Lifting weights / resistance training - does anyone enjoy it? How?

I have a cross trainer at home and use YouTube for exercise videos. I like Jessica Smith, Joanna Soh and Popsugar and do a variety of exercises for cardio, strength, flexibility and balance.
However, strength training is my favourite. I have built up to heavier weights and I love the way it makes me feel. I'm in my 50s and weight training is really important for women.

I started doing Caroline Girvan videos a couple of months ago and I really like her videos. My weights are no where near as heavy as hers, but it doesn't matter.

Oh weird, the quote didn't show. @Stellaris22 said Being strong is the best.

@Stellaris22 said: ""

This is so true. I had no idea how true this was until I started weight lifting. you feel capable. And powerful. And, tbh, safer in the world. I do sometimes think, 'Mate I could toss you out of the way' when I see a man behaving badly. And I'm 5'4" and nearly 60! Weights have made me happier in myself than I have ever been. In my twenties I was a gym bunny and skinnybut weights make me feel strong.

One of the things I've noticed on gym wear sites is you can tell the difference between skinny models and actual weight lifters.

Being strong is the best. I lift heavy boxes at work and even though my legs aren't skinny, I love that I can single leg press weights that most people couldn't with both legs,

My quads & abs are steel. It's fab.

I love how quickly weight training tones your muscles. I love it when I'm getting dressed and feel ridges of muscle where there used to be spongey flab

Ah a million times this man. I love how solid my thighs are and giving them a squeeze. Husband tells me to get a room definition in the middle area, firm arms, bingo wings begone.. What's not to like?

I love weight training. it is my favourite part of fitness. I use freeweights and work out in the park at a bootcamp, not in a gym.

I love the feeling of getting stronger. I love how noticeable the difference is in everyday life - how lifting and carrying are easier, how climbing long flights of stairs feels effortless.

I love how quickly weight training tones your muscles. I love it when I'm getting dressed and feel ridges of muscle where there used to be spongey flab.

It makes me so happy. I'd way rather weight train than do cardio which triggers old injuries so easily.

I enjoy BodyPump classes, and have developed more lean muscle since I started. You can up the weight if you want more weight, and that will have an effect, but agreed, it isn't 'weight training' as such.

And yes to what @waterlego says - kudos for teaching BodyPump - I think it must be difficult to do the moves - even with v light weights, plus motivate the class, plus keep an eye on people's form (although I've seen some terrible form in Bodypump, but I guess the weights are so light they can't really do much damage).

When you're lifting really heavy, then a set of 3 to 5 reps, without stopping, can be a challenge. And the fatigue is real, so rest between heavy sets for at least 60 seconds.

I was doing deadlifts the other day - 5 sets of 3 reps at 90kg, and my PT does not allow me to reset my grip or stance in a set, so I have to lift, drop it to the floor and pick it up straightaway. 3 reps as quickly as possible, with good safe form, at that weight is hard. He was giving me 3 minutes rest gaps between sets, and he's a PT who generally taunts me with "Rest gap is over"

I think I like lifting because of the rest gaps ...

sled push/pull

The sled is a great one to do on your own, because it needs very little technique. You just develop a programme of progressive loading. And you jus have to push it 10 metres each way.

Last week I did 3 pushes of 20metres (10 metres up & back IYSWIM) at 300 kilos each push. The third time I thought I was going to throw up halfway back, but it was just fatigue. I am strong as fuck, bascially, and the sled has been a big element in getting that strength.

Try a kettlebell then you can get a cardio and weights routine in one. You really need to watch your form too as it's heavy!

Oh, and some really banging music in your earphones. That works for me anyway.

@ExMachinaDeus has it right!

I'm with @erinaceus - it's the badass feeling that gets me going! I like being strong.

I find cardio quite boring as it takes ages, whereas a strength workout can be quite short and still give great results. I'll be honest - I'm very vain and like the way I look with good muscle tone and less fat.

watching tv whilst doing it is the only way.
it's just soooo boooooooooring otherwise.

plus using an exercise timer instead of counting repetitions.

Sorry, that last bit should have said 8-10 not 6-8.

Yes to what @ExMachinaDeus said!

I teach Bodypump and I love it but it’s for muscular endurance rather than strength gains. So it’ll improve your ability to carry heavy shopping bags or walk up a steep hill but won’t necessarily give you much in the way of visible muscle (although many participants find they do notice some increase in muscular definition). Pump is also good for anyone who is brand new to weights work so that they can learn good form for a range of different movements.

Lifting very heavy in the gym, on the other hand, is really empowering, burns calories and helps create a strong and (IMO) attractive body shape. I’d be looking to do 3 sets of 8-10 reps of each exercise rather than 20-40 so you’ll need to go much heavier on the weights so that 6-8 reps feels really tough, with the last one or two being a real struggle.

Good luck!

I concur that you’re probably not lifting heavy enough weights if you can crack out 40 reps.
i have a PT that makes me lift weights I’d never have picked up if I was training by myself. If you can afford one, get a PT. If not, have a look at Strength Hut on Instagram. Emma has workouts programmes you can buy and her Instagram videos are a mix of tutorials and her working out. You can get an idea of correct form by watching what she does.
Id also recommend starting with the compound exercises that are going to work muscle groups rather than muscles in isolation eg deadlifts, weighted squats, pull ups, chest press, sled push/pull.

I have nothing to say but bravo, you sound like a machine 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

Another one who loves it. I go to a PT and am lifting heavier than I ever thought possible. I love feeling strong! Am aiming for good arms at the moment as I have a lovely but sleeveless dress for a summer wedding 😃

The rest intervals are so important, especially when lifting heavy weights, to allow for maximum benefit from the lifting.

I don't find it enjoyable doing it alone, but luckily my gym has started a new strength circuit class that I've been going to and I love it. It's only a small class of 7 so that the instructors can check your form/encourage you to up your weights etc, but so much more enjoyable having people to do it with (even if I am the weakest in the class!)

Is there an enjoyable way to do it that isn’t just about 20x reps here, 40x reps there?

That isn't really weight training - it sounds like Bodypump, which will tone muscles, but isn't really calorie-burning resistance training. Real weight training (or at least what weight trainers call weight lifting!) is going pretty heavy and low reps.

And I love it!

I do 2 sessions a week with a PT - the first 30 minutes is strength training: either deadlifts, or squats, or sled push. It makes you really strong and also lean. I have steel abs, without really doing much targeted core work, because you're using your abs to brace in squats, for example, or doing pull ups or push ups.

I do Bodypump classes because they're fun, but they're fairy weights because there are so many reps. When I'm heading for, say a deadlifting personal best, I'm just thinking about 1 rep. But it's 97 kilos (I'm heading for 100 kg). I'm in my early 60s, and I'm the fittest & strongest I've ever been, and currently on a progressive overload - I've gone from just managing 90kilos deadlift before Christmas, to multiple reps at 95kilos. And so on.

Weightlifting also helps me run faster. But I'd much rather lift up heavy shit, than run!

If you want to come at it from another angle, in the beginning of my strength training journey the single fastest thing for me in terms of transforming my body was actually BodyPump which is a Les Mills class where you lift relatively light weights to music, sort of aerobics-meets-weightlifting, doing one body part per track. Doing that twice per week plus cardio made a big difference but did plateau after a while.

'20 reps here, 40 reps there' sounds like you might not have a proper workout plan? Do you reach failure point each time? For me, the satisfaction comes from pushing the failure point further and further away as I get stronger. If you're reading a workout schedule and not factoring in reading your ability, it's very boring indeed. It feels like you don't know why you're bothering.