What do you consider "heavy" lifting?

whouwannab
whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been seeing a lot of people recommending that ladies should lift heavy weights to see results. What do you consider heavy? Can you give me an example of different exercises and the size weight you use? I do realize this will be different for different people, but I am curious how much you ladies are using for your strength training workouts. Thanks

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,974 Member
    It's all relative. Where curling a set of dumbells at a weight of 10lbs each is heavy for some, 20lbs might be it for others. I have a female now that leg presses (on a real leg press) 220lbs. while another leg presses 150lbs.
    Heavy, in terms of how I train my clients, would be enough weight to only manage 8 reps max on any given exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Heavy is something you work into by starting light and adding weight to every session. Usually done in a 3x5 or 5x5 format.
    Usually on the last rep of the last set you are DONE, but not necessarily to failure.
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    depends on body part...i leg press with six 45 pound plates plus the machine...but for biceps i curl a 20 pound dumbell, and do a 10 pound concentration curl...bench press i do about 85 to 100 pounds...lat pull downs 80ish...one arm row for back 25...etc...please let me know if you would like more examples... i usually go for 8 reps, but once in a while i lower the weight and do 10 or 12....depends on my mood.

    OH and whatever weight i use I can barely do the last repetition...if you can do more than 10 repetitions i would go up a weight...
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Yup, there is no specific weight that jumps it. Heavy is the weight at which you can do the exercise 4 to 8 times with good form and no more.
  • spartacus69
    spartacus69 Posts: 235
    Too light: when I feel like I could have easily done another few reps.

    Too heavy: when I have to yell for my wife to come help lift the barbell off my chest.

    Just right: when I can barely complete the last rep of my last set while maintaining good form.
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    Too light: when I feel like I could have easily done another few reps.

    Too heavy: when I have to yell for my wife to come help lift the barbell off my chest.

    Just right: when I can barely complete the last rep of my last set while maintaining good form.

    well said!
  • whouwannab
    whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
    Okay, thank you. This gives me something to go by. So if I can do 12 reps comfortably, I should increase weight to where 8 reps is my max. Do people generally do 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise? thanks
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Okay, thank you. This gives me something to go by. So if I can do 12 reps comfortably, I should increase weight to where 8 reps is my max. Do people generally do 3 sets of 8 reps for each exercise? thanks

    There are tons of different strategies out there (I personally do 5x5). 3 sets of 8 isn't a bad option.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I'm rather small, short, and have had shoulder problems. The last time I worked out regularly at the gym I would do 5 sets of 5 reps using dumbbells on my upper body (shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps). Depending on how I was feeling, I would use an 8-lb dumbbell or as much as 12-lb. Interestingly, I was able to go up to a much higher weight by doing 5 sets of 5 reps instead of 3 or 4 sets of 8-12 reps, which is how I initially learned to strength train.

    I think I use a 20 or 30 lb weight on the lat machine and something similar on the cable row machine. I use the assisted pull up and chin up machine, offsetting a fair amount of my body weight. I do unassisted push ups and dips using body weight and a piece of equipment.

    I don't use weights on my lower body, which is not the way people are usually advised to train. It works for me and my body shape.

    I certainly don't consider myself a "heavy" lifter. My goal has always been to get stronger from the point I started and not to injure myself. And of course, I need to maintain perfect form.
  • Dragonfly7701
    Dragonfly7701 Posts: 45
    I do 20lbs on each hand for curls, 45 chest press...it all depends. I know my trainer does not use any weights under 12 for me.
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
    Too light: when I feel like I could have easily done another few reps.

    Too heavy: when I have to yell for my wife to come help lift the barbell off my chest.

    Just right: when I can barely complete the last rep of my last set while maintaining good form.

    This...but without the wife :)
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    i have noticed a huge difference in my body from lifting weights...i have been at it since sept and i love it... i am really careful and do each rep slowly, making sure not to choose a weight so heavy i would have to use bad form to do the exercise... hopefully you can see from my leg pic that it will not make you too big...my legs look smaller and more shapely to me!

    Hope this helps. let us know how it goes!
  • whouwannab
    whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
    I'm rather small, short, and have had shoulder problems. The last time I worked out regularly at the gym I would do 5 sets of 5 reps using dumbbells on my upper body (shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps). Depending on how I was feeling, I would use an 8-lb dumbbell or as much as 12-lb. Interestingly, I was able to go up to a much higher weight by doing 5 sets of 5 reps instead of 3 or 4 sets of 8-12 reps, which is how I initially learned to strength train.

    I think I use a 20 or 30 lb weight on the lat machine and something similar on the cable row machine. I use the assisted pull up and chin up machine, offsetting a fair amount of my body weight. I do unassisted push ups and dips using body weight and a piece of equipment.

    I don't use weights on my lower body, which is not the way people are usually advised to train. It works for me and my body shape.

    I certainly don't consider myself a "heavy" lifter. My goal has always been to get stronger from the point I started and not to injure myself. And of course, I need to maintain perfect form.

    I am on the smaller side also, thanks for sharing.
  • Flippiefloppies
    Flippiefloppies Posts: 319
    What I consider heavy lifting is anytime you are pushing yourself beyond your comfort point. I have been doing heavy lifting for about 8 months now. I get sooo much satisfaction from it. I just finished Tnations superman workout. Its powerlifiting. I gained alot of strength from it and enjoyed the workouts greatly. In a normal workout I Dumbell curl around 20-25lbs, Bench 85-95 lbs, squat 135-155lb. My workout partner and I always push ourselves to add more weight when we think we can do it and we almost always end up being able to. If its too heavy we just go back down in weight til we are comfortable enough to try it again.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Yup, there is no specific weight that jumps it. Heavy is the weight at which you can do the exercise 4 to 8 times with good form and no more.

    This really is about the perfect definition.
  • whouwannab
    whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
    What I consider heavy lifting is anytime you are pushing yourself beyond your comfort point. I have been doing heavy lifting for about 8 months now. I get sooo much satisfaction from it. I just finished Tnations superman workout. Its powerlifiting. I gained alot of strength from it and enjoyed the workouts greatly. In a normal workout I Dumbell curl around 20-25lbs, Bench 85-95 lbs, squat 135-155lb. My workout partner and I always push ourselves to add more weight when we think we can do it and we almost always end up being able to. If its too heavy we just go back down in weight til we are comfortable enough to try it again.

    thanks so much. makes me wanna go home right now and get started!
  • yamahakazy
    yamahakazy Posts: 2
    heavy lifting anything over 50 pounds by work regulations so id say around that area of weight
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    It's all relative. Where curling a set of dumbells at a weight of 10lbs each is heavy for some, 20lbs might be it for others. I have a female now that leg presses (on a real leg press) 220lbs. while another leg presses 150lbs.
    Heavy, in terms of how I train my clients, would be enough weight to only manage 8 reps max on any given exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    The weight is definitely relative to the individual. It seems that when most people are talking heavy weight they're really referring to the maximal strength part of the force curve, which is roughly 85% or more of your 1-rep max for that exercise. For instance if your 1-rep max on the bench press is 100lbs then maximal strength lifting would be roughly 85% to 95% of your 1rep max. That's where you get training methods like 5x5, Westside's Conjugate Method and Maximal Effort lifting, 5/3/1, etc.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    When I'm huffing and puffing after 4 reps and I feel like I'm struggling to get to 6, I know I picked the right weight. Nothing better than your heart pumping after a set!

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