Calling all Women Lifters

I just found your blog and loved it! I'm new to heavy lifting, but working through my "Body Sculpting Bible For Women" program, doing 3 days/week of lifting and 3 days/week of 30 min HIIT.

Current weight/BF: 121 lbs, 22%
First Goal: 117 lbs, 19%
Time: 12 Weeks

Great to find this thread!

Hi Ladies,

I am new to this site.. to give you my background:
I used to be quite fit and in shape from age 18-22 (am now 24) hitting the gym 5times a week doing boxing, cycling and weight training with a BF of 20%.
Developed chronic exertional compartment syndrome in my lower legs to the point I had to stop training for a year and have bi-lateral surgery. This was a very depressing time!
I’ve since got back into exercise this year which has been amazing. God how i missed it!!!
I put on about 10pounds during my downtime after surgery and am working hard to lose that as it was mainly BF 
My weekly exercise routine consists of 1x 33km ride, 3x 20min runs, weights 3x per week for 45min.
My stats:
28% BF
5ft 3in
65kgs
My goals:
Lose body fat and build muscle/strength
BF 25% then will be 20%
Weight – not fussed as long as I am building strength and getting some definition!
My lifting program typically is:
2x 12 reps as below
Assisted pull ups (set at 30kg)
Dips
Push ups (proper ones obviously!)
Seated row machine
Swiss ball sit ups
Leg raises
Squats
Lunges

I feel like my current program (which a trainer prescribed) isn’t pushing me enough even with weight increases on the machines, nor giving me the results I am after. (I know it’s not instant! :ohwell: ) So I was wondering if anyone had any tips or could suggest a program for me to follow 3-4 times per week I’d get more out off. Ya’ll see a whole lot more knowledgeable then I am that is for sure! I’ve found your thread extremely inspiring as most people I encounter suggest all women should stick to is cardio and nothing else! Any suggestions and advice most welcome :happy:

Hey ladies, I haven't been on in awhile. I just got a new computer so I'm back. I haven't been doing much heavy lifting lately because of my shoulder. But that's about to change next week. I added some rotator cuff exercises into my routine a little over a month ago and I believe its helping because my shoulder feels better.

Meghan, I just read your blogs. I loved the grunting one. :laugh:

I just posted a blog entry about working up to doing "real" pushups for anyone interested:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/guardup/view/building-up-to-the-push-up-75856

Hope this helps!

great advice! can pick your brain for a tip? It was brought to my attention that it looks like I'm trying to fly when I do push-ups (apparently my elbows protrude obscenely). I've attempted to correct this and feel an emense amount of pressure on my shoulders. My shoulders have been surgeried into submission- they used to just dislocate whenever they wanted and that pressure makes me nervous. Any suggestions for correcting form without that pressure? Or is it a matter of starting at ground zero and relearning the push-up?

Oh I know about the Smith machine! (It's usually taken up by a dude doing a bench press.) My snarky workout partner and I used to...snark...on those doing light weights and high reps on the Smith machine but maybe my inner need to do "real" free weights will overcome my outer introvert and I'll hit up one of the bench pressing dudes to spot me while I squat to failure!

I also need to post a sign or a something to find an early morning weight training partner. I'd prefer a girl. I have a good friend who actually *bought me* my membership to our rec center but she's enamoured of the P90x stuff and not so jazzed about heavy/slow/low squats.

Can I bring up the topic of spotters? Right now I'm nearing the end of my "Back Into It" phase by doing a full body routine (Sumo squat/deadlift/chest press machine/cable row/crunches). Back when I considered myself a serious lifter, I had a work out partner that was committed to the same sort of goals that I was. I don't have that now.

How can I lift heavy on my own? Dumbells? I used to pooh-pooh cybex-type machines and even cable setups but now I'm reconsidering.

I have the same issue... no spot. I, personally, use all those cybex-type machines and the cables. I've used them for years and was trained on them by my super buff husband. He uses them too where appropriate. Why do you think they won't be effective? If you load enough weight on there to make it challenging (you'll have to put more than you usually lift in free weights) you can definitely build some muscle. For me I'd rather be safe than feel like I HAVE to use free weights for everything.

Meghan - 200#!!? WOW. I struggle at 105... Go you!

My WOD yesterday was called the 3 Bars of Death:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
1.5 x BW Deadlift (I couldn't deadlift 282# as my 1RM is 220, so I did 175#)
BW Bench Press (again, 188 pounds is way out of my league, so did 82#)
and 3/4 BW Power Cleans (my 1RM is 115, I did 90#)

Oh, I'm aching. To top it off, around 2 am this morning my 5 year old started puking and hasn't really stopped.

Ah, Linda. Pain with the bar LOL.
I think the last time we did that WOD was in the summer.
I, too, struggle around 100# for my 1RM Bench press. Haven't had the spotter to try and go heavier yet. Did the Barbell Beast with 105# last week.

Last night we did 50' OH walking lunge and 21 burpees - 5 rounds for time. Took me 15. My butt hurts today! LOL.
Tonight's is Jumping Randy (Randy- 75 power snatches, but at every minute do 6 lateral jumps over the bar). I remember posting 5 minutes for Randy last time.

Doing another competition Fran for fundraiser this Saturday and a 5k next Saturday. I certainly have my work cut out for me for March.

Bump

Did a CrossFit Total last week and crushed my previous deadlift record (from 220) to 240, and my back squat from 172 to 185. My shoulder press flatlined. I was aiming for 95# but kept my previous record of 92#. Amazing what 3 pounds can do!
Sunday I practiced my push press and power cleans. Got a 120 pound push press and failed a 115 pound power clean.

I ran a 1/2 marathon Sunday so I've been off heavy lifting for a couple weeks since I started tapering. My legs are feeling anxious so I think I'll start back tomorrow. Can't wait to see what my crazy PT has in store for me. I've noticed that as my miles crept up i started running a little knock-kneed and read that that sometimes is because of weak hip flexors. So, that's where we're starting. My husband has been working his in his regular leg routine and it doesn't look fun.

Hi Shannon! I am doing the New Rules of Lifting for Women program which involves supersets (and some combination moves, actually) and if I can explain this correctly it's like this: Supersets involve alternating different sets of exercises which hit different muscle groups while combination moves are 2-step moves such as an lunge/shoulder press. So an example of a superset would be 12 lunges then 10 swiss ball crunches then 12 lunges then back to the crunches. The idea being, that you are still giving those hit muscle groups time to rest while working different muscles. I like it b/c I can work hard and be done in 30 minutes!