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HALP! Heavy Lifting Made Me SUPAH Bulky!!!

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Replies

  • Posts: 694 Member
    WOW!!!
  • Posts: 1,099 Member
    Holy crapamoley!!!!!! Big boy weights and omfg 500lb leg press!!! You ladies rock!!!! I deloaded and corrected my form. I've gotten my butt way further down with squats finally and I'm gradually getting back up to my original personal bests on bench press and overhead press. My 60kg (132lb) deadlift today was my happy moment :smiley:

    My daughter is 15 months old now, leg press so far is the 1st one I am back to my pre-pregnancy lifts weight wise on. Squat I am about 100lbs down still (180 now), and bench I have been stalled for a while as I switched gyms and used to use a jones smith and now am 100% free barbell so I don't think I will ever hit my old best of 150 (at 90 now)

  • Posts: 8,488 Member
    @keezo1 I love your excitement. I danced all the way home the day my gym brought in lighter bars so I could lift.

    Make sure you are getting in .8-1g protein per lbs lbw, or ideal weight if you have a lot to lose, use good form, and follow a well established programme that suits your needs.

    Take lots of pics. Post updates if you wish.

    Cheers, h.
  • Posts: 32 Member
    This thread is ridiculously inspiring. I have a question for those of you who have WAY more experience in this arena: I've injured my lower back (right above the booty) doing something (what that something was, I'm not sure) and now I'm worried that lifting may aggravate it. I'd like to start the Stronglifts program; are these exercises okay to preform with a sensitive back? Should I get a brace/belt for support?

    Thank you in advance if you can answer these questions for me! Every one of you ladies are incredible!
  • Posts: 248 Member
    This thread is ridiculously inspiring. I have a question for those of you who have WAY more experience in this arena: I've injured my lower back (right above the booty) doing something (what that something was, I'm not sure) and now I'm worried that lifting may aggravate it. I'd like to start the Stronglifts program; are these exercises okay to preform with a sensitive back? Should I get a brace/belt for support?

    Thank you in advance if you can answer these questions for me! Every one of you ladies are incredible!

    As someone who had a disc removed because of unknown things, I'd recommend seeing a Dr and getting clearance to start. You really don't want to go through that.... I also had bad knees when I was doing stronglifts and now my knees are cactus. I have a double knee replacement ahead of me. Sorry to be a Debby-downer, but I'd rather you had the facts ahead of you. I may just be "lucky" and have been born with dodgy joints, but it's still worth looking after your health number 1. I think the stronglifts focus on squats 3 times a week was just too much for me. A year if they'd been less regular and there had been split lunges or something to strengthen each leg my outcome would be different? I'll never know! Anyway, good luck to you and please get your back checked and start slowly... very slowly. Never ignore a twinge in there!
  • Posts: 1,099 Member
    FeraFilia wrote: »
    I live a 30-45 minute drive from the nearest gyms (2 YMCAs and 1 Anytime Fitness), and that's just not feasible for regular workouts. I came across a weight bench at a yard sale that was all dusty, and picked it up complete with bars, plates, and hand weights for $30 a few months ago. I am excited to clean it up and use it! It made a good addition to my home gym that includes an elliptical and several DVDs. Women who lift have always been inspiring to me. You ladies are awesome. I can't wait until I have my own after pictures!

    My gym is 30 minutes away so totally get it!
  • Posts: 1,099 Member
    This thread is ridiculously inspiring. I have a question for those of you who have WAY more experience in this arena: I've injured my lower back (right above the booty) doing something (what that something was, I'm not sure) and now I'm worried that lifting may aggravate it. I'd like to start the Stronglifts program; are these exercises okay to preform with a sensitive back? Should I get a brace/belt for support?

    Thank you in advance if you can answer these questions for me! Every one of you ladies are incredible!

    I have issues in my lower back same area from 1 car accident and 1 issue from carrying items and slipping, and my right hip from pregnancy.

    I asked my doctor what his opinion was and he said he was slightly clueless in some aspects as every person is different. He told me to work on it and go slow and light especially on back heavy things. I went and got a trainer who also did physical therapy and worked with him for 6 months on form, form, and form.

    My deadlift is crap, epic status, because when I hit over 150lbs it hurts my back. Stiff leg, sumo, you name it. Trap bar is about only way I can do heavy weight deadlifts. My hip issue might have some to do with that.

    Squat and bench no problems. I started out with stronglifts. I did good mornings and other lower back specific things at light weight to work on building up those muscles to be more supportive on top of it.

    BUT for sure talk to your DR first!
  • Posts: 32 Member
    @zanyzana , @sunflowerhippi Thank you ladies! My insurance, while expensive, isn't particularly great coverage wise but I'll get an appointment scheduled to check before starting!
  • Posts: 8,488 Member
    @sunflowerhippi I have seen you around the boards, but have never seen a side by side of you before.
    You are inspiring, thanks for posting.

    Cheers, h.
  • Posts: 3,452 Member
    My new copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women will get here later this week. Looking to get more serious about lifting around Feb 1....which will correspond to reaching ONE-derland. Can't wait! You ladies are goddesses!!
  • Posts: 3,499 Member
    This thread is ridiculously inspiring. I have a question for those of you who have WAY more experience in this arena: I've injured my lower back (right above the booty) doing something (what that something was, I'm not sure) and now I'm worried that lifting may aggravate it. I'd like to start the Stronglifts program; are these exercises okay to preform with a sensitive back? Should I get a brace/belt for support?

    Thank you in advance if you can answer these questions for me! Every one of you ladies are incredible!

    You should direct this question to a Dr. who is sports aware or a good Phy. Therapist. You might want to start out doing core work without weights to strengthen your back and abs more before you consider serious lifting of anything.
  • Posts: 505 Member
    edited January 2017
    So I have tried to start lifting... I am typically stronger in my lower body but weak as heck in my upper. I can squat and deadlift with good form, but I seriously struggle to bench or OHP with the empty bar.

    Any suggestions on how to build up to where I can do these with good form with the bar? I do not want to use pink girly weights lol, but would let's say 10 then 20 pound barbells work? Any advice?

    Some hot ladies in this thread, very inspiring!!
  • Posts: 261 Member
    karahm78 wrote: »
    So I have tried to start lifting... I am typically stronger in my lower body but weak as heck in my upper. I can squat and deadlift with good form, but I seriously struggle to bench or OHP with the empty bar.

    Any suggestions on how to build up to where I can do these with good form with the bar? I do not want to use pink girly weights lol, but would let's say 10 then 20 pound barbells work? Any advice?

    Some hot ladies in this thread, very inspiring!!

    Try other exercises, like push-ups. You can start on an incline or on your knees and work up to full ones. Those will help with your bench. I do them instead of the bench because I don't have the right equipment at the moment.
  • Posts: 138 Member
    This thread is ridiculously inspiring. I have a question for those of you who have WAY more experience in this arena: I've injured my lower back (right above the booty) doing something (what that something was, I'm not sure) and now I'm worried that lifting may aggravate it. I'd like to start the Stronglifts program; are these exercises okay to preform with a sensitive back? Should I get a brace/belt for support?

    Thank you in advance if you can answer these questions for me! Every one of you ladies are incredible!

    I agree with zany. I have a neck injury and while I loved doing stronglifts, it really messed up my neck. My form was pretty good, too. I had it checked from time to time just to be sure. Your best bet is to get it to get the thumbs up from a doctor.
  • Posts: 8,488 Member
    karahm78 wrote: »
    So I have tried to start lifting... I am typically stronger in my lower body but weak as heck in my upper. I can squat and deadlift with good form, but I seriously struggle to bench or OHP with the empty bar.

    Any suggestions on how to build up to where I can do these with good form with the bar? I do not want to use pink girly weights lol, but would let's say 10 then 20 pound barbells work? Any advice?

    Some hot ladies in this thread, very inspiring!!

    I still can't OHP or BP the 45lbs bar. Before my gym got me a woman's 35 lbs and a lighter 17lbs bar I did them both with either Dumbbells or used those body bars for form (padded bars used in aerobics classes) 6 to about 25 lbs.

    Improvise with what you have available.

    Cheers, h.
  • Posts: 33 Member
    karahm78 wrote: »
    So I have tried to start lifting... I am typically stronger in my lower body but weak as heck in my upper. I can squat and deadlift with good form, but I seriously struggle to bench or OHP with the empty bar.

    Any suggestions on how to build up to where I can do these with good form with the bar? I do not want to use pink girly weights lol, but would let's say 10 then 20 pound barbells work? Any advice?

    Some hot ladies in this thread, very inspiring!!

    Just a suggestion, but I started YAYOG and had NO upper body strength. I bought a pull up bar and could just about do half a chin up and pull ups were impossible... Did YAYOG for a couple of weeks and then tried the bar again, knocked out 3 chin ups and 1 pull up!!! Now a couple of months later I can do 4 chin ups in a row or 3 pull ups!! :D (I don't do heavy lifting though so not sure if this will help you, but might be worth a shot)
    YAYOG = you are your own gym (body weight strength training)
  • Posts: 18 Member
    Bump ❤️
  • Posts: 15,267 Member
    NyeMye wrote: »

    I agree with zany. I have a neck injury and while I loved doing stronglifts, it really messed up my neck. My form was pretty good, too. I had it checked from time to time just to be sure. Your best bet is to get it to get the thumbs up from a doctor.

    if your form was correct SL did not mess up your neck.
  • Posts: 1,212 Member
    Tight neck is caused by you tensing up when performing lifts, such as row, bench press or shoulder press.
  • Posts: 70 Member
    6 inches off your waist, op is enough to make me want to sign up right there. Awesome job, all.
  • Posts: 85 Member
    Looking great! I just took my before pictures! I'll post more when I have some progress to show :)
  • Posts: 118 Member
    Bump
  • Posts: 16 Member
    BUMP

    Great job ladies!! Thank you so much for the inspiration!

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