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! 💪🏼"

I am a couple of weeks into my cut, it's making me realise how little time I want to spend in a calorie deficit! I haven't dropped low, I am down 1kg on 2000/day but I am keen to get it done and get back to maintenance! Don't plan to do another bulk immediately, I want to spend some time at maintenance and have some time away from tracking for a while but will definitely do one again maybe next year. I can see some baby muscles starting to emerge which is exciting.

My training is going OK although I am building some volume back up on squats which is so hard. I had been working on strength, doing heavy (for me) low reps and now my body screams at anything more than 4 reps even at low weight. Just need to slog away at it I think. Also I have 1 and 1/2 reps on my programme which makes it even worse!!

@everycowandagain do you mind me asking how tall you are?

When we dropped to 1900, I had one day of 2600 where I ate out a lot, then a week of 1800-1850 which. It got hard. I am not averse to listening to my body and if I need a day of 30% more carb every couple of weeks I will do that. But I don't think I could sustain for long on 1750 calories so I guess the better I stick to it the quicker it be over.

Over what period did you lose 1kg? Is the low reps due to lower energy or injury?

@MistyTrains I am 165cm and about 66kg. I walk on average 15,000 steps a day which I think keeps my calorie needs up.

I have also calorie cycled a bit due to eating out a couple of times but haven't dropped below about 1800 on any day yet, that was hard enough! And I have dropped from a surplus (2500) so my coach wanted to start fairly gently.

I doubt I would drop another 1kg over the next 2 weeks unless I tighten it up a bit, but we will see how it goes. I am aiming for a beach holiday in late October so I have some time. Having done a bulk and realised the sky didn't fall in when I gained 6kg I am also now much less focused on scale weight I think.

Re the squats I think it is partly mental, squats always are for me. I could squat 60kg not long ago, there is no way that higher reps with just the bar should be so hard!! But I also had 2 1/2 weeks off training for a holiday, my cals are down and my meno (lack of) hormones are an ongoing journey so that doesn't help. Going to squat with my coach next week, I probably just need someone standing behind me making positive noises. That always helps me!!

I guess as a contrast to the tough squats, deadlifts were moving like a dream this week. I probably just need to get the squats done, build the volume up and it'll get easier at some point!!

@everycowandagain thanks I'm 62.5kg and 168.5cm. I'm hoping as I have built muscle (I have gained nearly 3kg in 12 weeks) that will keep my metabolism going, plus keeping steps up, and I'll be doing a little more cardio as I have lung function tests in November which always puts a rocket up me to try and do more (although I know I should just be consistent anyway).

This was kind of a test as I have not done it before. I also want a maintain phase but will probably do another one. I'm 43 so trying to get maximum gains before peri/menopause.

I don't have the mindset of getting back to the weight I was in my early 20s anymore - I'll have more muscle so that weight may not be right for me - which is liberating.

Good luck with the squats, I'm sure they will come on quickly. Bar back squats are new to me and I am in awe of those weights. My feeling is that it's easy to train quads three times a week as they can take it, but everything is going to go in peaks and troughs!

I think my cardio in the new plan is going to be 1 run, 1 metacon or hydrox class, and 1 swim. I like spin but I think it is a choice between spin or run as there is only so much my legs can take with 3 full body workouts before the workouts start to suffer.

@everycowandagain yes, how you describe coming up from the squat is exactly how it feels for me. I know that I've got the mobility to keep a straight/vertical back, and it feels so much more solid with that position with a weight on it!
Also I don't do high reps often but there is something entirely different about it. Give me four reps at high weight over anything in double rep figures any day!

I'm tracking right now, probably not quite as accurately as before (I'm not weighing food, though have a reasonable awareness from when I did) I usually only track when trying to go into a deficit so I figured it's good to get an understanding of what I'm on when I don't try and reduce. Currently seem to be around 2000-2300 depending on whether I'm eating out or not. I'm a bit shorter than both of you though I think. I'm ok about the scales going up, though I'll be honest struggling a little when my jeans feel tighter, but if I need to I'll just replace those.

I am envious of you all maintaining on 2000 calories. If I eat more than about 1600 calories a day I gain weight. I think it's age (64) and not moving enough other than when I'm actually in the gym. I aim for 15,000 steps a day, but don't do that more than 2 days a week at the moment.

I'm 165 cm and seem stuck at 72 kilos. I'd like to get down to 68, or even 65 kilos, so it's not a lot to lose, but boy it is slow. I'm eating around 120 g of protein a day (have discovered the most delicious vanilla protein powder) and I eat in an 8 hour window. But it is slooooow at my age.

Re the squats I think it is partly mental, squats always are for me. I could squat 60kg not long ago, there is no way that higher reps with just the bar should be so hard!!

I find this interesting. I love deadlifts, but it's a much more technical move than a squat. And I can shift a lot of weight in a DL.

I have great mobility - it's easy for me to get into that "baby squatting" position & in fact I find the stretch very relaxing (when my knee is pinged as it is now). I've squatted 70 kilos although not the full depth, but still.

But I do find squats much harder even though technically, there's far less to think of, as it's such a "natural" movement (well, for me, anyway). I guess because we take the weight much more on our backs than in a DL which is all about legs.

But I love the squat movement; missing doing it atm (I am going to whine about my injury from now till CHristmas).

I think mentally squats are harder cos you have to get out of the hole. Deadlifts it either goes up or it doesn't. If you fail a deadlift it either stops going up or you drop it (or can't lock out if it's comp standard). But squats if you fail you have to then bail which feels scarier and requires a bit of skill.

At comp you have 3 spotters round you to help you up if you fail. I love the drama of that. Deadlift you just get one person in case you pass out or fall back so it looks less dramatic.

Yes I think you’re right @RayKray

And I have the mobility to squat quite deep so I can get lazy and just relax down there. I never squat without safety bars if I’m on my own. And if I’m going heavy with my PT we also use the safety bar. I have several times bailed out and rolled on the ground …

My challenge is being OK about failure. Getting my bench PB taught me a lot about working to failure. Lifting is good for the soul isn’t it?

Lifting is the best!

I meant to also say @DollyParkin don't be ashamed of box squats! They were used by the notorious hardcore Westside Barbell! They're hugely influential in the history of powerlifting (and a bit scary)

@DollyParkin I can appreciate the calorie requirement goes down a lot with age. I'm in my forties now and I'm not sure if 2000s is maintenance or will mean I'm slowly increasing. I don't think weight training on its own would be enough for me though, I would expect the martial arts sessions I do are a reasonable calorie burn. I remember years ago pre strength training and a PT worked out that my maintenance was 1400 a day. That was a depressing period of my life!

For context I'm around 160cm with a naturally petite build (narrow shoulders and narrow hips), so I'm not great at gaining muscle. I'm 60kg now, pre COVID and less consistent with training I used to sit at 57kg, but until my thirties I was usually under 50kg. I honestly don't miss those days though, I ate like a sparrow and I had the figure of a young teen (not in a good way) More importantly though I wasn't healthy back then. I was eating a certain way to stay slim, just had minimal appetite, did no exercise other than walking, and I had to ask people to help me open jars.

I also never squat without safeties, though tbh I'd probably struggle to safely bail on them, I should probably look up how to do that!

@Proteinpudding I'd have a practice bailing at light weight so you know what to do. Always put the bar backwards, never ever forwards. I once failed with the safeties too low and no one to help (idiot PT was chatting) and I got out but it wasn't fun. The level I put them at now it's only centimetres to drop the bar down.

Also forgot I wanted to post up my win of the day - managed a whole 8 reps for a single arm 8kg bottom up kettlebell press! I know it's a tiny weight, but I think its the fourth time I've tried these today, and the first time I had to do single reps as I struggled to stabilise the weight. Feels nice to learn a new skill, hopefully will help with shoulder and wrist stability for capoeira.

@RayKray yeah it's a good point that I should practise. I've seen people bail but I've not actually tried it and I'm guessing being stuck in a squat is not when you've got the luxury of time to think! I have webbed safety catchers which I like because I can have them quite high - it isn't off putting if the bar brushes them, compared to clanging against metal safeties.

Exactly. It was actually a relief first time I did it as it was much easier than I worried it would be.

Failing my first heavy squat (with safeties) was a game changer for me, I lost some of the fear of failing the lift.

Do feel like a bit of a muppet squatting 12 x 1.5 reps with just the bar using the safeties but the burn is real and I feel like I need them!!!

@everycowandagain I take every weight as seriously as the others, so same set up, brace, walkout etc with bar as max. So it's not silly at all.

You're completely right, my coach (who is a powerlifter) says exactly the same. I need to do that same routine every time.

@everycowandagain so if your coach is a powerlifter when are you going to compete?...

@RayKray when my weak bench catches up and I am brave enough to wear the shorts

Awesome! It feels v cool walking round in your singlet. And everyone has a weaker lift, at my comp some bench openers were in the 30s. Honestly no one cares, they're cheering you on whatever it is.

Are there special powerlifting shorts? 😀

Not just shorts! You have to wear a full on singlet! It's so the referees can see what your body is doing eg hitting depth, bum not coming off bench, and that you're not smuggling any equipped lifting kit in (eg the suits that give extra tension)

sbdapparel.com/products/singlet

So cool!!!!

Have you got your eye on your next comp @RayKray ?

I remember a friend doing one and saying, like you, that the buzz and encouragement was just brilliant. I've been to watch cali ones (very informal ones, in parks) and it is the same. I was at an event last weekend where a guy in a wheelchair was doing amazing stuff on the bars and if there had been a roof, the crowd would have lifted it.