming= worse results
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
    I was doing a heavy/med/med/light work out but my shoulder is telling me to stop that.

    gonna start a light/heavy routine next week.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    I don't lift heavy every day, but I lift heavy every time I lift. I'm doing (a modified version of) Wendler's 5/3/1, so I squats and bench on Monday and do some lighter accessory work after, over head press on Wednesday, again with light accessory work and heavy deadlifts on Friday, and, you guessed it, some lighter accessory work (and by lighter, I mean a weight that I can go up to 10 reps on, not 2 pounds handweights). I'm not eating to gain muscle (not intentionally, although I've gone over my limits a bit the past few days), so I won't gain tons of muscle. As a women, it's not like I'd hulk out anyway.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    You need rest days.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Yes.

    I lift 6 days a week. Each day has 1-2 heavy compound lifts.
    I cycle the lifts between heavy/low reps moderate/moderate reps, and light/hi reps.

    Like if I'm doing heavy squats on one day, I'll do light bench.
    The next day, I'll do heavy deadlifts and medium overhead press
    Day 3, heavy bench, light squats. etc.
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    If I'm going to take the time to lift, it's going to be heavy. I refuse to expend energy for "light."
  • aerynth
    aerynth Posts: 34 Member
    Ugh, no. Here we go with more women perpetuating nonsense. /eyeroll

    You will not accidentally get bulky. You cannot get accidentally bulky. Most women will never, ever even come close to even looking somewhat visibly muscular, much less bulky, and it's impossible to do by accident. Lifting heavy alone won't do it. I was lifting heavy 5 days a week (squatting close to 200) and the only time you could even see any muscle on me is if I flexed my legs or arms. I also was eating only 1400-1700 calories, which isn't nearly enough to gain lots of muscle.

    You DO need some rest days, but that's only because you need to let your muscles rest so the muscle-building process can happen. It's also unsafe to overextend your muscles too far, as you can hurt yourself when you're fatigued.
  • mommylifter
    mommylifter Posts: 123
    I should clarify: I don't lift heavy everyday, but every workout. I lift about 4 days a week right now.
  • aerynth
    aerynth Posts: 34 Member
    I should clarify: I don't lift heavy everyday, but every workout. I lift about 4 days a week right now.
    And that's fine. Your friend is spouting bad advice with no evidence other than it being a popular misconception.

    I lift heavy or I don't lift at all when I go. You can't make progress with lifting if you let yourself go lighter than what you're capable of doing.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    At a basic level, diet dictates the outcome of your exercise, generally speaking. Volume, intensity, testosterone level, comes into play of course but diet is perhaps the most crucial.

    I don't lift heavy every workout right now. Right now my workouts I segmented by Max Effort (aka "heavy), Dynamic Effort (speed), Repetition effort (just what it sounds like). Every session doesn't have to be heavy but it can be if done correctly.
    You must be doing one of the Westside workouts.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    Unless you're an intermediate/advanced, you don't need deload days.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    I lift heavy three times a week (my only workout days). Every workout I try to progress to higher weights if I can...so NO, you will not get bulky.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    At a basic level, diet dictates the outcome of your exercise, generally speaking. Volume, intensity, testosterone level, comes into play of course but diet is perhaps the most crucial.

    I don't lift heavy every workout right now. Right now my workouts I segmented by Max Effort (aka "heavy), Dynamic Effort (speed), Repetition effort (just what it sounds like). Every session doesn't have to be heavy but it can be if done correctly.
    You must be doing one of the Westside workouts.

    Ha, no I'm not doing WS although I very much enjoy WS. I'm learning The Cube Method which incorporates similar philosophies but the training cycles are split differently. I like it actually, it feels to be a lot less taxing than WS.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    At a basic level, diet dictates the outcome of your exercise, generally speaking. Volume, intensity, testosterone level, comes into play of course but diet is perhaps the most crucial.

    I don't lift heavy every workout right now. Right now my workouts I segmented by Max Effort (aka "heavy), Dynamic Effort (speed), Repetition effort (just what it sounds like). Every session doesn't have to be heavy but it can be if done correctly.
    You must be doing one of the Westside workouts.

    Ha, no I'm not doing WS although I very much enjoy WS. I'm learning The Cube Method which incorporates similar philosophies but the training cycles are split differently. I like it actually, it feels to be a lot less taxing than WS.
    I may looking into the cube method.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    At a basic level, diet dictates the outcome of your exercise, generally speaking. Volume, intensity, testosterone level, comes into play of course but diet is perhaps the most crucial.

    I don't lift heavy every workout right now. Right now my workouts I segmented by Max Effort (aka "heavy), Dynamic Effort (speed), Repetition effort (just what it sounds like). Every session doesn't have to be heavy but it can be if done correctly.
    You must be doing one of the Westside workouts.

    Ha, no I'm not doing WS although I very much enjoy WS. I'm learning The Cube Method which incorporates similar philosophies but the training cycles are split differently. I like it actually, it feels to be a lot less taxing than WS.
    I may looking into the cube method.

    At the very least it's worth a read. There's a thread going on it in the Powerlifting section if you want to follow.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Well, if it helps, I have two more testes than you and I'm struggling to "get big" lifting heavy despite eating a calorie surplus. Maybe I'm not grunting loud enough and throwing dumbbells on the floor after each set? :laugh:
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    stronglifts 5x5 say you should increase weight every workout for the first 12 weeks and NROL new rule #5 says you should set a record every workout either increased weight, sets or reps so having a light day is not recommended, the rest days are to recuperate ready for the next time.
  • djeffreys10
    djeffreys10 Posts: 2,312 Member
    Lifting makes women big? WRONG! Cake makes women big. Lifting makes women sexy.

    Unless you are taking steriods, you will not get all muscular bulky looking. Even if you are eating at a surplus. Eat at too big of a surplus and you will get fat-big. But that will be a result of your diet, not lifting. Eat at a 10% surplus or so and lift heavy.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    At a basic level, diet dictates the outcome of your exercise, generally speaking. Volume, intensity, testosterone level, comes into play of course but diet is perhaps the most crucial.

    I don't lift heavy every workout right now. Right now my workouts I segmented by Max Effort (aka "heavy), Dynamic Effort (speed), Repetition effort (just what it sounds like). Every session doesn't have to be heavy but it can be if done correctly.
    You must be doing one of the Westside workouts.

    Ha, no I'm not doing WS although I very much enjoy WS. I'm learning The Cube Method which incorporates similar philosophies but the training cycles are split differently. I like it actually, it feels to be a lot less taxing than WS.
    I may looking into the cube method.

    At the very least it's worth a read. There's a thread going on it in the Powerlifting section if you want to follow.

    Off topic but.... how do you like it? Im running 5/3/1 right now and after I've been following Lilly's youtube channel for a while I am very intrigued. I like 5/3/1, but the progress is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO slow.... Is Cube Faster?

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