Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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Trying SL and already having troubles..

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classictoaster
classictoaster Posts: 197
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Hi guys!

I'm so glad I found a community of women who has also done/is doing this program, since the site is predominantly aimed at men and men's goals. That being said, I tried doing workout B today, and I simply could not overhead press the Olympic bar at my gym. None of the other exercises have been an issue for me at all.

Has anyone else had that issue? If so, what weight did you use to start for OHP? I ended up skipping it entirely and doing bench press instead. Maybe I'll do Friday more hodge podge and then start for real again on Monday... sigh.

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  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I started OP with nothing but air. I added the handles for dumbbells, eventually added 2.5 then up and up till I could do a bare non-OLY bar that weighs 15lbs. I'm currently working up to the OLY bar weights.

    You can work up to the OLY bar if you need to- it's ok :) We're women and some of us are light- so expecting someone who's 135lbs to suddenly do a 45lb OP is a bit much :)
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
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    Oh, thank goodness I'm not the only one! I hate doing dumbbells when it comes to presses, because I know my left arm is weaker than my right, and it gets all out of whack and waves around rather than performing one smooth motion. I need to scrounge around my gym to find the non-OLY bars - I think I saw a woman using one today, but I just couldn't find from where she got it. Oops.

    I just need to suck it up and ask for help next time I guess. d:

    And, unfortunately, I am merely weak - I weigh 150, but my upper body is so, so weak and always has been. Hoping SL can turn that around... just got the app on my ipod. B) Thanks again for the response!
  • juliespears
    juliespears Posts: 25 Member
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    It will happen, just takes time. I'm not there yet either, but each week gets better. My inspiration has been a lady who's been out here in Afghanistan with me x 3 months. She started out with noodle arms, and now she's looking pretty buff. She introduced me to this program and I'm just a beginner and already feeling/seeing a difference. Consistency is key!
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    My gym has a shorter bar (a curl bar, maybe? not the ez curl a straight bar) that is shorter than the Olympic and weighs a little less.

    I started with that. And it fit the plates, so I added plates until I got up to 45.

    Some other people have started with fixed barbells of lighter weights.
  • mamamudbug
    mamamudbug Posts: 572 Member
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    Start where you are and progress from there. I have trouble with the ohp, too.
  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    Yeah, it's my weakest lift, and I'm always stalling on it.
  • papergirl22
    papergirl22 Posts: 21 Member
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    It was my weakest as well. I started with a 30# preloaded bar we had in our gym...we have a rack of curled ones and strait ones.

    I just added 5# to the OLY yesterday...workout 9 I think. So the program works. Totally.
  • littledumplings
    littledumplings Posts: 223 Member
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    I'm using a combo of 30# pre-loaded bars and also the Body Pump bars and weights depending on which increments I need. I'm only on the OLY bar for deadlift...and even that is empty

    Glad to know I'm not the only one :)
  • classictoaster
    classictoaster Posts: 197
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    Thanks for all the great feedback, guys!

    Also, just wanted to ask - did anyone do cardio whilst doing SL?

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