When I had weight training class in high school, I used to squat more than my body weight. Since then, my body has changed quite a bit, and I lost a lot of my strength. When I started using the squat machine at my old gym toward the end of last year, I just had the little 25 lb. weights on the bar and was content to do my reps with those.

I don't know if the new environment at Gold's is a factor, but I'm starting to focus more on challenging myself. Today was the first day I put on the 45 lb. weights. There's just something about them that makes me feel so cool, like I can hold my own with the big guys. I know that 90 lbs. isn't a huge amount of weight, but it's progress. Lately I've been focusing so much on the weight I've gained back and have been feeling really discouraged. It's refreshing to take a break from focusing on losing weight to adding weight.

I'm with you. For the first time in my life I've started doing an organized, planned out, thought-through weight training program (with the help of people in this forum!) instead of just roaming around the gym lifting heavy things up and down a few times. I've already made a ton of progress and am rapidly adding weight to all my exercises. It's great!

(By the way, when you say you used to be able to squat your body weight, do you mean standing up with a barbell, or using a machine? Please tell me you mean a machine. I'm quite positive that I'm NEVER going to be able to hoist 150 pounds in a regular standing up squat!)

LOL

I would do the standing up squats. We used to do box squats too, where you don't go all the way down, but far enough to sit on a small bench underneath you; in my "glory days" I could do 175 lbs box squatting.

Currently at my gym, I use the structure where the barbell is attached to a track so I don't need a spotter. I was trying to describe the machine to a coworker today and started out "it's a white structure..." To which my coworker laughed, and then I realized that all the machines are white. I just did a quick search and I guess what I've been using is called a squat smith machine.

I'd like to be able to lift my body weight again. I just think, if an ant can lift 50 times it's own body weight, I should be able to carry one of me.

It's call a Smith Machine

I'm sure you'll be back to squatting your body weight with a free bar soon!

You're right, there is just something about the 45 pounders

Mel

Is that actually realistic goal? Lifting one's body weight in a squat? I really can't imagine... I've just moved up to (lightly) weighted wall squats and I think next week I'm going to switch to that squat machine where the weight rests on your shoulders in big pads. (At least, I think that's what the trainer said I should graduate to from wall squats...I'll ask him when the time comes.) But I can't actually imagine being able squat 150lb; that seems literally impossible.

Wow! That's pretty impressive. I'm doing the 45 plates right now on the machines and I agree with everyone, it feels GOOD!!

Unfortunately, I'm only at 55 on the box squats, but I figure that persistence and patience are the key.

Good luck!

It's definitely reasonable to lift one's own body weight. I looked for some information online and found the squat world record: "It is widely accepted that Andy Bolton now holds the all time squat record with a lift of 1213lbs." While women don't naturally have the same capacity for muscle mass as men, our legs can still be very strong. I'm not planning on lifting over 1,000 lbs though. I'm really not sure what a good max. weight for a woman would be. I'm sure others here would be more knowledgable.

I was just thinking today that I may not be able to lift my own weight yet, but I can squat Nicole Richie. I don't know why, but the visual kind of amuses me.

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty sore today. This may be TMI, but I have to hesitate before sitting down on the commode because I know it's going to hurt.

It's a very reasonable goal, but it takes a while. I'm 120 pounds and can do 10 reps with a free bar squat at 235 pounds. It gets really ugly if I try to go heavier and I'm more protective of my back these days. I'm no longer trying to increase my weights. the heaviest I ever squatted was 305 for 6 reps, but I was specifically training for weight and I think I weighed more like 130 at the time. I've since decided I really don't want oak tree legs.

Same with any other lift- when I was training for bench press comps, my heaviest lift when I weighed 120 and under, was 145. One pound heavier and I failed totally!

How heavy you can lift depends on how you eat, how you train, and genetics. Apparently I had a pack mule in my ancestry.

Mel

OMG GO MEL!! GO!!!

I've definitely squated my body weight , it's very doable...

It's absolutely do-able! Even *I* - with no cartilage left in either knee - can still squat 135# for sets of 10 - 12. My personal best is 205, so I'm nowhere close to Mel's league (we need a bowing down smiley ).

It's so much easier to squat with the weight on your shoulders and not in your hands. Your back and core help out and it becomes a full body exercise. But, like the others have said, you can't compare the weights you do on the Smith or other machines to a BB squat. Just grab a 45# bar and start with that! But if you've never done BB squats before, try to find someone to show you the form or watch a video online. It's very different than how you do a Smith squat.

Have fun! Squats are my favorite exercise.

Wow. I'd not have even thought it possible. You girls are amazing! (I'm actually not even sure that I could hoist 145lb up to my shoulders to try a squat with it!)

This is good though: I have a new goal. I want to squat my bodyweight like you guys!

Don't worry, you don't have to hoist 145# onto your shoulders -- in fact, I doubt any of us could without killing ourselves. Nope, all you need is a squat rack or power rack. You duck under the bar -- which is sitting on pegs at shoulder height -- unrack it, and back up to begin the exercise.

Ok, phew!

lol, DO NOT HOIST IT UP! That's when I finally joined a gym. Anything over 80 pounds became a really dangerous exercise.

Mel