Weightlifting with PCOS Resources Needed

natikaal
natikaal Posts: 5 Member
edited November 27 in Fitness and Exercise
Since the physiology of PCOS is similar to being on steroids, I wonder if any of you are aware of any resources that talk about weightlifting for those who have PCOS, or even for those on steroids?

I started weightlifting a few months ago, and I notice that since I can lift my approximate 75-80% rep weight without too many issues and often move up in weight each workout, that I also tend to easily overdo it. In the past few weeks, I also have noticed the need for fewer workouts and more resting. I wonder if it is a result of the difference in the way my body works in comparison to the information I have from those with more traditional physiology.

I would like to make my workouts as healthy as possible, so if anyone can point me in the direction of some good informational material, I would be grateful. I give my body the rest it needs, when I realize it needs it, but it is mentally defeating when I need to take a full week off in between workouts. It would be great to know how to weightlift in a way that will keep my progression without requiring such drastic breaks.

Replies

  • notarunnermfp
    notarunnermfp Posts: 43 Member
    What is your training like? Are you following an established program and regular deloads?

    I don't know much about PEDs/PCOS so I can't comment on that, but it's normal for beginners to be able to increase weight frequently. It sounds like you may be trying to do too much though, if you are starting to feel beat down and needing more days off. I think an established program would be your best bet. Beginners don't typically know how to set up and run their own programming.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
    Here's a thread with a list of popular programs.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I'm reading Lyle McDonald's book, The Women's Book. I'm not far into it yet, but he goes in depth on hormones and how they affect females training. It isn't cheap, though, and it is a dense read.

    https://store.bodyrecomposition.com/product/the-womens-book-vol1/
  • natikaal
    natikaal Posts: 5 Member
    notarunnermfp wrote: »
    What is your training like? Are you following an established program and regular deloads?

    I lift approximately 75-80% of my single max rep weight. My goal is to eventually get to four days alternating lower and upper body with an extra day of HIIT or general cardio or full body weightlifting if I am up to it between the two days off. So far I have gotten up to 3 days a week and once some heavy cardio in between, though I have had to drop down more recently, as I had said. I generally do around 6 different exercises that work out different muscle groups for each day. No, it is not someone else's program, as I believe that nothing in this life is a one size fits all, but my goal is similar to many established programs out there.

    I put a lot of research into how to do this well before I started. As a medical student with a professor who majored in sports medicine, I did have a bit of a foundation to start on. Although he only has peripheral knowledge of my disorder.

    As I stated, I am concerned about pushing myself too hard because even if I strain and am unable to lift a weight, I do not feel as though I am putting out much effort. As such, I want to learn more about the specifics behind lifting with this condition so I can be ahead of my body and lift responsibly and remain healthy.

  • natikaal
    natikaal Posts: 5 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I'm reading Lyle McDonald's book, The Women's Book. ...he goes in depth on hormones and how they affect females training.

    Thank you very much for the recommendation quiksylver. I will definitely look into it.

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited July 2018
    natikaal wrote: »
    notarunnermfp wrote: »
    What is your training like? Are you following an established program and regular deloads?

    I lift approximately 75-80% of my single max rep weight. My goal is to eventually get to four days alternating lower and upper body with an extra day of HIIT or general cardio or full body weightlifting if I am up to it between the two days off. So far I have gotten up to 3 days a week and once some heavy cardio in between, though I have had to drop down more recently, as I had said. I generally do around 6 different exercises that work out different muscle groups for each day. No, it is not someone else's program, as I believe that nothing in this life is a one size fits all, but my goal is similar to many established programs out there.

    I put a lot of research into how to do this well before I started. As a medical student with a professor who majored in sports medicine, I did have a bit of a foundation to start on. Although he only has peripheral knowledge of my disorder.

    As I stated, I am concerned about pushing myself too hard because even if I strain and am unable to lift a weight, I do not feel as though I am putting out much effort. As such, I want to learn more about the specifics behind lifting with this condition so I can be ahead of my body and lift responsibly and remain healthy.

    I think you're making too much of the PCOS wrt lifting. Follow a solid lifting program and you'll be fine. Women and men can use the same lifting programs, albeit there may be differences with how much weight is added or speed of progress. Having PCOS doesn't change that. PCOS can come with higher than normal testosterone for a woman but I've never seen it compared to being on steroids. Not to mention the fact that being on steroids generally allows people to recover more quickly rather than more slowly. Sounds like more of a programming issue for you than anything else. If you are following an actual established program, which it sound like you're not, progression are rest days will be included in the explanation.
  • notarunnermfp
    notarunnermfp Posts: 43 Member
    So you have created your own programming, what about the deloads? Have you purposefully programmed/taken any easy weeks in the past few months you have been lifting?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    natikaal wrote: »
    notarunnermfp wrote: »
    What is your training like? Are you following an established program and regular deloads?

    I lift approximately 75-80% of my single max rep weight. My goal is to eventually get to four days alternating lower and upper body with an extra day of HIIT or general cardio or full body weightlifting if I am up to it between the two days off. So far I have gotten up to 3 days a week and once some heavy cardio in between, though I have had to drop down more recently, as I had said. I generally do around 6 different exercises that work out different muscle groups for each day. No, it is not someone else's program, as I believe that nothing in this life is a one size fits all, but my goal is similar to many established programs out there.

    I put a lot of research into how to do this well before I started. As a medical student with a professor who majored in sports medicine, I did have a bit of a foundation to start on. Although he only has peripheral knowledge of my disorder.

    As I stated, I am concerned about pushing myself too hard because even if I strain and am unable to lift a weight, I do not feel as though I am putting out much effort. As such, I want to learn more about the specifics behind lifting with this condition so I can be ahead of my body and lift responsibly and remain healthy.

    So PCOS and steriods are two different things. People with PCOS tend to be on the higher spectrum for test but not at the levels that men or those on steriods would be. But there are a few studies that also show negative impacts on metabolism.

    With your programming, can you describe it? Are you always 75-85% 1RM? Do deload or test rest weeks?
  • natikaal
    natikaal Posts: 5 Member
    There have been a couple of weeks where I have not done any lifting, or only done one or two days of minimal effort in the latter part of the week (my scheduled days of lifting are in the beginning of the week), which gives me nearly a week between lifts. They are not purposely scheduled, but if I am busy one week (which happens regularly) or do not have the drive, then I take some time off. I have not recorded the weeks off, but they generally come around once a month.
  • natikaal
    natikaal Posts: 5 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    PCOS can come with higher than normal testosterone for a woman but I've never seen it compared to being on steroids. Not to mention the fact that being on steroids generally allows people to recover more quickly rather than more slowly.

    I have run across information in the past about PCOS and its effects on lifting provided by trainers, but they did not supply specifics. The trainers actually compared the two.

    I am not concerned that I am going to recover slower, I am concerned that I am not a sensitive to my body limits, since I almost never feel as though I am putting much effort out. This is why I wanted to find information on how the hormone differences effect lifting, so I would be more aware of potential pitfalls, and be able to better analyze how exactly I need to ease up in order to not go overboard.

    Also... as I have said, I looked at a number of programs to make sure I was making what will work for me reasonable. If you go to the different kinds of training programs suggested in the sticky thread in this forum, you will see a couple of very similar programs listed. I believe one is called a 4 Day Power Lift, which sounds very similar to my goal.

    I do have rest days regularly scheduled. The goal schedule is days 1-7: lower, upper, lower, upper, rest, HIIT, rest, start over, pay attention to whether you need a rest. This allows me to rest my upper body on days 1,3,5, and 7. It also allows me to rest my lower body on 2,4,5, and 7. Though... I have not gotten so far as to work out that many days a week.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Can you provide more specifics on your lifting program and diet?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    When did you start lifting?
  • me0231
    me0231 Posts: 218 Member
    I have PCOS too. The condition can affect some women similar to steroids in the way that muscle can grow much faster than other women with lower androgen numbers. However, pcos has none of the other 'benefits' of steroids such as fast recovery. In fact, pcos often results in more inflammation in the body.

    As far as increasing weights go, sounds like typical newbie gains. RPE can be very difficult to judge as well for new lifters and 75-85% of the 1RM is also hard when your 1RM changes every work out.

    I'm not an expert, but I would start out with less volume and as others have said follow an established program. They exist for a reason. Once you're more advanced/knowledgeable you can tweak it and work up to your split. Personally I started with 3x week full body for about 6 months and made good gains.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    edited July 2018
    natikaal wrote: »
    I am not concerned that I am going to recover slower, I am concerned that I am not a sensitive to my body limits, since I almost never feel as though I am putting much effort out.

    In that case i would choose a full-body workout done about 3x a week, because there's fewer sets per body part, so each part has less potential to be overworked compared to a "bro split" like your 4 Day Power Muscle program (which is a bulking program). It's common to not feel sore after full body workouts, while that's rare after a bro split.

    It may also help to video record your sets, to see if the reps take progressively longer to complete, and the final rep takes a lot longer, which means you're near your physical limit.

    If you need more help, state your goal (bulking, general fitness, sports improvement, etc).
  • notarunnermfp
    notarunnermfp Posts: 43 Member
    edited July 2018
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Can you provide more specifics on your lifting program and diet?

    ^ I agree, I'm still not very clear on what you're doing.
    Your goal is to do an upper/lower split, but explaining that program does us no good as you're not actually doing that.
    From what I've gathered you're doing more of a full body program 3 days per week, and all of those days are at the beginning of the week? What about reps, sets, rest times? Are you training to failure? I don't think it has been mentioned either - but what are your goals? Strength? hypertrophy?

    I think 'feeling like you've put out enough effort' can be very mental for some people. It's not necessary to have to crawl out of the gym to make progress though.

    Have you spoken with your doctor about this? It doesn't sound normal to require an entire week off every month if you are using an appropriate program, which you seem to think you are.

    Also - If you have only been lifting for a few months, you should not be using a percentage based program yet..
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