"Heavy" lifting? (particularly women)

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  • chickfromsc
    chickfromsc Posts: 31
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    The first two responses are EXCELLENT! So I don't have anything much to contribute! Other than YAY for chicks lifting heavy! It does amazing things to your body...and makes you feel bad a%% to boot!
  • lhergenr
    lhergenr Posts: 242 Member
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    dont think of it as weight as much as percentages of your 1 rep max.

    when i lift for strength (AKA heavy lifting) i lift 80-95% of my 1 rep max 5 reps of 5 sets.

    i only do compound lifting because i dont have time, inclination or patience do be cooped up in a weight room for more than 60 minutes.
    current weights:

    deadlifts: 210
    back squat: 180
    BB row: 120
    bench press: 120
    overhead press: 75
    push press : 90
    power clean : 100
    wow those are impressive numbers!!
  • Madelinew22
    Madelinew22 Posts: 289
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    no idea really but squats and lunges and a leg press machine made my butt go to this instead of flat:happy:
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
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    Generally, "heavy" weight training refers to lifting a weight WITH PROPER FORM for 8-10 reps to failure. After 8 reps, it should be very difficult to do more.

    I agree with you. 8-10 reps maximum with the last rep to failure. If you can more more reps, it's not heavy enough.
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
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    In general, "heavy lifting" is anything that you can just barely squeak out 10 reps. (Or I guess 5 if you're doing the SL method.)

    For me, I do 8-10-12 reps, and I've only been strength training for a couple months...I wish I could do more, and I'm trying to increase my protein, but so far the increases are slow.

    Bench: 45
    Squat: 75
    Lunges: 50

    I do a few others, but those are the big ones. It doesn't always have to be huge numbers--you're only competing with yourself!
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
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    Been a few posts that I have similarly replied to lately...here are my lifting stats, I do 5 reps of each weight for between 3 and 5 sets...

    Squats - 102.5 kg (225.5 lbs)
    Bench Press - 65 kg (143 lbs)
    Barbell Row - 70 kg (154 lbs)
    Overhead Press - 40 kg (88 lbs)
    Deadlifts - 102.5 kg (225.5 lbs)

    Been lifting since July this year, but have past experience lifting heavy as well...these are done with an olympic barbell with added weights. Compound lifts in other words.
  • JazmineYoli
    JazmineYoli Posts: 547 Member
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    deadlifts:
    back squat:
    BB row:
    bench press:
    overhead press:
    push press :
    power clean :


    QUESTION
    Do you do these same exercises every day or do you do work different groups each time?
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
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    as heavy as I can lift without falling over :smile:

    I was doing stronglifts 5x5 and loved it but I'm currently looking for a new program that better suited for me
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
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    I noticed several women have mentioned their success with heaving lifting.
    I'm wondering just how heavy the weights are that you're lifting?

    What would your typical number of sets/reps look like for various exercises, and how many lbs?

    Heavy is a very personal term. Heavy is different to each person. Also, you will not start off with "heavy" weights. I started off with light weights to get the form correct and have slowly added weights each workout. Now I am lifting what I consider to be "heavy" weights.

    For example my last workout, I did

    Deadlifts: 200lbs (3 sets of 5)
    Squats: 175lbs (3 sets of 5)

    But when I first started working out I started with a bar (45lbs) for each.
  • Sarahcuda
    Sarahcuda Posts: 76
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    I am on my boyfriends lifting routine.
    Mondays are Bench and Triceps
    Tuesdays are Back and Biceps
    Wednesdays are off
    Thursdays are Shoulders
    Fridays are Legs

    The number of reps changes week to week.
    The first week is 3-4 sets of 15 reps,
    Week 2 is 3-4 sets of 12 reps
    Week 3 is 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps
    Week 4 is 3-4 sets of 5 reps
    Then we restart at week 1!

    The goal is to max out and reach muscle fatigue with each muscle group.
    It is working and I have increased what I am able to lift by up to 30+ pounds in some groups. It is amazing how much stronger I am getting. I also have a lot of fat to lose still, but refuse to listen to any of the "critics" who say you can't build muscle while "dieting".

    If you want the exact specifications of the workout message me and tomorrow I can send you an excel of what we have been doing :)

    It is really important to have a workout partner if you are doing bench so you can maximize your sets and get help when you reach muscle fatigue (nothing like getting stuck under the bar by yourself!!)

    My BF is on bodybuilding.com and they have a lot of great workout / muscle building suggestions.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,051 Member
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    Sorry, no help to OP but bump to save the info :) Thanks, ladies!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    deadlifts:
    back squat:
    BB row:
    bench press:
    overhead press:
    push press :
    power clean :


    QUESTION
    Do you do these same exercises every day or do you do work different groups each time?

    I'd suggest a good program like Strong Lifts 5x5 (and no you don't generally do all those in one day).

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
  • doty0815
    doty0815 Posts: 68
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    Leaving work bumping for in the am will add my 2 cents then.......... Great job ladies
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    bumping for later. I tend to start weight lifting and then a month later I quit due to no motivation. The longest I lasted was 3 months and then when things got crazy, I didn't take time for me to go back to it until last week. But I only do it 2 days a week because I am also doing Insanity, training for a half marathon, and dancing twice a week because of my dance minor.
  • kwilson18
    kwilson18 Posts: 42 Member
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    Lots of great info here already! I would be cautious about lifting heavy until you get your form down- it might even be worth a couple of sessions with a trainer to get it right. I've been lifting on and off for years and developed some bad habits, and when I went to heavy lifting last year I injured myself because I ramped up my weights too fast without good form. Bodybuilding.com has some good videos demonstrating form which can be helpful, and you can post videos asking for input on your form, but for me it was failing to engage my scapula and letting my shoulder go all wobbly that did it- very difficult to see if you aren't a professional watching someone very closely.
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
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    Posting just so I can follow. I lift, but its always a struggle and I get so frustrated by it. But nothing worth it ever comes easy I guess.
  • teresamwhite
    teresamwhite Posts: 947 Member
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    I just started SL5x5 two weeks ago...Began Week 3 this morning:

    *Squat -90lbs
    *Bench -55lbs
    *Row -80lbs (I've stalled here for more than a week)
    *Overhead Press -40lbs (I've stalled here for more than a week)
    *Deadlift -70lbs

    I also do the weighted ab machine at 85lbs and the abdominal twist machine (obliques) at 75lbs.

    I go to the gym on post, and there a ton of soldiers who lift, plus trainers all over the place. I made sure to use a pretty light weight until I was able to get the form right. And there are always some vocal people who will come to you and help you out if you are using improper form!

    ETA: I've noticed a difference in the scale, tape measure and body fat analyzer (I work in the dietary dept of a hospital, so theirs is really accurate). I had stalled out on the scale, but the last two weeks has given me a 4lb loss, and almost 3% body fat.
  • beaches222
    beaches222 Posts: 437 Member
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    bump for later
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
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    I just use dumbbells at home, and I don't have anything over 37.5 lbs til I can get more plates. Done NROLFW and All Pro, and I'm doing ChaLean Extreme right now, just because I wanted to try it. I'm posting this for inspiration, and also I think people posted their routines in here, too. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1045433-women-lifting-heavy-with-pics
  • muamontreal
    muamontreal Posts: 109 Member
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    I will start with just my body weight as well .. You , SO, motivated me to start, I was a little bit worried to be ridiculous with just my body weight as a start.

    Thank you for posting, you've just encouraged me a lot :flowerforyou:

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