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! 💪🏼

Amazing stats everyone and well done on the handstands @MsMartini ! Our trainer said she coached handstands online during lockdown and watching people do them in their living rooms was terrifying 🤣

I am so pleased with how my squats are going. Added another 2.5kg to my PB and am reliably getting below parallel with lighter weights. It’s all been about mobility- I’ve been working so hard on it over the past few weeks and it’s made a massive difference.

Congratulations @IShouldBeSoLurky ! (That is a fab username btw!)

I just tried to up my weight on shoulder press to see what I could do. I hadnt been training it regularly but had upped to 25kg X5 , which I put down to the benefit of the bodyweight training I do (capoeira can be quite shoulder heavy)

Tried 28kg and knocked out 7 reps 😮
I'm genuinely gobsmacked! I remember doing OHP in the gym years ago and using microplates to get to 23kg. I have really narrow shoulders so it's not something I'm built for at all. Although a difference between then and now is how much I eat, feed those lifts ladies!

I am loving reading about everyone’s achievements!

I had my PT session yesterday and we did a variation of a Murph workout - a sort of mini Murph lite. I did a 1000m row, 150 squats, 100 push-ups, 50 banded pull-ups broken down into 5 sets) and another 1000m row. In half an hour.

And then I died 🤣🤣

But my session wasn’t finished so I did an abs workout and some straight leg deadlifts. So that was fun. 🥵🥵🥵

I am loving reading it all too!

@Sidge, just reading that makes me feel tired though 😀. Well done! Not heard of Murph, off to google.

@Proteinpudding, that's brilliant!

I had a good session on Friday, more pull ups with long rests, and also using a band for dips to get full range. PT today....

@Proteinpudding, yes, hollow body is really good. I try to chuck in some core at the end of most workouts, and HB holds and flutters sometimes feature. We do them in class too, sometimes. Much more still to do.....

I'm claiming a vicarious result today.

Went to the gym yesterday and as I was starting the pec deck, I went into the thousand yard stare to be distracted by the wrong person doing a bunch of pull ups. It was DP - he'd never tried unassisted before, so wondered whether he'd be able to manage one and found he could do loads. I don't think he quite appreciates his achievement there - but I'll quietly go YAAAAAAAAYYYYY because I taught him-.

I'm carrying far too much extra weight for it to be likely.

Hi, can I join the thread, this is just what I need. I’ve started lifting at the start of the year, but then life got in the way. I’m back to it now, I go to a local, basic gym which I love, and have found an amazing PT, who is an older woman who has the right balance of making me get on with stuff, but not being a sadist. My main issue is Romanian Deadlifts, I must have a technique issue as they always seem to hurt my back. Earlier in the year I managed over 100kg on a leg press and 70kg on hip thrusters, and need to get back to that. Am now working with my PT for a list of goals to achieve before my 49th birthday next summer (among is that I will no longer be obese, and ideally not overweight)

Welcome @DCIJackieDeering!
I only joined this thread recently but I highly recommend it😁 Very friendly mix of lots of different abilities and I (as a newbie) have had lots of amazing advice already for which I am grateful.

@NeverDropYourMooncup I love your vicarious result😂😂😁

I bench pressed 25kg today (8 reps), I was so pleased!!! Six weeks ago I couldn’t yet manage 17.5kg!

Feeling good😁

Ps @DCIJackieDeering I also have issues with dead lifting. I’ve never hurt my back but always worry that I will! So I’ve parked it for a while and am working on barbell squats instead, thinking if I can improve my strength that way hopefully the deadlifts will feel less terrifying soon.

I try and stick to excersises I enjoy because I’ll be more likely to go to the gym that way😅

Welcome @DCIJackieDeering!

I don't deadlift much but preferred having a spotter when I did to keep an eye on form....

Progress in PT today on vertical flag (something else I find scary). Terrible creaky half-baked pull ups though....

I used to find deadlifting hurt my back a little. Cues I found helpful were imagining you're breaking the bar with your hands, or imagine you're holding oranges under your arm pits. Also imagine you're going to be punched in the stomach. And not hip hinging too low. I find grant lofty on tiktok useful, he does lots of videos correcting form (kindly and when invited).

My top tip for deadlifts is something my trainer told me ages ago, in the bottom position it should feel decidedly uncomfortable. If you’re not feeling a real stretch in your hamstrings then your position is wrong. Also you should be able to hear the bar zing up your leggings all the way up. If the bar is moving away from the vertical to clear your knees, your hips aren’t far enough back. It’s a brain exercise!!

Welcome @DCIJackieDeering so nice to see more people joining this thread!

I am very much ‘plodding along’ with my calorie deficit at the moment. Not making any huge lifting progress right now which is to be expected. It’s quite frustrating but only a few weeks to go!

I did however manage 80kg hip thrusts yesterday which was a bonus.

Hello, May I join too? I've been using weights for a couple of years, I love them! So good to see other women similarly obsessed, I can't seem to get any of my friends to take them up.
Deadlifts are my best, my PR is 107.5 but that was a few months ago; holidays, covid have all intervened and am not there at the moment...

my bench pressing is progressing slowly but is improving, I can now do 35kg for 4 reps after months of being stuck.

my squats are the worst. Mobility is an issue, my hips and ankles and shoulders and knees in fact everything feels creaky. Getting below parallel is most likely beyond me. I could probably do better with some proper squat shoes, does anyone use these?

Hi @Acerpalmatum those are impressive numbers! Would love to be able to deadlift 100kg+ at some point, my best ever is 85kg but that was about 3 years ago!

For your squats, have you tried creating artificial ankle mobility by raising your heels off the floor? I just use a step or a plate usually. A lot of squat shoes will also do this - might be worth a try before you invest in a pair?

Hello, @Acerpalmatum, welcome! I'm always going on about weights too, but think lots of women believe the myths (will get big, only for strong people etc)/say I could never do that, no matter how much I say I've been doing it 5 years and couldn't when I started 😂

My pb deadlift was (I think) 90 (I weight abt 70), but I don't do them much now (I do calisthenics mostly).

Thanks for the welcome!
yes I have tried using plates under my heels, but I don't like the process of stepping back on to them while looking in the mirror! It adds to my feelings of being unstable. I should be more confident! I have seen heel inserts on Amazon which I may try.
Calisthenics look so cool... I have seen Lucy Lismore on YouTube and watched her beginner video, is there anyone you would recommend as a starter?

I've just done a big thing. I'm away with work at the moment so I went to the nearest gym! Had to work out how to use things, and asked a few people for help who were all lovely. And I got to use a squat rack which we don't have at my gym! Was really fun to try, I did 25kg easy peasy but didn't want to go higher when I was just trying it out. Felt very brave for me as I usually go to my little outdated gym with barely anyone there.

@Acerpalmatum OMG I am so with you! Squats have always been my nemesis. What’s your build like? I have long legs, no waist, weak glutes and a strong upper body and I am just not built for squatting! I saw a YouTube video once where a guy explained it using metal rods and hinges and it all made so much sense.

However really focusing on form and mobility has made the most unbelievable difference ina really short time. Things I’ve been doing:
ROMWOD squat below parallel pathway
Sumo squats whenever I have a couple of minutes spare
Psoas March while cleaning my teeth
Front rack hold with a light bar for as long as possible (15-30 seconds) while getting as deep as possible
Warming up with a 5kg plate as a counter balance to help keep my chest upright
wall squats and overhead squats with a dowel or pipe

Honestly it’s been a long process and I’ve only recently seen a significant difference but it’s been so rewarding feeling it all click into place!

@IShouldBeSoLurky, what good tips. I really need to work on mobility.....

@Acerpalmatum, mmmm good question. I can't think of any one person offhand - I follow loads on insta but didn't start until I was well into it (I had a training partner, classes and now PT so I've had help all along). If you read through the whole thread, there are quite a few tips about pull up progressions and accessory moves, same for push ups...see where you are and then try to find someone whose stuff is pitched right maybe?(Meghan Callaway, linked to below, is good but there is just so much good stuff, even just from her, and it gets hard to fit everything in.....).

Well done @RayKray, a 25kg squat is no mean feat. I’m still stuck at 15-20kg, though at least I seem to have improved my form and I’m no longer suffering awful muscle pain after!

What’s everyone’s thought on the leg press machine? I stopped using it for a while as I read squat and deadlift were better exercises for strength building, but I do like the leg press machine and I seem to be able to shift much heavier weights on it. Does anyone else use it and find it advantageous?

@GoTheFcukToSleep the leg press definitely serves a purpose, especially if you struggle with squats due to mobility etc.

I think as far as functional training goes, the squat will always be the best option, but I have often seen the leg press suggested for people who struggle with their mobility, or are recovering from injury. It targets mostly your quads, as opposed to a squat which is essentially a full body movement that requires more core strength etc.

So on the whole I think it’s definitely beneficial to use a leg press if you have access to one! But definitely keep up with your squats, you’ve already made some really good progress with them by the sounds of it.

@GoTheFcukToSleep I've been using the leg press machine as I'm having a bit of a rest from back squats (still doing front squats)

I did a bit of a search about using it -v- squats and apparently it's one of many things that are a bit controversial/opinion based.

I find leg press quite easy to go very heavy on (165kg+), much much heavier than what I can back squat. I sometimes wonder if I'm doing them right. I occasionally feel my back 'lifting' and have to try to avoid that.

I liked this youtube video explaining differences:

Many thanks for those tips @IShouldBeSoLurky i do the overhead with a broomstick and banded walks but I haven't tried any of the other exercises. Build-wise I'm short, 5'4", with short legs. A lot of my problems stem from a hip deformity which makes my hips v inflexible, and single leg work challenging (wobble wobble) but I'm not giving up!
@GoTheFcukToSleep i use the leg press too, not v heavy but concentrate on range of movement and keeping my butt on the seat.

rest day today.

thanks all for sharing your leg press thoughts!
I think I’ll keep going with it as I quite enjoyed it.

making progress again with the barbell bench press - I managed 3 sets of 10 reps with 25kg today! Later this month I may even manage 27.5kg!

arms still look like twigs but I don’t care much, just happy to be getting stronger!