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! 💪🏼"

Hope your run went well?

welcome @EasterIssland ! Love CrossFit, such a good community if you have a good box, and a great way of finding if you want to specialise in something specific or just enjoy the variety! Hope you feel better and get to the session tomorrow!

@everycowandagain thats amazing for your daughter! Strength is such a gift for women and girls, and gives such a healthy attitude to fuelling which can be very helpful through teenage years.. how exciting!

I did a a random Olympic lifting session yesterday which was lovely, but meant I was a bit sore today for deadlift day! Still managed too set @ 145kg and then 125kg back offs so that was nice ☺️

@2andadog in these barefoot shoes I am finally understanding what that whole "big toe little toe heel" thing is all about!! My secondary (high bar) squats today felt so stable!!

My daughter was telling me about a really strong woman she saw when she was doing her youth session, which I love! Her class is actually in the powerlifting gym I went to a couple of times. It's so great there.

@2andadog I had exactly the same experience with squat grip width. Started REALLY narrow (hypermobile shoulders, hands almost behind my head!!) and it made me arch my upper back. Had to gradually widen it, although it took me a while to let go of the need to feel my shoulders with my thumbs while squatting!!!

My squats have certainly been a journey, and still a way to go before I hit the inspirational numbers of some others on this thread but I am working hard and loving the challenge!

Welcome @EasterIssland and I hope you enjoy getting back to it.

@everycowandagain that makes me 😁about your dd. Fantastic. There are so many myths and (unnecessary) fears about strength training for women and girls. I wish I'd it when (much much) younger!

Another lifting session today. In an effort to give my lower back a rest we did sumo deadlifts. Worked up to 65kgs, which I'm quite pleased about. Also did single arm rows with 15kgs. 3 sets of 10 reps. I like to say that pulling is my super-power, but those wiped me out completely.

Annoyingly, having rediscovered my keenness for lifting, my PT is away all week next week. I've never done it on my own (and I exercise in my garden, so it's not like I can go to a gym for inspiration). So I may have to resign myself to a cardio week next week, and then hope I don't lose momentum. @2andadog those are some seriously impressive numbers!

Nice to see the new faces on this thread!

@MsMartini I also struggle with the movement for dips, when I'm doing them I feel like I'm barely moving though every so often I will feel them and they don't look as bad as I think. I am wary about going too low though, not sure my shoulders could cope!

@everycowandagain that's fab. I can't imagine how different it is now for girls compared to us. Not sure of the ages on this thread but my role models were chain smoking chronic dieters, we didn't even have the language for strength training - 'the gym' meant aerobics classes. Im not a natural lifter, it's not my body type, but that's also a reason that I need to do it!

@BusyFrizzyLizzie hope the week without the PT is ok, even if you don't get to do a lot, just keep the focus for when they're back - a week without lifting isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things.

Also I was struggling with my deadlifts for the last two weeks and realised that my training max on my programme (used in the app to calculate what it tells you to lift) was still set at 105kg. That was what I achieved last summer, before the two injuries and being ill that took me out of training for a while!
I should have been lifting around 75%, no wonder the numbers seemed ambitious!

The training max in SBTD (and in training normally, I think) is about what you can lift with a balance of ease & effort - not your 1 rep max. No wonder you were feeling it was a huge effort! But the gainz 😂 😂 😎

@Proteinpud yes about shoulders! I think that's maybe why I've been holding back (old shoulder injury) but actually doing them the way I have been can't be good either. Anyway, taking a step back, starting with god thick bands and taking my time has, as usual, helped, funnily enough!

Not surprised DLs felt hard!! Hope things settle now.

@BusyFrizzyLizzie , would it be a good chance to practice training solo? Is it your form you are concerned about or how to programme? If the latter, my gym partner and I are getting through over-crowded gym January by doing mixed workouts (so today did triceps kickbacks, hip thrust, some planche and front lever drills, weighted knee raises) and making sure over the week it balances out. It feels less intense but still making gains on the big compound exercises (which we do space out) and is easier to programme I think. I don't know how you usually train, but just a thought. Or you could chuck in a core focus - can really see improvement in core in a week I have found if train it a bit most days, creatively.

@YellowAsteroid I know it is, though SBTD often prompts me to set a training max slightly higher than I think it should be. I suspect that's because my personal max, training by myself at home, isn't me 'maxing out' the same way I would with a trainer. Always tend to be a little cautious, and quit while I'm ahead!

@MsMartini yeah it's the fear of getting so far and not getting up again, it's weird!

How's everyone getting on? @Proteinpud sounds like it was a tough session! But as @YellowAsteroid says, GAINZ haha!

@BusyFrizzyLizzie are you managing some sessions this week?

@everycowandagain I am the complete opposite of hypermobile! I think there are planks more flexible than me!

Been a busy week training for me, but managed to get all my sessions in, plus snuck in an extra one! Am taking a little bit longer to recover now as weights are increasing (top sets are 115kg S, 60kg B and 150kg D this week) so having to really focus on nutrition and hydration, grrr! haha! It's always something that needs tweaking! Changed my warmup slightly last week and my niggles are a lot better so that's a bonus.

Thanks for your encouragement everyone. @MsMartini I think I've become lazy, rather than any particular concerns about form. Before I had a PT I used to design my own workouts and it was fine, but I now like the fact that my PT turns up at my house and tells me what to do and sets up my weights for me. Realistically, I think it's unlikely that I'll get out into the garden without her.

However, I did go for a run this evening and I might look into a pilates class as well. I like the idea of a focus on core!

Back from first Pt session focussed more on CrossFit type rather than gym. And I’ve liked it. I really like this coach , she’s my Fridays coach in CrossFit (and why I chose her to do the swap on my Pt journey)

hope everyone is having a good start of week

I guess a mixture of strength, cardio and calisthenics/gymnastics? Is the PT more to progress with CrossFit skills/strength or just overall strength/wellbeing?

I know they overlap, all I will say is I have gone from CrossFit to full strength/lifting training, and accessory exercises have been the most beneficial part of the swap. Not something I realised I needed when I was doing CrossFit, but it's helped hugely with my mobility/all round injury prevention/strength a lot!

Progress in strength as I find I’m lacking sometimes. And not enough with the CrossFit classes I do (I.e I barely do pc). Also feel 121 I managed to stay focus more gives me the strength to go and the mentality so then I feel confident to go on my own or to the classes as well. Bit of mental support

I had a great squat session today, they were tempo with a pause and I added 7.5kg to last week’s weight and they felt solid.

Deadlifts were meh, I sent videos to my coach and he will definitely tell me my pauses weren't long enough!! But overall not a bad session baring in mind I had a very busy weekend and late night on Sunday.

Looking forward to a deload next week!

That’s a great increase! Deads are so dependant on sleep/nutrition etc. Bit like bench!!

Lots of great progress!

I was feeling smug about how well 2025 training was going, and now have a cold....really annoying as some things were just working well for the first time (leg raises!).

Oh no!! Hope it disappears quickly and doesn't affect progress too much.

thanks!

It is silly how annoying it is isn't it? A couple of days will make no difference - just annoying as I had a rest day on Tuesday when I felt fine 😀

@MsMartini always the way! Sod’s Law I think it’s called!

@2andadog So true 😀

Ugh hope you feel better soon @MsMartini!

I am dodging illness but feel totally exhausted for no obvious reason! Deload week next week thankfully. I am trying to get lots of sleep but it's not currently helping.

Thanks for the understanding about missed gym sess angst - I knew you lot would get it 😀 Feel much better today so may go for nice quiet slot today!

@everycowandagain does the tiredness feel training-related, or life in general? Hard to tell I know and so many illnesses around too......

@MsMartini life in general!

And there's nothing in particular going on, just the usual although my 'usual' does go at a million miles an hour. I do need to build in more rest as well as sleep. Every minute of my day feels full of work/kids/commute/a million to-dos. My gym time is sacred even when I am exhausted although I reckon I would be stronger if I wasn't exhausted! It will get better, I just need to hang in there for the day when I wake up full of beans like normal :-)