What does lifting "heavy" mean to women?

Options
12467

Replies

  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    I agree there can be many definitions to "heavy" as others have pointed out, but if you want straight numbers, my 1RM's (1 rep maxes) from the last time I did them (3 months ago) are: deadlift - 308lbs, strict press - 100 lbs, back squat - 209 lbs. I know these have gone up significantly in the last few months, but haven't formally reassessed my 1RMs with my trainer yet. For example, I can do 8 reps at 90% of my back squat 1RM now, so I'm really expecting to see that jump up when we reassess at the end of this month.

    You are strong! Wow!
  • cmay89
    cmay89 Posts: 337 Member
    Options
    I think people aren't giving specific numbers because a lot of people see "lifting heavy" not as an amount of pounds, but lifting as much weight as you can for a smaller number of reps, instead of the proverbial "more reps, less weight"

    Fair enough point. I am just curious to see where other women are. I can't really compare to the other women at my gym because they don't focus on lifting like I do.


    ok, I'll bite


    bear in mind I have somehow neglected to max out for the last year so, these might not be accurate (hoping they haven't gone down at the very least!)

    all in lbs

    DL: 325
    Back squat: 250
    Front Squat: 185
    Bench:165
    Shoulder press: 120
    Squat clean: 180
    Squat Snatch: 135

    any others you would like to know? I only work with free weights, no machines.

    lol, nope. I have to go work out so I can match your numbers. :bigsmile: Nice weights. I'm no where near you.

    :blushing: Thanks, you can get there and surpass them if that is your desire. You've got a great jumping off point where you are! I've always been "strong for a girl", but I started lifting and have been working hard at it for a couple of years now. Takes a little more patience than I would like though!
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    I don't focus soley on strength so my rep ranges vary; as in I don't follow the 5x5 standard or believe heavy lifting is only defined by those working in the rep range under 5. I'm looking for aesthetics, mass building and strentgh so my reps range on the day from sets of 4-6 to even 8-12.

    Here's my max numbers on the main compounds but gasp! Yes I do isolation work too...:)
    Squat 170lbs 1-2 sets x 4 reps
    Bench-105lbs 5x5
    Deadlift-155lbs 3x5
    OHP-I maxed out at 75lbs, hate this move.

    Edit to add: I'm 5'2 124lbs

    That's great weight numbers.

    Apparently I just need to hit the gym harder! I seem to be on the lower end of the weight scale here with my lifting!
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    My heavy would probably be about 15 lbs in free weights right now. I can do a lot better with machines though, I don't know why.

    Not sure if serious....
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    I think people aren't giving specific numbers because a lot of people see "lifting heavy" not as an amount of pounds, but lifting as much weight as you can for a smaller number of reps, instead of the proverbial "more reps, less weight"

    Fair enough point. I am just curious to see where other women are. I can't really compare to the other women at my gym because they don't focus on lifting like I do.


    ok, I'll bite


    bear in mind I have somehow neglected to max out for the last year so, these might not be accurate (hoping they haven't gone down at the very least!)

    all in lbs

    DL: 325
    Back squat: 250
    Front Squat: 185
    Bench:165
    Shoulder press: 120
    Squat clean: 180
    Squat Snatch: 135

    any others you would like to know? I only work with free weights, no machines.

    lol, nope. I have to go work out so I can match your numbers. :bigsmile: Nice weights. I'm no where near you.

    :blushing: Thanks, you can get there and surpass them if that is your desire. You've got a great jumping off point where you are! I've always been "strong for a girl", but I started lifting and have been working hard at it for a couple of years now. Takes a little more patience than I would like though!

    That's what I am finding. I sometimes wonder if there is a wall you hit of not being able to lift anymore. Then I hear of women lifting double what I do, and I feel like I've been working hard, but it just takes so long. I've been focusing on lifting for about 7 months now. I would be scared to say what I started at, but I think I do pretty well now. I see I obviously have tons of room for improvement because you ladies rock!
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    Options
    here are my numbers:

    Back Squat: 175#
    Overhead Squat: 105#
    Front Squat: 135#
    Split Jerk: 135#
    Push Press: 105#
    Strict Press: 90#
    Dead lift: 215#
    Squat Clean: 125#
    Power Snatch: 95#
    Squat Snatch: 80#
    One Arm KB Snatch: 45# (5/21/13)
    Fight Gone Bad: (RXed): 175
    CrossFit Total: 455 (165 BS, 75 P, 215 DL) + 20# on 2/25/13
    1000 m Row: 3:58
    2000m Row: 8:10

    I go to failure on the above lifts :)
  • Last2bfirst
    Last2bfirst Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    Lifting heavy as others have said is wroking your muscles, in a 5-8 rep set to exhaustion, last rep being almost unachiveable. It is essential to figure out what that weight is by finding your one rep max. This link will then help you calculate what your 5 RM will behttp://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/other7.htm. Work with that weight untill you get to 7-9 Reps with out exhaustion, check your 1 RM again and adjust. By doing this you will add lean muscle. Dont worry about bulking up to much, unless you use steroids, growth hormones or testostrone, what God intended you to have is the most you will get.

    Ligting light with light weights builds muscle endurance. This is important also. There are some that would argue that you "lift heavy" at 10-12 reps and you will get both benifits. I think the Nautilis sytem worked this way.

    Personally I work all resistence training at 84% of my 1 Rep Max
  • SairahRose
    SairahRose Posts: 412 Member
    Options
    l lift heavy for me. I've not been doing it for long, and I pretty much started at 5lb. - I also don't know the weight of my bar, since it came with some weights offered on my local Freegle site.
    I lift light in comparison to ladies in this thread, but it's heavy for me.
    Most exercises I'm at 40lb, although curls I'm at 20lb, squats at 60lb, and bench press at 45.
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
    Options
    4' 11" 128lbs

    Deadlift and Squat - 130lbs x 10
    Leg Press - 240lbs x 10

    Doing sets of 10 at the moment with my program, drop to 6's next week so will see how I get on then.

    Have no idea of 1RM, still a newb and not tested yet!!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
    Options
    I don't understand why the numbers are so important. Are you looking to see how you compare? What's heavy for me might seem weak to someone else.
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    4' 11" 128lbs

    Deadlift and Squat - 130lbs x 10
    Leg Press - 240lbs x 10

    Doing sets of 10 at the moment with my program, drop to 6's next week so will see how I get on then.

    Have no idea of 1RM, still a newb and not tested yet!!

    I don't know my max either. Never tried. I need someone to spot and the time to try.

    You are tiny and lifting so heavy! Congrats!!
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    here are my numbers:

    Back Squat: 175#
    Overhead Squat: 105#
    Front Squat: 135#
    Split Jerk: 135#
    Push Press: 105#
    Strict Press: 90#
    Dead lift: 215#
    Squat Clean: 125#
    Power Snatch: 95#
    Squat Snatch: 80#
    One Arm KB Snatch: 45# (5/21/13)
    Fight Gone Bad: (RXed): 175
    CrossFit Total: 455 (165 BS, 75 P, 215 DL) + 20# on 2/25/13
    1000 m Row: 3:58
    2000m Row: 8:10

    I go to failure on the above lifts :)

    I applaud you. I can't even compare. *runs to go work out*
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
    Options
    4' 11" 128lbs

    Deadlift and Squat - 130lbs x 10
    Leg Press - 240lbs x 10

    Doing sets of 10 at the moment with my program, drop to 6's next week so will see how I get on then.

    Have no idea of 1RM, still a newb and not tested yet!!

    I don't know my max either. Never tried. I need someone to spot and the time to try.

    You are tiny and lifting so heavy! Congrats!!

    Thanks :happy:

    I've got the same thing as you, with having almost equal dead-lift and squat numbers when most people have higher dead-lifts. I've been struggling with grip, just not able to hold on to the bar with more weight on it, so just got some straps. I know a lot of people don't recommend them but I'm working hard on it and guessing that my grip will catch up in time!!!

    So loving lifting though!!

    Good luck with your progress:drinker:
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Options
    4' 11" 128lbs

    Deadlift and Squat - 130lbs x 10
    Leg Press - 240lbs x 10

    Doing sets of 10 at the moment with my program, drop to 6's next week so will see how I get on then.

    Have no idea of 1RM, still a newb and not tested yet!!

    I don't know my max either. Never tried. I need someone to spot and the time to try.

    You are tiny and lifting so heavy! Congrats!!

    Thanks :happy:

    I've got the same thing as you, with having almost equal dead-lift and squat numbers when most people have higher dead-lifts. I've been struggling with grip, just not able to hold on to the bar with more weight on it, so just got some straps. I know a lot of people don't recommend them but I'm working hard on it and guessing that my grip will catch up in time!!!

    So loving lifting though!!

    Good luck with your progress:drinker:

    Yeah, that's my problem. Grip. STUPID HANDS and forearms!

    I am deadlifting 140 lbs, but it starts to slip from my fingers by rep 5-6. I could do more I bet, but I'm scared I won't be able to keep my fingers on the bar. I alternate my grip, and it still slips. I can't do barbell calf raises either because I can't hold on to the barbell with the amount of weight I can do, so I have to resort to doing calf raises on the sitting leg press machine. I do OCR too, and I find that the obstacles where grip is a must, I lack at....I need to work a lot on my grip. Also, pull ups suffer from my lack of grip.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    Options
    I don't like to brag :wink:

    Like a lot of other posters have said, don't worry about others' numbers. Just do what is heavy for you.
  • lms1220
    lms1220 Posts: 60
    Options
    bump
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Options
    I see many women claim to lift heavy, and I am just curious what exactly this means?

    It means you moved past the Oreck 8 lb. vacuum and can now lift the 17 pound Dyson vacuum instead.
  • ucabucca
    ucabucca Posts: 606 Member
    Options
    I never thought I was doing heavy lifting with legs but I am gettting looks and questions from guys and I guess as I am getting embaressed by it I must be lifting heavy It is just what i feel comfortale with as a snow skier
    Leg Press -170lbs 45 reps 4 rounds
    Leg Curls- 80Lbs ""
    Leg Extensions 110Lbs
    squats with 20-40 on Bosu for 90 sec 3 times 4 rounds and
    some form of lunges with 30 lbs still 4 rounds
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
    Options
    4' 11" 128lbs

    Deadlift and Squat - 130lbs x 10
    Leg Press - 240lbs x 10

    Doing sets of 10 at the moment with my program, drop to 6's next week so will see how I get on then.

    Have no idea of 1RM, still a newb and not tested yet!!

    I don't know my max either. Never tried. I need someone to spot and the time to try.

    You are tiny and lifting so heavy! Congrats!!

    Thanks :happy:

    I've got the same thing as you, with having almost equal dead-lift and squat numbers when most people have higher dead-lifts. I've been struggling with grip, just not able to hold on to the bar with more weight on it, so just got some straps. I know a lot of people don't recommend them but I'm working hard on it and guessing that my grip will catch up in time!!!

    So loving lifting though!!

    Good luck with your progress:drinker:

    Yeah, that's my problem. Grip. STUPID HANDS and forearms!

    I am deadlifting 140 lbs, but it starts to slip from my fingers by rep 5-6. I could do more I bet, but I'm scared I won't be able to keep my fingers on the bar. I alternate my grip, and it still slips. I can't do barbell calf raises either because I can't hold on to the barbell with the amount of weight I can do, so I have to resort to doing calf raises on the sitting leg press machine. I do OCR too, and I find that the obstacles where grip is a must, I lack at....I need to work a lot on my grip. Also, pull ups suffer from my lack of grip.

    Know just how you feel!! With the dead-lifts I've been doing the first set with maximum weight I can hold and then a couple of sets with straps so my forearms/grip is still being pushed. Don't know if this is the best theory but so don't want to hold up my dead-lift weight by having woosy hands!

    Not been doing pull ups yet but this would probably be good for increasing grip/forearm strength so should probably start with some negative's!!

    Any other suggestions for good 'grip' improver's welcome from all parties!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Options
    Heavy lifting usually means compound barbell movements, as heavy as you can 3-6 sets of 3-6 reps.

    For ME, 5'9", 165lbs, heavy lifting is:

    Squats: 3x6x115lbs.
    Bench: 3x6x115lbs
    Shoulder Press: 3x6x85lbs
    Deadlifts: 2x6x175lbs
    Pendlay Rows: 3x6x85lbs.

Categories