Girls/ women: How heavy do you lift (working load) on squat, deadlift and benchpress?

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RonjaRG
RonjaRG Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am about to start lifting myself, after several years off. I have noticed it has become a lot of focus in recent years on heavy lifting for females, I see a lot on social media, like instagram and tiktok. So I was just curious whether this was representative, whether there has been a general change in recent years. Nice if you could also add your height, weight and how long you have been lifting.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,538 Member
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    Heavy is relative to the person. There are some females here that lift 200lbs for hip thrust. And others that just do 80lbs, but that's heavy to them.


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  • herringboxes
    herringboxes Posts: 259 Member
    edited August 2023
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    Strengthlevel.com is what you are looking for!
  • neurogrrl
    neurogrrl Posts: 1 Member
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    I interpreted your question as asking about a new focus on low rep/high weight work as opposed to absolute amount of weight, which I have observed as well. I did bodybuilding workouts in the 1980’s/90’s so this is certainly new to me although it sounds like a faster workout, helpful in busy days.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,344 Member
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    JBanx256 wrote: »
    41 years old
    5'4"
    currently in maintenance at ~150 (so +/- as much as 5 lbs for fluctuations etc)

    Squat: meet PR 315, gym PR 345
    Bench: meet PR 215, gym PR 247.5
    Deadlift: meet PR 365, gym PR 405
    OHP: gym PR either 107.5 or 110, can't remember for sure

    currently dealing with some injuries/issues so handling lighter weights (275-ish, 225-ish,350-ish respectively)
    Probably one of the strongest people on MFP. And defo the most ripped!
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,114 Member
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    She can put many male lifters to shame!
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,521 Member
    edited August 2023
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    Check out Will Tennyson's latest video, where he is getting crushed by a 10 year old girl here. She can clean and jerk 2x body weight.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KroiN_Joa4Y
  • herringboxes
    herringboxes Posts: 259 Member
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    Just saw that one, she’s amazing.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,344 Member
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    Retroguy2000 wrote: »
    Check out Will Tennyson's latest video, where he is getting crushed by a 10 year old girl here. She can clean and jerk 2x body weight.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KroiN_Joa4Y

    😮😮
  • williamsonmj1
    williamsonmj1 Posts: 85 Member
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    JBanx256 wrote: »
    41 years old
    5'4"
    currently in maintenance at ~150 (so +/- as much as 5 lbs for fluctuations etc)

    Squat: meet PR 315, gym PR 345
    Bench: meet PR 215, gym PR 247.5
    Deadlift: meet PR 365, gym PR 405
    OHP: gym PR either 107.5 or 110, can't remember for sure

    currently dealing with some injuries/issues so handling lighter weights (275-ish, 225-ish,350-ish respectively)

    This is really impressive.
  • TpolFern
    TpolFern Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2023
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    I hope you enjoy getting back to lifting.

    I started weightlifting/strength training via Crossfit just over a year ago. The weightlifting/strength work is awesome. I never knew I'd feel this way about it, and would love to have started weightlifting 40+ years ago as a young woman. In fact I'm quite angry in a way that in various gym memberships over the years, the free weights were ignored, and I wasn't brave enough to go over there!
    (I'm 66, 177.5cm, and currently a bit overweight).

    So far, for what it's worth, my 1RMs :

    Deadlift 100kg 220lbs
    Bench press 50kg 110lbs
    Back squat 75kg 165lbs
    Front Squat 45kg 99lbs

    When I look back I can feel really happy about the progression, as I started off not being able to C&J the 15kg bar. There's a lot of criticism (sometimes justified) of Crossfit, but I couldn't be happier with our coach and gym environment here in QC/PQ. The programming is for real people, not Crossfit professional athletes, and most of us scale at least one thing per session, if not more. (me, definitely more). Our gym is not competitive, but very supportive of one another which I love.

    Personally, as an older woman (yeah, I guess 66 counts as late middle-age lol), I've found strength/weightlifting empowering and transformative in several ways and am thrilled that it's receiving more attention from women old and young. As one of my workout t-shirts reads, "Coffee 'n' Squats"

    Good luck with your return!

  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,521 Member
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    @TpolFern Great story, and I like that tshirt.

    Are you actually doing 1RM's at your age, or is that an estimated 1RM via a calculator?

    I'm over a decade younger and I have zero interest in attempting 1RM's, it's not worth the injury risk imo.
  • TpolFern
    TpolFern Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2023
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    Hi @Retroguy2000

    Thanks :) I have a couple of fun t-shirts for xfit. Another reads I *heart* and the heart is a kettlebell with the inside of the handle shaped as a heart.

    LOL "your age" - in my head I'm about 32. Seriously though, I realised I was moving less and less, and a daily walk or two with the dogs wasn't going to cut it. Thus xfit and other activities.

    They're *actual* 1RMs - we just did a series of 1RM WODs. I guess that'll be it for another year, they're rarely programmed!

    I was really excited with those results. We had been working up to them for several months previously in the programming, and it was a lot of fun to do (supportive and non-competitive community!).

    There was no pressure to "go heavier" and our coach is acutely aware of our abilities. I could have lifted more on the deadlift I think, but he advised me to leave it there whilst I still had something in the tank. I decided to push myself on my front squat (not fond of them at all), and that was a real struggle. The numbers looked like a lot when I converted them to pounds (for convenience of folks over the border and elsewhere), but seems quite normal to me in kg!

    I totally understand where you're coming from on 1RMs though; for me personally there can be a temptation to really go for it beyond what I should, but xfit and our coach has tempered that inclination. I am conscious of form, always, and do NOT want to injure myself. Injuries don't heal quite so fast when you're no longer a twenty-something!




  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,563 Member
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    I'm 46, 6'1", 195lb and have been lifting on and off for about 10 years

    Squat: 1RM - 240lb
    Bench: 1RM - 130lb
    Dead: 1RM - 280lb

    I'm going to be retesting my 1RMs soon and hope I can bump the deads up, and maybe the bench. (Squat I have been going easy on because of my hip).

    The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you are working to be your best. You're your own competition, and your own best benchmark.

    When I watch Tik Tok, I feel weak and like my lifts are mickey mouse because so many of my feeds have these power house women. They can be both inspiring AND demotivational at the same time. When I look at my friend group and peers, I know noone else like me. Remember that social media opens you up to a literal WORLD of competition. But it sure is nice to see women being proud of their strength. :smiley:
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,521 Member
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    @TpolFern It's good to hear you're being extremely responsible with the 1RM testing.

    Almost all my sets are in the 9-15 rep range. I'm content to estimate 1RM from a calculator. I'm working out at home by myself.

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