Also those of you who have been lifting and lifting heavy, when you say heavy can you be more specific? For instance how much are you lifting for a tricep? I want to know if I can consider what I'm lifting to be heavy so I can possibly increase calories or work up to lifting a little heavier.
Thanks everyone and good luck to beginners and to those who are still lifting!
hi - sorry, i missed your question earlier.
i'm not in the gym now (bec there's only two and the closer one is a 40min drive up just past haliburton, on, while the other's in kirkfield, on) but right now, i do pretty much everything with 10lb dumbbells.
when i did work out, this was a typical workout for, fex, bench press:
1st warmup set: bar only (45lbs) - smooth, rhythmic movements until i feel the muscles flush and warmup (usually about 18 - 20rep)
2nd warmup set: bar only - brisk, forceful movements - tossing the bar up and catching it - 13 - 15 reps.
3rd warmup set: 65lbs - 15 reps
4th warmup set: 85lbs - 12 reps
5th warmup set: 105lbs - 10 reps
1st working set: 115lbs - 5 reps
2nd working set: 135lbs - 3 reps
3rd working set: 155lbs - 2 - 3 reps
if it was for working up to an evaluation or if i could get an actual decent spotter, i could go higher for 1 - 2 reps on a working set.
I have been lifting since the beginning of the year and recently had my program redone by my PT so now am starting to lift much heavier and more free weights rather than machines. I am loving it!
I'm another one who is also not a runner - but I am by no means an hourglass, more of an apple shape with a thick waist and belly like pixelllate said. I try to go to the gym about 2-3x week which is a 15 minute cardio warm up and then just under an hour doing weights and some ab work.
However, I'm looking for some advice - despite my weight lifting and losing 13lb, when I took progress photos my body looks exactly the same. I thought lifting was supposed to help your body look better? Has anyone else had this problem?
However, I'm looking for some advice - despite my weight lifting and losing 13lb, when I took progress photos my body looks exactly the same. I thought lifting was supposed to help your body look better? Has anyone else had this problem?
Are your measurements going down? Sometimes I think that progress photos can be difficult, if your measurements are going down equally all over (so that you're basically the same body shape, just slightly smaller).
However, I will say this: from March 2011 to August 2011, I took monthly progress photos of myself. Every month I was discouraged when I looked at the pics and didn't see any difference. My measurements had gotten smaller, clothes had gotten looser, but I didn't see it. My husband would point here and there, all over the photos, and say, don't you see a difference here, and here, and here? And I totally didn't.
I stopped taking photos until Feb 2012. Then when I compared that one to the one from a year earlier, the differences were extremely obvious to me. And then I went back to all those other progress photos, and I suddenly saw all the differences there, too. It really is voodoo magic, the way that our brains create these images that they just cling to-- to the point where even photographic evidence didn't work on me.
Edit to add: I should note that my scale weight in Aug '11 and Feb '12 was the same, and my measurements were only very slightly smaller in Feb. So theoretically, I should have been able to see the difference in the August pics, too. But I didn't!
Ouch. Medium weight training tonight and I pushed myself hard. I went to pick up my bag where I put my set of 15lb weights (so 30lbs total) and I could not lift it high enough to put over my shoulder. Haha I guess I did it right. I did add a lot more to the bar this time around so it may have been more of a heavy weight training day after all
It didn't help that I took a spin/step/weight class this morning too! I'm off this week so I wanted to go in the morning too. Tomorrow is my rest day so I'll just go for a walk or something
I think all of those squats are paying off. Today I noticed I no longer have a flat butt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jennybee
I have been lifting since the beginning of the year and recently had my program redone by my PT so now am starting to lift much heavier and more free weights rather than machines. I am loving it!
I'm another one who is also not a runner - but I am by no means an hourglass, more of an apple shape with a thick waist and belly like pixelllate said. I try to go to the gym about 2-3x week which is a 15 minute cardio warm up and then just under an hour doing weights and some ab work.
However, I'm looking for some advice - despite my weight lifting and losing 13lb, when I took progress photos my body looks exactly the same. I thought lifting was supposed to help your body look better? Has anyone else had this problem?
My clothes do all feel a lot looser - I went through my wardrobe and a lot of it doesn't fit me anymore, but I have only lost less than an inch off my waist and hips, and a little over an inch off my underbust (none of my bras fit anymore!)
I didn't measure my thighs or arms when I started, unfortunately, but they're the only places I can see noticeable difference from weight training, however minimal it is.
It's just discouraging when I've been working so hard to look exactly the same after two months! I am going to take more progress photos when I reach my current GW of 130lbs, but I think at this rate I will want to go lower than that.
My clothes do all feel a lot looser - I went through my wardrobe and a lot of it doesn't fit me anymore, but I have only lost less than an inch off my waist and hips, and a little over an inch off my underbust (none of my bras fit anymore!)
I didn't measure my thighs or arms when I started, unfortunately, but they're the only places I can see noticeable difference from weight training, however minimal it is.
It's just discouraging when I've been working so hard to look exactly the same after two months! I am going to take more progress photos when I reach my current GW of 130lbs, but I think at this rate I will want to go lower than that.
Sorry if you already shared... but how heavy are you lifting? Do you lift to failure?
My clothes do all feel a lot looser - I went through my wardrobe and a lot of it doesn't fit me anymore, but I have only lost less than an inch off my waist and hips, and a little over an inch off my underbust (none of my bras fit anymore!)
I didn't measure my thighs or arms when I started, unfortunately, but they're the only places I can see noticeable difference from weight training, however minimal it is.
It's just discouraging when I've been working so hard to look exactly the same after two months! I am going to take more progress photos when I reach my current GW of 130lbs, but I think at this rate I will want to go lower than that.
Well then you're losing fat, just not where you want to right away. It sucks but it never comes off where you want it too. Apples also generally lose their middles last
If your bras don't fit then get some properly fitting bras! That could actually be the reason why you aren't seeing much of a difference. A properly fitting bra will do wonders for how you look in clothes.
Honestly don't fret. When you're short like us 10lbs can make a huge difference. You could be a different shape when you get closer to your GW, but you won't know until you get there.
You've also only been lifting a couple of months. Weight training for women really takes quite a bit more time to show up. We're just not made to respond to it like men do.
HUNGNGGHHH I am really sore from yesterday's lifting session. Joined the seedy local gym w/my bf and he helped me out some.
After a 2 mile outdoor jog at less than 10 min miles + 1/2 mile at 7 mph on a treadmill, I did 3 x 10 of the following, circuit style:
-Bent-over dumbbell rows on a bench, 20 lbs
-Barbell curls (lightest one, I think it was bar + 10 lbs)
-Lat pulldowns, 40 lbs
-Pushup machine (shoulder press?), 40 lbs (last time I failed at 5 reps so moved it to 30 lbs - god that's sad)
-Planks, 60 sec
By the end of the final circuit I was working to almost-failure and grunting and making faces. Ended it with a 1/2 mile treadmill trot at 6.5 mph.
I'm thinking about doing legs-only today + cardio. My top half is too sore to function and it feels like I have whiplash again.
Krampus-
That's impressive for your first/second week! I think you will start getting used to it sooner than you think.
ValRock-
Thank you for posting your stats. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE. I don't even know where to start. I do chalene extreme at the moment and I just bought new rules. Is that the program you did?
sontaikle-
I hope to be where you're at soon. We have similar stats except I am about 10-12lbs more than you and recently I've started to have a hard time. I'm hungrier but I'm scared to increase my calories because I still would like to lose 8 more.
Questions for those who are currently lifting a few times a week and who are still trying to lose. How many calories are you guys currently eating? I'm currently 128-132(on a bad week after being off diet ugh) and I eat 1200 calories. I run everyday (3 miles but run total of 30 min mon-thur) 1 fast mile (fri-sat 8 min but run for 10min total) then I bike at a resistance of 25 on the bike for 20 min (3-4miles). I also lift heavy (for me anyways 3 times a week. I also do Turbo Fire Advanced every day sometimes it's only 6 days a week. I also run HITT for the last 5 min of every run.
I'm not sure how many calories I should be eating if I'm still trying to lose and working out more these days. I'm having a really hard time and the ups and downs are starting to wear me down.
This morning at the gym, I did 3x8 leg presses with three 45lb weights on either side and I did 3x10 squats at 155lbs (still trying to figure out squats, I thought 8 would make me tired, next time I'll go higher).
Anyways, this boy was watching me and his eyes about bugged out of his head. He told me I was "really impressive." Too bad it wasn't my gym crush!
I did feel pretty B-A doing the leg press!
In other news, last Friday this guy (who definitely works out alot, making it more infuriating) told me "You're a girl. You should ONLY ever do cardio." I wanted to punch him! Haha.
Last edited by LovelyAndLosing; 04-13-2012 at 11:18 AM.
I did jack beanstalk yesterday and ate a HUGE Polish dinner. I am going to do arms/shoulders/back again today because I am planning to hike tomorrow and don't want to be too sore to do it. Will go for the same stuff I did Wed with some more exercises thrown in there - maybe deadlifts.
How much should I start out deadlifting? The weights I posted in the previous post were about maxing me out. Don't want to strain my lower back or suffer some kind of horrid prolapse.
How much should I start out deadlifting? The weights I posted in the previous post were about maxing me out. Don't want to strain my lower back or suffer some kind of horrid prolapse.
It's difficult for anyone else to prescribe a weight for you, of course, but I'd say start conservatively, but not so conservatively that you don't feel any of your muscles working-- not so much because lifting should be hard work, but because I think you need to be able to feel your legs working to make sure you're not pulling from your back. (I assume you've read up on form & know that in the deadlift, you should be feeling it in your legs, hamstrings & glutes in particular; don't round your lower back, make sure you're not feeling it in your lower back, keep your abs engaged, etc...)
Also, when you're starting out, it's ideal if you can elevate the bar to the height it would be at if you had 45 pound plates on either end of the bar. If your gym has steps/risers, or if you can balance it on top of some weight plates, that might work; or if there's a squat cage, you could pull the bar off the safety pins. I confess I only bothered to do this a couple of times, but it does make it easier to keep your lower back from rounding if you do this.
I deadlifted for the first time at the beginning of January, though I'd been doing weight training for more than a year before that. I started pretty conservatively at 65 pounds (I think this was 3 sets of 12 reps). My deadlift is one of my strongest lifts now; this morning I did 135 pounds (3 sets of 6 reps). Yay!
properly done, a deadlift will not at all damage your back - i've done some really big lifts and never had a problem. it was carrying a kitchen table by myself and losing my balance at the top of the stairs that did it in, lol.
anyway, the starting position should have the bar crossing midway up your shins. when you grasp the bar, you're never EVER bending over for it - you're squatting - sitting down, chest up, lower back arched (what it feels like but your back is actually straight to look at), butt sticking out in back.
grasp the bar and don't "pull it up" - instead, think if it as you're holding steady to the bar and pushing the planet away with your feet. it literally feels like your upper body and the bar have not moved but the floor's dropped below you. also, you might notice you're pulling at a back incline - that's good. if the bar is scraping your shins, you're doing it right.
the important part is driving your hips forward at the top of the move - the lock-out. get them forward! that's what keeps pressure off your lower back and allows you to straighten fully.
a good place to start would be 50% of your bodyweight - powerlifting convention says you should be able to bench 1.5x bodyweight, squat 2 x body weight, and deadlift 3x. this isn't an exercise you do for reps - this is a straight-up power move, so really a weight that would allow you no more than 3 - 5 reps is ideal.
the sumo form is popular for beginners and those going REALLY heavy because you're not bringing the weight up quite so high due to the lower initial stance.
Sorry if you already shared... but how heavy are you lifting? Do you lift to failure?
You'll see results soon!
My lifting routine is generally like this:
Leg press 145lb
Squats 45lb
Push-ups (I do them about 30cm off the ground... not quite there yet!)
Pec deck: 40lb
Assisted chin-ups (66lb, so I'm only lifting about half my weight)
Lat pull-down: 75lb
Bent over dumbbell rows: 15lb
Overhead dumbbell press: 10lb
There's a few more in there that I can't remember, I keep my program at the gym! It's 1-2 sets of about 12-15 reps, and generally by the last few I am struggling and sometimes need to take a rest before I finish. I feel like I am lifting heavy enough!
I do want to try and do more free weights and discussed this with my trainer - I want to start on the bench press but the bar at my gym is 45lb and I'm not quite there yet!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sontaikle
Well then you're losing fat, just not where you want to right away. It sucks but it never comes off where you want it too. Apples also generally lose their middles last
If your bras don't fit then get some properly fitting bras! That could actually be the reason why you aren't seeing much of a difference. A properly fitting bra will do wonders for how you look in clothes.
Honestly don't fret. When you're short like us 10lbs can make a huge difference. You could be a different shape when you get closer to your GW, but you won't know until you get there.
You've also only been lifting a couple of months. Weight training for women really takes quite a bit more time to show up. We're just not made to respond to it like men do.
Thanks I guess I just wish I was seeing faster results! I did just buy new bras about a month ago and now the bands are too loose which is irritating! I am trying to hold off buying new ones again until I reach my GW.
This thread is really helpful, I love it. Thanks for all the advice/encouragement!
I thought lifting was supposed to help your body look better? Has anyone else had this problem?
When you're short like us 10lbs can make a huge difference. You could be a different shape when you get closer to your GW, but you won't know until you get there. 
