For the ladies that strength train

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13

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  • itgeekwoman
    itgeekwoman Posts: 804 Member
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    typically i'm doing 4 sets of 15

    Squat: 180
    Bench press: 115
    Dumbbell Shoulder Presses: 35

    I typically do this in conjunction with cardio, high intensity reps. I'll compete against my daughter as we train together. It is typically a race when doing curls, presses, and other free weight exercises.We'll incorporate heavy bag flipping or number of kettlebell snatches. It's fun and rewarding. I'm seeing my daughter FINALLY out pace me with weights. She should .. she's 20 years younger!
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
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    Wow I feel WEAK. I just bought two 10lb dumbbells. I can do about 5 reps at a time. But hey I have to start somewhere right?
  • mhannasch
    mhannasch Posts: 1
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    I would recomend calculating your one rep max. A 1RM is considered the maximum weight you could lift if you just did one rep. You can also do a pyramid lift to actually do your 1RM, where you do a warm up set - 12 to 15 reps, rest 60 secs, do a "guess" of your 75% 1RM - set of 10, rest 90, and then try for your 1RM. If you can lift it, keep adding weight until failure for 1 rep.

    If you aren't able to do this, this website offers a good estimate calculator.

    http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html

    Your workouts should be built around the percentage of your one rep max. I.E. - lifting 75% of your one rep max for 12 reps. Working to what YOUR maximum weight should be will help you build muscle faster, than trying to lift too heavy and causing an injury. You can also work with a personal trainer to help you actually do a fit test to establish a true 1RM for each muscle group.
  • karinefitness
    karinefitness Posts: 336 Member
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    As everyone said, heavy is different for everyone.
    I usually do 3 sets of 8 reps (well right now anyways).

    I leg press 180lbs, squat around 80lbs (my weakness actually, I don't feel flexible enough to go heavier and have correct form), deadlift 115lbs (my bodyweight!). I'm not sure about everything else...

    I can do 1 pullup and a few chin ups as well!! :D:D
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Squats: 5x5x120lbs
    Bench: 5x5x95lbs
    Rows: 5x5x80lbs
    Shoulder Press: 5x5x65lbs
    Deads: 1x5x155lbs


    But it's all relative. Do as heavy as you safely can for 3-5 sets of 4-12 reps. Increase as often as you safely can.
  • spazofthedead
    spazofthedead Posts: 175 Member
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    I've been following Stronglifts 5x5 since January. My current numbers are:

    Squat: 150lbs
    Bench: 85lbs
    Row: 90lbs
    OHP: 60lbs
    Deadlift: 200lbs

    I've been slacking off lately on deadlifts and squats because of a hip flexor injury. :/

    What is Stronglifts 5x5 ?

    It's a strength training program geared toward beginners that follows a 5 rep, 5 set scheme for all the big lifts: squat, deadlift, row, overhead press and bench press.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    Right now I squat and deadlift 90 lb (not including the weight of the bar). My seated rows are 105 lb. My lat pulldown weight is 70-80 lb, but that's only because any heavier and the weights pull me up with them. Lunges with 2 30 lb dumbells (60lb). Shoulder press with 2 25 lb dumbells (50 lb). Step ups with 2 20 lb dumbells (40 lb), I was using 2 30 lb dumbells but I had to go down in weight because I raised the height. Swiss ball crunch I'm using 1 20 lb dumbell with arms raised. I tried it with a 45 lb weight plate on my chest, but it was too easy.

    And I'm doing 3 sets of 8 reps (ending stage 1 of NROL4W)
  • drewbransmama
    drewbransmama Posts: 30
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    I'm 5'2, 109 pounds.
    I deadlift 3x5 at 135 pounds, squat 3x5 at 105 pounds, and bench press 3x5 at 95 pounds.
    I have a weakness with strict press....but for now it's 3X5 at about 55 pounds.
    Thanks for posting this....I love seeing what other women lift. There are some IMPRESSIVE bench press numbers in here!:wink:
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I am a newbie to lifting. Usually do 3 sets of 10-12

    10-12 lb weights with shoulder presses
    110 lbs for seated row
    110 lbs for lat pull downs
    110 lbs for leg press
    60 lbs for dead lifts
    15 lbs for bicep curls
    45 lbs for chest press

    Just started with a trainer for 1X a week, so we'll see how all of this increases.
  • lisa28115
    lisa28115 Posts: 17,271 Member
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    I use anywhere between 5-15 depending on the exercise. I follow CLX.

    I am not familar with the CLX program...
    What is that???
  • herownkindofwonderfull
    herownkindofwonderfull Posts: 307 Member
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    I'm just new working with NRWFW, at the moment I am doing:

    25 lb weights with shoulder presses
    20 lb weights with lounges
    30 lb weights for the step-ups
    130 lbs for seated row
    10 lbs for crunches
    25 lbs on each side (50 total) for squats
    75 lbs for lat pull downs

    Thats just what I can remember from my head, but i'm only doing 8 reps and 3 sets at the moment.

    dang girl! awesome. i need to work up to that point! i'm at 60 on my lats, and 60 on my seated row... lol 130 is insane! but awesome!
  • hoosier_red
    hoosier_red Posts: 57
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    I'm in week 2 of NRWFW and this is my current workout:

    15 lb weights with shoulder presses
    Body weight with lunges (but I'm also 150 pounds overweight, so that's a lot of body weight)
    20 lb weights for the step-ups
    75 lbs for seated row
    BW for crunches
    BW for squats
    70 lbs for lat pull downs
    25 lbs for deadlift

    And I'm doing 2 sets of 12 reps right now.
  • splucy
    splucy Posts: 353
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    I do squats with 9kg dumbells in each hand (total 18kg weight ~36lbs). I try to do as heavy weights as I can and do reps until I feel a burn! haha

    Abductor - 50kg (~100lbs)
    Leg Press - 80kg (~160lbs)
    Rotary Calf - 40kg (~80lbs)
    Abdominal Crunch - 25kg (~50lbs)

    I'm not so great with my arm work outs! I have a lot more strength in my legs! I do bench presses with 20kg (~40lbs)

    then I load myself up with a protein shake after my work out. I think I am on the right track for building muscle! :)
  • splucy
    splucy Posts: 353
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    single bicep curls for me around 7kg (~14lbs)
    single dumbell side dips I use 20kg (~40lbs)
  • Seryce
    Seryce Posts: 1
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    I don't really know my values in pounds... and I have a friend who is my personal trainer to help spot me and motivate me, but this is what I've been achieving lately (fairly new to weights!):

    Bench press: 40kg
    Unilateral bench press: 20kg each arm (so equal to bilateral bench bress)
    Dead lift: 60kg
    Weighted bar squat: 70kg
    Lat pull down: 45kg

    And the record I am the most proud of...
    Leg press: 200kg for a full 5 reps!!! Yay!

    My personal trainer's usual method is to start with a warm-up weight (about half of your heavy set) for 8-10 reps, then move to the heavy set. When you first start on the heavy set you should aim for a minimum of 4 reps but 6 is more ideal. Then you keep increasing the reps until you can do 15. Once you can do 15 with good form, you can move up in weight. For example, I recently achieved 15 reps of the 40kg bench press, so it's time for me to move up!

    So much more work to do!!!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Just out of curiosity when you say you lift heavy how much do you lift??

    Such as squats, cable fly, leg press ect......


    I like to think that I'm doing good as far as the gains in the weight that I lift but maybe I was a weakling to start with and now I'm just average. :laugh:

    When I lift heavy, I aim for 5-6 reps per set. If I can lift that 7th rep, I need more weight. If I can only do 4, then it's too heavy. That said, here's a list of some of my 1 rep maxes...

    Squat: 175
    Deadlift: 150
    Barbell Bent Over Row: 80
    Bench Press: 100 (still working on this...my chest is so much weaker than I would like it to be!)
    Standing Calf Raise: 290 (my calves are beasts, lol)

    Not sure about 1 RM for leg press...last time I did it, though, I was pressing 420 pounds...but I was not going "heavy" I was actually doing 12 rep sets for endurance...

    Anywho, when I started out I was only doing the bar for squats and deads (45 pounds) and a 30 pound pre-loaded bar for rows. I was benching with dumbbells and using 20's in each hand. And my standing calf raise started out at 70 pounds. That was back in September of last year.

    I do 2 days of heavy lifting (5-6 rep sets) and 2 days of moderately heavy lifting (8-10 rep sets) per week. One heavy and one moderately heavy for each upper and lower body.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I use anywhere between 5-15 depending on the exercise. I follow CLX.

    I am not familar with the CLX program...
    What is that???

    CLX = ChaLEAN Extreme program from Beachbody. You use dumbbells and follow along with DVDs.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    Been strength training for 6 weeks and tend to lift more when with my PT, but when alone as follows:

    incline bar press 4 sets of 20 12.5kg
    French press 4 sets of 20 start at 3kg and end on 2kg
    kneeling lateral cable pulldown 4 sets of 20 6kg
    biceps 21s 3 x 7+7+7 10kg
    reverse fly cable 3 sets of 20 1.5kg
    assisted squats 4 sets of 20 20kg + bar
    single lunges one leg supported 4 sets 20
    bosu squats 3 sets 15
    leg curls 3 sets 20 5kg

    PT likes to work to failure.

    On top of this we work abs for 15 mins.
  • emylianasmommy
    emylianasmommy Posts: 11
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    just switch up and now instead of more reps light weights im gonna do less reps and the heaviest i can do!
    (4 sets from 8-10reps) reps

    smith machine sqauts 70lbs
    inner/outter thigh machine 60 lbs
    leg press incline 90 lbs
    leg extention 50 lbs
    leg curls 60 lbs
    calf raise 60lbs
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
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    as someone asked earlier, I don't use the smith machine.... I squat inside of a squat cage.... do my push press inside of it too

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