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! 💪🏼

Like not kind

I like benching too, I’m getting some good strength in my back now. We’re also starting on assisted pull-ups which i can’t get the hang of yet.

Does anyone have dodgy knees? If I do a session with lots of squats etc, i have really achy knees afterwards. I’ve started taking collagen to see if that would help, but wondered if anyone had any other advice. I never used to have knee problems, but i am 47 and overweight, so it’s probably inevitable

I’m not a big fan of deadlifts at all, and I seem to take one step forward and two steps back with them!

I love deadlifts, but they are by far the most technical of the compound lifts. I'm still hovering just under the 100 kilo benchmark. My PT is now fixing my tendency to crank my head up on the lift, instead of keeping my head & neck in line with my spine. It's a small technical detail, but it made a difference in a recent session, where I lifted 95 kilos quite easily. But couldn't get 100 more than 3 centimetres off the ground though. Argh! I think I freak myself out.

I find back squats much easier technically - but I have more than "civilian" level hip flexibility. I can go quite deep, and I find sitting in the Indian squat pose very easy & comfortable. But ironically, my PB for back squats seems stuck at 65 kgs.

Total glute DOMS today after a PT session yesterday which included 5 x 20 moving lunges carrying 2 x 12 kilo dumb bells. I'll need to go for a long walk or a run today I think!

@WindyHedges how are the DOMS?

Just realised I forgot to update that I did indeed hit bodyweight deadlift. Next stop 100kg

A long walk has eased them! And a Bootcamp/HIIT class tomorrow will destroy me further - such fun!

Well done @RayKray!! 👏🏼

@WindyHedges I always find a good walk does wonders for lower body DOMs. And a nice warm bath with some salts if they’re really bad!

yayy @RayKray , that's a great milestone!

@windyhedges, I find a long walk cures many ills 😀.

Rest day for me today, off for a walk.

Yes, a walk dispelled the lactic acid & then today I did a 45 minute bootcamp cicuit which is always great fun.

Sounds like you are all doing brilliantly! I am happy with the progress in my squats (now at 55kg) and deadlifts (60kg), chest press I am seeing some progress (now 27kg). However overhead press is a disaster, I seem to be going backwards (now only 15kg!)!

I have decided to adjust the Stronglifts 5x5 programme I am doing to split upper and lower body days so I can lift more days a week. Doing my heavy lifts plus 20-30 min Peloton strength classes in each session. Have ordered more dumbells to facilitate progress in this.

I have temporarily cut back on my cardio too to make sure that doesn't hinder my strength progress, now cycling about 2.5 - 3 hours a week (intense peloton spin classes).

Will see if that helps!

Love reading about all the progress you amazing ladies are making!

Well done @NewLifter those numbers are impressive!

I really struggle with overhead press too, it’s definitely one of my worst lifts. I’m struggling away at 25kg at the moment, but I’ve upped it from 17.5kg a couple of months ago.

My coach suggested going very slowly on the downwards part of the movement which has definitely helped me!

Well done, @NewLifter . I've cut down on HIT a bit - I run for steady state cardio, but used to do a weekly bootcamp that included quite a lot of push ups. I try to avoid strength outside my real strength sessions now.

@Work2live , wonder if that is similar to what we do in cali - slow eccentric movements and holds (eg lowering slowly from a pull up, with pauses, same with dips), build explosive power (or not in my case) with the concentric (upwards) phase.

Hi everyone, I’m very new to lifting weights and just found this thread so thought I’d join. I’ve just got into this the past couple of months and have just got some Olympic plates as I don’t have time to get to a gym and the stuff I had a home maxed out at 40kg. I started climbing earlier this year so I’ve got the unassisted pull up sorted and I’ve started adding extra weight. My pbs are dead lift 80kg, bench 35kg and squat 45kg and I’m training whole body 3 x a week at the minute and then climbing a couple of times. I started this to get stronger at climbing and it’s totally spiralled 😂

Welcome @ImBrian . It does spiral doesn't it, I know that only too well 😆. I had no idea when I started what a massive thing it would become and how life changing moving around heavy things is.

Great PBs! Have you done that all at home by yourself?

And excellent work too @NewLifter!

I've recently got some eccentrics in my programme too and I'm really enjoying them. I always like slowing down to feel the muscle, and things that hurt in the good way do they're doing it for me.

Am tentatively back into deadlifting, but just 60% of my max. so far Ive had no back pain or recurrence of sciatica. My bench has got worse somehow, am now finding heavy weights that I was previously ok with! My trainer has always said that progress is not linear and he is of course right, as usual.
I find the OHP so difficult! I do 15kg for reps of 8 but sometimes have to drop to 12.5....I'd like to graduate to doing OHP with the bar but am afraid I won't manage it and will look silly - a perennial fear.

Good to hear that you can DL without pain.

I do OHP with dumb bells (2 x 8kg today, 12 sets of 4 reps). Doing an OHP with a bar, and even more an overhead squat, feels very weird when I've done them. Something about the inflexiility of the bar, compared with the ease of controlling the dumb bells over my head.

Thanks @RayKray to an extent, I’m lucky that one of my friends is a pt so he’s gave me some advice and shown me correct form. I’d love to have the time/money for a gym/training but at the minute it would never work.

What are eccentrics? I’m still following a pretty basic programme

@ImBrian doing the top part of the move, for example the lowering phase of a push up or pull up. @MsMartini was talking about them down thread.

Just marking my place on this thread as I made it to the gym for the first time in a month today😱😱😱 (been running mostly). Will catch up with the thread soon hopefully. Feels good to be back🤩

Yay!!! 🤩 I'm off later tonight (and tomorrow)

Enjoy your work out @RayKray!
Just caught up on the thread - I’ve missed it, it’s so inspirational! Love reading about everyone’s progress whatever stage you’re at, the handstands seem especially impressive to me😱 And of course I still have pull up envy! I’m still stuck at -7kg although to be honest I should just be grateful not to have lost strength this month as I didn’t go to the gym once😳 Winter is my favourite running time, it’s cool and crisp and gorgeous out and the gym just can’t compete (sorry probably the wrong thread for that comment🤣). Still, whilst at the gym today I realised how much I love both the lifting and the running, they give me a different kind of buzz.

I always try and be very disciplined with exercise around Christmas for mental health reasons - working out keeps me sane during that crazy time!

Happy lifting all!😁

I did thanks. I had the shittest of days with several things that mess with my mental health (thankfully rare events now) and not being able to go to the gym till late, but now I feel amazing again. It so wonderful to have lifting in my life to keep me sane too.

Totally agree. I am healthy - and both running and strength help keep me that way. I loved my run today - cold, clear, sunny - I don't push myself on pace but can now run for an hour happily. I've had loads of work this week and getting out for a lunchtime run has made all the difference. Then tonight, in the gym yard, on the bars and the rings, bit of chat/spots with chap from my class, clear, still night...perfect.

Sorry you had a shit day @RayKray, I’m glad the lifting helped. Am the same @MsMartini - I don’t push myself for pace with running but I love the calm I feel on and after a long run!

I’ve climbed today and did an extra abs workout yesterday so I’ve sacked off training till tomorrow.
I can never decide if I should train on climbing days of keep it separate.

So jealous of the runners, I used to but had some injuries so I can’t anymore.