Weightlifting people, here! Ongoing chat thread...

Some women will gain muscle quickly, just as some will gain slowly.

Perhaps you'd prefer to lose fat via diet and cardio, then you can work on your muscle tone and strength without worrying about hulking out of your clothes.

Hi everyone,

I have a question... whenever I lift any weights, even hand held 2lb ones, my muscles immediately bulk up. My (idiot) xPT says "women can't bulk up", but I obviously do and none of my shirts or jackets fit now. My arms are bigger than my DH's. My thighs are huge and square from squats. My calves are rock hard, and very well defined. I find it hard to wear skinny jeans as they are too tight over my muscles.

I have more body fat than my DH does, so I look like the hulk, whereas he looks like a slim gymnast, with great definition.

I just seem to get absolutely massive, and bulging, even with stretching.

My question:
Should I lift light weights with lots of reps or heavy ones with fewer if I don't want to bulk up. Or should I just stick to push ups and use my own body as resistance weights? Or just stick to yoga!!

I am good at parking, DIY and maths. I have high testosterone, and had cystic acne as a teen. TIA.

I have a chocolate whey protein shake nearly every day. I always mix it with milk.

I tried creatine for a bit but hard to tell if it did anything much for me. I know it's one of the better evidenced supplements though, so worth a punt, especially as it's so cheap! I've still got half a kilo in my pan cupboard.

On gym days I do have a morning chocolate milkshake with a scoop of whey isolate in it though. It's a convenient way to get some protein in and it is yummy, so win-win.

I bought some creatine. I'm going to be trying to eat more (more protein but also more calories) and I'm hoping this will give me a boost, as well.

Today is upper body day.

I meant to move my arms to my leg day, but I was too tired to do it on Tuesday. I think I'll have to do them on Weds and Saturday, when I do HIIT.

Aw thanks Findo. Had to google what AMRAP means .

Loving all the advice on this thread.

The unassisted handstand is a goal of mine too, bloodyiphone. I bought a downloadable pdf guide from "the school of calisthenics" about ways to work towards it, but I haven't paid it much attention for some reason. I'm just kicking up against a wall and gently bouncing my feet off it till I'm balanced and then trying to increase the time I'm away from the wall. But I don't think that's the best way. A yoga loving friend showed me how to 'float' into a handstand from downward facing dog, but that's way harder. Which probably means I should do it more.

I meant to commend big40 on an awesome session. AMRAP 80kg deadlifts - fantastic!

Oogle Doing a body weight deadlift if you are fairly new is a massive achievement and your PT is right, its a gradual process and you will be getting stronger.

And you will get there if that's your aim..... like Findo said it will come in fits and starts and one day you will just get it.

3 years ago I wanted to do an unaided pull up that was my goal, I'd seen someone on instagram doing it and it looked easy, and now I can do the sum total of 2.. that's 3 years of on and off trying, getting stronger, learning etc, god I've been so frustrated, so 100% understand the aim.

I do get told off for "chasing numbers" they are nice to have, but enjoying the process is the fun bit, the hour of focus, the time to myself the journey all sounds cheesy!!

My current aim is to do a handstand without using the wall at all!! And after that I'd like to learn a muscle up... my list get's longer each year. Any tips???

"it's just so, so heavy, I really struggle with the initial "get it off the floor", despite my PT making sure my form is exactly right before I start. I guess it's mind over matter but are there any tips that will help?"

I think form can 'look right' but that doesn't necessarily help with knowing whether you're engaging the correct muscles before you even start the pull. I'd recommend Alan Thrall's deadlift videos on Youtube for some good deadlift advice, plus bonus ludicrous beard.

I'm glad your PT isn't putting any pressure on you - he's right, you're making progress. With deadlifts, some people - due to genetics or overall strength - can shift a lot of weight with awful form. But a safe and effective deadlift is a pretty complex movement pattern when you break it down. I always go by the maxim (from my coach) - 'Treat light weights heavy until heavy weights become light' - I would suggest spending more time working on more reps at 40kg and really trying to nail where things start to break down.

Never tried hooks but I do use straps or high rep romanian deadlifts where the bar is off the floor for the whole set. My main tips for grip strength are dead hangs from a pull up bar, and farmers walks with as heavy dumbbells as you can manage.

You really are doing great - don't be discouraged. Strength progression isn't a linear process, and you're working on both strength and technique at the same time. Not easy!

Hooks are cheap at decathlon or on Amazon. Easy to use compared to basic straps, too.

Thanks Just. The PT has tried to get me to use mixed grip but I really hate lifting underhanded, it just feels wrong I suffered nerve damage to one of my wrists about 7 years ago and I think I have a bit of a mental block trying to get over that - doesn't matter which arm I try to grip underhanded with, it just feels weird. I need to woman up a bit, I think

Ah, my PT mentioned some straps or hooks that he is going to bring in next time to try to help, I'll remind him the night before as it might really help and if he forgets, I will buy my own

I warmed up with 40kg x 6, then upped to 45kg x 5, managed 1 at 50kg and my form was dropping so we dropped back to 45kg x 5and then to 40kg x 6 to finish.

Oogle your grip strength isn't equal to the rest of your body and this is completely normal.

I use hooks to deadlift. It makes the difference between 60kg x5 and 72.5 kg x5.

However, I will still do a warmup set (50kg) or a couple of back-off sets (that's like a reverse warm up after your working weight sets) with bare hands, so I am still getting stronger on my grip.

You may like to use a mixed grip. That's one arm gripping overhanded and the other underhanded. This helps a bit.

I'm feeling really, really defeated at the moment. I'm very new to weight training and we've just started to increase the weight as opposed to low weight & more reps so these numbers below are going to be seem very light to most of you! (It's also a bit rambly, apologies. I'm so tired!)

Last week my PT said "I want you to deadlift your body weight (60kg) today". I couldn't do it at all. Managed 40kg fine but just couldn't lift the 50. This week I managed to lift 50kg for 1 measly rep but was fine at 45kg. He's very encouraging and tells me it's all progress. I said I felt stronger than when I first started and he said "that's because you are!" but I feel like I've let myself down, and him as well.

It's like my grip just gives way. My thumb ends up over my index fingernail and the feeling of that just makes me want to drop the bar which is an issue as I'm concentrating on that over the lift. Plus it's just so, so heavy, I really struggle with the initial "get it off the floor", despite my PT making sure my form is exactly right before I start. I guess it's mind over matter but are there any tips that will help? I really, really want to lift 60kg and originally had a goal of "by my birthday" (in December) but I want it now.
Same with leg press. I can do 80kg with no issue, but I can't get anywhere with 90kg and the goal is 120kg. Is it just a case of keep trying?

I had 2 weeks of only managing to get to the gym once and I feel like I feel so unfit. I'm away for 2 weeks soon and already dreading how difficult it'll be when I'm back home!

Hi Everyone

I'm in awe at your squatting and bench weights!

I did my second group PT session of the week. Today we did upper body, I didn't think to make a note of the weights but not very heavy yet.

We also did trap bar deadlifts. I'm on cloud nine though as managed several reps at 80kg on the trap bar deadlift (however many I got done in 30 seconds - again didn't think to count). I had only gone up to 70kg before. Did 30 seconds at 60kg, 30 seconds at 70kg, 30 seconds at 75kg and then 30 seconds at 80kg. Buzzing now, roll on Friday :-)

You do get the padding, yes, which is nice. And unlike a regular back squat, the padding doesn't compromise the form.

The big advantage is that people with shoulder mobility issues can do them. I can't get my hands quite that far back.

Obviously the distribution of weight will differ slightly from the back, low bar and front squats but I think I you have shoulder issues, that's a moot point anyway.

Just - what's the advantage of a safety squat bar? Does it protect your shoulders? I've seen them - I know they have handles that come forward.

I have started doing more Bulgarian split squats for my single leg work, as I feel a bit unsteady with lunges. I like to use a bench press rack and bench, as I can put my fingertips on the rack to steady myself. I have to be conscious not to use my hand to assist in pushing up, of course. In my other hand I will hold a dumbbell (15kg currently.)

I have been using a particular bodybuilding gym for my leg days when possible because they have a safety squat bar. Very rare and only found in proper bodybuilding gyms. It's the only way I can do barbell squats. I wish they were more common.

I have found a way to do goblet squats on the cable machine, using the close grip handle as the goblet. It takes a minute to get the right position but then you kind of lean back. And getting under the handle is much easier than getting a heavy dumbbell up to my chin.

Squats are not my friend.

Worked up to:
3 x 3 rep max squat - tried for 80kg, did one rep, failed the second rep, went down to 75kg for three
Then:
5 x 3 x 60kg (80% of 3 rep max)

Then a whole lot of bench:
5 x 3 x 52.5kg (was meant to be 5 x 5 but that clearly wasn't happening)
4 x 5 x 47.5kg spoto press (bar is paused one inch off chest)

Then
5 x 10 x bent over barbell row (30kg)
5 x 10 x lat pull down (40kg)

Bit of a dispiriting morning, but I'll be reet.

Split squats with 20kg vest
That sounds like a very useful piece of kit MaidOfStars👍
I wish my gym provided such advanced equipment!

Hello 40! welcome to a new you! 3 times a week sounds great..

Just–made me laugh an apple on stilts, I sound like you it all goes straight to my belly and makes me sad..says the woman who's just eaten fish and chips... Need to get back on the strict food prep wagon.

Maid when you do leg raised do you have your legs straight and do both together? I found one that hit the core for me was knee bend and single leg one at a time my god the burn!! Are the split squats for Glute activation?

And thank you Findo, I'm very very chuffed and may attempt the 100kg again this week, I was so so so close..