Our last thread is a bit dated now. Come say hi/chat/stay accountable with others who are making sure to lift heavy things and move often!

Hi, Defining!

I've enjoyed lifting heavy things a little in the past and would like to try some "real" programming in 2016. I guess that makes me a bit of a resolution-er, blush. Hubby likes lifting heavy things, and my body just hasn't been as strong after my 2nd, so it's time to remedy that.

Starting Strength starts today after work - my gym bag is packed and waiting in the car.

Hey Becky, that's awesome! Starting Strength is a little too barbell-centric for me to enjoy properly, but it's a great basic program. Looking forward to hearing more about your experience with it!

I've been working with a personal trainer the last few months... And all I can say is it is the BEST thing I have ever done to help with my weight... My only regret is that I wish I had done it sooner...

I do 2 or 3 sessions a week with him and they are INTENSE... But the results I've been getting have been AMAZING... My body looks so much better... which of course is VERY motivating...

I eventually want to get into more complicated workout splits and I really could see myself as someone who lifts 5 times a week...

The thing I love the most is seeing my body fat % DROPPING... THAT is really making it all worthwhile... I LOVE IT!

Hey Trip, that's awesome, good for you!

Maybe you should use that great resources (your trainer) to learn a bit more about programming. Would be interested to hear how you choose to progress.

I'm glad to see some action on this sub-forum. I used to post to it regularly, but left 3FC for a couple of years and when I came back, the sub-forum was pretty much moribund.

Needless to say, I'm a big fan of lifting. IMO, too many people (esp. women) focus too much on losing weight, and not enough on losing fat while at least sustaining (if not building) muscle. Big mistake, in my book. But, I've never liked the skinny-fat look, and I want to maintain my bone density and functional strength well into my dotage, thankyouverymuch.

I've been lifting for 23 years, now -- longer than the average age of the people who work out at my gym, come to think of it. Currently I'm doing an upper-lower body split, 6-8 reps per set, moderate volume. I don't recover from high volume well when I'm in a caloric deficit: no one does, but especially not middle-aged women!

TripSwitch, BeckyQ, Defining -- good to "meet" you.

Off to the gym for leg/ab day. I confess that squats are my least favorite of the major lifts, but I do 'em anyway.

//kaw

Hey kaw, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

How is the upper/lower split treating you? I find that I get better results with a push/pull split, because my upper body muscles don't recover as quickly if I do an entire workout focused on them.

Also, what kind of squats are you doing? I freaking hate back squats, but enjoy front squats and goblet progressions - maybe you'd also enjoy a different variation better?

With apologies to Dr. Seuss:

I do not like front squats,
I do not like back squats,
I do not like goblet squats,
I do not like hack squats.
I do not like them with a fox,
I do not like them on a box,
I do not like them here or there,
I do not like them anywhere.

Upper/lower works well for me when I'm cutting and my goal is to maintain muscle rather than build it. (I'm way past the honeymoon, beginner's stage when you can build muscle and lose fat simultaneously.) The main difficulty with an upper/lower split is that there's no good place to put deadlifts, so I usually just skip them. No biggie: I'm not planning to compete in any Olympic lifting events any time soon...

//kaw

Hahahaha, roger that, kaw - dislikes squats.


I'm wondering if any of you guys would be interested in joining me for a 10,000 swing challenge? Effectively, you try and finish 10,000 (or a smaller number, if that sounds crazy to you) KB swings in a month. It would look like a daily goal of ~350 swings, give or take a few. Or maybe 300 swings for 3 days, 400 swings on day 4; or 500 swings/day with every third day being a rest day. Whatever arrangment works for you.

I like this approach (have done it before) because you can either turn it into a aerobic thing (light weight, high reps), a strength thing (high weight, low reps), or a metabolic/other thing (breathing ladders, unilateral weights, etc.). It also offers easy accountability (did I hit my number today?), and can encourage multiple sessions a day (1 morning, 1 evening, maybe a small one at lunch?).

It's also a bit of a grit thing, where you really have to commit yourself to finishing it. Which is a challenge I could use right now. So, anyone else up for it? Or should I go it alone, and report back on how crazy things get?

Not me, but thanks for asking. My gym doesn't have kettlebells, and I don't like swinging dumbbells around.

//kaw

I am happy to see this. I have been seriously lifting for a little over a year. I started on machines and moved to Dumbbells. i lifted heavy but didn't follow a specific program. My first love is being outside Running or walking but a typical gym workout is about 40 minutes weights and 15 minutes cardio.

I started strong lifts 5x5. Tomorrow will be the third workout. my goal is to hit my body weight in the lifts. Squat, bench, OH press, deadlift and row.

Mollyw -- lifting BW is a great goal, though the discussions I've seen of this adjust by the lift. E.g., for women: bench BW, squat 1.5x BW, deadlift 2x BW. Comparable OH press would be something like 0.5 BW.

I suspect I can bench BW, because I'm only 10 pounds off my BW now at 6 reps x 2 sets. Not that far off (of 0.5 BW) on OH press. But, I have a loooooooong way to go for squats. See above.

The fraternity boys are back in town, and were at my gym in full force this weekend. They travel in packs, and do the gym equivalent of manspreading. They also spend what seems like an inordinate amount of time touching each other (but in a "manly" way -- thumping hugs, fist bumps, that sort of thing) and checking themselves out in the mirrors. It's pretty interesting, in an anthropological sort of way. But, it's time for me to start going to the gym in the mornings again. Very different crowd.

Thought I'd check back in, although maybe no one is reading this board anymore.

I've been doing well with lifting, and my strength is up in many of my lifts. Just gotta say: it's so great to have a measure of progress that's not tied to the scale!

//kaw

Thanks for the update kaw.

mollyw, here's a great guideline for different strength goals: https://bretcontreras.com/female-strength-levels/


How's everyone else doing?

Hello ladies! I'm 6 months post-baby and looking to get back into lifting. I've been doing a lot of work at home and I'm ready to get back to the gym. How many days per week do you lift? I know recovery time is important but I do want to be active everyday. Additionally, how much cardio do you do per week? Thanks so much and looking forward to seeing your responses!