Hi all, I have question, how much weight do you use for weight lifting on these exercises?

Bench Press
Leg Press
Squat
Bicep Curl
Lat Pulldown
Row
Shoulder Press
Deadlift (if you do them)
or anything else you would like to add...

The reason for the question is I get some of the strangest looks at the gym when I am lifting and grabbing my weights. I don't think my weight itoo much, but wanted to see what you all lift.

Thanks

I do -

Bench Press - 60 (I use the machine for this, not free weights)
Leg Press - 190
Squat - I don't do squats, stupid reason really - but the weight I can squat, I can't lift to get up on my shoulders, so I just do the leg press.
Bicep Curl - 15 each hand
Lat Pulldown - 60
Row - 60 (standing bent-over row)
Shoulder Press - 15 each hand
Deadlift (if you do them) - 60

Don't know if this is too much or too little. . .I know I don't lift often enough, at all. . .I also know that I often wonder how the gals I see at the gym with a 5-lb weight in each hand can really be accomplishing anything. . .

Hope that helps!

Your weight isn't too much if you don't feel like you are compromising your form. Each person is different and you may be stronger than some but also may be weaker than others. I also assume you are talking about free weights rather than weight machines.

Right now, the heaviest weight I use is about a 30 lb dumbbell but I've also not been concentrating on weights too much. I used to be able to do a lot more weight but that was when I was doing weights an hour every day, 5 times per week.

So for my bench press, I use 50 lbs total (2 25 lb dumbbells) on my heaviest set of 12. For bent over rows, I use up to a 30 lb dumbbell for each side on. For biceps and triceps and shoulders, I use up to a 20 lb dumbbell on each side.

My current leg workouts aren't done on free weights but on the weight machines so it is hard to really determine numbers on those. I will tell you though that when I was using free weights and machines in the weight section of the gym, I'd have weight lifter guys come up to me and mention that they couldn't believe how much weight I was doing. Particularly on the leg and lat machines.

Hi Rockergirl! Great Question.

I use dumbells for my workouts instead of the barbell so some of my numbers and exercises maybe different.

CHEST PRESS 20lb dumbells 2 sets of 20 (time to increase, I know..)
CHEST FLY 15lb 2 sets of 15
BENT OVER ROWS 20lb 2 sets of 20
DUMBELL PULLOVER 15lb 2 sets of 15
BICEP CURL 20lbs on each side 2 sets of 12 (struggling with last four reps)
TRICEP 15lb dumbells 2 sets of 12 (I tried using a 20 and almost fell over)
SHOULDER PRESS 15lb 2 sets of 10
LAT PULLDOWN (Freemotion equipment) 80lbs 2 sets of 12
Seated LowRow 70lbs 2 sets of 12

I haven't had a decent lbwo since April. I have been recovering from a femeral stress fracture. But back then I was squating 140 lbs using freemotion equipment. Leg curl I think was 80lbs and Leg extension was 70lbs. When I start back in the next few months my lbwo routine will incorporate a lot more free weights with ahem...a personal trainer!

As far as others looking at what you pick up...let them look. At least you don't have to compete with others who are waiting around for the lighter weights. See, you are actually doing them a favor...

Really though, lifting what is heavy for you is what is important. You need to get the workout you came in for and that is such an individual thing in lifting as well as in cardio.

Yes, they really can. Come on! You have to start somewhere! For someone who has never done any strength training before, anyway, that is -plenty- to start with. The program my trainer has me on includes several exercises with 5lb weights, and I am building visible muscles all over my upper body, so yes, I assure you, 5 lb weights can accomplish A LOT.

Can I also add that the "What good can 5 lbs do" comment can lead to a lot of inferiority issues for people just starting at lifting? I mean, its not exactly easy to walk into a gym and lift a lighter weight than anyone else in the room, despite the fact that its plenty for your current level of fitness and muscle strength...much less to know that people in the gym are thinking "what good does that do" when they look at what you are lifting...

After reading everyone else's posts, I feel kind of weak but here are my amounts anyway

Bench Press...With dumbbells, 20 pounds...With Barbell 55 pounds

Leg Press...I exercise at home so I don't use equipment but I substitute "step ups" and do these with a 40 pound barbell on my back.

Squat....30 pounds each hand with dumbbells....55 pounds with barbell on my back

Bicep Curl...regular curls are 15 pound dumbbell, barbell curls are 25 pounds, hammer curls are 10 pounds, incline curls are 10 pounds

Lat Pulldown...Again, no machines but I use a barbell bent over rows(all variations, wide grip, narrow grip, and underhand) and these are all up to 55 pounds now.

Row...Dumbbell rows are 25 pounds

Shoulder Press...I have trouble with shoulders so with a barbell they are only 20 pounds and with dumbbells they are 10 pounds.

Deadlift (if you do them)...Straight leg deadlifts are 65 pounds and regular are 50 pounds.

SkullKrushers...MY absolute favorite tricep exercise! I can only do about 15 pounds.

Pullovers....with a dumbbell, I am up to 30 pounds.

Hey, please don't get all bent out of shape here! I didn't mean it THAT way. I was specifically thinking of the women I see who will do like 100 reps with a 5-pound weight, and who I have seen every day for the past year, never increasing what they lift at all. It just seems like they could be getting a heck of a lot more bang for their buck in terms of time spent exercising. Anybody who is new to ANY exercise, I completely respect the heck out of. But if you spend much time in the gym, you will start to notice people who may spend a lot of time there, but who clearly aren't doing terribly efficient or effective things.

I admit I'm sensitive to the issue, since I am one of the 5 lb lifters. I just wanted to put that out there so that no one reading this thread and thinking about starting a weight lifting program would get discouraged because they couldn't lift more than 5 lbs.

Please don't get competitve with anyone but yourself. I was hesitant to leave this thread up for this very reason. Everyone starts somewhere, some people are naturally stronger, some are just plain BIGGER- Rockergirl, you are 5'9" and weigh 219 according to your profile. It makes sense that you can lift more than a 110 pound 5 footer.

Work with the weight that is correct for you, not what you see someone else using for the same exercise!

I have a client who started most of her exercises with 1 pound weights. They were too heavy for some exercises, so she just lifted her arms. Three months later, she's using 5-10 pound dumbbells for almost everything. That's progress!

Mel

One of my best gym buddies was a friend of mine who wasn't able to use much weight at all. Since I had been using weights for a long time, we went to the gym together and I'd give her some guidance on weights. When doing weights together, I realized that she needed to start out with small weights. You should've seen me hunting down 1 lb and 3 lb dumbbells for her, which were nearly impossible to find in our gym. She was able to improve and she didn't complain about weights or being sore or what not, but she understood that was part of working out.

I learned though that I am a very tough gym buddy. Very few people have gone to the gym with me more than a couple times. DF and this friend were the only two people who have gone to the gym and stuck it out with me for more than a week. Others that I have gone to the gym with, even when doing a shortened version of my routine, didn't seem to appreciate having a butt kicking workout.

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get people riled up. I was more concerned if the amount I was lifting was not productive to my weight loss and if I could cause harm to my joint in the future. I thought the best way to do that was to compare with what others are doing. Just to get an idea of where others stand regardless of size. I really didn't mean fo this to be a competition.

You can delete the thread, I have got the info that I needed.

Thanks-

I guess I am the one who got riled. I just was really concerned that someone might come in here and read the thread and feel like a failure - we've clarified it on all counts, I think - so all is well.

No - let's leave it up, just no ruffled feathers, please! Also, remember that if you are using machines, no numbers are comparable. Every single machine is cabled differently, the angle of each leg press is different and that all affects how much exertion is required. I've used a leg press that I can put five plates aside on, but then I visitied another gym and nearly got squished trying to press what I thought would be my warm up set of 3 plate per side. The diference was the angle of the press.

The length of time that you/ve been lifting makes a big difference, the genetic make-up of your muscle fibers, and your training techniques.

Here are my current numbers (remember, I've been lifting a loooooong time and trained for bench press comps for a while):

Bench Press: Flat with dumbbells, my fourth set if I have a trustworthy spotter is 45 or 50 pound dbs. Barbell, with a spotter, my 3 rep max was 145 pounds.
Leg Press: Depends on the press. Usually my fourth set is 4 plates per side: 360 pds
Squat: With a spotter, the most I'll do now is 225X10. Without a spotter, 185. I used to squat more but I think I'm half an inch shorter because of it
Bicep Curl: 20 pds per hand. I don't go to fatigue ever because I pulled a bicep tendon a year and a half ago and it was incredibly painful. My arms are plenty big.
Lat Pulldown: 110 pds
Row: 50 pds X10 reps with straps
Shoulder Press:35 pd dumbbells seated, 30 standing.
Deadlift (if you do them): 225X10 max with straps.

Lifting heavy is fun and makes people look twice, but it's hard on your body over the years. Lately, I've been really mixing up my workout and lightening the load, but increasing the work. For example, instead on loading more weight onto a barbell for deadlifts, I have really lightened them (50 pounds) and do them one legged on a bosu ball. It's much harder, requires balance as well as strength, but doesn't yank my arms from my shoulders. Instead of superheavy squats, I use a 40 pound barbell and put one leg on a bench behind me, and do a lunge squat on one leg, touching the barbell to the floor in fron of my leg each time. It's actually much harder than a heavy squat and uses a lot more muscles.

Have fun, mix it up, do it for you!

Mel

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-journal/WLSTANDARDS.pdf

I've been lifting for about a year. I used machines from September 05 through July 06, then switched to free weights. I lift at about novice levels on this chart.

My first trainer was impressed with what I could do with my arms. But, hey, once you've deadlifted a screaming toddler...