Weight Lifting

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Gembo said:
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.
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I lift - 3 times a week. Started after being in ill health and decided to make some positive changes in my life.
Begun with a PT x1 a week, there's been periods where I have done them x2 a week but £££.
I think get a PT that you really gel with is the best advice. I love the time with my PT, he checks in on me in the week to see how I'm getting on etc and it's a really therapeutic relationship. Looking at me holistically rather than just someone ticking boxes.
 
I started lifting this year and I'm really enjoying it! I would dread going to the gym and doing cardio, so I decided to bite the bullet and just join a programme for a coach on Instagram, she's an absolute beast! I think if you don't want to join a programme then you should focus on prioritising basic moves like squats, deadlifts, lunges, push ups, hipthrusts pulls/chin ups etc. I've only been doing this for about 5 weeks but I feel amazing afterwards (typically wrecked on leg day). I honestly love the feeling of being strong and pushing more weight
 
I used to only do cardio and a few weight machines but I’ve changed up my routine in the last 3/4 months lifting weights with my husband. I alternate upper & lower body every day for about 45 minutes then do a bit of conditioning work at the end.
We tend to do some of the following every day, we’ll do supersets
Box squats
Wide stance leg press/single leg press
Front foot elevated split squat with dumbbells
Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells
Walking lunges with barbell
Deadlifts/romanian deadlifts/trap bar deadlifts
Rack pulls
T bar row
Bent over row
Lateral raises, hammer curls, shoulder press, bench press, cable flies.
I much prefer weight lifting now, it’s far more rewarding than using a cardio machine for hours and hours.
 
I love weight lifting! I've done it consistently for just over a year now. However, I've been not been doing as much for the past 3 months due to a persisting lower back issue that started after getting to my 1 rep max on deadlifts and never went away. It's gotten much better after lots of stretching, pilates and physio. I did my first leg day in ages today, but I feel weak as hell now that I'm back lifting again. Hopefully, my strength will come back in no time 💪🏻

I started by lifting some form of light weights (my dumbbell set goes up to 12kg) during my home workouts for the past 6 or 7 years. I followed Fitness Blender and some other Youtube videos because I couldn't afford a gym membership for a long time. I've had a PT before, but it's expensive and I don't like being told what to do 😂 I like finding routines on IG and tweaking it to suit me.

Does anyone else feel like they're not making progress after their beginner gains have stopped? I take my measurements every 4-6 months and I've lost 1.5 inches on my waist which I'm happy about (28 inches to 26.5 inches), my upper body is much stronger but my damn legs never seem to grow!
 
aimzalicious said:
I love weight lifting! I've done it consistently for just over a year now. However, I've been not been doing as much for the past 3 months due to a persisting lower back issue that started after getting to my 1 rep max on deadlifts and never went away. It's gotten much better after lots of stretching, pilates and physio. I did my first leg day in ages today, but I feel weak as hell now that I'm back lifting again. Hopefully, my strength will come back in no time 💪🏻

I started by lifting some form of light weights (my dumbbell set goes up to 12kg) during my home workouts for the past 6 or 7 years. I followed Fitness Blender and some other Youtube videos because I couldn't afford a gym membership for a long time. I've had a PT before, but it's expensive and I don't like being told what to do 😂 I like finding routines on IG and tweaking it to suit me.

Does anyone else feel like they're not making progress after their beginner gains have stopped? I take my measurements every 4-6 months and I've lost 1.5 inches on my waist which I'm happy about (28 inches to 26.5 inches), my upper body is much stronger but my damn legs never seem to grow!
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I’m quad dominant so I’ve found my legs grow so much, they’re very defined. My arms show definition but I wish my core / back would start being more defined! I have home weights too - just wish I had a barbell!
 
Thank you for all these responses, I’m really looking forward to starting this next year, I think it will do me good to have a change from all the cardio that I’ve done this year and started to get bored of. I do still love cardio but it will be nice to mix things up a bit. I was using the Sweat app to do BBG and they’ve got some weight lifting plans on there so my plan is to try the PWR plans, there’s a home and a gym version so I figure I can follow one of those but just using the equipment I have at home to get started at least. I started following a couple of ladies on Instagram who have done it and one of them is in amazing shape now and so strong. I’m going to try and take my focus away from my body and more about what I want to achieve in terms of strength, I really want to be able to do push ups and pull ups and to plank for longer than 10 seconds 😄 hoping I will see some big changes by the end of next year! 💪🏻
 
malolo said:
What stage of lifting are you at? If you're starting out then that's not unusual.
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I’ve been lifting for approx 7 years, I stopped for about a year to 18 months while I went travelling but picked it back up again so haven’t had any breaks now for about two and a half years. I know when I my protein daily I see a big difference but even if I don’t I still grow, not as much but the quads are still popping 😂
 
TheRoyalHousekeeper said:
I’ve been lifting for approx 7 years, I stopped for about a year to 18 months while I went travelling but picked it back up again so haven’t had any breaks now for about two and a half years. I know when I my protein daily I see a big difference but even if I don’t I still grow, not as much but the quads are still popping 😂
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Yeah, you're maybe not quite starting out 😂 Depends how long you're talking about not hitting protein for, I've never gone for long periods without getting enough to know. Enjoy it while it's happening would be my thought.
 
Gembo said:
I was using the Sweat app to do BBG and they’ve got some weight lifting plans on there so my plan is to try the PWR plans, there’s a home and a gym version so I figure I can follow one of those but just using the equipment I have at home to get started at least.
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I’ve had the sweat app on and off for years and I like it but never stuck to it properly but after Christmas I’m planning on starting Lifting at home and sticking with it. I like how they plan out exactly what to do each week.
 
Fenella said:
I’ve had the sweat app on and off for years and I like it but never stuck to it properly but after Christmas I’m planning on starting Lifting at home and sticking with it. I like how they plan out exactly what to do each week.
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Yep it’s a good app, I always thought it was a bit of a fluffy one that would probably be too easy but those BBG workouts wiped me out! I like that it’s got the videos showing you how to do the moves and guides you through the whole workout. I do find it quite hard to stick with things so I was amazed when I completed the first 12 weeks, I was starting to get bored though as it was so repetitive so I started to make up my own workouts for a while. I’m really going to give PWR a go and hope that I don’t get as bored but it doesn’t look like it repeats itself in quite the same way so hoping I’ll be ok! I’ll have a look at Lifting at Home I think I just went straight to PWR as I’d seen it on instagram
 
What will people do if we go back into full lockdown after boxing day? I get so fed up of just getting back into the routine seeing progress again and then bam gyms shut. I live in a 1 bed flat so I just about fitted a spin bike and have bands and a few small dumbbells and kettlebell, but no space for proper weights.
Just to say the gym is the only place I go, don't even go to supermarket and live alone so this is going to massively impact on my physical and mental health again
 
Countrybumpkingirl said:
What will people do if we go back into full lockdown after boxing day? I get so fed up of just getting back into the routine seeing progress again and then bam gyms shut. I live in a 1 bed flat so I just about fitted a spin bike and have bands and a few small dumbbells and kettlebell, but no space for proper weights.
Just to say the gym is the only place I go, don't even go to supermarket and live alone so this is going to massively impact on my physical and mental health again
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It’s a nightmare isn’t it, I was just starting to get into a routine with the gym when they shut down in March and I suspect there will be more closures where I live. I did end up cancelling my membership when it reopened as I didn’t feel safe at that time going (also found my gym quite intimidating and after having a break felt really anxious about going back)
I talked about the Sweat PWR programme earlier, honestly have no affiliation with them so not trying to plug but they’ve created a few resistance based programmes for at home which I think is good so it could be worth checking that out and then improvising with what you’ve got. I’ve seen things on Instagram and thought people have been quite creative. Unfortunately though it’ll never be as good as an actually gym. I’d love to hear if anyone else has any good ideas.
 
My garage is my gym so I've been massively fortunate through all of this that I haven't had to miss going (although it doesn't always feel like a fortunate thing when the temperature is near enough freezing 😂 ).
 
malolo said:
My garage is my gym so I've been massively fortunate through all of this that I haven't had to miss going (although it doesn't always feel like a fortunate thing when the temperature is near enough freezing 😂 ).
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That’s cool, what kind of equipment do you have? Do you prefer working out in there to going to an actual gym?
 
Gembo said:
It’s a nightmare isn’t it, I was just starting to get into a routine with the gym when they shut down in March and I suspect there will be more closures where I live. I did end up cancelling my membership when it reopened as I didn’t feel safe at that time going (also found my gym quite intimidating and after having a break felt really anxious about going back)
I talked about the Sweat PWR programme earlier, honestly have no affiliation with them so not trying to plug but they’ve created a few resistance based programmes for at home which I think is good so it could be worth checking that out and then improvising with what you’ve got. I’ve seen things on Instagram and thought people have been quite creative. Unfortunately though it’ll never be as good as an actually gym. I’d love to hear if anyone else has any good ideas.
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So I am in the clinically vulnerable group potentially about to go next level up with a new autoimmune disorder diagnosis but I have heart issues which mean I have to be as fit as I possibly can (had a stent fitted in June so still doing cardiac rehab at the moment). It is a nightmare because as soon as I take any time off my resting heart rate rises again. My gym is great like only 15 allowed at a time and then it shuts for 15 mins to close so feels so safe. Bugger it have to start all over again I am sure
 
Countrybumpkingirl said:
So I am in the clinically vulnerable group potentially about to go next level up with a new autoimmune disorder diagnosis but I have heart issues which mean I have to be as fit as I possibly can (had a stent fitted in June so still doing cardiac rehab at the moment). It is a nightmare because as soon as I take any time off my resting heart rate rises again. My gym is great like only 15 allowed at a time and then it shuts for 15 mins to close so feels so safe. Bugger it have to start all over again I am sure
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I feel really sorry for you, It’s hard to keep up your fitness at the best of times but with all of this going on it really is an obstacle. It’s good that you have the spin bike though and there is plenty you can do with bands and kettlebells. That being said I know it can feel really frustrating when you are limited to just a few things and don’t have a lot of space and this isn’t the ideal time to get out for walks or runs. I remember when I lived in a flat I’d have to wait until I knew the neighbour downstairs had gone out to be able to do an aerobic type workout. Just do what you can it will make a difference and be better than doing nothing
 
Gembo said:
That’s cool, what kind of equipment do you have? Do you prefer working out in there to going to an actual gym?
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I've got a cage, bench, olympic barbell, trap bar, ez curl bar, dumbbells, plyo box, couple of kettlebells, slam ball and resistance bands. Then a wattbike inside.

I much prefer it to going to the gym. I never have to wait for equipment, I don't get frustrated at the mess people leave the place in, I don't have anybody getting in my way and (most importantly) I can have whatever music I want as loud as I want it.
 
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