What is "heavy lifting" for a female?

Julbella78
Julbella78 Posts: 161 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just wondering what people consider heavy lifting for females. Not to enter a weight lifting competition but to lift to lose weight and gain muscle so you don't look so flabby.

Replies

  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    All women would be different, it would be what is heavy for each woman.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Are you female?

    When you pick it up for reps is it heavy?

    Then you are a female lifting heavy.

    Don't over think it. There is no single right number.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Are you female?

    When you pick it up for reps is it heavy?

    Then you are a female lifting heavy.

    Don't over think it. There is no single right number.
    yep.
  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
    Are you female?

    When you pick it up for reps is it heavy?

    Then you are a female lifting heavy.

    Don't over think it. There is no single right number.

    Agree!^^

    Also check this article out
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • joshbond85
    joshbond85 Posts: 28
    Pick a lift.

    Add weight until you are reaching failure in the 8-10 rep range.

    Heavy lifting is about pushing/pulling something until your muscles can't keep going. How much you lift depends on your overall level of strength and is different for everyone.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    same answer as for men......... heavy is relative to your current level of strength. Usually, it means within the 1-5 rep range, i.e. weights that are close to the heaviest you can possibly lift for that exercise.
  • pamcuster
    pamcuster Posts: 770 Member
    I, too, have wondered what other females consider "heavy." I mean, I *know* it would vary from person-to-person, but I was going to ask the 'how many reps' question that I just saw answered above (thanks!)

    Out of curiosity, though, would any of you women care to say how many pounds you do squats with...and for how many reps/sets? :smile:
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I, too, have wondered what other females consider "heavy." I mean, I *know* it would vary from person-to-person, but I was going to ask the 'how many reps' question that I just saw answered above (thanks!)

    Out of curiosity, though, would any of you women care to say how many pounds you do squats with...and for how many reps/sets? :smile:

    My max squat (which I've since gone down from as I've changed programs) was 144 5x5.(Bar + 20kg plates + 2.5kg plates, so my math might be borked.)
  • harphy
    harphy Posts: 290 Member
    <---- This is heavy lifting. :wink:

    On serious note, you lift heavy when your 6-8 rep is a failure.
  • Julbella78
    Julbella78 Posts: 161 Member
    Thank you! I'm still at the beginning of lifting and it varies from machine to machine, 40lbs for squats right now, and about 20-25 for free weights. I've primarily lost my weight with lifting but wasn't 100% understanding what was considered heavy.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Anything that is heavy to you is heavy lifting. Do you have a hard time doing 5 push ups? Those would be heavy lifting for you. Do wall sits make your legs shake after 20 seconds? That's heavy lifting for you. I started with those types of exercises. When they got easier, I started doing other moves that were difficult for me. About a year ago, I pretty much exhausted the body weight moves and decided to move onto free weights and what was heavy lifting for me last year is not longer heavy lifting for me now. It's all about what's hard now and constantly working towards new weights/exercises that are difficult (progressive loads for your muscles).
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    Thank you! I'm still at the beginning of lifting and it varies from machine to machine, 40lbs for squats right now, and about 20-25 for free weights. I've primarily lost my weight with lifting but wasn't 100% understanding what was considered heavy.

    Even as a beginner, I would still suggest using the free weights all the time. Start with an empty barbell and work up from there. You use more muscles and are forced to do all of the work and balance. You're also safer, in my opinion. I can easily drop my barbell and let it hit the safety bars instead of me. And I'm not forced to do the unnatural straight lined movements that the machines make me do, which over time can screw up my back. Just watch plenty of videos that show you proper form and find a progressive lifting program that you like. You'll be lifting like a boss in no time. The badass feeling is addictive. :smokin:
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    Heavy for women is the same as it is for men. Generally speaking it's roughly 80% to 100% of your 1-rep max (1RM). Now, the actually weight used will vary person to person but the % used is pretty much universal.

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