Ladies - How much do you lift?

12 reps with 25 to start then I go up to 30 the next set, then 35 (depending on how I'm feeling, might only do 8 reps on that one)....... but I do realize I'm stronger than the average girl lol.

Generally whatever my best guy friend is doing, we figured out on all exercises I do about 20 - 30 lbs less than he does, except for back exercises we do the same weight. We figured I have a stronger back than he does because it's always supporting the weight of my boobs.

I do a bicep curl on a machine where I can do one or both arms at the same time. I do both arms together, 35 lbs, 3 reps of 12-15.

My arms are the most skinny non muscle. bicep curl I started out with 5lbs. 15 reps. than 8lbs 15 reps. now I'm doin' 10lbs 8 reps. Tony Horton kicks my *kitten* now lol...I love it

If you lift heave weights, you will build fat into muscle. You need to tone the fat down first, and then build a little muscle.

Was told that you should lift as much weight as you can to do a certain about of weights....say you are doing 12 reps, then you need to lift as much weight as possible to do THAT many reps...

If you lift heave weights, you will build fat into muscle. You need to tone the fat down first, and then build a little muscle.

You can lose fat and you can gain muscle, but fat will never "turn into muscle".

If you lift heave weights, you will build fat into muscle. You need to tone the fat down first, and then build a little muscle.

This is not true. Cardio will make the fat disappear and the more lean muscle mass you have will cause extra calorie burn. Weight training should be included in a weeks workout routine. It helps your metabolism. Women dont have the testosterone men do, so we are not going to get huge lifting heavy weights.

If you lift heave weights, you will build fat into muscle. You need to tone the fat down first, and then build a little muscle.

For the metabolic benefits of muscle and strength increase, it doesn't matter if the muscle is still covered in fat.

Also, fat doesn't turn into muscle. It goes down with cardio, which is why I do both.

I don't do bicep curls, though... for the exercises I do (lunges - 2 x 7 kg, deadlifts - approx 20 kg, step-ups - 15 kg, pec flies - 2 x 4 kg , bent-over rows - 25 kg, press-ups - 2 x 6 kg...), the goal is 3 sets of 8 with enough weight that the last rep is hard to complete correctly. My trainer said that if I can do two more reps (ie, 10) on the last set with good form on two consecutive workouts, I should up the weight.

I like how that makes me feel, and see progress. (Though because I've lost weight, the progress isn't always obvious, especially for lower body exercises -- I started with 2 sets of 8 static lunges with two 5 kg dumbbells; now I'm 15 kg lighter, use 7 kg dumbbells, and do 3 sets of 8 reverse lunges...).

PS: I wouldn't object to having butch arms at all, but looking into the mirror this morning, that day is far far off still.

I start out with 10lb dumbbells do 15-25 reps (depending on my goal for the day) then i'll increase my weight by 5lbs in each hand and lower my reps by five. So 10lbs-25 reps, 15lbs-20 reps, 20lbs-12-15 reps, 25lbs-10-12 reps

If you lift heave weights, you will build fat into muscle. You need to tone the fat down first, and then build a little muscle.

Sorry, but I have to point out that you build on existing muscle and "lose" fat: one does not magically become the other. However, the # of fat cells that you have is somewhat set through life. When you lose weight, you are changing the size of the fat cell, but don't actually lose them.

Great article about fat cells here http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/all-about-fat-cells-382766

Go heavy or go home! Courtesy of Chalene Johnson. I lift heavy weights--heavy as I can handle, so that I reach failure in 10-12 reps. It's awesome, I love it. No bulk here.

This post made me realize I have no idea! :laugh:

I do a lot of functional strength training so I'm often doing lifting with my own body weight for resistance. I can tell you that I swing a 32 lb. kettlebell, I can deadlift about 100 pounds, and the last time I did a PTTP workout, I believe I had 65 pounds for the push press. (PTTP means Power to the People. That name cracks me up.)

With hand weights I do 3 sets of 12 reps using 10 lbs. When I'm using the bicep machine, i can do more weight...like 35 lbs or something like that.

I have always understood the rule of thumb to be lighter weights/more reps to tighten up, and heavier weights/fewer reps to define.

That's what they have been telling us for years. Turns out it's not true!

First of all, there is no such thing as "toning". You are either building up muscle tissue or you are maintaining it (or losing it, too). Doing a lot of reps with a lighter weight is good for maintenance. But it's inefficient for building muscle tissue. The fastest way to buildup the muscles is to lift heavy weights to failure.

Then you get definition by losing fat. Body builders build up muscle first then they go into a phase they call "cutting" which just means they concentrate their efforts on lowering the body fat so you can see the muscles they built up.

Like I said, it was just a "rule of thumb" that I had always heard. My regular routine combines a lot of core and body weight stuff as it is. Will definitely increase the weights I am using though!

To answer your question - a lot.

And it doesn't matter because we all have different abilities, genetics, athletic backgrounds, etc.