What Exactly Is Meant By "Lifting Heavy"?

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SunFlwr324
SunFlwr324 Posts: 13 Member
in Getting Started
Please pardon my ignorance but I can't seem to find (either on MFP or Google) what exactly is meant by lifting heavy? Can someone please break it down for me? Bonus points if there is an explanation for a newbie woman.

I have seen the dramatic results thread and clearly its a very successful tactic for many many people and I would love to understand exactly how to do it correctly and understand it.

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  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
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    I found this link to be helpful
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Lifting heavy is relative. What is heavy for me might be too light for someone else. What we usually mean is using a weight heavy enough that you can lift with good form for 5 to 8 repetitions

    I would suggest reading the book " the new rules of lifting "
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Most people mean compound barbell lifts, as heavy as you can for 5-8 reps, 3-5 sets.

    This is a good guide to a good beginner's program.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
  • BranDiesel_27
    BranDiesel_27 Posts: 46
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    Pretty much using heavier weight than what you normally train with.
    Say, for example, I'm training 5X12 on chest and back a day. But I wanna go heavy on the chest. I'd up the weight that I'd use. And obviously since your using more weight than you would have used on a 5X12, your gonna have lower reps there and probiby drop the sets to only 3(3x6/3X4/ie)
    Hope this helps. If I didn't explain it good enough, please ask questions! :)
  • SunFlwr324
    SunFlwr324 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thank you all for your explanations and reference readings. I have a fairly good hold conceptually on my diet and eating at a deficit but I want to make sure that I take full advantage of lifting, weights and cardio.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    I lift as heavy as I personally can, but the MFP snobs would laugh if they knew how little that is. Regardless, I am getting stronger and healthier, so it works for me.
  • doylenic
    doylenic Posts: 31
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    I lift as heavy as I personally can, but the MFP snobs would laugh if they knew how little that is. Regardless, I am getting stronger and healthier, so it works for me.


    Don't let any one laugh at you, weights is a great fat burner and having more muscle will burn more calories!!
  • Qski
    Qski Posts: 246 Member
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    I haven't actually come across any heavy lifting MFP users who are in any way competitive about the actual weight that is heavy to individuals. And as someone who has yet to start, I would actually not feel intimidated to post about not being able to lift much to start or even about not being able to lift the bar alone (lots of women start unable to lift the oly barbell without weight on it)
    sorry about your experience alisonlynn197 - hopefully you stay away from anyone that makes you feel like that!

    but generally i have the impression that if you can lift it a lot (12 reps or more per set) then it isn't lifting heavy.
  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379
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    I lift as heavy as I personally can, but the MFP snobs would laugh if they knew how little that is. Regardless, I am getting stronger and healthier, so it works for me.


    Me too! My squat weight is only 30 kgs and my deadlift is only 30 kgs. My heavy is someone else's trivial. I am loving it though :)
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I lift as heavy as I personally can, but the MFP snobs would laugh if they knew how little that is. Regardless, I am getting stronger and healthier, so it works for me.


    Me too! My squat weight is only 30 kgs and my deadlift is only 30 kgs. My heavy is someone else's trivial. I am loving it though :)

    As long as there is a consistent progression, then don't let anyone tell you it's not heavy enough.

    If in 3mths you are still deadlifting/squatting 30kg, then it's probably not heavy enough.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    I lift as heavy as I personally can, but the MFP snobs would laugh if they knew how little that is. Regardless, I am getting stronger and healthier, so it works for me.

    I doubt anyone would laugh or care. Weight training is mostly about challenging yourself with progressive loads to stress muscle. You rarely lift "as heavy as you can" but at levels that allow 3-12 reps. Then you advance.

    Whatever your level today, hopefully it is better than yesterday and you'll even be stronger tomorrow.

    The secret to "lifting heavy" isn't a specific weight. It's pushing yourself so that the sets you do are at the limit of what you CAN do and that you do it consistently week in week out to get the results YOU want.

    I work out in a gym personally owned by an old giant of the bodybuilding scene and, as such, it attracts a large number of massively jacked, insulin injecting, steroid using huuuuge dudes. Even there, it's bad form to laugh at others efforts or levels, we are NOT all here for the same thing. Do your thing, make it challenging and you will advance.
  • princesstoadstool82
    princesstoadstool82 Posts: 371 Member
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    ... i do stronglifts....
    when i started i started below 20kgs even like 10kgs for the squats... and built up from there, ensuring my form was good, at the lighter weight (which was still kinda heavy back then )
    and i've slowly increased the weights each session... i am now squatting approx 60kgs,
    when i started doing stronglifts i'd never lifted free weights before.. get a trainer/ program gym person, to show you how to do the exercises, and go from there :) good luck :)

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