Question about lifting compared to weight
Shtallionchick14
Posts: 61 Member
Okay it is entirely possible that I am overthinking this, but maybe someone can help me figure this out.
I am approximately 90lbs overweight (by BMI). I like to lift and was plugging my numbers into http://www.strstd.com/ to see where I was at for what I am lifting.
Right now, I am basically at untrained for all numbers. However, if I lower my weight to a healthy weight, I am intermediate for all weights.
So why am I supposed to lift more because I am heavier? In my head, my body weight shouldn't matter for OHP or bench. I could see how it could matter for deads, and honestly for squats - if I weigh less, it's less body dealing with gravity, so I should be able to lift more than when I am heavier. Clearly my thought process is wrong - so anyone want to explain this to me?
I am approximately 90lbs overweight (by BMI). I like to lift and was plugging my numbers into http://www.strstd.com/ to see where I was at for what I am lifting.
Right now, I am basically at untrained for all numbers. However, if I lower my weight to a healthy weight, I am intermediate for all weights.
So why am I supposed to lift more because I am heavier? In my head, my body weight shouldn't matter for OHP or bench. I could see how it could matter for deads, and honestly for squats - if I weigh less, it's less body dealing with gravity, so I should be able to lift more than when I am heavier. Clearly my thought process is wrong - so anyone want to explain this to me?
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Replies
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The larger you are, the more muscle you (should) have. Your 90 excess pounds isn't just straight fat. So people who are heavier should be able to lift more. Also, if you go by % of body weight, I'm almost dead lifting at 1.5x of my body weight. I weight 150 and 1.5x my body weight would be 225.
But say I was 200 pounds, I'd have to be dead lifting 300 pounds to be at 1.5x my body weight.
Use this to your advantage, and continue strength training while you lose weight, so that you don't lose as much muscle mass in those 90 pounds. Make sure you're eating enough protein and not creating TOO large a deficit.
Also, remember that by strength training now, and getting to a certain level of weight lifted, when you lose the extra weight you won't be in the intermediate category but will probably be lifting well into the next category, because your weight lifted is going to increase.0 -
I should be able to lift more than when I am heavier. Clearly my thought process is wrong - so anyone want to explain this to me?
well . . . people who are significantly overweight might be toting a lot of fat - but they have the muscles you get from toting that fat. they may be taking that into account.
for instance, a friend of mine who's the same height and age, but about 150 pounds heavier than me, is probably STRONGER than i am even now, after i've been lifting for 3 months. she's carrying around 150 pounds all day and every day. that's more than i've been able to deadlift yet. and i'm only now getting to where i might be able to squat 75 tomorrow, if the groke smiles on me.
another way of putting it: if someone took all of my friend's excess fat off her body and moulded it into a barbell for me, i wouldn't be able to get it off the ground, and if i tried to take it into a squat it would be impossible for me to get it out of the hole. she clearly does that every time she gets out of a chair. she's WAY stronger than i am, guaranteed.0 -
There are 3 assumptions here 1)more muscle mass 2)greater strength from hauling more weight and 3) better leverage because of more body weight.
Don't worry about it too much and just keep progressing.0
