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! 💪🏼

Can you do a proper push up? I feel like I've really progressed with lifting but I can't even do one- it's SO frustrating

At present I can do around five with correct form, I feel like yoga has helped with that maybe? I used to be able to do a lot more a few years ago when I was training in a small group lead by a woman who had a total thing about them but even then I would say ten was my max before form went.

So jealous that you already had a set-up, I'm buying heavier weights a bit at a time, so far up to 10kg.

I'm 47 just now so my big motivation with all of this is to future-proof myself as much as I can, as well as feeling good now. My mum had dreadful osteoporosis and her balance got really poor as well and she would fall over a lot so I'm hoping to minimise that.

With the push ups, do you have access to a flight of stairs?
If so the easiest way to progress to a full push up is to use them.
Start with your hands up high enough that you're almost vertical. Attempt 3 sets of push ups like that. If your successful then next time move your hands down a step. Again if you can manage 3 sets of ten then next time move down a step. If you can't then keep trying, trying to add at least one more rep each time until you're up to 3 sets of 10.
Eventually you'll be on the bottom step and ready to move to doing full push ups on the floor and then on to decline push ups where your feet are on the step instead of your hands.
Also add in planks, trying to hold for at least 60sec. Do these after the push ups though, as you want your core as fresh as possible for the actual push ups.
If you don't have steps find stable surfaces around your house, kitchen counters, tables, stools, sofa etc, and work your way down to horizontal with them.
Just don't try learning by going on your knees, the mechanics are very different, and the core isn't involved in the same way.

Oh just to add, I started out push ups in that way and the most I have ever managed in one set is about 45. But I also bench press which helps

Thank you, i won't lie, it's taken a LOT of work and more than a little pain pushing through sets. But I love the look so for me it's been worth it

@firef1y thanks! That's really helpful. Looks like me and my stairs are going to be friends 😂
I know my core is still the weakest part of me. I've recently started a core building program (it's a post partum one- only 7 years delay!!) and it does include a lot of plank variations
I'm also jealous of your arms- you've clearly put in some hard graft

@Scianel future proofing is a great way to think of it. I work in a hospital and see so many people with falls. What you're doing will really help

Just want to add, anyone who might have EDS, hypermobility or unstable joints (mine has been described as each of these at some point in my life), strength training with free weights (barbells and dumbbells) doing compound lifts plus accessories has been the best thing I ever did for my joint health other than losing weight.
7 years ago I was on crutches and wore wrist splints and still sublexed at least once a month. I was on tramadol for the pain.
All the strength training has strengthened the little stabilising muscles around my joints meaning I've only sublexed twice in the last 2 years. I do still live with pain every day but I've reduced my pain medication down to the occasional ibuprofen and codeine. I've gone from being unable to walk across a room to running marathons.
But I would also suggest avoiding the machines if you have hypermobility, they push you in to an unusual range of motion putting us at risk of sublexing or dislocating.
I'd also recommend working with a PT that has some understanding of the condition at least to start with, so that you can get your form right for you. I'm never going to have a poker straight back while deadlifting for example but we've got the form as good as it can be for me. We also work on my weak points, so I have extra ankle and hip work. Plus she gives me (harder) alternatives for things like back extentions where I simply don't feel the standard movement because my back is so flexible.

*my PT is also my class instructor which means she knows exactly what I'm capable of and she also gives me harder alternatives for other exercises that I'm good at. As well as some easier alternatives for when I've had an injury

Wow @firef1y your arms look amazing!! I’d love some real bicep definition - hoping to get there in the next couple of months!

@milkfromthesleepycow something I would highly recommend to get your first push up is to focus more on the eccentric movement. Start with your arms straight and lower yourself down really slowly, at least 4 seconds before your chest touches the ground. Then move yourself back into your starting position (you don’t need to actually do a full push up) and then start again. Since doing it my push ups have improved so much - I never used to be able to do full push ups.

This technique works well for pull ups too.

Work2live thats great advice about diet, i think whats been offputting is im looking at the macros percentage rather than the grams!!

To add to the (very good) push-up advice, placing a thick resistance band ('booty band' type) around your arms above the elbows will help you come back up.

Yes definitely track your protein in grams! So if you weigh 60kg, it’s a good idea to aim for around 120g protein per day.

It’s always nice to aim for a balance with your macros but definitely prioritise protein.

Taking all the push up advice on board- thanks everyone!
I do lower really slowly (because I'm afraid of crashing into the ground 😂). Going to try the stairs progression for a couple of weeks- will report back!

@milkfromthesleepycow omg I relate to that so much, I used to be so scared of crashing down 🤣

The stairs idea is a great one! If you do go to a gym, you can also use a squat rack with the bar around hip height, and use that to do some incline ‘push ups’, and slowly lower the bar as you progress.

I love training my chest and have seen so much improvement in my push ups as I’ve done more overall chest exercises - both flat and incline bench, dumbbell flies etc.

Using a squat rack for push ups is a great recommendation, I do this as well. I use a smith machine for glute bridges as well, it’s great for focusing on glutes as the movement is smaller than a BB hip thrust.

Chest/upper body is my favourite too!

Just marking place, I've come from
the 'craze for weightlifting' thread. Thank you for the thread!

I'm a newcomer to weights but agree about it being addictive and has already improved my running and general stamina!

This is just what I need!

Lifted a lot pre covid as well as rowing and a few spin/ cardio classes a week, but giving up rowing, perimeno and getting out of a routine means I've lost all my gains :"(
I've started swimming and want to get back into regular lifting but am very demotivated only managing my main work sets with what used to be warm-up weights.

DLs definitely my favourite. Can't squat seriously anymore due to hip/lower back problems.

I know that feeling too well. It’s so demotivating when you start again and you’ve lost a lot of strength.

What I will say though, is that you now know what your body’s capable of! It didn’t take me too long to get back to lifting my ‘old’ weights because I already knew I was capable of lifting them, and I didn’t have to put too much work in to getting my form right because it’s already second nature to me now. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can progress the second time round!

I found going back to the bar very frustrating, didn't feel like I was doing anything. But 3months on following structured programs, I'm starting to feel like I'm working again. And those light weights gave me chance to work on my form.

@milkfromthesleepycow - video your push up attempts! I had to do this over lockdown and send to my coach (I couldn't do a full one until just after the first lockdown) and it was really helpful to see where my form was failing. I'd throw my head back, go down too fast etc. I didn't help my speed of progress by insisting on keeping my arms fairly narrow, which really torches the triceps but is generally better for the shoulders, but I am glad I persevered. One year on from getting one ugly full push up I can do several sets of 12 in a row and I am also doing some with a 5kg plate on my back.

Urgh I've killed my legs today. Heavy (for me atm) squats topping out at a fairly comfortable 7@46kg, giving a new est 1rpm of 57kg. Then hill repeats. Finished off with a hiit and lift class this evening.
Much lower weight (although I did get a heavier bar off the gym floor because the bars used for lift classes feel too light), but 1min continuous of various exercises and a cardio exercise in the 20sec break (chest to floor burpees halfway through was not fun).

The good, I didn't get told to go lower with my squats (was below parallel), the not so good, by the 4th round of skull crushers my form was slipping and I needed to be corrected on wrist position.
Sit up with a 12.5kg shoulder press at the top are HARD, harder than a standing 25kg

Wow @firef1y that sounds pretty brutal! I hate burpees! Sounds like you’re making huge progress with your squats too.

I did a really tough tri-set this morning:

3x

10x incline dumbbell press
AMRAP incline push ups
AMRAP eccentric push ups

Followed by a superset of tricep dips and skullcrushers 💀

I have to film all of my workouts as I send them to my trainer to assess my form etc. I’m really starting to notice some nice definition around my shoulders and triceps now when I watch the videos back, which feels amazing.

My PT has switched me to neutral grip pull ups on the machine and the difference is amazing. I do other exercises to strengthen upper body to help and it’s a long term goal, but it made me happy to get to 6 reps/set (I do 3 sets) on a much lower weight. The goal is to do pull ups in the other grip but it’s still progress.

I was doing a one arm row with a 22kg dumb bell and the manager, who’s lovely, congratulated me when I left.

@Work2live my trainer did a fantastic job of finishing the legs off this morning. Stair workout wearing a 10kg weighted vest. The sumo squat walk up was particularly fun (not). At least no jumping was involved this week. Got double spin with her tonight and I know what fun she's got planned for everyone's legs in that.

In other news I managed a quarter rep unassisted pull up yesterday afternoon and she said that was progress

@Stellaris22 wow 22kg! That’s amazing well done!

Lat pulldowns are another one that will really aid your pull up progress. If you can steadily increase your lat pulldowns weight, you’ll soon be doing pull ups.

@firef1y I’ve been thinking about getting a weighted vest for when I go out on walks. I couldn’t even think about doing a spin class though! 😂

Pull up work today, following a routine designed by my trainer to work towards my first unassisted pull up, working all the muscles used.
So assisted pull ups, negatives, scapular pull ups, kneeling lat pull down, seated lat pull downs, 1 arm row, Bicep curls, flies, an exercise I don't know the name of and then finishing with inverted rows.

For those trying to get to their first pull up, the kneeling lat pull down using a cable machine translates better to a pull up than seated. I alternate using a bar (which means its almost exactly like a pull up except instead of pulling your chin up to the bar you're pulling the bar down to your chin) and straps.

Lat pulldowns are another one that will pulldowns are another one that will really aid your pull up progress. If you can steadily increase your lat pulldowns weight, you’ll soon be doing pull ups. aid your pull up progress. If you can steadily increase your lat pulldowns weight, you’ll soon be doing pull ups.

In theory! I do sets at between 47 and 54 kilos. But still need banded assistance for my pull-ups. Grrr