Lifting Support Thread 3

[Proteinpud]

Continuing from @Work2live 's original thread, with the following intro post

"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! 💪🏼"

Oh no @Proteinpud! You have my sympathy, I can lift heavy multiple days a week and yet ALL my injuries come from slips, trips and falls in normal life....

Thanks @everycowandagain and yes, it does always seem to be outside of the gym that injuries happen!
My leg is pretty bashed up but I know that's only bruising and it'll be fine. Shoulder movement is limited so I'm really hoping it improves and it's just soft tissue damage rather than anything more. Guess its a waiting game though

Ironically I took part in a full weekend of capoeira for an event and all that was fine...

Oh no @Proteinpud , so annoying. is it very painful?

@2andadog and @everycowandagain , strong!!!

Tried out another local gym last night for a light workout but free weights area also very crowded....back to the real thing tonight after a few days off.

@MsMartini it's so hard in an unfamiliar gum when it's crowded, I never know where to put myself!

My new gym has been OK so far but I have only trained there with my PT. At some point I will have to go by myself and hope the equipment I need is free. I have seen people using the rack but they tend to just do a couple of sets unlike me with my endless build sets and backdown sets!

Ah I remember that new gym feeling, it's weird how avoidant us women can be at asserting ourselves, whereas the guys don't seem to think about just walking up to people and asking either to work in or to have the equipment next!

@MsMartini thanks, shoulder isn't painful but it's weak, can't lift my arm above shoulder height, so I'm hoping I can get away without washing my hair for a few days 😂 it's already feeling better than yesterday so I'm just praying it's temporary/swelling and that I've not damaged my rotator cuff! I like having strong/flexible shoulders (rarity in jiu jitsu) I'm not ready to lose that yet!

Arh @Proteinpud hopefully some gentle movement will have you back to normal quickly fingers crossed!

@MsMartini thank you :) Hit all my PR last week which is nice, had a sports massage yesterday though and feel battered! Got all 4 of my sessions for this week to cram in from tomorrow onwards now as been told yesterday/today has to be a rest day. Competition in less than 2 weeks... eek!

I'm struggling with gyms too. Love the gym I have been going to for the people that go there, we have a real community going but I can't get my lifting done there when there are classes on. Have joined a local one but tbh hate it, fed up of plates being left on bars, people hovering when i'm trying to get my sets done and just how busy it is! Tempted to join our lifting gym near my work, but worried I'll have the same hecticness and get annoyed. ARGH!!

@Proteinpud that seems like a really good sign that it feels better so quickly? I've got a full thickness supraspinatus tear and a partial other one - never feel it any more and even with flag drills, can't tell which side, did take a while. Hope the improvement continues.

@2andadog I know! I can train in the daytime often but my training partner can't and we are doing a lot together atm. The overcrowding is really annoying me but it seems a problem most places, although perhaps not quite as bad. There are umpteen gyms round here so it really does feel like supply is not keeping up. I want somewhere very local (current gym, due to have building works)/easy bus as I go so often and sometimes quite late (live in Z2 london).

@MsMartini argh, yeah it does seem like there is opportunity for more “lifting” gyms to open around the country to be honest with how busy a lot are! However I suspect it is just at certain hours. Annoying as I’m strictly an evening only trainer, just don’t have the time in the morning!

@2andadog I agree. I think strength training of all sorts seems to be growing especially among women which is brilliant - there is loads round me. None of the specialist gyms are in the right place or do quite what I want, or are too ££ on top of PT, so I am looking at chains atm as my backup. One big one has just opened nearby and is nice and spacious - except for the free weights area which is cramped and overcrowded, and they don't have a bench set up (you have to use the squat racks). There were two mostly empty gleaming cardio areas of course......Another chain had no dip bars at all but yep, you've guessed it, loads of cardio machines costing thousands and not being used.....I don't know why they don't visit other local gyms before ordering kit and planning to see which bits get used.....

I am plucking up my courage to visit the local powerlifting gym... I have a fairly light upper body session to do on Fri so I might pop over and see what it's like. I will check out the powerlifting area while I am there and if I am brave enough I might do my bench session there on Monday.

@everycowandagain sounds a great plan! Hope you find your lifting Mecca!

I did it! I went to the powerlifting gym and it was AMAZING. Friendly, clean, tidy, amazing equipment..... I would LOVE to train there.

My challenge is that it's not cheap and I would need a second membership in London as well, but I have some time to figure it out. They are letting people from my old (now closed) gym use it till the end of the month so I will go again next week and see how it all works out.

Hoping for a bench PB on Monday, fingers crossed!! I benched 0.5kg under my PB for a comfortable 2 reps earlier in the week so it's coming...

Ooh yay! And if you can bench 2 x that weight you 100% have a PB in you!

I still really struggle with reps of higher weight bench, I just become less "coiled" on each rep haha, I reckon you'll add 2.5kg at least.

I've got a scheduled session tonight to sort out my start weights for a comp next week... sh!t is getting real eek!

It is difficult isn't it with gyms and membership costs. I am similar, need 2 gyms really but with a coach as well it is ££ a month if I go to 2 gyms I like!

Trying to tell myself it's an investment in myself but still... !

@everycowandagain sounds fab, both on the bench and the gym! Do you think you can justify the expense if you get use out of it? Just wondering if you liked it that much if you'd find yourself spending more time there...

I don't pay a regular gym membership but I do pay a monthly fee for jiu jitsu and for capoeira so it does add up...

I did my first exercise this morning since falling last weekend. Did a little home gym session and originally was going to follow my usual programme (stronger by the day), albeit going light, but realised soon in that it wasn't a good idea. Its the last week of the current programme, so pretty intense/high volume and I haven't been following it consistently enough to get back into it. So instead I did some lowish weight squats, banded pull ups and rehab type exercises I've not done for a while, using resistance bands and a mace. Was pretty fun doing something different!

@Proteinpud if I train a couple of times a week in London when I am working there and once a week with my coach in the cheapie gym near home it really only leaves one or max two sessions a week I could do in the amazing powerlifting gym. Day passes definitely work out cheaper at that point.

I am off there today though, because they are still offering free use till the end of the month. And I am hoping for a bench PB, fingers crossed, although my lats are sore from deadlift yesterday so we will see how it goes!!

I am excited about testing one rep maxes in a few weeks. Yesterday I comfortably squatted 2.5kg under my old one rep max (it was a bit slow but I knew I had it) and got a nice deadlift 5kg under my old one rep max. So I am hoping for some good numbers in a few weeks!!

Sounds great! Sounds good with the day passes, would be worth asking if you can bundle buy say 20 passes for a reduced rate?

I cancelled my secondary gym last week as just got fed up of it, and to make sure the DD didn't come out again. They stopped my access immediately and haven't refunded me! So onto them today to get that sorted. The hunt for a good PL gym starts again. I think I will do some day passes at the place near my work and see how busy it gets as I love it, but have been warned it gets CRAZY busy.

I did it!! I benched 35kg which is a 2kg PB and it moved really well. Excited to test it in a few weeks, I reckon I have got 37-38kg. I have come a long way from the person who, 2 years ago, wasn't strong enough to rep an empty bar!!! 40kg is the dream, and it's coming closer....

@2andadog I might suggest something like that, either a very off peak membership or a pack of day passes or something.

Yayy @everycowandagain that's brilliant!!

Very interesting about the different gyms and deals....I've just realised that Hussle offers a monthly sub option where for given price point you get access to a range of gyms.....

Out of curiosity - those of you mentioning powerlifting gyms - is powerlifting in their names or branding? Are they different from a strength focussed gym (ie plenty of squat racks, bench, but with other stuff as well like machines and dumbbells and functional fitness whatnots)?

@Proteinpud glad you are back to it! It is great to shake things up sometimes isn't it, even if only after illness/injury.

@MsMartini the gym I have been visiting has one area with the usual kit ie racks, cables, free weights, machines and cardio equipment and then a separate area with competition standard powerlifting kit ie benches, racks, calibrated plates etc. People seem to move between the two or hang out in one depending on what they are training. They do some conditioning classes, run club, oly lifting etc as well but it's know as a bit of a powerlifting centre in our region.

Well done @everycowandagain that's awesome!

Re powerlifting gyms I feel a bit bad I didn't think to share this before https://plgymfinder.co.uk/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYEN2cs4k7Mey28JoNydvU7hNZTUKeHEpgdj3LqSjYc1fgfoLQwVyi-cF4aemm_-RevcsdTuj1bcMUODT20UA

They're places with calibrated plates, comp standard racks, power bars etc. There will always be non Powerlifters using them too.

Thanks, both, that's really interesting. I had no idea about the plates etc having to be comp standard but of course they do!

@RayKray that map shows that there aren't any in my patch of South London (which has lots strength-focussed gyms) tho I've clocked a couple bit further away (one does lots of cali but too far for me). Fascinating. So looking at the map, lots of people might have to travel a fair way I guess.....

Did a great back session today with some marginally-wider-than-usual pull ups - could only manage sets of 3-5 with that grip but they felt strong and in the past I've struggled to get above 2!

Or not train with calibrated plates. I don't, I only ever use them (and a power bar and the right rack) at competition. Also lots have their own set up at home, particularly post Covid. I know plenty though who do the majority of their training at non powerlifting gyms.

Very interesting about the different gyms and deals....I've just realised that Hussle offers a monthly sub option where for given price point you get access to a range of gyms.....

@MsMartini the gym managers I know really dislike these deals. Might be OK for a commercial chain gym (and I loved my branch of a chain gym except they closed it). For an independent gym, they're a nightmare, and it means they can't byuild a regular user base & gym community. We all know how the atmosphere in a gym can really contribute to the experience.

@YellowAsteroid totally agree. From what I can see, the ones that are on it are the big chain town (London) gyms - fine - they won't have a community base anyway probably and lots of people would find useful when travelling for work, and then round here the less successful/well thought out small local indies that don't really know what they are for, or those in bad locations. The decent local chains near bus or tube stops are all busy round here, as are the good local indies, and none of them are on it.

I'd consider it to get me through January though as a second gym backup, for example, not as a long term thing.