Ok I'm just curious... Actually I'm just downright nosey and I want to compare what I lift to what you guys are doing!!

I've started off doing dumbbell squats, but I want to progress onto barbell squats, do you think the weight that I can squat with will change?

Ok that wasn't the nosey question! Although I'd like to know what you think about that! I need a barbell cos I don't have any more weights to add to my dumbbells!

Nah the really nosey question is: How much do you guys lift? Specifically squats, deadlift, standing shoulder press, bench press???

I'm just curious and want to see how I'm doing! Thanks! Maybe I should add that I'm doing 3 sets of 10 reps so that's what I'm basing it on!

Ok, I'll put mine out there for the universe to see
bench press: 12 lb dumbbells (so total 24)
squats: 20 lb db (total 40)
deadlift: 12 lb db (total 24) but I need to up this this week
shoulder press: 10 lb db

Wicked They're close to mine! Now I feel like I'm doing something right! Thank you! I'm glad to see your shoulder presses are the lowest too!

Shoulders are also my lowest.

Alright -- I'm still regaining my strength, so these numbers are each lower than they were pre-chemo, but here they are:

Squats: 10# dbs (20# total)
Deadlift: 15# dbs (30# total)
Shoulder press: 10# dbs (20# total) I think I'm going to up these to 13# next workout. (10# dumbbells plus 3# HeavyHands! Otherwise it's straight to 15# dbs!)
Bench press: 10# dbs (20# total) I think I'm going to up those to 15# next workout.

Squats: 40# plus bar (?) on smith machine
Shoulder press: 15# dbs (30# total)
Bench press: 20# dbs (40# total)
Bicep curls: 15# db (each arm)
Lat cable pulldown: 75#
One arm DB rows: 25#
I also do some straight out in front of me and straight out to the side arm raises (don't know names for these) and use 8# dbs for each arm

Most of these I do 2-3 sets of 10 although some I can only do 7-9 reps at a time.

Sorry to jump in.
I am seriously considering beginng weight bearing exercise. Can I just get your opinion on weights and reps? Are the ones mentioned on this thread reasonable for a beginner? Could anyone recc. a very simple beginner routine?
I appreciate any info.

Up to the gym closed last week I did:
Squat 130 pounds 3x15 reps
Shoulder press 35 pounds total 3x15
Bench press 60 pounds 3x20

Now I work with up to 22 pound dumbells

1nceagain -- This this site : http://www.stumptuous.com/weights_index_revision.html , it has lots of basic information...

Ilene-thanks for the site info-Just what I was looking for!

Bench press: 35# bb
Bicep curls: 15# db (each hand)
Lat cable pulldown: 80#
One arm DB rows: 15#
Shoulder press: 15# db (each hand)
Deadlift: 35# bb

I got hooked on something called Ultimate Goal on Fit-TV this evening, and was upset to see this woman starting out (first time with a personal trainer) doing bicep curls at 20 lbs. and a bench press of 50 lbs., although she could only do a couple of reps. I've been working hard for several months to get to the weights I'm lifting. Okay, she was 20 years younger than me, but would age really have that much effect on how much weight she could lift to start? I got kind of bummed when I saw that.

I did it. Ielene, that site had enough info to give me the confidence to try the weight room! The fact that there was only 1 other person there helped. It took me an hour, most of it spent checking out how to work the machines. I tried 8 different ones at the lowest settings. 3 sets of 15 reps each. Just to get a feel for them-well I think on some thats all I can do right now. I am unsure of exactly how much weight I was lifting. The weights were marked 1,2,3 . . .do you think it's 10, 20, 30? Seems like they would put 1/2's in there. Hmmmmm. At any rate, I do feel much more comfortable trying it again in a couple days! Thank you. I had one more question for anyone willing to venture an opinion. When I did what I would call the upright "butterfly" machine-where you pull the hand grips together like your clapping your hands (for pecs i think). . . I found it very stressful on my AC joints. Any suggestions?

1nceagain -- So happy to hear you had a good workout... What is an AC joint?

I thought it was just me, Ilene, and everybody else knew what as AC joint is.

1cneagain: Try doing dumbbel flyes instead of using the machine. The machine is forcing you into a position which isn't good for YOUR shoulder structure. (The AC joint). You can do them on a flat bench, and incline bench, or lying on a stability ball.

That's one of the big drawbacks of machines....they are sized and positioned for the "average person".

Mel