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! 💪🏼

Great idea, I haven't tried it actually! Will try that tomorrow, thank you!

Great to see you @Work2live and glad you're doing well!

A question re bracing. What do you do with your pelvic floor? I've braced and put downward pressure on my pelvic floor which seems like a very bad idea. So now I lift up/tighten pelvic floor, then brace. Is that right?

@Work2live , hello, good to see you back and well done on your PB.

Mmm, @RayKray , not sure I've ever thought properly about that. Yes, I think so - when I used to squat heavy, I lifted then braced and thinking about static holds now, that's what I do because I am squeezing everything upwards. I think......

Hello lifters! How is everyone doing?

I've just done pull-ups and realised something: I was driven indoors at the gym by the rain so had to do neutral grip (palms-facing) pulls. I find them marginally easier AND my form is better (was going to pot a bit in pronated grip as I chase volume) - I think because the "drive your elbows down to the ground pulling the bar down" cue really makes sense as your elbows are pointing down anyway. It felt smoother and my path to the bar shorter. I want to hit my target (ten) on both but will take the chance to do these sometimes even if it isn't raining, to drill better form.

In case useful to anyone else 😀

Hey @MsMartini I find neutral grip pull ups much easier too - I think in order of ease (for me anyway!) it’s neutral, then chin-ups with an underhand grip, then strict pull-ups with an overhand grip which I still find incredibly difficult!

After a few weeks on a bit of a ‘lighter’ programme, I’m now back training 4x a week with a bit more volume. I’m making some good progress and seeing some big changes in my muscle definition, but struggling with motivation as my workouts take up a lot more time in my day now.

I'm doing great thanks. Hit deadlift, squat and bench PBs in the last week. I've started working with a PT so that's not exactly unexpected. Knackered though and looking forward to bed!

Hi @Work2live , interesting. I found chin ups easier at low numbers but now I am doing more, I can't get the volume on them....

On the time for workouts, you may find they get quicker as you get stronger - I have. I am doing more intense exercises now, so fewer reps and variations. I could so, so easily spend longer and would often like to - but I am progressing. I do 5/6 strength sessions a week tho (but one is PT where we sometimes rep, sometimes skills, and two are skills-based classes so I do have to fit in some push/pull/legs basics on the other days, depending what the class/PT focus is). My main gym is round the corner which helps!

Yay @RayKray , great news! So the PT still going well? I love the feeling of well earned dinner and bed!

Re timing, my sessions are all meant to be an hour and all supersets now.

Yes it's going good. A few wobbles mentally as it's a massive change for me. But it's what I need if I'm to make progress which is what I want. And the improvement in form, little tweaks and knowing someone is keeping an eye on me is really valuable.

Hi all, still lurking

After starting with Caroline girvan and dumbbells (and posting on here for some push-up advice!) I've finally taken the plunge and started at a proper gym.

Loving it!! Did 3 sets of 62kg lifts with the trap bar yesterday which is WAY more than I thought I could. It's small group sessions (4) with a trainer which is really reassuring.

Very admiring of all the pull up talk. That'll be me one day

Wow 62kg is something to be really proud of @milkfromthesleepycow! Well done.

I really struggle with deadlifts and think I’d find them much easier with a trap bar. I’m stuck around the 60kg mark at the moment. I can lift heavier but find my back suffers. We only have a basic home gym setup but it’s something I’d like to invest in.

Hi everyone, and well done on all the PBs and progress!

I hit a couple of PBs the last couple of weeks, 70kg barbell squat and 103.5kg trap bar deadlifts. My form has really improved, and acquiring a belt has meant I can lift heavier for some reason. My lower back doesn’t twinge as much. I look like Miss Trunchbull as I have no torso to speak of but don’t really care, it’s such a good feeling!

Whoooop, some brilliant pbs here!!

It is great when you find the setup that works, @milkfromthesleepycow and @RayKray isn't it? I'm so lucky at the moment with PT and classes, want to make the most of it.

@Sidge belated congratulations on the PB! My deadlift is still lagging behind in comparison to my other lifts; I'm not sure if it's technique or just a combination of psychological+ lack of consistency. I've just had another 10 day break from weights due to being away, and when I come back Im always wary of jumping back in with weight (weirdly, using a 75% weight for bench, row etc doesn't bother me)

Today managed a few 55kg deadlifts, 30kg bench, some mace training and lots of handstand work. Still struggling to kick up into balance but managed some decent (well, about 5 seconds!) time balancing a handstand coming off the wall. Going to do a daily handstand practice challenge in December.

Well done @Proteinpudding !

I'm back at handstand and flag practice after a bit of a gap while niggley biceps recovered. My kicking up is awful. I can wall walk up fine, and play around at the top. And can kick up with a spotter but they have to help me the last bit, and then I may get a few secs unassisted. but kicking up on my own....jeepers. Gonna have to try to practice..I don't know if it is strength, power, mobility, or The Fear...

Yes well done on the PBs! Speaking of which I hit new bench PB since I last posted too. It's great to be creeping up the weights each time, having PTs to tweak my form is going great.

Wouldn't know where to start with handstands and flags though.

@MsMartini some of it may just be muscle memory/coordination that comes with practice. I always kick off with my dominant leg (so ND leg is leading) and when I tried to switch it is so hard, landing really heavy - and I know that's not a big strength/flexibility imbalance.

Appreciate you've got teachers to help, but in case it's any use two things that helped me at home were not focusing on the kick up but focusing on the skills to get them -

Pike Handstand using chair - get a sturdy chair. Put feet on chair, hands on floor, and try to get the top half of your body into a handstand position. Practice pushing through hands/lats to gain a vertical torso (feet remaining on chair at all times, though can do go to tip toes if confident)

Kick ups without handstand. Starting with hands on floor, bounce on dominant leg and jump, but keep the lead leg straight and the jumping leg bent. Aim is to practice pushing chest through the arms as you kick up (to get torso vertical) and to get used to getting the lead leg vertical, while gaining the muscle memory for the jump and learning to land back down softly.

Most people when they struggle to kick up is because their torso stays at an angle and they're trying to force all the power through their legs. If you can learn to get chest through the arms/hips stacked over the shoulders, then getting the legs up is so much easier!

@RayKray well done on the bench PB. Don't know about you but I find it's a really slow progress lift for me so a bench PB is always really exciting! Re the Handstands I would never have dared attempt them without a class. I never even learned to do them as a child so they seemed way out of my reach!

@Proteinpudding Ha! Brilliant, thank you.

I was doing pike handstands sometimes when we did handstands in class, but definitely need to do more. Great shoulder exercise anyway.

And great tip about kick ups without handstands - I've not heard it explained quite like that and that makes much more sense. I definitely use my legs too much.

@RayKray , that's great about how the PTs are helping. I only train flags (and am very much a beginner) with my PT - it is an intense exercise and he makes sure we are properly warmed up, done the right drills etc. And mostly only do handstands with him or in the specialist classes too. It is only really this year I've moved on to training the more difficult moves like those and levers, tho covid obviously interrupted things a bit. I wouldn't have had a clue on my own - there are really specific drills that sometimes don't seem to have much to do with the move 😂

I've only just started bench, I think that was my 3rd time, so really it's been about finding my level at the moment. I did do lots of upper body previously though which seems to have paid off as I'm at 35kg. I don't think that will go up for a bit though as I was only just finishing sets.

@RayKray bizarrely bench is one of my best lifts, I have no idea why. I just really love benching. I’m currently working at 45kg for 5-6 reps, with a one rep max around 52.5kg.

I also do a lot of other chest movements though like eccentric push ups and flies etc which seem to help a lot. I train my triceps a lot too - I generally much prefer pushing movements to pulling ones!

That's awesome @Work2live. Bench for women does seem to be less common. I think every compound is my favourite till I remember how much I love the others. If I had to pick though I think it's deadlift. I'm so close to bodyweight which is a very exciting milestone.

@RayKray body weight deadlifts are a great milestone to aim for 👏🏼

I’m not a big fan of deadlifts at all, and I seem to take one step forward and two steps back with them! Sometimes I feel like I’m making loads of progress, other weeks I really struggle with them and the weight I was lifting the week before feels impossible.

@RayKray - that's what happened to me! I started to learn squats and thought this is the best thing ever, then learned deadlifts and they were then the best thing ever😂. Have never benched. Chilly back lever class tonight but soooo good!

Yeh truthfully I just kind it all, there's nothing I doing love to do. But the compounds make me feel like a power lifter which I love.

Does anyone have any Nike metcons? Are the number differences just model numbers by age? They're not for different things?