Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The weights room

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Does anyone use a decent weight lifting forum?

114 replies

BlameItOnTheBogey · 06/04/2015 22:22

I've been trying to find somewhere for ages where I can chat to other women who lift. But the only forums I have found are either women lifting super light and mainly focussed on cardio or more serious forums which are over-run with misogynists (bodybuilding.com actually makes me weep at how much they hate women).

I want somewhere I can talk about decent weight lifting kit, how to up my personal bests, whether I should be avoiding the trap bar for my deadlifts, how to improve my grip strength, whether protein shakes actually do anything etc etc.

Is there anything like this out there for women?

OP posts:
camper101 · 06/04/2015 23:52

Confused I'm already feeling out of my depth!

Original poster
BlameItOnTheBogey · 06/04/2015 23:52

Sleep - also consider buying one of these and hanging it over a door at home. Then you can just bang out some pull ups once a day without needing to be at the gym. There's a lot to be said for sheer persistence..

OP posts:
RJnomore · 07/04/2015 00:34

My friend does aerial hoop/trapeze/just started silks. I am v Envy she can also deadlifts well over 100k.

60k is good but I weigh a lot more than you lot! So not as impressive s it could be.

Gaelforce · 07/04/2015 00:52

I've recently started Crossfit and am really enjoying it.
There's a good mix of men and women and abilities.
The coaches are really helpful and everything is scaled to your ability.
I'm 53kg and I do take protein shakes....I need the extra kick to help me lift.
I'm not too serious about the whole diet, shakes etc.
I deadlift 45kg..
My overhead squat is very poor but I'll do it eventually. I'm in no rush.
I like the classes....2 a week..because I need the coaches for correct form and technique. I'm too frightened of getting injured.

Original poster
BlameItOnTheBogey · 07/04/2015 01:02

Can I ask those of you who lift at least 2 or three times a week what else you do? I try and run three times a week too although I really hate it. I do it because of the whole, get your heart rate up for at least 30 mins at least three times a week thing. But I worry that cardio will start to eat into my muscle gain and/or make me lose weight. Both of which are counter to my goals. But you have to do cardio to be heart healthy right?

OP posts:
Gaelforce · 07/04/2015 01:11

I like to do TRX & Kettlebell conditioning- very gassy but I really enjoy the craic- once or twice a week. I've also just started running again, slowly, just because the weather is starting to get nicer.

suzannecallmestan · 07/04/2015 08:53

?
Bogey, these days I run, cycle and do some yoga.
Running is becoming increasingly important to me, I do about 35 - 40 miles a week.
I have lost strength in part because I've deliberately lost weight, strength to body weight ratio is similar.
I did get very into swimming a while back but I found it interfered with upper body strength training, shoulders felt unstable

used to focus just on lifting with just a bit of walking as cardio, was a fair bit stronger (and heavier)

sleepwhenidie · 07/04/2015 09:58

I kickbox three times a week, I love it and just got my brown belt. I also do a couple of (usually hot) yoga classes a week and I feel like the combination works really well together. Without the yoga my chest and shoulders were getting very stuff due to weights and boxing! I also throw in a bit of HIIT at the gym if there's time and energy. The aerial hoop is just something I'm trying for fun once a week at the moment. I tried aerial silks first and found it almost impossible-very hard strength wise but what beat me was actually gripping the fabric - if your grip is weak in the weights room I'd say don't bother! Hoop easier to grip but tough on your hands, I have lovely new callouses forming already!

sleepwhenidie · 07/04/2015 09:59

Stuff=stiff!

sleepwhenidie · 07/04/2015 10:10

Bogey I'm not a big fan of running either, I have made sustained efforts in the past but I really enjoy other cardio more. But I wouldn't worry about 3 x5k runs eating into your muscle, it tends to be more of an issue for longer distance runs, more than 1hr at a time, Suzanne would that be your experience of it?

strongandlong · 07/04/2015 10:18

Are you on FB, Bogey? There are some good groups on there. My favorites:
Women's strength training network
We are Stumptuous

strongandlong · 07/04/2015 10:20

I agree that 3*30 mins running/week is unlikely to compromise your gains from lifting. Make sure you eat enough - I think for lots of women that can be a limiting factor.

suzannecallmestan · 07/04/2015 10:26

The accepted wisdom has been that long endurance sessions and strength are incompatible, but opinions change and the experts rarely agree.
I really only enjoy longer cardio sessions 90 minutes plus, I suspect that it is more complex than we know.

suzannecallmestan · 07/04/2015 10:27

Honestly the more I read and find out the less certain I am about any of these things

suzannecallmestan · 07/04/2015 10:31

I'd say lack of the right hormones is the chief limiting factor for women
Ideally do something strength based regularly and consistently since childhood, gymnastics say, or grow up on a farm hefting bails of hay?

Bexicles · 07/04/2015 10:38

Oh yes, a weight lifting section on here would be very welcome. I remember the first time I read some threads on the misc Sad could'nt believe the sexist nonsense on there.

sleepwhenidie · 07/04/2015 10:43

I agree strongandlong, I got into counting macros on MFP for a while and eating the recommended 1-1.2x g of protein per 1lb of body weight as seems to be recommended for muscle gain is actually pretty challenging and that is where protein shakes can help. Since then I've decided to just relax and enjoy the activities and achievements themselves rather than obsessing over numbers and (my own or food's) weight Smile explains slow progress with weights though!

shewept · 07/04/2015 10:48

So glad I found this thread. All my female friends that lift, live so far away and none of us can find a good online place.

shewept · 07/04/2015 10:54

I lift 4 times per week, do circuits once. Then do some running and Pilates on an evening. I do also track macros. I am doing traineatgains plan at the moment. Working a treat, lifts going up. Body fat coming down.

sleepwhenidie · 07/04/2015 10:56

The other thing about women eating lots is, like 'fat makes you fat' and getting your head around the fact that you can weigh more and yet look slimmer if you have a higher muscle:fat ratio, it goes so much against what so many of us have 'grown up' with - a diet/ restriction approach with food to maintain or achieve a certain weight. It can be hard to overcome that sort of conditioning.

shewept · 07/04/2015 11:02

sleepwhenidie I really struggled with that. It does take a long time to get used to.

Original poster
BlameItOnTheBogey · 07/04/2015 11:58

Just waking up where I am and great to see so much interest in this thread. Thanks for all the comment on cardio and the role it plays: I agree that three x 30 mins won't hurt me but I guess I wondered whether I could do more than that if I wanted to. It sounds like (although I agree Suzanne that the thinking changes almost daily) that under an hour is ok.

I feel like I am taking more from this thread than I am giving at the moment but those of you who are talking about counting macros, can you explain that to me? I've seen it on bodybuilding.com but not looked into what it actually is…

Also agree about the importance of eating fats. I never eat reduced fat foods and load up on things like avocados etc.

Back to work today and today is a cardio day for me. Never as much fun as lifting...

OP posts:
AggressiveBunting · 07/04/2015 12:13

Would def be interested in a lifting thread or section to chat with others. I do lifting thru Crossfit as well. To be honest, my first focus is trail running, specialising in marathon and ultra distances which you'd think would be incompatible with weight training but I like to be an all rounder- my weights aren't amazing ( 65kg squat, 70 kg dead lift, 40 kg bench, 50kg clean, at 3 reps) but I am progressing and enjoy doing it. Have seen great improvements in body composition and feel really good.

I started using protein shakes about 6 mths ago and feel that it's helped me maintain lean tissue despite a heavy cardio training load. I am a bit of a protein dodger in terms of diet though- not veggie but not a massive meat fan.

shewept · 07/04/2015 12:46

Macros is counting fat/carbs/protein. It takes a while to get the hang of, but I have been doing it for a few weeks and its fine now.

There are lots of ways to work out what you need. Lots of calculators available. I use the one on traineatgains website. I am doing their bikini guide at the moment. Although iv started a few weeks in and went striaght to the fat loss section. Because I had been in maintenance since Christmas. Then I just customise my fitness pal to what I am should be consuming that day.

shewept · 07/04/2015 12:47

I aslo use protein shakes and protein nut butters to increase protein. Shakes I use Trutein and usn, nut butters I use Hognuts or Protein Pick n Mix (online stores) own brands. They have all sorts of flavours and taste amazing.