Weightlifting people, here! Ongoing chat thread...

[MaidOfStars]

We are a bit cut off in the designated forum so here's a shiny new thread to populate.

Hello to anyone that hasn't ventured over to The Weights Room but is lifting/resistance training.

Thanks for starting this MaidOfStars

I'm marking my place as I really need to start some sort of weight training so hoping to get some ideas here

What are you hoping to achieve?

Maybe we need to recap current topics:

1. Do you wear a belt?
2. Cardio alongside weights?
3. How much weight increase is OK?

Hallo! thanks for starting the thread, Maid.

Having historically been an avowed cardio bunny I've been weight training for about two years now, with more of a powerlifting focus for the last year. I'm not built to be a powerlifter - I'm tall and gangly of limb (if increasingly sturdy around the midsection)- but I love getting stronger even if I won't win any competitions. I concentrate mainly on the three PL lifts (back squat, bench press, deadlift) but also do a fair bit of other stuff too. Bench is my favourite, and in fact any sort of press, though I love deadlifts (I think everyone loves deadlifts) and all the deadlift variants. I have actual hamstrings now for the first time ever. .

Looking forward to meeting some other lifters on here.

Findo I'm the opposite bodytype to you. I've been described as being built for sprinting, not marathon running. I'm average height, short-limbed, square build.

Doesn't stop me running marathons though

My current routine is one of either deadlift or split squats, then pull ups/push ups/inverted rows/dips/push press depending on how I feel. I play netball twice a week, which sometimes clashes with shoulder work, for example.

I rarely bench press. Not sure why. I'm pretty weak on my chest and not great at push ups yet (although I do 'hard' ones - raised grip, slow slow slow down, pause, explode).

What's a good bench target for body weight?

For me, I'm aiming to be able to bench my bodyweight (and hopefully more). Unfortunately my bodyweight is 75 kg, so I'm a way off that yet - got another 15 kg to go. I'm trying to engage my lats more now in the hope that they're the missing link - doing more pull-ups and pull-downs to this end. Perhaps your inverted rows will help too.

I wish I could run a marathon! I used to run and I did a few halves and trail runs but was picking up so many injuries (shin splints, hip bursitis, achilles tendinitis, torn meniscus, plantar fasciitis... over 5 years or so, but still!) I realised it wasn't for me. I do miss it. Have you found strength training helps to fend off injury?

I'm always up for weightlifting chat.

My great love is Kettlebell sport but I do bodybuilding lifts too to aid that. I hate cardio but I do metafit and Thai boxing and occasional very slow runs. I'm carrying niggling Achilles tendinitis though so not much running.

I love presses too findo. I'm pretty good at pressing. In Kettlebell terms it's my strongest lift compared to cleans/jerks/snatches.

Have you found strength training helps to fend off injury?
Massively. The biggest difference is when running unevenly. So I can side stride down a kerb, then up again on the next step, and not feel in any way wobbly, IYSWIM? It's protecting my knees and ankles a lot. The biggest help is split squats.

Kettlebell sport
I've just had to Google this. Intense!

It's very mentally challenging.

Oh placemarking!!

RJ So, what weights do you lift? How many reps would you perform in one section?

What for maid - for kettlebells or for strength training in the gym?

Findo I have EDS/hypermobility, so I'm very prone to injury. It's one of the main reasons I do strength training.
My joint stability is massively improved.
I still can't run. My knees can't take it and I don't enjoy it, but I amaze myself with what I can do, and how few injuries I get these days by comparison.

That's really interesting, NC4now - I hadn't heard of strength training as a way to manage EDS. I don't have it but a friend of mine does and I think she had ruled out being able to do much of any exercise. Are there any lifts that you specifically avoid? Do you train with more of a volume or intensity focus or a bit of both?

RJ - I spent a while watching youtube videos of kettlebell sport last night - bloody hell! So inspiring. It does look mentally very tough. I love kettlebells too but in an opposite way to you I use them to support my barbell training. I love the combination of strength and endurance in kettlebell sport. Do you compete?

RJ I was referring to kettlebell sport. What's a typical training session?

Findo I also have a EDS/hypermobile friend who weightlifts.

Depending on how I am we sometimes vary it, so the week before my period, when my joints are looser we'll do more machines than free weights, but mostly it's a case of watching how things are going and stopping if it's hurting.
Tend to go for lots of reps, increasing weight gradually,

I've just started deadlifting 😃 I've only just built up the stability to manage it, and I'm only on a really low weight, but I love it! I've built up to it with lots of split squats, hip thrusts etc.

I do get properly knackered after a good weights session, and sometimes have a little sleep after, but it's a really satisfying kind of tired.

When I say stopping if it's hurting, it always hurts, I mean joints rather than muscles. They are meant to burn!

Confused on this thread based on the fact the weights room was actually created because it was requested on here the exercise bit. People wanted the separate section because of the weight training ones kept getting lost amongst the running swim and Jillian Michael threads that were on here in abundance.

Strong - I don't think there's enough traffic in the Weights Room to justify it. And probably half the threads (no joke) on there are questions about weight loss, rather than lifting weights.

NC4 That all sounds great. I'll maybe tentatively suggest weight training to my pal; I know she has been frustrated by feeling like she can't do anything.

Hurray for deadlifting! I agree, light weights are the way to go - for anyone I'd say, whilst you learn the movement and tweak your form. There's so many things to remember at the same time.

Just out of the gym. I did:

1. Split squats with my back leg coming right under my body (usually, it's further back).
2. Romanian deadlifts + push ups.
3. Pull ups + horribly heavy ball slams.

For the Romanian deadlifts, I used a mixed grip for the first time. It felt odd but I'll get used to it.

Findo My EDS weightlifting friend has a lot of physio input. She lifts well (and heavy) but really pays attention to any kind of pull/tweak (rather than power through). I don't think she barbell squats because her hips are very loose. She deadlifts in a Smith machine too, to add stability.