Ladies, deadlifts squats etc

christinecoffeebean
christinecoffeebean Posts: 30 Member
edited August 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, weight novice here that has just started resistance training. I have been using the resistance machines at the gym but would like to progress to free weights.

Roughly how many kgs did you all start deadlifting as a beginner?

What about for squats with the bar?

I am a 70kg female and would consider myself reasonably fit. Thanks!
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Replies

  • half12345
    half12345 Posts: 51 Member
    I use 10 lb Dumbbells when I do deadlifts. I deadlift and then do a bicep curl as I approach a full standing upright position. I don't use the bar for squats. Start small. Remember the last few reps should be difficult but done with good form. Good luck,
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    half12345 wrote: »
    I use 10 lb Dumbbells when I do deadlifts. I deadlift and then do a bicep curl as I approach a full standing upright position. I don't use the bar for squats. Start small. Remember the last few reps should be difficult but done with good form. Good luck,

    That's.... Not a deadlift.

    For the OP, I'm not smart enough to convert pounds into foreigner, but 50-65 pounds is probably around where you'd be about to have enough weight on the bar to practice your form and you'll others rapidly and easily for a while. For squats anywhere from 35-60 pounds probably works. It's going to be on the light side, but your main focus starting out should be form, form, and form.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
    edited August 2015
    half12345 wrote: »
    I use 10 lb Dumbbells when I do deadlifts. I deadlift and then do a bicep curl as I approach a full standing upright position. I don't use the bar for squats. Start small. Remember the last few reps should be difficult but done with good form. Good luck,

    I've never heard of this. I can't really understand why you'd A) deadlift 20lbs and B ) curl afterwards.

    OP, I agree with DavPul's weight suggestions. I weighed a couple kgs more than you when I started and I recall starting around that weight, maybe a little heavier. Definitely focus on form! It also took me a while to be comfortable resting the bar behind me because my shoulder mobility sucked.
  • kathrynjean_
    kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
    edited August 2015
    If you are new to squatting and deadlifting, I would recommend starting with just the bar in order to make sure you have your form right. I just started StrongLifts 5x5 a couple of weeks ago and started with the bar but have been progressing steadily and adding weight for both squats and deadlifts. It's a great feeling to see myself improving and haven't stalled out yet!

    As a note, if you do start SL, I wasn't able to start out directly with the bar for a lot of the upper body stuff (bench and and overhead press) so I had to start out with Dumbbells and work up to the bar.

    Hope that helps and best of luck!
  • christinecoffeebean
    christinecoffeebean Posts: 30 Member
    Thanks for the great advice guys
  • siansian91
    siansian91 Posts: 15 Member
    edited August 2015
    I started with just the olympic bar, and currently deadlifting 35/40kg but I have back issues. I was doing 35 on squats but now focus more on inverted leg press which I just hit a PR today of 85kg!! :)

    Also - Stronglifts is a amazing program to get your form and build strength!!! I would really recommend it, such a great plan and there is a free app! Its basically 3 x exercises 3 times a week. Really great!
  • pearshapedmum
    pearshapedmum Posts: 131 Member
    i started on 40kg deadlift which was light enough to practice form and heavy enough that I could feel it. was easy enough progress to 50. For squats I started on 20kg (just the bar) and did full ATG squats. I did strong lifts for a few months, had a 6 month break and have since been doing strong curves which is a bit more comprehensive.
  • DoogCampbell
    DoogCampbell Posts: 53 Member
    Start with the bar, however you may need to prop this up for deadlifts as you wont practice good form if you aren't working from a normal plate height.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    I started with dumbbells on my shoulders for squats, pretty light (12.5s I think.) Once I got to 22.5s (45 total) I switched to a barbell but had to move down to 30 lbs total. To this day, my squat is weak. Even before I deloaded due to an injury it was less than my bench (though, to be clear, I mainly do front squats now.)

    I think I tried 45 with deadlifts but had to add more before it felt right. Probably 65 total. Too light and I think it just feels weird.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
    Start with the bar, however you may need to prop this up for deadlifts as you wont practice good form if you aren't working from a normal plate height.

    My gym had wooden 'weights' for this very purpose. Quite useful!

    OP you won't regret taking up lifting. I felt like such a bad*ss when I deadlifted over 100kgs (220lbs) for the first time. I felt unstoppable!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Start with the bar to get used to the bar and practicing good form.

    A 7 foot Olympic bar is 20kg.

    A beginner programme like Stronglifts 5x5 is a good starting point. The programme adds weight after each time you've hit all the reps, which builds up very quickly.
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    As a (very weak) beginner, I started with a 85-lb deadlift, and a 45 lb (bar only) squat.

    My opinion is that starting with the bar for deadlifts isn't the best idea because you're not going to get the right starting height (without propping it up), and 45 lbs is too light of a deadlift to really get used to how the movement should feel.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Start light, with just enough resistance to feel the movement. This might be bodyweight, could be just the bar, might be dumbells, but probably won't be more than that. Focus on form and technique first, then start adding weight.

    Watching form vids is never a bad idea, filming yourself and getting feedback is an even better idea.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Start light, with just enough resistance to feel the movement. This might be bodyweight, could be just the bar, might be dumbells, but probably won't be more than that. Focus on form and technique first, then start adding weight.

    Watching form vids is never a bad idea, filming yourself and getting feedback is an even better idea.

    Couldn't have said it any better. Form trumps weight. And recording your sets and getting feedback will help a lot.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,521 Member
    You can squat with an empty bar first; also, you can deadlift with an empty bar. You're going to want to raise the bar off the floor; you can do this by setting it on some boxes. When you want to add weight, see if your gym has bumper plates (rubbery looking plates). These are the same size as the iron 45 plates, but come in varying weights.
  • GlenzioFitness
    GlenzioFitness Posts: 255 Member
    Just go straight in with you one rep max, all guns blazing B)
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
    Just go straight in with you one rep max, all guns blazing B)

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  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    kami3006 wrote: »
    Just go straight in with you one rep max, all guns blazing B)

    hld7396j4tmb.jpg

    blink blink
  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
    half12345 wrote: »
    I use 10 lb Dumbbells when I do deadlifts. I deadlift and then do a bicep curl as I approach a full standing upright position. I don't use the bar for squats. Start small. Remember the last few reps should be difficult but done with good form. Good luck,

    This cannot possibly be good for your wrists or your back.
  • airbent
    airbent Posts: 150 Member
    for deadlifts you need to start with the bar around mid-shin. Higher and you don't get the full compound movement, lower and you won't be able to straighten your lower back and still reach the bar. This is important for form because to not tire out your back, you need to set it down after every rep, moving up and down again keeping your back straight through the whole movement. You can't do that touching the floor, or pulling up from a dead hang with dumbells, etc.

    That's why the recommended start weight (for Stronglifts) is 95lb (so two 25lb plates on the olympic bar). But you'll still have to raise the barbell up by stacking it on top of more plates. (I used two 35lb plates on each side. If that's too heavy you could start with 65lb (two 10lb plates on each side) and just stack more plates underneath. But for it to be a real deadlift and be useful to you, you have to be pulling it up from about mid shin. so you can bend your knees, grab the bar, then straighten your back and pull up.

    The stronglift writeup on deadlift form was really helpful to me: http://stronglifts.com/deadlift/

    I'm just starting out too but I'm up to 135lb and it's going well. Only workout I haven't stalled on yet ;)