Weight lifting / increasing muscle mass for WLI weight loss and maintenance

[MeridaBrave]

Inspired by another thread, this is for those of us who are weight training for WLI maintenance or weight loss, or those who want support and handholding getting started with weight training

I need to try this! Thank you 🙏

We have the official Les mills bar, can only put 3 plates on each side.

If you go regularly you can quickly increase the weight (lift club), and I try to do a 2nd time in the week (obv only when comfortable with technique). I can’t see how body pump heavy would help me, I’m mostly constrained by the weight I can lift over my head, so unless they provide squat racks it won’t help.

You obviously have different bp bars- ours have essentially no weight but oodles of room- I’ve never seen anyone run out of room on them.

we have the old standard set that can at push fit 4 plates on one side but definitely not 5. I use 10, 5, 2.5 and 1 for squats, so can't squeeze another 1 on, would need to swap it out for 2.5. this type: https://fitness.fr/3907-kit-pump-don-oliver-bodypump-les-mills.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc

I really like my instructor for Body Pump, she motivates and pushes you but is also a stickler for technique and will shout at you if you get it wrong, and tell people off if they don't listen (and puts safety at risk). Not everyone's cup of tea, but it's perfect for me. Some of the other instructors prance about at the front of the class, attendees are doing things wrong, and they don't even seem to notice and they definitely never suggest increasing weights for people. I went to a random class one week and was left wondering what the point of people going was as I couldn't see they were getting anything out of it. Anyway. That was a long winded way of saying for me it works, because I love it and commit to going regularly. If I don't enjoy a class I won't go if I can find a reasonable excuse not to. I don't feel confident just going it alone with the weights on the gym floor. I love the energy of a class as well.

A problem for me in body pump is I can't use the barbell for squats and lunges because I can't keep my arm in the same position like that as it aggravates. I use kettle bells and plates instead. It doesn't seem to cause any problems as my legs are solid (except for top of inner thigh) but don't think those tracks would address that anyway

@PurpleCoo that's interesting to hear. People are different of course as well. I know some really like that I always encourage more weights, but some hate it just as much. But if you don't use challenging weights, you will not get the results.
My personal bugbear is instructors who have taken too many classes to teach, so can't do challenging weights themselves to avoid injuries. I knew one who was doing some classes with 1 kilos on the bar for all tracks. One can argue that it doesn't matter, instructors are there to coach not to do their own workout - but in my opinion it looks funny to yell at participants to put effort in and yes I know it's hard, when you yourself are not working hard the least bit. And also, whenever I take another instrucor's substitute class, I can immediately see how much weight the instructor themselves is using, as most class participants tend to think that this is the max and people rarely load more plates on than the instructor.

Heidi- that’s really interesting, one of my favourite instructors used to do everything with just the bar, but she was also very hands on and would walk the room making minor adjustments and corrections to people’s stances. I’ve never even thought of changing my weights to match instructor, i usually drive based on their ratios to warm up weight, adjusted to the fact I have better leg strength and worse upper body than the suggestions.

@Morereadingthanposting yes would make sense to change weights based on your own strenght, you would think. But I've been teaching Bodypump for 25 years or so, and I always try to visit other bodypump classes when travelling. It is surprising how much instrutor's weight selection affects participants'.

Although taking a totally empty bar might actually not be a bad idea - in this case there is no reference, so all participants still need to decide for themselves.

gym was fun this evening. Packed. Cardio equipment full of women. I was the only woman in weights section. But as it was men only, they were all crowding only the upper body machines, each machine or bench had one guy working out and 2 waiting to work in. There was not a single person at leg area - totally empty. And it was leg day for me so felt like Xmas 😀
(that may be a bitchy thing to say but some of those guys really could have used a leg day..)

I don’t like using less than instructors - my thinking being they are teaching all day, but for me it’s my exercise! Most women use weights that are too light to get them close to failure so I’m not convinced bodypump (which I love) really counts as weight training.

We have the les mills smart bar - I add 5 to each side for warm up or bicep curls, 1, 5 and 10 to each side legs, 10 to each side for chest, back and lunges. Other tracks depends, eg will manage more for tricep press than for skullcrushers and shoulders really varies.

Checking in on here! I have been rubbish with the weight training since starting MJ. First couple of weeks I was erratic as feeling so unwell then got out of the habit, then had flu and just havent got back into it.

I have dumbells and barbell at home with changeable weights so have no real excuse. My main issue is always knowing what to do, I need to be told what exercises to do what days! I have a couple of apps on my phone but not sure they are any good.

I am thinking of looking at Caroline Girvan videos? Any recommendations for best ones. My preference is shorter more regular workouts.

Basically I need to generally tone up but keep areas are getting my bum back as its disappeared and toning upper arms/abs.

Oh and new routine is starting today! Off work so no excuses!!

Yes at home I have often done Caroline's programs. For weights, I quite like Iron series.

Have you tried ChatGPT for training, it is quite good at telling you what to do depending on your goals and available equipment. And if you tell it later how it was and what weights you used, it will help with progression.

I have asked it to help me with pull ups. I can now do 5 chin ups, but can't get to a normal wide strict pull up. It claims it will happen any day now, we will see.

Thank you. I will try chat gpt also. I am happy doing my pwn programme if I have the routine written down, never really tried videos.

I have not had much luck with PTs, one stole £400 of upfront session payments and then my latest one replies to anything about 2 weeks later and forgets to post my online programmes so I am going it alone (and using the money for jabs).

I second chat gpt - I have a specific injury which, for the moment, rules out anything with squats or lunges and most ‘out of the box’ online routines feature these heavily.

chat gpt gave me alternative glute exercises that can be done without loading the knees, as well as a wider routine so all muscle groups are targeted across the week.
i told it how much time I have per day (because it differs across the specific days) and my key goals (pull up) and the plan is tailored around all that.

i then popped it into the ‘strong’ app (free) and refer to that when working out - and also input the weights/reps to monitor progression. But a piece of paper would work as well!

Thank you, I'll check that app out also. Will be good for monitoring any effect my eating has on progress etc also.

Yes chat GPT can be very useful - be sure to remin it that you are female!!

Very good point!

that's my goal: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/strength-training/a65053791/80-year-old-strength-training-routine-build-muscle/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=69bc63ee21f0bd000169b79e&utm_campaign=trueanthemFBWHUKfirstcomment&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawQptIhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0WEVhQk5EUXBvMDFCSkd6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnXzx92ODKsO0rst922FZpUW4VR9zgkKggsL-Xt5yd47UK4XyQJEJPT7AJLk_aem_NBugobAHWPy2WMTr8H5xjg

She is very inspiring!
And she looks like a natural person, no breast implants, no fillers or botox a real woman who is happy to look older but still wants to be as fit & strong as possible.

Could be stiff gastroc and soleus (calf) muscles, or stiffness in your achilles tendon. Possibly even ankle joint mobility e.g., if you had an ankle injury in the past. But its usually one of the first two. Stretching and foam rolling is great for this. Over a longer period of time, it's not a great idea to continue with raising heels, as it can shift more load on to your knees and quads. If you stretch well daily you can begin to resolve this and eventually do a great feet-flat squat. Don't rush it though.

I do a first set with raised heels to warm up and get the depth, usually using two fat hardback books of equal height. Once I’ve done that and everything is moving, I can get better depth in subsequent sets- might that help?

Had Bodypump instructor trainings this morning for the new release. It's a special Lesmills event over here this weekend, so this guy was presenting, https://www.lesmills.com/articles/marlon-woods and he came up to me after the class to compliment me on my weights. Aww.

I wonder though if my weights would have looked as impressive before, when I was significantly bigger myself?

Today marks 8 weeks since I joined the gym, and 8 weeks of strength training 3x a week 💪

Wow @FirstDayonthePlanet! That’s serious commitment and consistency! How are you feeling on it?