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! 💪🏼

Thanks @MsMartini

Whoop hit my 55kg bench today and got 100kg deadlift yesterday 😁 I’m maxed out on bench for now so going to work on some form and pauses but hoping the deadlift keeps heading up 5kg a week for a couple more weeks.

It's taken me months and months (and months) but I managed 3 rounds of 6 at 125 kg deadlifts on Friday.

It was incredibly hard going and I am exhausted today but it was so so worth it

That's awesome @SeaDee and @ImBrian! Well done!

It's been a while, I've been plodding along with maintenance level lifts, but pleased with a couple of things this morning -

Managed 1.04 deadhang (finally over the minute mark!)
16kg rows - these are using a 16kg kettle bell with a piece of strong fabric tied to the handle, so holding onto the fabric instead of the handle. Wanted this for grip strength for my sport, and feels like it's working!

Belated congratulations to @SeaDee and @ImBrian too, very impressive numbers!

Whooooop to these lifts 👏. Absolutely brilliant.

@Proteinpudding , interesting about your grip strength hack.....

I've been doing some statics - hand balances and levers and seeing progress, especially on back lever, but STILL cannot kick up into a handstand!

Really enjoying the normal weather given nearly all my training is outdoors.

It's been a while, I've been plodding along with maintenance level lifts, but pleased with a couple of things this morning -

@Proteinpudding I always find that when I feel like I'm on a plateau and I just can't move the weight I want to, but I keep plugging away at a challenging but not the heaviest weights, I get a break through. When I've lifted 100 kg deadlift easily, it's flown up. Same with 70 k back squat.

And then there are the days when 80 kilos feels heavy ...

So much depends on micro things about any particular day or any particular training session, such as sleep, rest, food, stress etc etc.

@GoodThinkingMax thanks, yes I've been doing some lighter weights just to keep my hand in, as the reason is doing more jiu jitsu, and I can't go heavy on weights and heavy jiu jitsu at the same time, especially when work has been busy as well. But tbh as long as I'm doing one weight session a week consistently I'm happy, everything else is a bonus.

@MsMartini I can't say I came up with it, but again it's from jiu jitsu - because we grab the fabric of our opponents gi, it's important to strengthen grip to reduce the likelihood of injury/burning out hands & forearms. Some people use a gi thrown over a pull up bar to do pull ups from, I'm a long way from that so rows seemed like a good compromise! I've bought some specific fabric grips but I'm sure the same thing could be done with an old towel, as long as it was thick enough/strong enough

@Proteinpudding ha, I wondered if it was ju jitsu. I've seen people using a towel to do inverted rows, same principle I guess.

Hello, please could I join this thread? I'm mid-forties and quite new to lifting weights but really enjoying it. I've bought a barbell and some weights to have at home (single parent with young children and no access to the gym) and I'm trying to lift three times per week at the moment. I've been working with a PT to get pointers on form and I tend to do just one main exercise each session. So in the last week I did squats, then the following day overhead press and then two days after that I did deadlifts. I haven't got a bench to do chest press or glute raises yet. I'd like to get much stronger, build muscle and burn body fat. My mum has osteoporosis and I'm super keen to avoid it! Would love to be on this thread and get hints and tips from others!

Welcome @Clytemnestra21!

Your training is a bit like mine - I have squat day, deadlift day, bench day (then another squat day). I do those first, then accessories each time. Great to have you here.

RayKray thank you!

RayKray what do you do on bench day?

Barbell bench, then incline dumbbell bench, rows and planks. Then farmers carries and overhead press.

I also do overhead press, push ups, chin ups and rows on other days to support my bench.

Welcome @Clytemnestra21! Avoiding things like osteoporosis is one of my main reasons for lifting too!

Contrary to that 😂 I have a bit of an injury at the moment (not caused by lifting) so doing a very stripped back version of my usual training sessions. I’m trying to get plenty of steps in and do lots of mobility work, while also training the parts of my body I’m able to.

Thanks Work2Live - sorry to hear about the injury, I hope you recover soon!

Thanks RayKray, I'm going to have to look up farmers carries.

@Clytemnestra21 you basically walk up and down holding heaving dumbbells. It helps with grip

Ok got it thanks- I've done that with a PT - just didn't know that was the name

Hello @Clytemnestra21 , great to have you here - I mainly do calisthenics (bodyweight) training but in the last did squats and DLs and stuff. I do classes, PT, and partner training, mainly on an outdoor rig. Lots of push ups, pull ups, dip, and also skills training for levers, handstands, muscle ups.....none of which I've got yet.

. @Work2live , hope your injury clears up soon

MsMartini - that sounds great. I just put callisthenics into Google images and it came up with some incredibly impressive results!

@Clytemnestra21 , I know it is extraordinary, people defy gravity. I live in one of the UK hotspots and am very lucky to train (PT and classes) with some of these people, and within a very welcoming community. Everyone says hello down at the park bars, and you can get help if you need it. I am sticking to reps and statics though, not the more gymnastic stuff (called freestyle), and will never get many of these moves - but it is fun training for them (they call it progressions - easier versions that train same muscle groups).

It sounds great MsMartini. I'll admit I'm still working on basic strength. I can deadlift 60kg and squat around 45kg and I'm working on strict press with 20kg on the bar but I can barely manage one press up - which I guess is more about a lack of core strength than anything else. So in awe of people who can do the body weight stuff and yep determined to get stronger.

I'm away this week for half term so won't be able to lift. But I'm going to try to do press-ups (to the extent I can 😅) and squats (single leg etc) and some core exercises whilst away.

@Clytemnestra21 if you don't want the break, I usually find a gym to use when I'm on holiday. You can usually find places that let you pay as a one off. (A week off is of course fine too!)