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csl7037 -> Any serious weight lifters here? (4/1/2008 5:21:24 PM)

Hey, are there any serious weight lifters or ameteur figure competitors hanging out here - women preferably? I'm getting serious again - not to compete or anything just to lose the bodyfat that's come back after several months of not tracking things and being lazy. That, and dh and I host an annual 4th of July party and I'm almost exactly 12 weeks out from that so time to crack down!!

I've gotten a lot of help and info off of www.t-nation.com but it's not the most Christ-like environment, ya know? Just looking for a buddy and some accountability.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/1/2008 7:46:03 PM)

im lordstorm88 in t-nation.com

and i guess im serious, more than 99% of people who go to the gym anyway.

since ive only been going for 7 months and 4 of them actually doing a right routine, and with quite a few breaks im at 125kg squat 175kg deadlift.

i also started olympic weightlifting about 10 days ago.



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/1/2008 8:59:58 PM)

You're in Greece? Sorry, I don't get kg (I guess I could look it up). My dh could tell you his latest max bench press and deadlift quicker than his social security number but I think that's a guy thing. I try to track my workouts so I know when I've pushed myself or improved but I don't keep stats like guys do. I go to a gym that's all-women and I'm the one who lifts the dusty weights on the bottom that no one else touches. Drives me crazy to see women flailing around 5 pounders chit chatting the whole time. So I know what you mean about working harder than 99% of the people at the gym.

Unfortunately my diet is weak - or inconsistent at best, though so my results aren't on par with my effort in the gym. That's frustrating but that's where I have to get serious now. I'm guessing you're a lot younger than me and being a guy you might not have to focus as much on diet as I do either. I'm starting back on fitday to shoot for 40/40/20 or better every day. What's worked for me before is 1200 cal + whatever was burned in that morning's workout (so 1400-1700 calories). I think what I need to be doing is carb cycling. What seems to work for you? Have you done any of those crazy T-nation diets (velocity or anything similar)? I just don't know if I could handle it.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/1/2008 9:51:38 PM)

not really

when i lost weight i made some mistakes that i didnt realize then. if i were to try again (being 230 pounds now) i'd go for(Btw 1 kg = approximately 2.2 pounds, so 125kgs is 275pounds and 175kgs is 385 pounds) at least 300 grams of protein, mostly from tuna and chicken(i hate boiled eggs, after the third one they make me go sick), about 20-25 grams of fat from peanuts, another 20-25 grams of fat from meat(burgers usually.. not the mc donalds kind), and another 20-25 grams from olive oil. lots of veggies, preferably spinach and other green stuff(though i rarely eat veggies unless mom is visiting to clean and cook them haha), and 2 fruits, one with breakfast and one post workout, or midday if there isnt a workout.

in workout days, i'd get 40 gr of whey post workout and about 500ml of milk. and after an hour a plate brown rice+protein.

doing that cycles the carbs on its own anyway

some mistakes i used to make are drinking milk thinking that it doesnt really have carbs which it did and sugars actually. now i'd only get it post workout during cutting.

quote:

I go to a gym that's all-women and I'm the one who lifts the dusty weights on the bottom that no one else touches. Drives me crazy to see women flailing around 5 pounders chit chatting the whole time


haha you are so cool. the sad thing is, you probably work out harder than most guys too.



Calea37 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 7:38:53 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: csl7037

Hey, are there any serious weight lifters or ameteur figure competitors hanging out here - women preferably? I'm getting serious again - not to compete or anything just to lose the bodyfat that's come back after several months of not tracking things and being lazy. That, and dh and I host an annual 4th of July party and I'm almost exactly 12 weeks out from that so time to crack down!!

I've gotten a lot of help and info off of www.t-nation.com but it's not the most Christ-like environment, ya know? Just looking for a buddy and some accountability.


Hi csl,

I'm a woman and I guess I am what most would call a serious lifter. I've even been accused of being "crazy" because of what I do, though I just think I'm dedicated. lol

I am like you in that I have great workouts, but my diet could REALLY use some work! Also, I am a creature of habit so I struggle with mixing up my routine.

I work out at home; I would be the one blowing the dust off those weights if I went to the gym... the heavier, the better!! I love to push myself to see what I can do. People look at you funny when you are lifting heavy at the gym so I much prefer to lift at home! I would have to say that running is my first love, but lifting is a close second!



HisCovenant -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 9:40:04 AM)

I've done what most women would call serious weight lifting (more than 5 lbs and progressing as able,) but am definately not so serious that I would compete and I am not sure that women who were really serious would class me with themselves. Here's the program I was using and plan to go back to. In fact, I haven't been doing it for a while and need to get back to it. I need some motivation or accountability.

I lift at home with dh and, while he is so good to not pressure me about anything, I really need for him to pressure me in this area. It's great as a wife that he lets me be myself, but I don't need that in this area. [:D] My main form of exercise is ice skating. I took up the weightlifting to tone more, get stronger, and as extra exercise to aid in weight loss. I'm good at eating well, but eating well hasn't resulted in weight loss. I probably ought to step up the exercise again and add the weight lifting back. I'm not so interested in seeing the scale drop as I am in seeing my body change. The pounds will disappear as my body changes... but body transformation is my real goal.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 10:03:33 AM)

the program didnt show up.

the idea of making a program as a beginner is really simple

some variation of the squat
some variation of the deadlift
some horizontal push and pull(bench press and bent row)
some vertical push/pull upwards(overhead press and pull ups)
some vertical push/pull downwards(dips and power clean)

all of these at least once a week.

you just pick some exercize for each and whenever you reach a plateau and make a deload or two and reach the plateau again you then switch it up.



HisCovenant -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 10:25:27 AM)

It's showing when I click the link. The actual charts where the exercises are mentioned is about halfway down the page. There are two charts that are to be done for 4 weeks each (8 total) with a week of rest and then cycled over and over (or changed to fit what you need or want.) The rest is explaination of why you need a program, what elements there are to consider, and the importantce of changing things up and resting... then he actually lists out the exercises, intensity and reps.



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 1:58:24 PM)

OK, this is exciting! Thanks for that link, it worked for me - let's talk programs! I had pulled some stuff off of T-nation and had fun with it for a while - it was a fabulous challenge! I need a new challenge. I got lazy about tracking my workouts (along with my diet) and I just start to slip when I do that. I just can't go to the gym and do what I "feel like" doing, that's a waste of time. I need a plan and to see that I'm pushing myself.

I'm going to take a closer look at those charts and work something up. I need a change. When I started working out I took a lot of classes which were good but I have a hard time pushing myself that way now. (I still do a lot of cardio classes.) Then, when I did BFL I got into that pyramid system and I like that and that's still what I fall back to when I go without a plan. The problem I had at one point was that I was teaching classes and I would run into conflicts - like work legs really hard on my own and get called the next day to sub a body sculpting class I hadn't planne on - that's not fun!

There is a new circuit class my friend is teaching that literally does 1-2 minute circuits alternating cardio and weights. I've gotten a reputation in that class, Calea, for being completely crazy. It is just so much fun and you tell yourself "I can do anything for a minute!" so it really pushes you - well, me (some are just slackers, LOL). We do the circuits in teams and everyone wants (and/or dreads) to be paired with me. It's a hoot! I couldn't make step yesterday or today so I went on my own (no classes) last night and did my own little circuit. I burned 500 cal in about 70 min and hit just about everything. It was fun but I looked like a nut! I'd run for 3 minutes really fast then get off and go to squats. That's a challenge and ends up being great cardio and I'd like to build a plan around doing that class or that type routine (on my own) a couple times/week.

I'm going to try to put a plan (including food) on paper this afternoon and I'll share what I come up with. I just uploaded my plans from when I used to be halfway organized (which was a while ago!) at www.clovely.keepandshare.com. I think it would be great to keep track and push each other a little bit. It'll be fun! Konstatinos, our weights will look pretty pathetic next to yours but are you in?

Cynthia



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 3:30:57 PM)

Konstantinos - what are your variations of deadlifts? I thought deads were deads; I only know one way to do that.

...and pullups - you silly man! Us Girlie Girls can dream of doing A pullup! Pullups and hanging dips - I can dream! I'm hoping my ladies' gym will get an assisted dip machine. I think me and maybe the owner's daughter are the only people who are really interested in that, though.



HisCovenant -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 4:24:59 PM)

I can't do a pull up either... at all... not even one.

Currently we have dh's workout partner's "something" that you can do pull-ups off of. I tried to do a pull up recently and had no luck at all.

That "something" is a rack that you can do pullups on one side and leg raises or "arm dips" on the handles on the other side. I'm not sure what it's called, but would probably recognize the name of it you you can figure out what it is.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 8:56:48 PM)

i cant do a pull up either. im too fat LOL

you can do the pulldown machine, its not as good but its almost the same. just think of it as a pull up in a way.

variations of deadlift ive never tried any. there is sumo, there is straight legged (which needs a lot of hip flexibility or you are gonna send your back to the hospital) and other stuff. and of course one leg.

btw i doubt ill do the program. personally i dont exactly really have a program. mostly since im doing olympic lifting my main concern right now is to increase my back and front squats. so i try to squat every other day, and after that deadlift if im at the gym maybe, overhead presses and then whatever i feel like. i stopped bench press cause adding muscle weight to the chest would be useless for olympic lifting.

i already post my workouts in t-nation, but i can post them here too if you want



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 10:21:53 PM)

I sat down today and made a plan for the next six weeks which is how much longer my kids are in school. Unfortunately, for the next six weeks, I've got a lot of meetings, field trips, and school events that make doing a regular routine like "Upper Body Monday, Lower Body Wednesday..." just plain impossible. But once they're out of school the limits on how long kids can be in the nursery will limit my time unless I go in the morning and back again in the evening - which I'll do sometimes probably. But I made a plan for the next six weeks then I'll make something else for the six weeks after that - which will just about get me to the 4th of July party!

In a nutshell, my six week plan for now will be:

wk of 4/7...
M "Fit Stops" class, T bi's/tri's & yoga, W step, Th step & yoga, F step, S Step & chest/back

wk of 4/14...
M "Fit stops" class, T step & yoga, W step & bi's/tri's, Th step & legs & yoga, S step & chest/back

wk of 4/21...
M "Fit Stops" class, T bi's/tri's & legs, Th step & chest/back & yoga, F step & misc (abs, shoulders, etc), S step & bi's/tri's

wk of 4/28...
M chest/back & legs, W step & bi's/tri's, Th yoga, F step & misc, S step & chest/back

wk of 5/5...
M "Fit Stops" class, T bi's/tri's & misc, W step & chest/back, Th step & legs & yoga, S step & bi's/tri's

wk of 5/12...
M "Fit Stops" class, T legs & chest/back, W step & bi's/tri's, Th step & yoga, F step & chest/back, S step & misc

wk of 5/19...
M bi's/tri's & legs, W step & chest/back, Th step & misc & yoga, F step & bi's/tri's, S step

Hope that makes a little sense. I am not working my legs too much now. I desperately need cardio and too much on my legs hampers my step classes. I think between the step, running, yoga, and a little lifting I'll do OK on my legs; in the next six weeks I might push that more, we'll see.

I've been doing the pyramid type workout (a la BFL) for a long time. I am going to go to straight sets - generally 3 sets of 12 with increasing weight with each set for each exercise. Keep it sweet and simple and see if the change motivates me and gets some results. My thinking, unless I get bored with it and need to vary, will be:

Bi's/Tri's: curls, wide curls, hammer curls, tri's overhead, weighted dips and (for kicks) we'll see if I can do a couple hanging dips - HA!

Chest/back: incline press, fly's, "man" pushups (which always gets funny looks in my gym - suck it up ladies!!), rows, lat pull down, and the row machine

Legs: quads & hams on the machine, calf raises, and straight leg deadlifts

Misc: shoulder press - I injured a shoulder a year or so ago so I lift like a little old lady (I am one, LOL) here, lateral raises (same wimpiness), decline abs and some other fun ab stuff

It'll take the first go-through on all of this to judge the weight I need to work with since I'm changing from 5 pyramid sets + a super set to 3 straight sets.

This'll all be a waste if I don't get my diet under control. All the working out is for fun but the food is where I need the accountability. I'm on a roll - day 3 on track! I'm finishing today with 1403 cal at 38% protein, 46%carbs, 16% fat.

That's my plan. Just gotta keep it up!



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 10:29:26 PM)

looks pretty good, though its better to get some squat variation instead of the quad/ham machine, even if you go light



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 11:08:57 PM)

I've been in a squat/lunge rut, I think. Do you think it's that much better than the machines that a few weeks on the machines wouldn't be justified for the sake of change/variation? I don't want to focus too much on legs at the moment - upper body motivates me more (it's more fun) and making my legs too sore slows me down for other things I want to do (step, yoga, etc)...but I need to make the most of what I do make time to do with lower body. I'll have to think about that.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/3/2008 11:52:35 PM)

squat is the best exercize, and its compound so way way better than the machines. i did machines for 3 months when i started and had almost 0 progress on them. on the squat i added 100 lbs in 2 months. it builds upper body too, those upper back muscles right and left of your neck that i got are from the squat [;)]

you can stay light, and i think that way you wont get all that sore



HisCovenant -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/4/2008 9:20:09 AM)

WooHoo! That sounds like a great plan... except I don't know what BFL and "Fit Stops" Class is. Is the "Fit Stops" Class the one you described earlier with the circuit training and cardio for 1 minute superset? I meant to ask the first time if BFL means "Body For Life..." but even if it does, I don't know what the pyramid looks like.

I actually worked out last night!! I'll list Exercise, rep sequence, and lbs. I superset the first two exercises and then have a little rest between the reps of the last exercise. I didn't work out legs because I have my skating lesson this morning and wanted to make sure they worked efficiently this morning. I've been off ice for almost 2 weeks due to a broken air compressor (rink down) and going on vacation.

Dumbell Bench Press; 8,6,6,5,4; 25lbs
Bent Over Rows; 8,6,6,5,4; 65lbs
Dumbell Shoulder Press; 8,6,5,5,4; 15lbs

Next time I will increase 5 lbs on the last two exercise. I struggled with the first exercise, so I won't increase next week.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/4/2008 9:52:40 AM)

thats a lot of reps and sets. personally i do a lot of low reps, usually in the 1-3 rep range, and usuually no more total than 10 reps, im pretty dead afterwards so it cant happen anyway.

if you've been doing this for a while i say go for lower reps. that way you learn to be more explosive and you gain more by doing less with more weight

btw ive been sick since saturday so im probably startnig again monday or tuesday again so ill log what ill do then



NoShow -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/4/2008 11:30:30 AM)

Ex-Powerlifter, still use that as my foundation for my workouts. Play around with the O-lifts, mostly as part of my warm-ups and "off day" stuff.

quote:

i cant do a pull up either. im too fat LOL

you can do the pulldown machine, its not as good but its almost the same. just think of it as a pull up in a way.


There's also the machines that assist you in doing pull-ups (and dips, like the Gravitron. But even those have some weird carryover to regular pull-ups (and dips). Another thing one can do is use fitness bands (the giant rubber bands) that Jump Stretch or Iron Woody has. Loop an end over the bar (one band in each side), put your foot into the band and it will assist you in doing a pull-up. This method mostly helps on the bottom of the movement, if you weakness is the top, just stand on a bench or stool that high enough to let you work just the top portion of the movement.

quote:

variations of deadlift ive never tried any. there is sumo, there is straight legged (which needs a lot of hip flexibility or you are gonna send your back to the hospital) and other stuff. and of course one leg.


There's also Romanian (Keystone) deadlif which differs from the straight (actually "stiff") legged DL in that with the RDL, you let your hips travel backwards, as youlower the bar. With the SLDL, you minimize any backward movement of the hips. Both are usually done with a flat back, but one can reduce the weight and perform either with a more rounded back.



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/4/2008 11:37:11 AM)

A pyramid was basically doing, for example, one exercie for 15 rep with 8lbs, 12 reps with 10s, 10 reps with 12s, 8 reps with 16s and 6 reps with 20s followd by 30 reps with 12s on a different exercise for the same muscle. I think I am going to go for a while to 3 straight sets of 12-15 reps for most things and see how I like that.

I had a friend call on my way in this morning and ask me to do a circuit with her like our "Fit Stops" class (yea, that's the fun one I described that's only once/week). So I walked her through that, talking the whole time, we burned a lot!! I did that and then struggled through a step class and ended up with 750 calories. But I can't go tomorrow so it's not too exciting.

We've got friends coming over for dinner tonight. On a normal night like that, I'd be kinda careful about food but think nothing of putting down a botte of chardonnay on my own! Can't afford that now! Plus I have to drive 3 hours each way to a baby shower tomorrow. I'll go to the store and maybe get some fish to grill. Gotta stay on track! The babyshower wont be easy either, though.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/5/2008 5:17:28 AM)

noshow what were your highest numbers in powerlifting?

i tried the assissted pull up once machine, which was heck of uncomfortable so i never tried it again, ill just do pull ups after my bulk is over and i cut down

csl7037, what are your goals?



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/5/2008 6:16:10 AM)

Fat Loss!! I'd just love to have something to show for my hard work...my diet is what's been holding me back. But getting more serious and purposeful about the workouts does help me get more serious about the food. I've been lazy about both for several months and it's not good! About a year ago, I was so close to where I really want to be. Why I let that slip, I just don't know. I need to get some number goals in place, I know.



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/5/2008 6:28:03 AM)

you could bulk up a bit, it looks great on women anyway, and then losing fat will be easier



csl7037 -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/5/2008 6:39:50 AM)

Oh I'd love to! I'm not one of these women afraid to get bulky - because I've actually tried and the reality is that it's really next to impossible to get "bulky". I was at a workshop recently for yoga instructors and was talking to this really nice, soft-spoken mom, a little older than me. She was obviously in shape but when she took off her jacket - POW! The woman was ripped! Turns out she does figure competitions locally. She was fabulous! She started four years ago, when she turned 40! Love that! There is such a thing as too much on a woman. My ultimate goal is to be borderline too much. Gotta get serious (again), though (and stick with it).



Konstantinos -> RE: Any serious weight lifters here? (4/5/2008 10:02:28 AM)

well go for it. there is also the plus that you get to add weight on the bar almost every time and you feel stronger, and you feel more energetic from eating carbs and a calorie surplus.

only bad thign for me is that i cant sleep cause i get too hyper all the time haha



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