Lifting support thread 2

[RayKray]

Just noticed I was the last to post on the lifting support thread as it went to 1k so here's another.

Original thread intro post here from
@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! 💪🏼"

Wow I haven’t visited this thread for a while but I’ve really enjoyed reading about everyone’s progress! Well done all!!

@LostaraYil those numbers are really good, not pathetic at all! A lot of female beginners struggle to bench the bar alone so 28kg is really good progress. I would absolutely recommend getting a PT or a reputable online coach to help with your form, it will help you to feel more confident and progress even further over time without risk of injury. They’ll also be able to advise you on accessory/isolation movements that will help to strengthen and improve your compound lifts even further.

These are my current weights after 9 weeks as a total newbie- RDL 55kg, squats 40kg, bench 24kg. Got 110kg on the leg press today. Excuding bar/press weight. When my trainer wasn't with me I found filming myself extremely helpful to watch my form back.

Thanks for the replies and encouragement! I am really enjoying lifting and want to improve, and so far it seems to be helping with my back. I think I'll look into other local gyms to see if I can find somewhere better for me. Is it usually possible to just use the gym for PT sessions once a week? I don't particularly want to pay for a membership because I mostly train at home. I might look into an online coach as well, good idea.

I don't for sure re PT, and the answer is probably it depends. There's a couple near me i know powerlifting coaches use and I believe you can just pay for a session with them without membership. They're independents rather than chains.

I'm with Better You and they have one PT attached to the gym, or at least maybe she pays them to advertise on their app, I don't know. I have a membership but you can just PAYG for the gym. I have seen other trainers in there too.

The quality of the gym varies between centres, I went to one and it had just dumbells. My local Better You is ace though.

Hello @LostaraYil ! Well done on your progress so far. No weights are pathetic! And it is really important to lift what is right for you, at the time that is right for you too.

I would get some PT input if you can. Some gyms let you buy a day pass if the PT has training rights, some PTs have small studios, or maybe if you had a couple of sessions with a good PT at your gym, you might feel more comfortable? I started lifting with a gym buddy, who was more experienced than me and we spotted each other etc.

@LostaraYil personally I tried PTs and gave up because the ones I could find near me werent well qualified. By that I mean they tended to all be level 3 PT trainers which is a syllabus I'm familiar with and it's, well, quite easy to pass. But my main issue was them not having a lot of experience in training people, especially in training people of different ages/body types/goals. I don't want a 22yr old male trainer whose main point of reference is his own training experience, as his progress is going to be very different to mine! If you can find a good PT it will be quicker, but it is possible to go on your own if you want to.

My update - feeling disheartened of two weeks of sensible eating and zero change that I can tell. But decided to do a barbell session and got a couple of PBs - barbell row 35kg x8 (volume) Squat 62kg X5 (weight) OHP 32kgx5 (weight). Did some jump squats and handstands too. Going to do another week at this calorie level then I think I'm going to focus a mix of strength work and pylo work and have a go at gradually increasing my calories (reverse dieting).

Those are great numbers @Proteinpudding .

I did my Monday session today instead at lunchtime, it was v quiet. My left quad is sore and I think I may even skip Wednesday's squats as I started to feel it mid workout.

What's new for me at the moment is feeling my glutes activated. It has only taken the full 9 weeks to get mind muscle connection!

@Proteinpudding , for me, two weeks would be too short (but I don't count calories and cali is different anyway in terms of how you measure progress and workouts vary) and PBs are always good!

There are some awful PTs out there aren't there? I've seen some poor training and also really naff attitudes as to why women want to strength train and what it means to them (clue for idiot PTs reading - it isn't all about having a tiny waist and perky bottom). My PT is very young and doesn't have additional qualifications but he really knows his stuff. And there are a couple of moves (explosive jumping up into a hold say) he and my (younger, male) partner do where after watching me attempt, he has clearly thought I will never get and he spots me into position or finds an alternative. Mostly, we do the same rep for rep but I might well have reduced range or do easier progressions and occasionally a different exercise. I like the balance - he and my class instructor have pushed me to do things I never thought I could - but trying to develop the sort of explosive power needed for those moves would be a fruitless and soul-destroying effort for a woman my age I think, and reduce my focus on stuff I can actually achieve (and develop skills while doing so).

In my current classes, the instructor often gives a rep range for everyone. I used to do some cali classes where the instructor would specify different reps for men and women but that didn't really work and got awkward, although it was well meant I think - to prevent women like me who trained regularly being discouraged because beginner men could leap ahead, especially on explosive moves.

Sorry, bit of a diversion there!

Thanks @MsMartini, and to be clear I'm not expecting visible changes after two weeks, but I would have hoped to see some change on the scale, even if it was just a pound or two - I do feel like I'm eating a lot less, in the sense of I'm eating my usual healthy meals and high protein, but sensible portions and very little junk. The reason I'm going to start increasing after next week is because I don't want to go any lower, I don't think it'd be sustainable. And I don't see the point in eating at or just below maintenance for any extended period of time (which is presumably what I'm doing at the moment). If I can't cut reasonably easily, I'd rather focus on building a bit more muscle.

And I totally agree about the PTs, I think experience and open mindedness is key. I don't expect young men to know loads about training women, but just to listen to us would be a start, including understanding what is worth pushing us on and what is going to be genuinely limited/long haul.

@Proteinpudding yes indeed to all that!!

Gym tonight. Quads feel okay again so maybe I will proceed as normal and feel it out. Gonna hit up the glutes and arms especially. Lots going on work wise but just trying to work on consistency across all areas and enjoy my training.

Love that I never quite know what I will do each session.

PBs - 42.5kg on reverse lunge smith squat. 24kg each dumbell bench press. 40kg leg extension. 10kg bicep curl.

All piddly weights but good for me.

On workout 26. Just for fun I might go back and compare workout 1 >> 26.

@MistyTrains Those are so not piddly 😁. Do you do bicep curls with dumbbells?

I was about to give up messing around with weighted pull ups and this week with 5kg got some small sets on the rings - I'm less striong on them but find the set up easier than a high bar with the belt on. OK, my weight can vary buy a couple of kg but I'll take that!

They're not piddly @MistyTrains!

Have you tried bb bench? I do 55kg and if you're doing 2x24kg dumbbells that's not so different. Don't know if it translates across though, I do less when I do db bench but then I will have already fatigued from bb bench. And last time I did hammer curls it was with the 8kgs although I was doing 15 supersetted. I loved that superset for a good pump 💪

But no weights are piddly if they're progress for you. And there's so many variables in there of what else you're doing/reps/goals etc. Be proud, you're doing great! 💪

I'm away at my parents house abroad and missing my gym. There is a 10kg kettlebell so I'm going to get some bulgarian split squat and lunges done and see if the outdoor washing rack can take my weight for chin ups...

The bicep curls are with a cable machine and straight bar. I could barely do 6.25kg to start, so am pleased to get past 7.5kg onto 10kg.

I've never tried barbell bench. I would need to factor in the weight of the bar 🤣 but keen to give it a go.

I am not allowed to do more than body weight squats onto a plyo box at the moment due to cartilage tear in my knee. The physio yesterday said that it was healing more quickly than expected, so she's very pleased, but stern about no added weight, and no running.

But I did a bench press session with my PT on Wednesday & got a new PB - 40 kilos. And then AMRepsAPS at 35, 30 and 25 - managed 10, 12. 14.

Went to utter failure - the last rep in each of the AMRAP sets my PT had to help me half way up. Really got the feel of training to failure. But very pleased about a new bench PB, as I rarely bench - maybe only once every 6 weeks.

No other heavy lifting is driving me crazy. I'm doing loads of rehabbing shit!

That is good it is healing @DollyParkin . Well done on the bench press. Amrap sounds hardcore.

50kg on the smith squat today. If I hadn't done leg curls and hip thrusts first, plus an extra set where I only set one side up and didn't realise, I could have got 10 but I got 5 reps. Also did a set with a pause at the bottom.

My RDL is coming on slowly. It's a balance as my forearms have to build up slowly. Also I think I was using the bigger bar so probably lifting more.

I bought some cheap Nike Metcons on Vinted. Tried them and I really liked them for the squats and leg presses. I was using running trainers and I can tell I have more stability.

Do you find doing single weights helps when doing both weights? E.g. doing single leg presses would help build up to push more weight on both legs?

I only know that I have lots of single leg stuff in my programme to get my legs stronger. And I like that I get to focus on one leg at a time. I don't have much involvement in the writing of my programme, very little these days, so I presume it's a good thing as it's programmed by someone who knows their onions

And yeh metcons will be loads better. I picked up my lifters cheap from vinted.

Really good session. Been working on adduction for ages, my poor inner thighs, and form is better on more reps. Squatted 50kg. I really felt the glute engagement on the hip thrust, this is still new and exciting for me, did 80kg. 12kg per leg on bulgarian splits. 35kg lat pulldown but was knackered by then with all the other exercises. Still finding it all fun and exciting.

So big news! In the last few weeks I did my powerlifting competition 😎 I had the absolute best time and can't wait to do it again. PBed my deadlift with 130kg. Hit my existing gym PBs for bench and squat. Was so pleased I kept my head and managed to lift under competition conditions and to competition standard. If anyone reading this is thinking about competing, yes you should, yes you're good enough, and no one will laugh at you, they'll cheer you on.

@RayKray , absolutely brilliant!! Well done. Very inspiring to hear that - and extra congratulations on the PB!

I'd love to try a competetition!