Girls - How heavy do you go for squats?

More today than you did yesterday.
More tomorrow than you did today.

Make it work. I had to deload down to 165 because I took a month off . . . looking forward to pushing past 175 this time. When I'm pushing my heaviest weights it's because I stick to my exercise and dietary plan, at that time I'm a size 0 . . . when I lift my lightest weights because I've broken from my routine I have to break out my big clothes (size 6). My ultimate lifting goal is 187.5 (my prime weight x 150%).

Ignore the old wives tales, unless you're eating in excess you won't get big and your uterus won't fall out and you won't become infertile just by making yourself stronger and maxing out your body's potential.

I just started Stronglifts, and my squats are at 60lbs. right now. I love increasing the weight

Using what I have available (dumbbells), I am up to 60lbs on squats. Hoping to increase to 65-70 this week. Working on form rather than increased weight load, since my knees are a weak spot.

30 lb each dumbell.

About to start strong lift when I join my new gym next week. We have plated barbells and fixed weighted ones, think I'll stick to fixed weights at first, makes it easier to change weights for each exercise, plus I know the true weight, no need to add plates + bar lol

Can you use fixed weight barbells on a squat rack?

I'm 42 yrs old, 151 pound and I'll be squatting 135 this afternoon on the Strong Lifts 5x5 program. My thighs have not increased or decreased in size as of yet, but they sure do look better.

I am currently doing a stong lift 5x5 that my huband set me up with. I just squatted 115 yesterday and will do 120 on Wednesday. I questioned the heavy weight when he first suggested the program but I have seem great results. Started at 45 and have added 5 pounds with each workout. Go heavy!

Right now I am squatting a crap ton (don't remember weight) on the Smith machine, and around 80 lbs free-standing. I have a heart problem, so I have to be careful HOW I do them. I will be going much heavier as soon as I can.

For a reference, read this:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

What do you differently because of your heart disease, if you don't mind me asking? I have heart disease myself and was a bit wary when I started. I don't know any other women who are lifting and have heart disease, so I'm pleased to have "met" you"!

I this thread.

About to start strong lift when I join my new gym next week. We have plated barbells and fixed weighted ones, think I'll stick to fixed weights at first, makes it easier to change weights for each exercise, plus I know the true weight, no need to add plates + bar lol

Can you use fixed weight barbells on a squat rack?

I don't believe so. It's actually easier to add weights with a regular barbell because as far as i know, you can only go up by 10 lbs with the fixed weight bars. That may be too much of a jump for you at some point. You are supposed to increase by 5lbs with stronglifts except for 10lbs on your deadlifts.

Also when people say the amount of weight, is that the total weight of the plates added or does that include the bar?

Plates plus bar. Standard bar weights 45 lbs.


You should target doing reps at your bodyweight. And as many others have said, it is almost a physical impossibility for you to get bulky lifting heavier weights. You don't have enough testosterone or human growth hormone. Look up Jamie Eason and tell me if she's too bulky. I assure you that 99.9% of men don't think so.

How much does the smith machine bar weigh?

It should be an Olympic bar

Also when people say the amount of weight, is that the total weight of the plates added or does that include the bar?

Plates plus bar. Standard bar weights 45 lbs.


You should target doing reps at your bodyweight. And as many others have said, it is almost a physical impossibility for you to get bulky lifting heavier weights. You don't have enough testosterone or human growth hormone. Look up Jamie Eason and tell me if she's too bulky. I assure you that 99.9% of men don't think so.

How much does the smith machine bar weigh?

I've only been logging the weight of the plates.

I'm squatting (plates only) 40lbs total for my first set (12 reps) and by the 4th set, I'm at 70lbs,

the angled leg press is another matter however,
i can do about 4 reps at 145lbs (plates only) but am comfrotable around 110-130lbs.

how much does that bar weigh?

totally unrelated, what a difference using a machine makes!!!! I can barely hold 25lbs dumbbells in each hand but I knew I was capable of squatting alot more.

I'm 5'6, 133lbs.

Some smith machines have counter-weighted bars so the bar essentially weighs nothing. I have a smith in my house and the bar weighs 45 lbs and holds olympic plates.

And yes, the machine makes it much, MUCH easier. I don't usually tell people how much I squat on a smith because it's just not the same thing as free at all. I am looking forward to replacing my smith with a power rack next month and starting from scratch with my squat and bench.

The problem with the machine - and, again, I use one so I'm not trying to rag on you - is that you're not using any of the stabilizing muscles, so while you can push progressively more and more weight, you're not engaging all the muscles. Eventually, as you get really heavy, you will probably hurt yourself on a machine. I'm there... which is why I'm kind of no longer doing a proper 5x5 routine and need a real rack to improve at this point.

I am squatting 185 currently (squat rack - for some reason, I felt the need to clarify). I still have plenty of fat to lose, but even so, my legs and glutes haven't gotten bigger. The shape has improved nicely though - even with the extra fat on top, my legs and backside are much improved. As the fat is reduced, they will get smaller, not larger. Don't be afraid to go heavy.

*edited for typo

Don't you add your body weight to the weight of the bars to get your total weight