Looking for information/instruction on using weights for female, 58 years old.
vlharris07
Posts: 1 Member
Looking for information or instuction on using weights. I walk on a normal basis, weather permitting, but at 58 I have noticed alot of muscle loss. I am still in good health and very young at heart.
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My first books were New Rules Of Lifting For Women, Strong Curves and Starting Strength. Go to Amazon or Flip through them at your local bookstore. All of them are progressive training programs.
These programs can definitely help you get results.
Also the article below may be helpful. I’m turning 58 next year and have been barbell training for a couple years. Heavy compound lifts helped me gain strength and build a better physique. 10-minute body-weight (speed) circuits helped me with agility and endurance.
https://www.theptdc.com/2018/04/rules-training-older-clients/?fbclid=IwAR1lroIV8FAtXrihV7_Tbnj372zD4cjgQGRTuFFgxzaQE4Uk-aPrgZwpRt41 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
This got me started ^0 -
squat, deadlift, bench press and bent over row are usually good exercises to give all round strength. technique and control are the first priorities then build on the amount of reps and sets and finally the amount of weight. below is a good guide eg 10-15 reps, several working sets, 1-2 mins rest. this is a good exercise library too - good luck, keep us posted!: https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/
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I am 59 and have tried 5x5, Starting Strength and NRLFW on and off for about 5 years. Every single time I follow one of these programs I have injured myself, gotten discouraged and given up. After reading voraciously, watched tons of videos on how to correctly perform these lifts (which is a source of some debate, by the way) and even used a trainer to learn good form, once I was on my own again I did something wrong (not sure what) to cause an injury. Because my back muscles are weak and I can’t constantly afford a trainer to monitor my form, (which I know is not always right), I have developed my own strength program that is a hybrid of these and which takes into account that I am a woman (with less starting strength than a man) and a beginner lifter with back issues. Here’s what I’ve learned:
- you don’t have to do these programs exactly as written to see gains as a beginner. Avoiding the exercises that put the most strain on my back (overhead press, standing dumbbell press, inchworm, jacknife and some others) allows me to stay in the gym and keep progressing. I do the dumbbell overhead press sitting on a bench with back support. I do the dumbbell chest press with my knees up on the flat bench and my back pressed flat. These don’t provide all the benefits of a compound lift because I am not using my entire body, but they protect my back as I gain strength.
- every one of these programs assumes you can handle a 45 pound Olympic barbell just fine. Well, a full size Olympic bar (45 lbs) is too heavy for me, even empty. I am deadlifting and barbell rowing with an EZ curl bar (empty = 28 pounds). When deadlifting, the bar is placed on plates so it is the appropriate height off the floor (abt 8 inches). Once I can lift 45 pounds with the EZ curl + plates I will switch to the Olympic bar.
- no way can I add weights at the progressions outlined in any of these programs. I bought a pair of 1.25 lb plates and am using these to add weight VERY slowly and conservatively. They key is SOME sort of continued progression.
- my last trainer advocated use of the Smith machine for squats, which I know is anathema to most people on MFP. But the 45 pound Olympic bar in the squat rack is too heavy. The Smith machine bar is 25 pounds of resistance (according to the manufacturer’s website) and I am sqatting with the empty bar. I may see if the EZ bar (the one at my gym is 28 pounds) will work in the squat rack. If not, I will continue to use the Smith machine until I can squat 45 pounds safely, and then move to the squat rack (yes,I know the form you use on each of these two pieces of equipment differs).
- to build ab strength I am starting with planks, since I’ve read that sit ups and crunches are not good for your back (and don’t provide that much benefit) and I can’t do the complicated jacknife on a Swiss ball exercise that’s in Stage 1 of NRLFW without back pain.
The point of all this is that everyone on MFP advocates Strong Lifts 5x5 and New Rules of Lifting for Women as beginner lifting programs. But these programs are not right for all beginners, especially those of us who may be older, have existing issues, and can’t handle the weight of the Olympic bar starting out.
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I am 59 and have tried 5x5, Starting Strength and NRLFW on and off for about 5 years. Every single time I follow one of these programs I have injured myself, gotten discouraged and given up. After reading voraciously, watched tons of videos on how to correctly perform these lifts (which is a source of some debate, by the way) and even used a trainer to learn good form, once I was on my own again I did something wrong (not sure what) to cause an injury. Because my back muscles are weak and I can’t constantly afford a trainer to monitor my form, (which I know is not always right), I have developed my own strength program that is a hybrid of these and which takes into account that I am a woman (with less starting strength than a man) and a beginner lifter with back issues. Here’s what I’ve learned:
- you don’t have to do these programs exactly as written to see gains as a beginner. Avoiding the exercises that put the most strain on my back (overhead press, standing dumbbell press, inchworm, jacknife and some others) allows me to stay in the gym and keep progressing. I do the dumbbell overhead press sitting on a bench with back support. I do the dumbbell chest press with my knees up on the flat bench and my back pressed flat. These don’t provide all the benefits of a compound lift because I am not using my entire body, but they protect my back as I gain strength.
- every one of these programs assumes you can handle a 45 pound Olympic barbell just fine. Well, a full size Olympic bar (45 lbs) is too heavy for me, even empty. I am deadlifting and barbell rowing with an EZ curl bar (empty = 28 pounds). When deadlifting, the bar is placed on plates so it is the appropriate height off the floor (abt 8 inches). Once I can lift 45 pounds with the EZ curl + plates I will switch to the Olympic bar.
- no way can I add weights at the progressions outlined in any of these programs. I bought a pair of 1.25 lb plates and am using these to add weight VERY slowly and conservatively. They key is SOME sort of continued progression.
- my last trainer advocated use of the Smith machine for squats, which I know is anathema to most people on MFP. But the 45 pound Olympic bar in the squat rack is too heavy. The Smith machine bar is 25 pounds of resistance (according to the manufacturer’s website) and I am sqatting with the empty bar. I may see if the EZ bar (the one at my gym is 28 pounds) will work in the squat rack. If not, I will continue to use the Smith machine until I can squat 45 pounds safely, and then move to the squat rack (yes,I know the form you use on each of these two pieces of equipment differs).
- to build ab strength I am starting with planks, since I’ve read that sit ups and crunches are not good for your back (and don’t provide that much benefit) and I can’t do the complicated jacknife on a Swiss ball exercise that’s in Stage 1 of NRLFW without back pain.
The point of all this is that everyone on MFP advocates Strong Lifts 5x5 and New Rules of Lifting for Women as beginner lifting programs. But these programs are not right for all beginners, especially those of us who may be older, have existing issues, and can’t handle the weight of the Olympic bar starting out.
Have you tried Strong Curves? The program/book illustrates alternative lifts. It also has a strong focus on the core (abs and posterior chain) which seems like your weakness. Also, I lift with the women’s bar (about 35lbs). That bar may seem heavy at the beginning. A progressive resistance program can help you break through those barriers.0 -
I am 59 and have tried 5x5, Starting Strength and NRLFW on and off for about 5 years. Every single time I follow one of these programs I have injured myself, gotten discouraged and given up. After reading voraciously, watched tons of videos on how to correctly perform these lifts (which is a source of some debate, by the way) and even used a trainer to learn good form, once I was on my own again I did something wrong (not sure what) to cause an injury. Because my back muscles are weak and I can’t constantly afford a trainer to monitor my form, (which I know is not always right), I have developed my own strength program that is a hybrid of these and which takes into account that I am a woman (with less starting strength than a man) and a beginner lifter with back issues. Here’s what I’ve learned:
- you don’t have to do these programs exactly as written to see gains as a beginner. Avoiding the exercises that put the most strain on my back (overhead press, standing dumbbell press, inchworm, jacknife and some others) allows me to stay in the gym and keep progressing. I do the dumbbell overhead press sitting on a bench with back support. I do the dumbbell chest press with my knees up on the flat bench and my back pressed flat. These don’t provide all the benefits of a compound lift because I am not using my entire body, but they protect my back as I gain strength.
- every one of these programs assumes you can handle a 45 pound Olympic barbell just fine. Well, a full size Olympic bar (45 lbs) is too heavy for me, even empty. I am deadlifting and barbell rowing with an EZ curl bar (empty = 28 pounds). When deadlifting, the bar is placed on plates so it is the appropriate height off the floor (abt 8 inches). Once I can lift 45 pounds with the EZ curl + plates I will switch to the Olympic bar.
- no way can I add weights at the progressions outlined in any of these programs. I bought a pair of 1.25 lb plates and am using these to add weight VERY slowly and conservatively. They key is SOME sort of continued progression.
- my last trainer advocated use of the Smith machine for squats, which I know is anathema to most people on MFP. But the 45 pound Olympic bar in the squat rack is too heavy. The Smith machine bar is 25 pounds of resistance (according to the manufacturer’s website) and I am sqatting with the empty bar. I may see if the EZ bar (the one at my gym is 28 pounds) will work in the squat rack. If not, I will continue to use the Smith machine until I can squat 45 pounds safely, and then move to the squat rack (yes,I know the form you use on each of these two pieces of equipment differs).
- to build ab strength I am starting with planks, since I’ve read that sit ups and crunches are not good for your back (and don’t provide that much benefit) and I can’t do the complicated jacknife on a Swiss ball exercise that’s in Stage 1 of NRLFW without back pain.
The point of all this is that everyone on MFP advocates Strong Lifts 5x5 and New Rules of Lifting for Women as beginner lifting programs. But these programs are not right for all beginners, especially those of us who may be older, have existing issues, and can’t handle the weight of the Olympic bar starting out.
If you are struggling with the exercises and injuring yourself, one option is to lower the amount of reps or the weight and slowly work your way up. There's no rush to lift the heaviest loads asap.0 -
I am also looking at programs. I am 57, and have used free weights/weight machines in the past but never got up the strength to work with even a 45 pound barbell at my old gym. After 12 years of gaining weight, this February I decided to really get back in to shape and joined a new gym that caters a bit more to an older cohort. I go to a "Strong and Limber" class that uses free weights and other exercises for balance/core strength. After getting back to previous levels on the weight machines I decided that I really did want to pursue more intensive strength training. The gym offered a "Women on Weights" class which covered a brief intro to using a Smith machine. I have been using that over the last month in addition to the other classes/exercises, but felt that going through a more formal program with heavier weights would be beneficial and turned to this forum for insights - thanks to all of the helpful info here!
After looking at reviews of NRFLW on Amazon, there was one that advocated buying their more recent book Strong, https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Workout-Programs-Metabolism-Strength/dp/0399573437 by the same authors.
I ordered it and have read through all of the stages and plan on starting when I get back from upcoming summer travel. Some of the exercises are familiar, but others not, but looks like it is well suited for beginners. Since I do sometimes have lower back pain and previous issues with knees, I was thinking of working with a trainer to make sure that I have proper form and some help in getting weights in the right ball park. (Also figured it would help with motivation :-)0
