Lifting support thread!

[Work2live]

Thought I’d start this thread as a few people thought it’d be a good idea.

It might be a nice place to support each other and talk about lifting in general, ask for tips and advice on workouts, how to get enough protein etc.

All levels very much welcome, from complete newbies to those who’ve been weightlifting for years! 💪🏼

I've never really been that good at running - I really didn't like it as a kid due to crappy joints/weakness. I far prefer things like climbing, hockey or kickboxing, etc, but after having to wear removable casts following some nasty ankle injuries (the shoes I was wearing each time were awesome, though), my gait changed a lot.

We've always had a thing where if I need to get somewhere, like as far away from the crowds, I tend to signal where I'm headed and then disappear into the crowd before reappearing shortly afterwards at the far side quite quickly, but he's never seen me at full speed until last weekend when we were titting about at the Rec.

He says I run like a Terminator and whilst most people look as though they're running away from something, I look like I'm hunting. I'm taking it as a compliment.

Of course, weighing nearly as much as a T-1000 is quite annoying, but hopefully the weightloss will continue as I keep working on the strength side, so I might get faster and improve my stamina as I do it.

Still haven't had a single cigarette. Wonder when/if that'll start making a difference? Back at the gym tonight after 2 rest days, so maybe there will be some change there.

I hate running although I'm better running for the train since I started at the gym. I'm not in it for the weight loss really but I have lost weight since doing strength training. I only do the tiniest bit of cardio so it's coming from the strength stuff. Which of course is what's meant to happen, but good to see it in action.

@Work2live just did your full push up on the floor test when I wasn't fatigued from a session (and full of pizza instead) and I managed 5!

@RayKray well done! That’s a great effort especially full of pizza!!

Anyone else watching the weightlifting in the commonwealth games? I would have found the very idea of watching this ridiculous a few months ago. Now I'm seeking it out on iPlayer!

Oh, @RayKray ill take a look 😃

Bit if a rubbish weights session yesterday so maybe it will inspire me!

Tried my first sprint interval training today. I’m rubbish at all running, but was actually quite satisfying

Men's less than 61kg was on earlier, women's 49kg coming up v soon. The rules are more complex than I thought, but I'm now an expert 😉 just in time for the women's.

So far we have bronze and silver in the women's weightlifting! It's been great watching. Does anyone here do the Olympic lifts?

I may make my family watch some women's weightlifting 😂. I'm also enjoying the men's gymnastics.

Really feeling it today after a PT session yesterday which I struggled with - lots of hanging knee raises with a pull added. Urgh.

I'm feeling it today too as I worked extra hard yesterday after seeing Fraer win her bronze 😆

My family have been enjoying watching it too. It's a bit chess/poker like with lifters having to go for the right lift and be strategic. Also get there in time, get enough rest, and declare their lift in time. There were some yesterday who simply didn't lift in time!

What are everyone's thoughts on using belts? I just used a belt for the first time yesterday for deadlifts. It made a massive difference and I blew my previous 1RM out of the water. But are you getting stronger this way? Or is it better to lift lower weights without a belt?

I don’t know @RaisinGhost , but my PT said I should get one, but a proper hard one not the softer ones? To be honest, I haven’t as I feel a bit foolish and fraudulent: thoughts go: I’m an old woman, not a weightlifter! But I might reconsider given the difference it’s made to you.

Funny you should say that lunch I've been wanting to try one for a while but I've been embarrassed like I don't deserve (?) to use one! This is so dumb but I've been sort of hoping someone would be nearby using one and say "hey why don't you try this, let me show you"... and finally a women did! Really dumb I know.

@RaisinGhost I used to use one, think I’ve still got it somewhere.

I only really used it once I started lifting really heavy (like my own body weight and above) and only ever used it when doing squats and deadlifts. It did help me, but as with using grips etc, I tried not to use it unless I really needed to.

I don't know anything about belts really but isn't it interesting, that feeling of not being a "proper" weightlifter?

I've noticed it in the context of having to gear life somewhat around training - regular slots, PT, classes etc - because consistency is all, especially as I am 55 - I want to make progress while I can. And not all my friends and family "get" that even after it has been explained. I've had to toughen up and think if I don't take myself seriously no-one else will, so I breezily crack on, and yes, a young footballing male might feel less need to explain/justify - but at least some of that is in my head......

@MsMartini I am a similar age and also trying to channel that vibe! My PT tells me off for my insecurity regularly, and has pointed out I cAn lift more than most of the men in the gym despite bring an older woman!

But it happened again today, he’s given me a new programme of progressive weights/reps and it includes assisted chin ups, which I feel really awkward doing as I associate it with the “proper” gym goers. Anyway, I’ll have to get over it as I really really want to make progress this year.

@RaisinGhost @LunchPoems

My PT made sure my form was spot on first and then "made" me get a belt to use on anything 75-80% of max lift and above.

He too told me to get a proper leather belt and not one of those velcro soft ones.

I did a lot of research and agonising. Discovered a single prong buckle is apparently way easier to get on and off than a double prong. Lots of people swear by a lever fastening but apparently you sometimes need to adjust depending on whether you are squatting or deadlifting and then the lever is an issue as it can only go on one setting (?).

Found some really good quality and pretty cheap leather belts at Gunsmith Fitness and am happy with mine. I felt a bit self-conscious using it in the gym at first unless in a PT session, but just got on with it. Nobody batted an eyelid.

@LunchPoems yes, exactly.

I was doing dragon flags yesterday, in the only place I can do them in my little gym yard, but it does sort of block the way. Only takes a few mins as I tire quickly! When I sat up I realised a man had been waiting to start sledding. I apologised a lot (and thought what a twit he must have thought me, etc etc). And he said very nicely "Not at all, I was impressed to be honest, I hope you didn't mind me watching"...it was all in my head.

I feel awkward doing some of the stuff I do too - but doing a class helps. There are other women sometimes, but typically more men, and they egg me on just like they do each other, and give me a spot or a hand when needed without it being a thing.

@MsMartini off the point but I had to Google dragon flags- impressive! On my list now 😃

Thanks @GallstoneGlory , I might brave it now. It’s reassuring to know others have the same fears about this stuff.

We used to do paired Dragon Flags at kickboxing, or at least something very similar - didn't know that's what they were called; it meant you used your partner's ankles as your anchor point and then they gently pushed your legs/feet at the top, so you resisted them to control your legs back down again. you could vary between straight legs and curling your body up, as you got stronger, you went faster, higher and eventually into a shoulder stand with a very, very slow descent.

They were fun. I should get DP to do them.

I had a tough session today where apart from the warm up rowing, which was suspiciously easy, it all felt really hard. Then I heard what sounded like somebody bitchslapping a bag instead of punching it, so I began feeling very irritated.

I think I was moody because I was going heavy with an increase each set to failure every time, but once the functional fitness crew all descended upon the gym with their ear bleeding volume music, encroaching on the weights area with blocks, ropes and shit and demanding to leap onto things between other people's sets for performative shite with the worst form I've ever seen in my life (dangling off a converging lat pull and then almost laying flat to yank it down for 2 reps before letting go with a massive crash), I just wanted to wobble home and eat chicken.

So I did. The chicken's in the airfryer and DP is sorting out the other bits (half the chilled section, going by the bag he brought home).

@NeverDropYourMooncup, I used to do something similar too, in core classes. Good fun.

@LunchPoems, some people say they are all you need for core, which is why I stick at them - they come and go - I often have to keep one leg bent and only ever do a few.

Strange day at the gym today.

PB on rowing and continued for another 10 minutes with the feeling that I was doing something different, as my back felt straighter. Then did a full legs set and got PBs on all the machines. Then felt all light and bouncy (how?) and fidgety, so did 20 fast interval minutes on the bike without my quads (or lungs) burning.

My heart rate barely twitched. Went up a bit, obviously, but nowhere near as much as I'd expect and it went back to normal almost immediately. Got a bit hot and sweaty, drank the usual amount, but I could just keep going - in the end, I only stopped because I could see DP in my peripheral vision patiently waiting for me to finish as it had been double our usual time. But all I needed to do each time was just shake my legs out a bit after I stopped and they were straight back fresh for the next thing.

And I felt fine on the walk home. Then I stretched out a bit and when DP gave me a bear hug (we do that once or twice a day because my back tends to get tight otherwise), every single T vertebrae popped gently instead of at most 2 or 3. NB: my physio reassured me that pops that don't hurt aren't anything to worry about, I just felt 'looser'.

Kind of dreading what I might wake up like in the morning.

Hope you're feeling ok today @NeverDropYourMooncup ! Did you have anything different yesterday, eg caffeine or something that might have given you a bit of a boost?

I'm also really impressed by the dragon flags talk, we used to do an easier version of them in a class where we used the upright of a rig to anchor, I could only do them as negatives though.

I have only done one workout in a couple of weeks because I came down with a horrible cold/cough (fortunately not covid, but it has really wiped me out)
Any tips for starting back? I know I'll go easy for the first one or two, I'm worried I'll have lost all my strength (I know everyone says it doesn't happen but I'm still worried it will!)

@NeverDropYourMooncup you are a machine! How are you feeling today?

I had a good PT session this morning having not been in the gym since Monday because of life/work/kids. We’ve been working on progressive strength training and I hit some more PBs this week.

126kg for 6 on the seated leg press (and I did 4 at 133kg but had to use my hands to push my knees to get the plate off the block lol).

15kg on the T-bar rows, 63kg on the chest press and 35kg shoulder press (I struggle with that because of my crappy wrists). Did a few other bits then finished with a HIIT abs session.

I just love feeling strong! Must try and get some cardio and flexibility sessions in next week.

I'm absolutely fine.

Food yesterday was a large pot of fruit yoghurt, a bit of ricotta on GF bread and some corn tortilla chips (haven't gone shopping for a few days, so was going through the last knockings in the fridge). Made up for it with some airfryer garlic chicken thighs, potatoes and salad including beetroot and pine nuts when we got home. But not anything particularly remarkable. I did accidentally buy some wanky Voss+ water (claims to contain potassium, magnesium and stuff) on the way in to the gym as my water bottle needed scrubbing out and I didn't realise it was anything but a conveniently shaped bottle with a relatively wide neck, but that can't have had any effect as all those claims are hogwash?

Actually, I am wondering about supplementation as I know my diet isn't that broad (having to be gluten free, not a fan of lactose or sugar, etc). If I google things, it largely seems to be advertising rather than facts and I'm not asking the GP/practice nurse as she's convinced I spend all day every day on the sofa mainlining 'cake, chocolate biscuits and pies' and I am not wasting my time and limited patience on their suggested WW membership because I'm not particularly interested in numbers that aren't sets, reps and PBs -

What does everybody think I could/should be looking at to support

a. performance
b. strength gains
c. repair and recovery, particularly with autoimmune shite/tendinopathies
d. fat reduction?