Females only - lifting/weight training results?

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  • scorpiowoman326
    scorpiowoman326 Posts: 31 Member
    wow-you all look GREAT! I do a lot of interval training and see muscles now. But now I am wondering if I should just switch back to p90x.
  • dpaden25
    dpaden25 Posts: 99 Member
    Wow! This is all great! I have about 35 lbs to lose and just started the new P90 by Tony Horton. It's a combination of cardio and strength training. I would like to incorporate more though, per these pics! Any suggestions if I'm not a part of a gym. I do have dumbbells I could work with.. any help would be appreciated!
  • FunSkittles
    FunSkittles Posts: 39 Member
    I too would love if anyone has some suggestions for at home with dumbbells. Thanks!
  • Kenda2427
    Kenda2427 Posts: 1,592 Member
    I have a silly question. I am just starting weight training. I see everyone saying heavy lifting. What is considered heavy lifting for a newbie? I am 4'11", weight 110ish, age 49. I just started with barbells earlier this month. I started bench press at 30 lbs now at 50. Am at 60 lbs for straight legged dead lifts. Is this a decent beginning or am I way off base.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    FunSkittles wrote: »
    I too would love if anyone has some suggestions for at home with dumbbells. Thanks!

    You Are Your Own Gym doesn't require any weights at first (you can add weights to increase difficulty).
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Kenda2427 wrote: »
    I have a silly question. I am just starting weight training. I see everyone saying heavy lifting. What is considered heavy lifting for a newbie? I am 4'11", weight 110ish, age 49. I just started with barbells earlier this month. I started bench press at 30 lbs now at 50. Am at 60 lbs for straight legged dead lifts. Is this a decent beginning or am I way off base.

    Heavy lifting is considered different things for different people. You just start where you can and work to improve. Your starting point might be where some people get after a few months and your starting point might be super easy for some people. It's best to learn early to compare your progress to yourself. Comparing to others can be rough.
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    <---- around 18months between those pics. The first was around 8 months after having a baby, the other was taken this week. This time around I've basically just been lifting three times a week with the odd run thrown in for good measure....oh and chasing a 2 year old around!!
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    FunSkittles wrote: »
    I too would love if anyone has some suggestions for at home with dumbbells. Thanks!

    You Are Your Own Gym doesn't require any weights at first (you can add weights to increase difficulty).

    I think Nia Shanks has a dumbbell only programme?
  • BettyDares
    BettyDares Posts: 1,498 Member
    probably my favorite thread for inspiration. Thank you to all the ladies who have posted thus far, you are all amazing!!! I hope in a couple months I'll have some progress pics to post.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    if you want to bulk up, just eat more and continue to lift.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    carrieous wrote: »
    if you want to bulk up, just eat more and continue to lift.

    This thread is actually more about women lifting weights to lose weight. Showing that women don't end up looking manly, like the media seems to portray.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    edited January 2015
    change_21 wrote: »
    As much as I enjoy looking at a buff man, it seems much harder to bulk as a woman.

    this is what i was responding to- the original question. I thought she wanted to bulk?

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    carrieous wrote: »
    change_21 wrote: »
    As much as I enjoy looking at a buff man, it seems much harder to bulk as a woman.

    this is what i was responding to. I thought she wanted to bulk?

    You didn't quote it, so it was pretty much just a random comment.
  • MissyMissy18
    MissyMissy18 Posts: 315 Member
    This thread is blowing my mind.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    and i had a c section. so, it can be done. even when you are "old" LOL
  • ErinK09
    ErinK09 Posts: 687 Member
    Love this thread!
  • ErinK09
    ErinK09 Posts: 687 Member
    Everyone looks fantastic!! :D (*)
  • allieallieoxenfree
    allieallieoxenfree Posts: 114 Member
    Lifting ladies... I have a really insanely specific question. I really, REALLY want to be able to do a pullup, and I am verrry far from that goal. (Last time I tried I couldn't even do an unassisted negative, ugh.) I've been lifting about 6 months, at first just doing random things, then starting NROL4W. I have made a lot of progress (newbie gainz) on the assisted pullup machine, but still... not even close.

    So, here's my question: I've been in a deficit this whole time, and I'm getting ready to switch over to maintenance. Can I possibly gain enough upper-body musculature to be able to do a pullup while in maintenance, or will I need to bulk?

    I'm sure the obvious answer is that I should just try for a while in maintenance and see how it goes, but I am curious if anyone has any more specific advice, personal experience, etc.
  • ashlafer
    ashlafer Posts: 42 Member
    I just finished a 6 month bulk and LOVED it. Would definitely recommend! Here's a video where I recap my bulk and share some tips :)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkq5p1lv1Vs&amp;list=UURcEP5lDobOvsB1v_M8sKcw
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    okay pullups are super duper hard but you can do it. I can do about 12 now but thats three sets of 4 and i dont go all the way down- more like i jump up and hold, then come down half way and back up. Im doing this 1-2 a week on top of my regular lifting and cardio. My first few times trying, i peed myself a little. Shhhhhh, thats a secret. I also find it easier when i am lighter than when i am heavier. Just 5 lbs made a hugh difference over the holidays. If you cant pull up, jump up and hang as long as you can and then drop down super duper slow. repeat repeat repeat. It take a lot of work but you will see progress eventually
    -
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    allieallieoxenfree wrote: »
    Lifting ladies... I have a really insanely specific question. I really, REALLY want to be able to do a pullup, and I am verrry far from that goal. (Last time I tried I couldn't even do an unassisted negative, ugh.) I've been lifting about 6 months, at first just doing random things, then starting NROL4W. I have made a lot of progress (newbie gainz) on the assisted pullup machine, but still... not even close.

    So, here's my question: I've been in a deficit this whole time, and I'm getting ready to switch over to maintenance. Can I possibly gain enough upper-body musculature to be able to do a pullup while in maintenance, or will I need to bulk?

    I'm sure the obvious answer is that I should just try for a while in maintenance and see how it goes, but I am curious if anyone has any more specific advice, personal experience, etc.

    You can gain strength in a deficit.
    nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/04/25/do-a-pull-up/
  • Maggieba
    Maggieba Posts: 47 Member
    Absolutely amazing and inspiring!
  • bunbunzee44
    bunbunzee44 Posts: 592 Member
    Two years in the gym, on a decifit.. my weigh is pretty much the same when I started there, but my body looks a whole lot different. Especially my stomach.
    BUT I look too skinny :/ I want more muscle. Unfortunately I still have to get my bodyfat down more. I don't know the exact number, our gym only has an electric body fat scale and I know those aren't hugely accurate, but my bodyfat decreased from 34.4% to 28.8%.
    I've managed to build some muscle, but it IS slow like this.
    40heq0yendiy.jpg

  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
    dpaden25 wrote: »
    Wow! This is all great! I have about 35 lbs to lose and just started the new P90 by Tony Horton. It's a combination of cardio and strength training. I would like to incorporate more though, per these pics! Any suggestions if I'm not a part of a gym. I do have dumbbells I could work with.. any help would be appreciated!

    Also @FunSkittles:

    I have used the exercises from this very helpful post for about a year and a half with good results:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/902569/barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells/p1

    I started lifting years ago (15? 20?) with the book "Strong Women Stay Young," which doesn't get mentioned very often here but was the result of a Harvard study that showed that even women in their 90s benefit from lifting 3 times/week. What it isn't, however, is a progressive program, and after working progressively with dumbbells for a year and a half (a little more) I'm realizing how key progression is. I think I've finally exhausted the usefulness of my dumbbells, because I don't want to go too heavy (afraid to drop one on my nice floors!), so I'm switching to barbells in a gym, but you can go a long time increasing reps/difficulty. Personally, I love working out at home. I'm very envious of people who have room for a rack and a barbell.

  • christylynn622
    christylynn622 Posts: 43 Member
    incredible!
  • FRJM
    FRJM Posts: 91 Member
    Wow - I am actually lost for words!!! Very very excited now to start lifting - you ladies are a true inspiration and look amazing :smiley:
  • FunSkittles
    FunSkittles Posts: 39 Member
    So much info out there, thanks guys! My biggest hurdle right now is that I'm recovering from a shoulder injury that took me out of roller derby. I was playing on a competitive team, trained 3x per week so could pretty much eat what I wanted as the calorie burn each week was huge... so now I'm left to my own motivation to get back into shape doing something I don't enjoy - going to the gym. It's another hurdle for me to get over...
  • AliceSwarthout
    AliceSwarthout Posts: 808 Member
    Bump for inspiration.

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