Women how much did you start out lifting

marilync1266
marilync1266 Posts: 67 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, I want to get back into strength training - I used to do it a couple of times a week about 2 years ago - 3 sets with 10 - 15 reps. The highest weight I used for bench press was a pair of 12 lb dumbbells. I see that there are a lot of people doing heavier weights with different programs like stronglifts 5x5 and new rules for lifting. I want to know what size weight did you start out with these programs and did anyone start out with dumbbells?

Replies

  • Jen800
    Jen800 Posts: 548 Member
    I started with barbells (Doing stronglifts currently)

    I also started with just the bar, as it suggests. I have a 35 pound bar (women's bar apparently) and have been adding 5lbs every work out. It was really easy at first (because I have years of light weight training under my belt) but now that the weight's going up and I'm getting used to good form it's getting difficult.

    As of right now I'm deadlifting 90 pounds, but feel I could do slightly more. I'm only in my second week of stronglifts :P (I'm 113 lbs btw, in case anybody thinks that's ridiculously light :laugh: it's 82-something percent of my body weight!)
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    I didn't really keep track of what weights I used when I started lifting. I know it wasn't super heavy, but it was heavy/hard for me. I did start out using dumbbells though. I still use dumbbells for some moves because I just don't have the strength to use the bar or the move is easier/better with dumbbells. (ETA: By easier, I mean movement wise. I can do bicep curls easier with dumbbells than with a barbell.)

    I was lifting pretty consistently before I started NROLFW, so I was already pretty high up in weights. I was burnt out on what I was doing, so I needed a new program to follow. My best advice would be to figure out which program you want to do and take a day to "explore" the gym. If you aren't sure what weights you would use for the moves required in the program, go to the gym before starting the program and try the moves out. Think of a weight you think you can do then try it out and see if you can get to reps you need for the program you choose. If you can and it feels pretty easy, you know you need a little more weight. If you can't, then you need to dial it back to a more manageable weight.

    And don't worry about what you lift compared to what others lift, everyone is different. What is hard for me may be easy for you and vice versa. You want to make sure you are lifting hard/heavy for yourself, aiming to make those last 2-3 reps pretty hard for your body.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    It all depends on the program you follow.

    I use Stronglifts and started out 40lbs on rows and bench, 35 on OHP, 90lbs on DL and 60 on Squats.

    I believe the program recommends 45lbs for all except DL...but I think that is because that is the weight of an olympic bar...

    Start where you can...it's that simple.
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    A weighted bar at 45 pounds.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    I did stronglifts (about to get back to a modified version). I started:

    Squat: 45 lbs (and it was insanely hard but that's how much just the bar weighs)
    Bench: 45 lbs
    Barbell Row: 30 lbs (I did a modified to start and get my form right with dumbells)
    Overhead press: 45 lbs (and it was hard but not unmanageable)
    Deadlift: 90 lbs (seemed too easy).

    Here's a description of how much you're supposed to start with from the Stronglifts people:

    If you’ve done free weight exercises like Squat, Bench and Deadlift before, with proper form, start with 50% of your five rep max. If you’ve never used free weights, haven’t lifted in years, or you have no idea what a five rep max means, start with these weights:
    Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press: 20kg/45lb. That’s the empty Olympic bar.
    Deadlift: 40kg/95lb. The empty bar with a plate of 10kg/25lb on each side.
    Barbell Row: 30kg/65lb. The empty bar with 5kg/10lb on each side.
    Read more: http://stronglifts.com/5x5/#Summary_of_Stronglifts_52155
  • marilync1266
    marilync1266 Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks everyone for the info!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I started with a 20 lb fixed weight barbell.
  • HaydeeL
    HaydeeL Posts: 2
    My advice is you should talk with an experimented trainer and ask him. Each person s different and want achieve different goals, if you want to lose weight you have to lift less kg and make a lot repetitions, if you want have some muscle you have to lift a lot of weight and make just a few repetitions , but the weight lifting will depend of your personal weight.

    You should be capable to lift the 70 -80 % of your weight after the first few months
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    My advice is you should talk with an experimented trainer and ask him. Each person s different and want achieve different goals, if you want to lose weight you have to lift less kg and make a lot repetitions, if you want have some muscle you have to lift a lot of weight and make just a few repetitions , but the weight lifting will depend of your personal weight.

    You should be capable to lift the 70 -80 % of your weight after the first few months

    Less weight more reps is bull...lift 1-5reps heavy for building strength...the other is for endurance.

    On what lift is that 70-80% applicable?

    For what gender.

    As a woman I couldn't bench 130lbs within a couple months of lifting..I can't do it now after 10 months...gonna try today..

    OHP...no way...

    DL sure, Squat...maybe...rows no...
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    I maxed with a 35x5 straight bar for OHP, 45x4 Oly bar for bench, 95x3 for squats, and 130x1 for DL the first time I lifted with free weights. I was 5'7", 123 pounds. I'm a bit heavier now.

    My husband went through the major lifts with me and showed me how to do the exercises with good form. It took a bit to get the forms down, though, and I started over with 65 pounds twice on squats as my hip flexors and ankles became more accustomed to going deep. I did all four lifts on the same day for a couple of weeks before I settled into a program. It's wiser to start with a program right out of the gate, but it isn't the end of the world if you don't. I even picked the wrong program when I did pick one (5/3/1 isn't the best for beginners) and ended up going with a different program later that was better suited to novices.
  • cosmichvoyager
    cosmichvoyager Posts: 237 Member
    I do free weights. Started at 3 pounds each, got up to 12...started benching just the bar thing which I guess is 45 pounds. Then I stopped for a while and am getting back to that. I never did deadlifts or anything because I have back problems I don't want to aggravate. I prefer free weights overall for some reason.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    I didn't start with a program but, as I recall, my starting lifts were roughly:

    Bench: 75lbs
    Squat: 45lbs (the bar)
    Dead lift: 90lbs
    Reverse lunges: 30lbs
    Triceps Extensions: 15lbs

    (off the top of my head since I don't have my log handy atm)
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    I started with the standard 45-lb Olympic bar on squats, OHP, bench press, and rows. I started with 95 lbs on deadlifts. I dabbled with dumbbells before I became serious about lifting and started SL 5x5 (not that people that use dumbbells aren't serious about lifting - I'm just saying I wasn't). I'll stick with the bar now. My current working weights are 125 lbs on squats, 80 lbs on bench press and rows, 140 lbs on deadlifts, and a pathetic 57 lbs on OHP. I've been lifting for about 11 weeks now.

    As for not being able to bench more than 12 lb dumbbells, I seriously doubt it. That's saying that you couldn't lift up a toddler.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    start with the bar- or a broom stick.

    Or a fixed weigh bar under 45 pounds.

    the first few weeks should be dedicated mostly to form rather than weight.

    odds are you should be able to pick form the floor- or use any leg muscles- it's going to be the weight of a child.

    For over head things- house hold items/groceries/gallons of milk/packs of water etc etc. Use those things as a frame of reference- you pick up heavy *kitten* all the time- just because it's in the gym doesn't make it any heavier unless you WANT it heavier.

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