Feedback from lifters, especially women, please?

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roxywho42
roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Today I did my first ever lifting workout that was not machines and was not a body pump class. I had no trainer to guide me or anything. I had not lifted even on machines or as body pump in a bit over a year. This is what I did

Dead Lift - 75 for 5 sets of 5 reps
Bicep curl - 45 for 5 sets of 5 reps
Squat - 50 for 4 sets of 5 reps
Upright row - 30 for 5 sets of 5 reps
Bench Press - 40 for 1 set of 5 reps and 50 for 4 sets of 5 reps
Incline leg press - 95 for 5 sets of 5 reps

Are these good starting weights?
Is that a decent set of lifts?
What lifts would you recommend I add?
Any other feedback?

Replies

  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Sounds good so definitely! I can't even do bicep curls that heavy and I've been lifting for years. You'll progress heavier as time goes by with the other lifts. It's a good solid full body beginner plan.
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    Well, my arms stayed somewhat strong over the year I didn't do any strength training because I did lift 20 - 60 pound children, lol
  • busywaterbending
    busywaterbending Posts: 844 Member
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    first ever free weight routine, having had over a year off, and you are pumping 45# biceps curls but only 50# bench press?

    doesn't sound right.

    get yourself a personal trainer.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    I would suggest looking into doing a proven Full Body lifting program. You have no work for Shoulders or Triceps, but yet you're doing Bicep Curls, Upright Rows, and Leg Press (which is redundant since you're doing Squats). A lifting program should be balanced. Something more like:

    Squats
    Deadlifts
    Lunges
    Bench
    Rows
    Overhead Press

    ..and if you feel the need to do some isolation work through in some Tricep Extensions & Bicep Curls at the end of the workout (even though that's a TON of volume already for a newbie). This is why you should look into a proven program with progression.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    first ever free weight routine, having had over a year off, and you are pumping 45# biceps curls but only 50# bench press?

    doesn't sound right.

    get yourself a personal trainer.

    I agree with all of this....
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    a personal trainer isn't in the budget right now
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Today I did my first ever lifting workout that was not machines and was not a body pump class. I had no trainer to guide me or anything. I had not lifted even on machines or as body pump in a bit over a year. This is what I did

    Dead Lift - 75 for 5 sets of 5 reps
    Bicep curl - 45 for 5 sets of 5 reps
    Squat - 50 for 4 sets of 5 reps
    Upright row - 30 for 5 sets of 5 reps
    Bench Press - 40 for 1 set of 5 reps and 50 for 4 sets of 5 reps
    Incline leg press - 95 for 5 sets of 5 reps

    Are these good starting weights?
    Is that a decent set of lifts?
    What lifts would you recommend I add?
    Any other feedback?

    Drop curls and add in pullups or bent over rows.
    Drop leg press and add in squats.
    Add in shoulder presses or overhead press.

    If the weight feels heavy and you struggle on your last set, it is heavy enough.



    I recommend buying and reading Strong Curves by Bret Contreras.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    "The right weight" is when you can finish your last set, but feel like it is quite difficult. The 5x5 set up is good.

    You want to make sure your workout includes benchpress, deadlift, squat, OHP, and pullsups/bent row. Those are compound lifts which work multiple muscle groups, including your core. The curls, upright row, leg press machine (incline let press), etc are isolation, they only work one or a few muscles at a time. It's fine to add some in as finishers, but not at the expense of the main ones.

    New Rules of Lifting, Strong Lifts, or Starting Strength are good programs to look into for help. I think Starting Strength is available free online.
  • airplanes00
    airplanes00 Posts: 62 Member
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    "The right weight" is when you can finish your last set, but feel like it is quite difficult. The 5x5 set up is good.

    You want to make sure your workout includes benchpress, deadlift, squat, OHP, and pullsups/bent row. Those are compound lifts which work multiple muscle groups, including your core. The curls, upright row, leg press machine (incline let press), etc are isolation, they only work one or a few muscles at a time. It's fine to add some in as finishers, but not at the expense of the main ones.

    New Rules of Lifting, Strong Lifts, or Starting Strength are good programs to look into for help. I think Starting Strength is available free online.

    Agreed - I personally love New Rules of Lifting for Women I did it about 2 years ago and saw great progress, you can get the book at the library or purchase it. You can print out or download the routines to take into the weight room with you. You can watch tons of videos on YouTube to check your form. There is also a group forum on MFP for New Rules of Lifting for Women. I personally now am doing 5/3/1 program, but I am fresh off of having a baby and I am finding it hard.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    i'd drop the upright row and put in an overhead press
    i'd add in some form of rowing, be it barbell rows, db rows, seated cable rows, chin ups, or lat pull downs.

    if you're comfortable with the weight, it's fine. just be sure to try to add a little bit each week to keep progressing
  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
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    first ever free weight routine, having had over a year off, and you are pumping 45# biceps curls but only 50# bench press?

    doesn't sound right.

    get yourself a personal trainer.
    +1
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    first ever free weight routine, having had over a year off, and you are pumping 45# biceps curls but only 50# bench press?

    doesn't sound right.

    get yourself a personal trainer.

    i dunno about all that....

    people tend to start lower on bench press because, you know, heavy loaded bar over their throat and skull and stuff so guessing too low has less negatives than guessing too high. people will go for broke on something like curls because if they fail the weight just drops to the floor at the worst. plus they can use sloppy form to move more weight with impunity.

    she seems to have the basics of a decent routine down and as long as she's comfortable and confident with her form i wouldn't be in a rush to tell her to drop $70 an hour on a trainer. a few tweaks to her program (which have been suggested by several people in this thread) and she's off to a great start, IMO .
  • mereditheve
    mereditheve Posts: 142 Member
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    Dead Lift - 75 for 5 sets of 5 reps
    Bicep curl - 45 for 5 sets of 5 reps
    Squat - 50 for 4 sets of 5 reps
    Upright row - 30 for 5 sets of 5 reps
    Bench Press - 40 for 1 set of 5 reps and 50 for 4 sets of 5 reps
    Incline leg press - 95 for 5 sets of 5 reps

    Are these good starting weights?
    Is that a decent set of lifts?
    What lifts would you recommend I add?
    Any other feedback?

    Honestly, your weight amounts sound a bit off to me. Normally, I'd expect your bicep curls to be less weight than your upright rows. For example, if you do 40# curls (either 20# per arm dumbbells or a 40# barbell), I'd expect your upright rows to be closer to 70#. You mention you lift your kids, but that motion usually leverages muscles in your back and legs as well (unless you were actually curling your kids).

    To answer your questions, I'd need to know your goals. What you are doing is a good way to build strength and you have some good compound lifts which use more muscles. If you're already doing a flat bench press, I would add incline and decline, as well as overhead presses. You might also consider adding exercises that isolate muscles -- triceps, for example. It also seems that you're also neglecting abs and shoulders (not that you aren't using them to some extent, but I would have a few exercises that focus on them)

    Here are a few things that I would add to what you are already doing:
    Incline Bench
    Decline Bench
    Overhead Press
    Squats
    Lateral raises
    Tricep extensions
    Leg extensions/curls
    Ab workouts (leg raises, jackknife sit ups, etc.)
    Pull ups

    Hope this helps.
  • JGonzo82
    JGonzo82 Posts: 167 Member
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    i'd drop the upright row and put in an overhead press
    i'd add in some form of rowing, be it barbell rows, db rows, seated cable rows, chin ups, or lat pull downs.

    if you're comfortable with the weight, it's fine. just be sure to try to add a little bit each week to keep progressing

    I agree with this. Overall you sound like you've got a pretty good start though!
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I downloaded an e-book of Starting Strength. I'm not going to be able to lift again for a few days because my gym is closing in order to move to a new building. I am going to use those few days to read Starting Strength and use that and the advice you guys have given to improve my workout.
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    Just to be clear the comment about lifting children was meant jokingly.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I downloaded an e-book of Starting Strength. I'm not going to be able to lift again for a few days because my gym is closing in order to move to a new building. I am going to use those few days to read Starting Strength and use that and the advice you guys have given to improve my workout.

    Awesome. I've never read it myself but have heard great great things about it (and have read a lot of Mark Riptoe articles, and watched videos).


    Just to be clear the comment about lifting children was meant jokingly.

    Don't be! Lifting children IS hard work (weights don't squirm). Don't sell yourself short.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    So I agree with most of all the feedback on here, especially DavPul's recommendation.

    As for the bicep curls.... are you curling an empty bar or 45# dumbbells? That might add some clarification for those wondering about your numbers. I'm willing to bet you're talking about an empty bar-- and there's nothing wrong with that.
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    So I agree with most of all the feedback on here, especially DavPul's recommendation.

    As for the bicep curls.... are you curling an empty bar or 45# dumbbells? That might add some clarification for those wondering about your numbers. I'm willing to bet you're talking about an empty bar-- and there's nothing wrong with that.


    It is actually a lightweight curling bar (25 pounds) and I added 20 in plates.

    Me curling that much and yet only benching 50 is partially because I feel more confident in my form on my curls. I am working on my form for bench press before I worry about making the weight as heavy as I am capable of. I figure that if I am going to do this thing then I want to do it right, so I want to work on form first.

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