Weight Lifting

1
Gembo

Gembo

VIP Member
I couldn’t find a thread for this so thought I would start one. Who lifts weights? How did you get started? Do you follow a particular plan/programme or do you create workouts for yourself? What changes have you noticed in yourself and your body?
I’ve done it on and off over the years with PT’s but never for more than a few months, as odd as it is I actually really enjoy cardio and prefer doing that, well when I’m in the mood. I get a bit bored and frustrated with weights sometimes, there are some muscles I feel like I just can’t work such as my back, never feel a thing no matter how heavy I go, it just seems to be all in my arms. But next year I’m determined to try and get into it so would love to know more of other peoples experiences and how they find it.
 
I lift weights four times a week. I started about five years ago. I love it so much. I used to follow a programme, but the more experienced I got, the more I started to create my own. I keep it simple and consistent. No fancy lifts. Just nailing the basics every week. The most notable physical changes for me are in my upper body. My arms, shoulders, chest and back are pretty nicely defined. I think the benefits to my mental health by far outweigh the physical though. My next goal is to define my lower body a bit more. I feel like a total badass when I nail a PB on a deadlift.
 
Londoncailín said:
I lift weights four times a week. I started about five years ago. I love it so much. I used to follow a programme, but the more experienced I got, the more I started to create my own. I keep it simple and consistent. No fancy lifts. Just nailing the basics every week. The most notable physical changes for me are in my upper body. My arms, shoulders, chest and back are pretty nicely defined. I think the benefits to my mental health by far outweigh the physical though. My next goal is to define my lower body a bit more. I feel like a total badass when I nail a PB on a deadlift.
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That’s great that you’ve got the experience now that you can create your own workouts, maybe that’s where I’ve struggled a bit doing weights on my own, I don’t really have a plan so don’t know if I’m doing the right thing. Do you keep increasing the weight or do you keep it mostly the same each time?

I’ve started following some weight lifting accounts and bought a book off of Amazon as I think I need to commit to this now. I got quite lean at the end of 2018 but had no definition at all. I imagine it does make you feel like a badass when you’re able to lift heavier, I’ve always wanted to be able to do a pull up I think that would feel pretty awesome! My husband has been telling me for years that I need to start doing weights instead of just cardio so that’s my plan for next year.
 
I’ve been lifting weights in some capacity for about 7 years or more :giggle: I absolutely love it, it’s the only form of exercise I’ve ever actually enjoyed and stuck at. I’ve followed various programs over the years, then I was in group training for a while. Now I sort of dip in and out. It took me a while to get used to the movements and use proper form, it can be really hard to isolate certain muscles.
Going to the gym has had such a positive benefit for my mental health. I always feel so much better when I’ve just killed myself during a session😅
Physically I was always very skinny and fragile looking before I started (the reason I got into it was a build my legs up cos they were like twigs!) - now I’m still slim but I’ve definitely got thicker legs and my arms/shoulders are much more defined and slightly broader which I like. I do train upper body a lot though, I know some girls don’t as they don’t want to look muscly 🤷‍♀️
 
Gembo said:
That’s great that you’ve got the experience now that you can create your own workouts, maybe that’s where I’ve struggled a bit doing weights on my own, I don’t really have a plan so don’t know if I’m doing the right thing. Do you keep increasing the weight or do you keep it mostly the same each time?

I’ve started following some weight lifting accounts and bought a book off of Amazon as I think I need to commit to this now. I got quite lean at the end of 2018 but had no definition at all. I imagine it does make you feel like a badass when you’re able to lift heavier, I’ve always wanted to be able to do a pull up I think that would feel pretty awesome! My husband has been telling me for years that I need to start doing weights instead of just cardio so that’s my plan for next year.
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When a set starts to feel easy to me, I increase the weight, without compromising my form. Little increases is all it takes. You should def start following a specific plan. It’s the best way to start seeing changes and to monitor your progress.
 
I weight train six times a week. At the moment I'm doing a push/pull/legs split and I sort out my own programmes.

In terms of changes then muscle definition and strength really. It's also massively satisfying when something gets delivered to your house and the delivery driver tells you it's really heavy and asks if you'll manage (clearly because you're a weak little woman) and you can handle it with more ease than him!

What is it that you find boring about weights? I know I've seen people doing some PT programmes in the gym and I'd be bored senseless doing them.
 
I’ve been weight training for 1.5 years since I joined the gym for the first time in my life aged 31. I love it, when I first joined I had a couple of PT sessions and they were really good working around my chronic injuries (knees and back). I also sometimes see my physio and they give me other suggestions.
I go 3 times a week, as a working single parent that’s all I can fit in, so I do lower and upper body each session.
I mostly stick to the same exercises and do 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets of each. 3-5 per muscle group depending on how much time iOnce I’m no longer struggling on the last couple of reps I’ll increase the weight, usually just try to do this on one exercise at a time for that muscle group though (ie I wouldn’t increase the weight on all my arm/upper body exercises in one session).
I also found it useful to read about how the period cycle impacts, I find in the two weeks between ovulation and my period starting I’m weaker and it’s not a good time to increase the weight.
In terms of what I’ve noticed I have noticed better shape and also such a change to my injuries. I used to struggle even sitting on the toilet and standing back up with my knees, and really really struggled with stairs. Now I can do both. There’s no real fix to my knees but by strengthening the muscles around them I’ve seen such a change. I’m also sure I can eat more and maintain the same weight. Not sure if that’s actually possible though.
I’m sure there is more to it and some of what I do isn’t correct, I’m certainly no expert. I probably need to do more reading on it and learn more, and have a couple more PT sessions.
 
Pixipoppy said:
I’ve been lifting weights in some capacity for about 7 years or more :giggle: I absolutely love it, it’s the only form of exercise I’ve ever actually enjoyed and stuck at. I’ve followed various programs over the years, then I was in group training for a while. Now I sort of dip in and out. It took me a while to get used to the movements and use proper form, it can be really hard to isolate certain muscles.
Going to the gym has had such a positive benefit for my mental health. I always feel so much better when I’ve just killed myself during a session😅
Physically I was always very skinny and fragile looking before I started (the reason I got into it was a build my legs up cos they were like twigs!) - now I’m still slim but I’ve definitely got thicker legs and my arms/shoulders are much more defined and slightly broader which I like. I do train upper body a lot though, I know some girls don’t as they don’t want to look muscly 🤷‍♀️
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I’m glad you’ve found what works for you and that you enjoy it so much. I want to get to where you are, I know I really need to work on form I usually end up with a sore lower back when I do things like squats. I’m one of those women that worries about getting too bulky, I know I know, they say it takes a while but I’m about an average build so I feel that if I put muscle on it would make me look and feel bigger. But I suppose I won’t know until I properly try! I would definitely like some definition especially in my arms. When I was a bit lighter at the end of 2018 I actually had some definition in my stomach, not full on abs but I think if I’d been working on them I could have got there. I’m rocking a bit more of a Santa belly at the moment, just to be festive 😄

VomitCulture said:
check out the wiki in the r/fitness subreddit, they have a lot of good plans to follow and a good faq on weights.
Pick a plan, stick to it, be consistent, eat a good amount of protein and progressively increase the weights over time and you’ll see good results.

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Thank you so much I will have a good look at this today, I do want to do some reading and try to find a plan over Christmas so I can get started in the new year!

malolo said:
I weight train six times a week. At the moment I'm doing a push/pull/legs split and I sort out my own programmes.

In terms of changes then muscle definition and strength really. It's also massively satisfying when something gets delivered to your house and the delivery driver tells you it's really heavy and asks if you'll manage (clearly because you're a weak little woman) and you can handle it with more ease than him!

What is it that you find boring about weights? I know I've seen people doing some PT programmes in the gym and I'd be bored senseless doing them.
Click to expand...
It’s the repetition I find boring I think. Doing 3-4 sets of the same thing, I have a very short attention span and hate repeating myself. That being said I’ve only ever really done weights with a PT and my husband used to go to the same gym. He does weights and he said he’d get bored doing it with a PT and that for him putting his earphones in and just getting on with it is something he enjoys. So I have already done a Spotify playlist and am hoping that it might be a bit more motivating. Usually in the gym I went to the music was either pretty quiet or not really music I was that into.

timtams said:
I’ve been weight training for 1.5 years since I joined the gym for the first time in my life aged 31. I love it, when I first joined I had a couple of PT sessions and they were really good working around my chronic injuries (knees and back). I also sometimes see my physio and they give me other suggestions.
I go 3 times a week, as a working single parent that’s all I can fit in, so I do lower and upper body each session.
I mostly stick to the same exercises and do 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets of each. 3-5 per muscle group depending on how much time iOnce I’m no longer struggling on the last couple of reps I’ll increase the weight, usually just try to do this on one exercise at a time for that muscle group though (ie I wouldn’t increase the weight on all my arm/upper body exercises in one session).
I also found it useful to read about how the period cycle impacts, I find in the two weeks between ovulation and my period starting I’m weaker and it’s not a good time to increase the weight.
In terms of what I’ve noticed I have noticed better shape and also such a change to my injuries. I used to struggle even sitting on the toilet and standing back up with my knees, and really really struggled with stairs. Now I can do both. There’s no real fix to my knees but by strengthening the muscles around them I’ve seen such a change. I’m also sure I can eat more and maintain the same weight. Not sure if that’s actually possible though.
I’m sure there is more to it and some of what I do isn’t correct, I’m certainly no expert. I probably need to do more reading on it and learn more, and have a couple more PT sessions.
Click to expand...
That’s fantastic that it’s helped with your injuries. I have bad knees so I will have to be careful starting out but I was told that leg extension would help strengthen the muscles around my knees and that I might find that helps a bit. I also get pain in my lower back sometimes so I should probably look at trying to strengthen that and my core.

Generally I do love cardio and the buzz I get from it and my favourite is going out for walks and runs. I had been going to the gym for spin classes and doing weight/cardio circuits with a trainer but once the gyms closed I was back to just walks and youtube workouts that I had to do at the end of the bed as husband was using the office as the lounge. I just became so bored I even started dreading my walks. I feel like I need to mix it up more next year and also get some definition once I’ve worked off this little layer of lockdown lard I’ve been accumulating! My husbands bought some dumbbells during lockdown and he had one of those weight benches in the garage that he bought years ago and never used so I feel like I’ve got some things I can use to get started. I feel really anxious at the thought of doing weights in the gym without a PT holding my hand but I don’t want to use a PT anymore so I figure I can work on form and start learning with what we have at home. That’s the plan anyway (she says led in bed eating a biscuit!) 😄
 
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I lift weight ( don't ask me about what weight I actually lift as my scale might be different to yours as it seems to differ at every gym). I do it as my hubby is hobby bodybuilder (ie just do it for physical sexiness, not for sport!) and he keeps saying it a good way for me to lose weight and to boost my metabolism. My favourite move (if you want to call it that) is chest press and Romania deadlift.
I train 2-3 days a week - depends on when I can get the weight studio free and also if there any guys poser (the kind who kiss their muscle) I also do a lot of cardio throughout the week.
 
Hi all,
I lift 4 times a week and following 6 week block programming by a PT (£30 for a 6 week block on top of my usual monthly gym membership) no further 121 support bar messaging him on insta and us chatting when he's in the gym. He's a powerlifter so my training is currently 2 days of squat/ bench and 2 days of deadlift/legs with other additional isolated training on top of the main lifts. The block may be a volume block or a strength block. I bloody love the feeling of being a strong and capable woman. I refuse to diet so I'm not ripped but my pbs keep coming which keeps me motivated. I'm 34, been in and out of the gym over the years, hate cardio but give me a barbell any day, can't ever imagine not going to the gym anymore. I'm sure he'd love me to compete but that's never going to happen.. To scared of failure infront of a crowd I think.
 
Gembo said:
I’m glad you’ve found what works for you and that you enjoy it so much. I want to get to where you are, I know I really need to work on form I usually end up with a sore lower back when I do things like squats. I’m one of those women that worries about getting too bulky, I know I know, they say it takes a while but I’m about an average build so I feel that if I put muscle on it would make me look and feel bigger. But I suppose I won’t know until I properly try! I would definitely like some definition especially in my arms. When I was a bit lighter at the end of 2018 I actually had some definition in my stomach, not full on abs but I think if I’d been working on them I could have got there. I’m rocking a bit more of a Santa belly at the moment, just to be festive 😄


Thank you so much I will have a good look at this today, I do want to do some reading and try to find a plan over Christmas so I can get started in the new year!


It’s the repetition I find boring I think. Doing 3-4 sets of the same thing, I have a very short attention span and hate repeating myself. That being said I’ve only ever really done weights with a PT and my husband used to go to the same gym. He does weights and he said he’d get bored doing it with a PT and that for him putting his earphones in and just getting on with it is something he enjoys. So I have already done a Spotify playlist and am hoping that it might be a bit more motivating. Usually in the gym I went to the music was either pretty quiet or not really music I was that into.


That’s fantastic that it’s helped with your injuries. I have bad knees so I will have to be careful starting out but I was told that leg extension would help strengthen the muscles around my knees and that I might find that helps a bit. I also get pain in my lower back sometimes so I should probably look at trying to strengthen that and my core.

Generally I do love cardio and the buzz I get from it and my favourite is going out for walks and runs. I had been going to the gym for spin classes and doing weight/cardio circuits with a trainer but once the gyms closed I was back to just walks and youtube workouts that I had to do at the end of the bed as husband was using the office as the lounge. I just became so bored I even started dreading my walks. I feel like I need to mix it up more next year and also get some definition once I’ve worked off this little layer of lockdown lard I’ve been accumulating! My husbands bought some dumbbells during lockdown and he had one of those weight benches in the garage that he bought years ago and never used so I feel like I’ve got some things I can use to get started. I feel really anxious at the thought of doing weights in the gym without a PT holding my hand but I don’t want to use a PT anymore so I figure I can work on form and start learning with what we have at home. That’s the plan anyway (she says led in bed eating a biscuit!) 😄
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You won't get bulky because women don't produce enough testosterone or HGH naturally to get massive. I suppose everyone has a different definition of what they would say bulky is though.

Your reason for finding weights boring is the reason I find cardio boring 😂 Music definitely helps if you have the right tracks to push you through.

My advice would be to make sure you get the compound lifts in your routine and then supplement it with other exercises depending on what your goals are. Doing independent limb exercises will help with any imbalances you have and help overall. And don't neglect your core because you use it for everything!
 
Highly recommend to get into it Chloe Madeley either fat loss blitz or the last book. She gives you a weekly plan and step by step guide. I loved it and makes life easier as don't have to plan yourself to start.

I now train with a pt and he has his own app.
 
Brianbadonde said:
Hi all,
I lift 4 times a week and following 6 week block programming by a PT (£30 for a 6 week block on top of my usual monthly gym membership) no further 121 support bar messaging him on insta and us chatting when he's in the gym. He's a powerlifter so my training is currently 2 days of squat/ bench and 2 days of deadlift/legs with other additional isolated training on top of the main lifts. The block may be a volume block or a strength block. I bloody love the feeling of being a strong and capable woman. I refuse to diet so I'm not ripped but my pbs keep coming which keeps me motivated. I'm 34, been in and out of the gym over the years, hate cardio but give me a barbell any day, can't ever imagine not going to the gym anymore. I'm sure he'd love me to compete but that's never going to happen.. To scared of failure infront of a crowd I think.
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I love your sentence about being a strong and capable woman! 💪🏻I’m hoping it might give me a boost to my self esteem if I get a bit stronger!

malolo said:
You won't get bulky because women don't produce enough testosterone or HGH naturally to get massive. I suppose everyone has a different definition of what they would say bulky is though.

Your reason for finding weights boring is the reason I find cardio boring 😂 Music definitely helps if you have the right tracks to push you through.

My advice would be to make sure you get the compound lifts in your routine and then supplement it with other exercises depending on what your goals are. Doing independent limb exercises will help with any imbalances you have and help overall. And don't neglect your core because you use it for everything!
Click to expand...
Yep I need to work on my core I think it’s pretty pitiful! It’s funny isn’t it, I know I’m in the minority loving cardio but I just do, I love that sweaty breathlessness I get such a buzz from it. Whereas when I do weights I just don’t get the same feeling and that’s probably another reason I’m not as keen. I love pushing myself if I run (when I say run I mean intervals at the moment as I can’t run for long right now!) But maybe I’m doing weights wrong and would get that if I pushed harder. I think it’s probably being confined to one spot a bit too.

awh said:
I did a 6 week weightlifting course and I LOVED it. Would love to get back into it but need a buddy to go with. Don’t know where you’re based, but these are the people I did the course with - https://www.strongher.co.uk/
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Thanks so much I will take a look at that!

Countrybumpkingirl said:
Highly recommend to get into it Chloe Madeley either fat loss blitz or the last book. She gives you a weekly plan and step by step guide. I loved it and makes life easier as don't have to plan yourself to start.

I now train with a pt and he has his own app.
Click to expand...
I downloaded one of her workout plans from the website in summer. I did one workout which was legs. Literally couldn’t walk for a week. I’ve had doms before but that was something else! My fault I think for maybe pushing too hard on that one but it put me off a bit. I do have a couple of her books though and have the new one on order, I will take another look.
 
Gembo said:
I downloaded one of her workout plans from the website in summer. I did one workout which was legs. Literally couldn’t walk for a week. I’ve had doms before but that was something else! My fault I think for maybe pushing too hard on that one but it put me off a bit. I do have a couple of her books though and have the new one on order, I will take another look.
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Yeah the workouts aren't easy. I did the plan like put my life into it and the change to my body in 4 weeks was amazing but also my mental strength was soo much better during the time. She is a bit of a queen but also lovely as hell. I used to DM and she always replied and when I was poorly in hospital she took time to check how I was doing etc.

My best friend was a power lifter and she is now doing strongman. She is a proper badass and I love her for it. I would say the people who really do it for the love of weight training are the nicest people and not the posey type you can see on insta!
 
Does anyone weight lift to gain weight? I've been researching constantly on/off for a few years and they say to focus on weights for gaining/retaining muscle instead of the usual cardio as this is more for fat loss. However I'm really struggling with finding a plan for weight gain for a woman - I am hopefully going to start with a PT but not until the latter part of 2021.

It would be a whole lifestyle change for me as I would need to severely up my calorie uptake to 2500/3000 a day which isnt feasible to me right now.
 
I’ve been doing weights since January - love it! I do it about 3 times a week with my weights at home (10-20kg). My legs especially my quads are really defined - I love it. I really need to focus on my upper body more but I like training lower body more. Although I do have good biceps/triceps, I’d love more back definition.

I have DOMS in my obliques today from doing Russian twists yesterday with my 5kg weight plate 😖
 
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