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! 💪🏼

Good luck @MsMartini , keep us updated!
I did my first workout this week, due to not being well. Kept things relatively light as my back was feeling a bit achey - not injured just too much sitting/lying down.
I did some handstand practice as well, and for the first time ever managed to push through one arm and lift the other off the floor! Only for a second, and obv fully supported by the wall, but it's progress! I've tried it in the past and just felt like I was glued to the floor!

@Proteinpudding , that's amazing!!!!

Wow @Proteinpudding that is impressive!!!

Just caught up on the thread, I do love reading about everyone’s progress!!! Well done everyone!

I had a bit of a wobble myself about whether to renew my gym membership. However, last week I went ahead and did it!😁 I got a good deal (just over £200 for the year for swim and gym) and I see it as an investment in my mental health😁

I barely went in December and January but I’m trying to go 3 times a week now. It’s been so lovely even though I can tell I’ve lost some strength, but that’s fine.

I’m just doing upper body stuff at the moment to save my legs for running.

This year’s goal is to do one unassisted pull up😂 I’m still stuck at -7kg but given that I started with -28kg last year I feel like I am closer to this goal😁

Hello :)

I'd like to lift weights more - I'm a figure skater and want to supplement my on ice work with some off ice strength. I loathe cardio but planning to do steady state - lower speed but more resistance and longer duration so that I don't feel like I'm about to die at the end of 1 minute 40 program 😀

Going to the gym before skating today. I'm going to be brave and ask about sorting some PT sessions - I use machines but never seem to progress so clearly need help.

YEARS ago, I got up to using the bar for squats - felt like I was finally belonged in the free weights area at that point!

@GoTheFcukToSleep - that's a great deal. I think gym/PT/class fees are a priority for spending after the essentials sorted, IF they work for you - as you say, an investment in your future. For me, I enjoy it AND it is good for me - the physical and mental benefits, including some structure, routine, and a little light social contact (I wfh).

@LollipopViolet , welcome! Lovely to have a skater here 😀. I used the gym machines for years without progressing too. Once I'd been shown what to do properly, both sets/reps and form tweaks, I was able to train much more efficiently. A PT sounds like a really good idea for you as they should be able to advise on how best to train to support your skating.

Hey all, I was wondering - for those of you doing heavier lifts, how do you do your warm up sets? I didn't usually think much about it as I'd start off light and go up in increments at low reps just to get used to the weight. Now that I'm starting to go a bit heavier on deadlifts, squat and bench, I'm wondering if I'm doing too much in the warm up. But then I do find it scary to do too much of a jump! Interested in what people have found works for them.

I'm always with a PT so they input and it seems to really vary. Bench is usually empty bar, up in 10s. Just 3-4 reps. Deadlift I'm sometimes starting empty bar, but today is was 80% max for 3-4 then into proper set. Squats usually empty bar then up to 50% but then up in 20s. Hip thrusts today I miscalculated what was on the bar so was accidentally straight in at top set (which felt light due to what I thought it was, which is v interesting!). A lot is how I feel, sometimes my body feels less ready and I'll go up slower, but if it feels easier I'll go up quicker. But only ever a few reps so I don't fatigue.

Just to add re the fear thing, I'm sure that comes into play in mine too. I sometimes find my weights scary if I've recently gone up, and have to remind myself I can indeed do that. So I bet I go up slower to reassure myself if I'm building up to a new scary weight as opposed to one I'm confident in. I don't think it's physically necessary but mentally it helps.

I run on the treadmill at about 10kph for 5 minutes, do a whole lot of body weight squats and lunges and mobilising of my arms legs and torso. Then I do a warm up set of 10 deadlifts at around 50k then if I’m going heavy maybe 6 reps at 80k then the hard work! Was doing sets of 2 @ 95 kilos last week, on a touch and go basis. Ie no reset between the 2 lifts.

For back squats, it’s around 10-12 bar only, then maybe 6 at 40 k then whatever - last week it was sloooow sets of 4-6 at 55k.

I think I do around 4 to 5 sets at the heaviest weights, lowest reps.

Of course if it’s a new 1RM I only do 1 rep!

Thanks both! I always start with a bodyweight routine that loosens everything up, it was more about working up to weight - with lower weights I could start with the bar and work up in 5kg or 10kg increments depending on the lift without it being an issue, but think I need to start at a higher weight otherwise I'm going to be doing far too many warm up sets!

Was feeling proud today, only second workout in two weeks due to illness, thought I'd need to go light but the rest has done me good. 38kg x8 X3 bench. Last session I was struggling to do 40kg so I'm happy with that.

Awesome!!! Well done!

If I recall correctly we're at a similar point? And it looks like it for your bench. So in that specific example earlier in the week I did bar for 3, 30kg for 3 which felt good, so straight to 40kg for 8x2, then pushed to 45kg for 5. Nothing I was scared of in that, and was feeling confident which contextualises those jumps. I have certainly done smaller jumps when I wasn't feeling it.

Thanks, that's really helpful!
I think part of me still remembers the time I had to do my workout sets with micro plates, so I just need to remember that I can use the bigger weights now 😁

Hello all,
bit dispirited here, had a session with my trainer on Friday, he said I seemed to be lacking enough stamina to put in the necessary effort for deadlifts, then when we moved to the bench I struggled to do even one rep of 40kg.
I was wondering how is it that I spend so much time at the gym yet I'm going backwards? Of course I know that it's just a blip but...
he's right that my conditioning has declined. Upthread I was all full of good intentions about improving my cardio but these fizzled out really quickly and I'm back in the "when can I stop?" mentality. Sigh.
In the week I had done some dumbbell BP with the 14s, and had felt really pleased. Now I feel deflated.
I will have a read of the thread for some motivation!

@Acerpalmatum , sympathy..not a nice feeling.

"I was wondering how is it that I spend so much time at the gym yet I'm going backwards" sort of yelled overtraining to me - is that a possibility?

I've found as I have got (slowly) more advanced, my sessions are shorter (mostly), because more effective/intense/harder progressions. And I need at least one proper rest day a week.

Funnily enough, was just watching Jason Pak in insta talking about how to support training with moderate cardio. I've scaled back on HIT and bootcamps and stuff as my strength training has got more intense - I know it is good for me but I can't do everything, and it leaves me too depleted. Trotting gently round some parks leaves me with energy for pull ups 😀and I reckon 2/3 45-minute plus runs a week plus loads of walking must give me a decent level of fitness for now...

Just got a bench and squat PR :)

@Acerpalmatum remember you need the dips for the highs to be high...

Worth looking though, is there anything else that could be affecting you - eg not enough food, or protein/carb balance, or not enough sleep, or being at a certain point in your cycle? For me it's usually over doing it (and not getting enough sleep/food to compensate) that leads to dips.

@skywalkersweetie well done!

Well done @skywalkersweetie!!! Such a great feeling!

@Acerpalmatum your post has been on my mind. Not sure how much help any of this is, but anyway... I'm interested in your connection between not embracing cardio and feeling it's stopping your lifts. I really struggle to embrace cardio, I can't translate my lifting mindset to it. I am working on it as I know a level of cardio matters but it will always be second to lifting. However I don't feel it impacts significantly on my lifting. That comes from a very different place in my head. I can push through v hard sets, keep going when each rep feels like max effort. I can see a weight and rep target that looks like a big challenge but put my mind where it needs to be to complete that set. And that leads to a pounding heart and fast breathing, so a cardio impact. I can't replicate the same for cardio at all, it just doesn't fire my brain in the same way.

So for me I'd never see my poorer cardio performance as related to what I can do in lifting. I know that having better cardio will have some impact on better lifting performance in terms of recovery etc so I do it the best I can as part of my programme. I'd never go to a HIIT class or anything though. But not being great at it doesn't shake my belief in my lifting abilities.

I don't know if that resonates at all, or completely misses the point. But your post had me really thinking through my own relationship to cardio and mindsets.

Yayyy @skywalkersweetie , well done!!!!

@RayKray , interesting, I'm similar - as I says, I am finding trotting gently round parks and plenty of walking is working for my strength training even tho I like HIT and bootcamps and stuff like that. And @Acerpalmatum , the post I mentioned is called "Is cardio killing your gains" www.instagram.com/jasonandlaurenpak/

@MsMartini yes that's a good point. I'm generally pretty active, walk everywhere, get my steps in just as part of life with no extra effort, so I must have some cardio ability through that.

Yep. I used to do more HIT but focus shifted now - I don't need to be able to do lots of burpees - I need to feel fresh and rested and sleep well, so I can train strength hard, with a decent cardiovascular base to aid recovery and endurance. Perhaps it is different for the 20-somethings who can train on several fronts at once?

Thanks for the supportive messages! And thanks for the pointer to Jason and Lauren Pak, I really like their approach. I've sent for their free programme.
I haven't done any compound lifts this week, have just done some cardio and core/mobility. Am away next week, will hopefully return with renewed enthusiasm for lifting!

I really like Jason & Lauren Pak's content. I was so disappointed when I was working in Boston in the summer, that they'd closed their gm. I really wanted to work out there for the month I was in the US.

I follow Jason and Lauren Pak too, really like their content.

I’ve been enjoying my training a lot recently, finally made a bit of a breakthrough with deadlifts and feeling comfortable at 60kg now. Now more lower back pain, which I’ve solved by sitting ‘back’ a bit more in the movement instead of being too far over the bar. Such a minor adjustment in form has made such a difference.