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.

I would check with GP/midwife. Are you Rh negative? I have spotted after lifting but not when pg.

I too have had only encouraging comments from both men and women. And useful tips. The blokes at my gym seem if anything pleased to see a woman in the free weights.

Thank you for the quick responses. I am Rh negative - does it make a difference? I’m a couple of weeks off my mw appt so I’ll just take it easy with the cardio until then I think and keep the weights low when lifting.

Just checking back in as it's been so long since I posted on this thread that it's fallen off my 'I'm on' list.

I scaled things back massively a few months ago due to ongoing niggles. Beginning to build it back up again, but super slowly this time concentrating on form a lot.

Still got a dodgy shoulder, so still not doing any chest or shoulder work. I've been seeing a physio for ages for the shoulder but it's not getting any better (or it does only briefly), so I've booked to see an osteopath next week and I'm hoping that she'll spot something the physio hasn't seen. Very tedious...

www.nhs.uk/conditions/rhesus-disease/prevention/

Closet, do you know what you did to your shoulder?

PT session today, working on deadlift. Managed 4 x 6@90kg, with wrist straps as I hate hook grip and I can't sustain that weight for 4 sets with a clean grip. My forearms were pumped as it was. Did some 1 leg Romanian work just to make sure I totally lost use of my arms.

Then PT decided its time to return to conditioning so 3 sets of 10 sec asault bike 100% effort plus 50 secs max burpees. 2 min rest. Nearly died.

Closet How is your shoulder mobility? I had a lot of problems due to having poor overhead mobility and then doing heavy push presses.

Gosh, Johnny that's amazing! I wimped out at 85kg a fortnight ago, but managed 75kg (just under my own body weight).

In this week's PT session, I did pyramids (just another way of dying basically). So it was alternating deadlifts (I think about 30kg) and squat shoulder presses with handweights (6kg each). Starting with 5 reps each set, then 10, then 15, then 20, then 15, then 10, then 5 reps. Alternating deadlifts & squat presses. With no break other than to swap kit. The deadlift was my resting period really.

And that was just the first 15 minutes of the hour. It got much harder, pushing the sled of around 120kg, and running intervals etc etc.

But my back's a bit sore now, and I'm trying to work out if that's just soreness through using it, because my quads are a bit sore as well, from doing literally hundreds of squats in an hour, with few rest breaks. Or whether it's bad form - my PT watches me very intently in the deadlifts, as I have a tendency to engage my back too much. I have very good flexibility & mobility from a lot of ballet (still do it 3 times a week) so I can get the butt out & hips back, but the lifting stance - especially weight in the heels - goes against 40 years of dance training & proprioception!

But I'm quite evangelical about the training and my PT - he is fantastic. My body shape is changing as my weight is (slowly) dropping. I suspect I have a little crush on him. That's OK, right? I think it's really that for the two hours a day that I allot to gym (getting there, working out, sauna, shower, getting home) I don't have to think about bluddy work.

Wooo both of you! Amazing. Do you take your shoes off for DLs and squats?

At the moment, yes, although previously I've used lifters and found those to be good. I've actually just ordered some Vivo barefoot shoes as my physio thinks it will really help my rehab.

Nothing crazy over the weekend. Did some DB bench press (because some faffy man was in the rack), some abductor/adductor work, KB swings, hanging knee raises, lat pull downs and pull ups on Saturday. Today I did seated shoulder press, ham string and quads on the machines, more pull ups, planks and some cable work for my shoulders. Messed around trying to do some toes to bar as well.

Johnny I think my shoulder mobility is fine. I actually have no idea what's going on with it. Months of physio (and a v. good physio at that) and she's flummoxed as to why it's not getting better. It responds to treatment, but then regresses almost straight away. We've been working on strengthening my lats, etc, and that's made no difference. I'm seeing an osteo on Tuesday to see if it's an alignment thing...
In any case, I haven't done any upper body work since before Xmas, other than some bicep and tricep isolation stuff. It sucks.

Squatted 90 kg (in my socks) tonight. Very chuffed. Two sets of three, first set bit shallow. I thought i had peaked at 80 (I weigh 70ish and am 51 and new to this game) so am very pleased and determined to keep going on the things I find really hard (inverted rows, chin-ups).

Closet, that sounds so frustrating.

Hi everyone, just come across this thread and you are all very impressive with your lifting!

Hoping for a bit of advice. I've just found out I'm pregnant, no more than 4 or 5 weeks gone (first and probably only, reply not planned!!). Kind of messed up my plan to hit the gym hard this next few months as husband and I were planning on a two week holiday of being mildly drunk in the sun, but oh well! Anyway, on to my question .... I work out as much as I can, weight lifting at least 3 times a week if not more. My max on squats etc it 28kg for 6 reps/3 sets(so rubbish compared to the weights on here!!). Plus half hour of cardio til I'm absolutely sweating and 20 mins on leg press/adductor/abductor/leg curls/extensions.

So wondering where I should go from here - keep up that weight until I find it difficult or should I decrease weight and up reps? Also with cardio, should I be maxing out my HR or keeping it slow and steady? Still got a few weeks until midwife but also would like advice from lifting mums! I know a lot of advice says do what you feel comfortable with, but I don't want to risk anything.
Thanks!

Hi rainbow. The issue is that there's very little evidence about the risks of exercise in pregnancy. Most people probably play it safer than they need to because they don't want to feel that what they did contributed to a miscarriage.

General consensus is that you shouldn't allow your HR to get crazy high, so steady state cardio is better than HIIT. Actually, lower reps, higher weight is possibly better than high rep because there's a point where high rep becomes cardio/ aerobic. Training accessory movements is probably also safer than compound movements as those get your heart rate up more.

Ah ok, thanks that's helpful! Obviously the larger the baby grows (if I get past 8/12 weeks) I'll adjust the weights accordingly and perhaps switch cardio to steady walking rather than running at a high incline.

I have a few questions please.

I do body pump quite a bit and also free weights at the gym. Free weights is mainly dumbbell exercises. Leg press, assisted pull ups.

I’m interested in doing bench press and dead lifts in the free weights area but don’t know how to start. I’m not sure if bench pressing would be possible as wouldn’t I need a spotter? I don’t have a gym buddy.

I don’t know how to start with the dead lifts. I mean I know the technique from body pump but I’m not sure how to put the weights on the bar in the gym.

I am joining in this thread.
I started going to the gym from 1-st of May and just trying to use different machines with a hope to build my strength over time.

Someone recommended this program for beginners
stronglifts.com/5x5/
and I will see if I can book some PT sessions for me to learn how to do them properly.

I’m not sure if bench pressing would be possible as wouldn’t I need a spotter?

It depends. There are a few options. Some gyms have what is called a Smith machine which you can use for bench press which has a safety catch inbuilt. It's not entirely a "free weight" because the machine restricts the bar path, but it's not far off. Ask an instructor to demonstrate how the safety catch works.

Alternatively, some standard racks have safety bars which you can set at a height so that if you can't get the bar up, you can drop it onto the bars and it doesnt crush you. It can be annoying as if you dont arch much to meet the bar, the bar can clip the safety bars during your reps, but I guess it's better than death

Failing that, Dumbbell benchpresses are very effective as (1) it sorts out any strength imbalances between your arms and (2) it's less stable so it's harder work than a bar at the same weight. If you fail the rep you can just bail the DBs sideways.

I don’t know how to start with the dead lifts. I mean I know the technique from body pump but I’m not sure how to put the weights on the bar in the gym.

Get the bar and put it on the floor. A standard bar is 20kg although some gyms have a "ladies' bar" which is 15kg, is narrower and shorter. If you have small hands or you are short, a 15kg bar may work better for grip and stability, but you can load a 15kg bar to same total weight as a 20kg bar so it really is a matter of preference. Once it's on the floor, get the plates and load onto the bar, heaviest first, so if you need a 10kg, a 5kg and a 2.5kg to make the desired weight, put them on in that order. When calcing the weight make sure you remember to add the bar weight. When the plates are loaded, get a collar to secure the weights on either side. Some people dont use collars for deadlifts. I use them for everything as I think it's a good habit but up to you. Best bet is to find a weight you can do for 10 reps with good form, get used to that and then work from there.

Also, a Bodypump deadlift is actually a Romanian deadlift. A full deadlift starts on the floor and is returned to the floor for each rep, with the bar tracking close to your shins.

HTH

That’s fab, thanks. Am so glad you said the bar weighs 20kg as otherwise I’d have stuck a load of weights on and wondered why I couldn’t pick it up. I think there’s a smith machine as well so will ask someone to show me that today.

Done some deadlifting in the gym this morning. Was nice and quiet so plucked courage up and asked one of the gym staff as was still nervous about taking the bar off the rack.....even though it turned out to be simple. He gave me a whole deadlift tutorial as he said I need to squat much lower than the sort of hinge at your hips deadlifting in BodyPump. But I got the hang of it quick and did quite a few reps at 30kg inc bar. He said I can easy go up to 40 kg next time so will do that.

At the moment, I do 40kg as my standard multi-rep deadlift weight. My personal best so far is 75kg but only one rep.

Whereas at my most recent PT session I was doing alternating sets of 10 deadlifts (40kg) and 20 leg presses at 50kg. Five times.

Just manageable although quads felt a bit wobbly on the 5th set. Deadlifts felt like my rest break except on the final set

I really like deadlifts! It’s a different technique from Pump though. I’m always told I squat too low in pump, and that I don’t hinge enough in training. My PT was getting me to really flex my back and consciously engage jammies and glutes .

Bend knees
Hinge
Grip
Look up
Shoulders back
Lift using hamstrings

Hammies not my pyjamas

Yes, deadlift is a hinge from the hips and break the knees only enough to get the bar to the floor comfortably. Think about sending your hips back, and keeping your shins straight. Look up/down is controversial- if you're prone to overextension, better to tuck your chin. If not, look up give you better leverage (i know this as i read the whole of a massive 101 comment argument on FB about this in the week )

If you're on Insta there's a great account called Active Fitness Boston which have some greally helpful technique and progression videos and some good tips on cues. KB swings are also good DL training as also a hip hinge.

I did DL with my PT today too. 4x 6reps at 90% 1 rep max, so 95kg. It was heavy. I used the straps all 4 sets, having learned from last week that my forearms will blow up if I don't.

Also had to do stiff legged Romanians and KB rows, max supinated pull ups and then the most horrific sprint thing which is

3 sets of: 10 secs max assault bike, then 50 secs max burpees. 2 min rest.

Worst thing: the DILF at our gym was watching so I had to not look lame.

Almost vomited.

then the most horrific sprint thing

Yeah I was doing 30 secs max rate on bike (around 125rpm for me atm) with 15 secs recovery. Repeat 5 times

Almost vomited

My PT points out the bin to vomit into. I do like him it's OK to have a mild crush on your PT isn't it?

it's OK to have a mild crush on your PT isn't it?

Well you're the second poster to say that in the space of a week, so if it's not ok at least you have company .

Can anyone recommend some weights/barbell set up for doing Pump at home? I’m a bit confused because some reviews have said that some sets won’t take standard weights. I’m thinking I need one that does so if in the future I want more weights then I need to be able to buy some extra ones which fit.

Problem with home set ups is that you're very limited with bars unless you have a rack because you cant (e.g.) do a squat unless you can clean that weight up from the floor to get into the starting position, and what you can clean is typically much less than you can squat, especially if you also need to get it overhead into a back squat position. Also you need a bench to do bench press. So basically, to do 2 of the 3 power lifts, you need a lot of kit.

Finally, the bar is completely different- pump bar is much shorter and weighs about 3-5kg. It won't take a lot of weight. If you want to do something at home and already enjoy pump, I'd just buy a pump set (I think Argos do one) and leave the heavy lifts for the gym.

I dream of living somewhere with a massive garage where I can get a complete home gym. I'm on a FB forum with mostly US participants and they all get to work out in their basement or garage.