Outgrowing Bodypump and "independent single woman" strength

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KateRVA
KateRVA Posts: 13
in Fitness and Exercise
Background: Was an overweight kid, lost the weight initially through dieting and have kept it off through years of running, BodyPump, and kettlebell classes - so basically high rep, lower weight exercise. I was in the best shape of my life when I was doing all three. Then I got a new job and moved a year ago. My diet has sucked since then, and I gained 10 pounds that I'm still trying to get rid of. Trying to get the emotional eating under control - it's been a lifetime problem.

After I moved, I continued to run and lift weights/kettlebells in my apartment complex's gym. I was lifting a little bit heavier weights than I did in Bodypump because I wasn't doing as many reps - but still high rep (12-15). I've gotten a little bit stronger from that which I like. But I missed Bodypump, so a couple of months ago, I joined a gym again.

I still like the class, but honestly I think I'm outgrowing it. Part of the problem is that the instructors at my gym aren't as motivating as my old gym. At my old gym, they were super fit and lifting the same weight as me or heavier - I was always the girl in class lifting way more weight than the other women, and sometimes more than the guys. The instructors at my new gym don't lift a lot of weight and I just don't find it as motivating for me personally. Also, I find myself getting really annoyed now during certain tracks like biceps and triceps. Great... four whole minutes of bicep curls! I guess my time doing free weights with dumbbells has changed my attitude. I want to lift heavier and get stronger, not do endless reps. I still find the class fun and am hesitant to give it up though - both because I like it, and it did keep me in shape for so long.

Recently, my dog got injured and I realized that I wasn't confident in carrying her up the stairs. She's 80 pounds. I'm not a weakling, and I'm sure her being injured was part of it, but I just didn't feel confident picking her up and carrying her without falling. Since then, I've been thinking a lot more about functional strength. I live alone, and I'm single. I want to be stronger so I don't have to call a man over to carry my dog up the stairs, you know?

I've been looking into Stronglifts 5x5 and I like the simplicity of the program over something like NROWL. Yesterday I went to the gym and FINALLY for the first time in my adult life, coughed up the balls (figuratively speaking, I'm a woman) to venture into the free weights area. I had a girl who worked at the gym show me how to use everything, considering I'd never used a squat rack in my life. It was an AWESOME feeling. I worked mainly with the bar and very light weights and did workout A, just concentrating on form - because I'm used to Bodypump where you don't squat that low, for example. I'm just wondering if this program is going to be "enough." I'm so used to high rep or interval workouts where I'm sweating my butt off, and that feels great. Will I get that high from heavy lifting?

One of the things I liked about working out on my own with free weights, as opposed to BodyPump, was putting my own workout together. I basically would do a total body workout each time (2-3 times a week) and I had a list of exercises for upper body push/pull, lower body push/pull, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and abs. So I would mix and match out of those but have at least one exercise for each category. The variety helped me from getting bored. Can I work that stuff into a Stronglifts 5x5 workout?

My goal is to get strong enough functionally to carry my dog if I need to, move furniture by myself, etc. But I find myself wondering how much strength I really "need". Do I need to be able to bench press 200 lbs and stuff like that? I'm not looking to get into bodybuilding PRs and all that stuff. I just want to be stronger, enjoy my workouts, and have some variation.

Replies

  • kaylatee0
    kaylatee0 Posts: 65 Member
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    This is so me!! I used to feel like a BEAST walking out of body pump. Always lifting the most, More than the instructors and never taking breaks etc.. I actually was asked to become an instructor because I was such a die hard!

    It started to annoy me when they would say thing like "full range, low weight and high reps gives you long lean tank top arms".. I'd look around the room at the participants and instructors and think.. None of these people have the arms I want!! Lol

    I shouldn't bash it though because it did teach me form and moves I wouldn't have learned anywhere else.. And without it I probably never would have racked up the ladyballs to go into the weight room.

    SL is a great place to start and as you start adding weight and becoming more comfortable you will get that satisfaction pump gave you. Remember your first pump class? You probably felt like an uncoordinated weakling .. But you became one of the best!

    You can certainly add to SL on your non SL days or after a SL workout. I suggest making SL your priority while you nail it down and do your other activities after. Primarily so that you can get a solid understanding of what you should add weight wise.

    Don't look too far ahead, just progress through the program and you will get stronger. Just stick to the plan and who knows! Maybe one day you'll be bench pressing those 200lbs!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Wow, what sort of dog have you?
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    We all evolve over time when it comes to our fitness, goals, and what we enjoy.

    I used to run all the time and loved it. I lifted supplementary to that and was in super great shape.

    I do not enjoy running as much now and I don't have time for it as often. Therefore it is supplementary now.

    If you lift heavy…and continue to do SL….you will definitely sweat and feel like you've gotten a good workout.

    Give SL a try. If you don't like it, you can always do 2 or 3 compound lifts then add supp lifts to that day.

    I've been doing HIITs in the weight room lately (I work out in a high school field house, where I teach) and I LOVE it.

    I do different lifts, ball slams, kettle bells, and plyo boxes. I burned 350 cals in 30 minutes the other day and was pouring the sweat.
  • KateRVA
    KateRVA Posts: 13
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    I've been doing HIITs in the weight room lately (I work out in a high school field house, where I teach) and I LOVE it.

    I do different lifts, ball slams, kettle bells, and plyo boxes. I burned 350 cals in 30 minutes the other day and was pouring the sweat.

    How many reps are you doing for that type of stuff?
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    It started to annoy me when they would say thing like "full range, low weight and high reps gives you long lean tank top arms".. I'd look around the room at the participants and instructors and think.. None of these people have the arms I want!! Lol
    Wow.

    Anyway, yes; stronglifts or starting strength are absolutely fine on their own - when you've done it for a while, you may want to consider adding in extra 'accessory' lifts or changing it about a bit, but they're certainly ideal to give you a 'foundation' of strength to carry on from.

    I've changed it around a bit (as the say absolutely not to :) ) to include (weighted, of course) pull ups and dips, because both of those are movement I specifically want to improve for rock climbing.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,238 Member
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    Stronglifts seems easy to start. There is a reason for that, it is to get your form down for the exercises that are part of it. If you follow the program exactly as written, increasing the weight every time you workout, you will very soon find that it get much more difficult and you will be sweating a bunch. Stick with it for a few months, and then decide. It will certainly get you much stronger.
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
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    Ive got the same thing going on ive been doing a bootcamp class for over a hear and a half im upping the weights as much as possible due to some of the high rep counts i cant go to high, but have seen great results and for my age and sluggish metabolism plus i eat real food lol, i feel i need that intensity of the all out workout. I like doing classes but feel like im stuck, my body hasnt changed in last 2-3 months so i think its time to change up something. Im concerned as you are that i need that extra calorie burn and i wont get that just heavy lifting 3 times a week. Im not sure how to go about incorporating a 5×5 type routine with the classes i do plus i dont have access to the equiptment needed to do heavy weights,.i can go where i go now but only during class or personal training times and i cant afford to spend more for another membership. I feel for you with an ill heavy dog too, i had a 75 lb boxer that had degenerative myleopathy and her last 8 months was paralyised from waist down i used a towel at first to hold up her rear legs to get her up and down stairs and to potty then got a harnass that was made lf neoprene and had peepoop holes and padded handles that worked great she even had a wheelchair, but lifting a heavy dog that cant help you at all is quite a struggle even if you are strong.
  • KateRVA
    KateRVA Posts: 13
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    Maybe I'll just start deadlifting the dog once she's better. :)

    For the person who asked, she's a Husky/German Shepherd mix btw. She's actually overweight for her size - she used to be around 60 pounds.

    The whole incident just made me realize that I want to be stronger physically now that I'm single. I haven't NOT had a man I could rely on since I was like 21 years old. I've spent the past six months working on being there for myself emotionally, now I just don't want to be in a position where I'm calling one of my male friends crying and asking them to come over and carry my dog up the stairs. Or because I can't move a piece of furniture or something. Yuck. Helplessness sucks!
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    Well, when I do a lift (deadlift for example) I do a 3x5.

    When I do a donkey kick type lift (on cables) for the hamstring/butt I did a 3x12.

    When I did my ball slams, I did 1 min on then rest 20 seconds.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I can pretty easily squat/run with my dog on my shoulders (about 100lb). He's not so impressed by it, but will sit in a 'piggy back' position. Had to carry him up/down a ladder in a firemans lift before when we were going swimming a reservoir.
    So maybe that Starting Strength has been useful :).
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    double post

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