What do you lift, ladies!

[Equus123]

Alright ladies, its been getting dead in here. Time to pump this place up! I wanted to start a thread about women's lifting workouts. I want to know what other ladies out there do when they go to the gym. I have ton of experience in the weight room and am more than happy to help anyone with questions or recommendations. Just to let you know that I'm not talking out of my ass and know what I'm doing, I'll provide some examples for motivation during the winter months to get out there and build strength!

http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/588855.1111360312587.back.jpg
http://www.t-nation.com/forum_images/590165.1111515991283.IMG_1149.JPG

I know for women, its often hard to get into a gym to lift for many many reasons. Hopefully I can get just one person motivated to do it for the first time or help someone step it up a notch. So right now I'm in my AA (anatomical adaptation) phase of lifting during this part of the year. For those of you who haven't heard of this or read Friel's Training Bible, this 4 week period consists of low weight and high reps (done slowly!) to help the connective tissues (i.e. ligaments, tendons) prepare for the crazy year ahead. Another big problem that women often have is that they don't know what to do. You can read a million books that describe whats best but don't offer example workouts or provide actual workouts to do. So that is what this thread is for.

 

[Equus123]

great site if you want more info and definitions...http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

I think it would be best to start with generic and then get more specific. Again, I would love this thread to be for everyone - new and old to the sport of weight lifting, however, I would like to gear *my* posts towards the new people because I know how hard and lonely it seems to be a woman in the gym.

Muscles Defined:

• Quads (thighs) divided into the rectus femorus, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis
• Rectus femorus is located in the middle of your quad. If you're sitting in a chair with your knee at a 90 degree angle and you contract your upper leg, that's the muscle that sticks up.
• Vastus medialis is the tear-drop shaped quadracepts muscle located towards the inside of your leg (medially). If you are still sitting in the chair and you raise your foot until your knee is straight and squeeze your quad tight, that's the roundish muscle on your quad to the inside-side of your knee.
• Vastus lateralis is the long muscle down the outside of your leg. Squeeze your straight leg again and that's the long muscle on the outside that has a "corner" down the side of your leg.
• Posterior Chain is a collective term for the back side of your body - hamstrings, glutes, low back primarily - very important to keep strong

Here are examples of the types of lifts I do each week: [Name = description; primary muscles worked]. They're broken into compound (two or more joints working = WAAAAY better exercise/workout) and single-joint exercises.

COMPOUND

• Hack Squat = done on a 45-degree angled sled where your shoulders are by the ground and your feet press upwards; plates added on, not a machine with a pin; rectus femoris, hamstrings, glutes
• Horizontal Squat = a squat machine where the motion moves along an X axis; primarily vastus medialis and glutes
• Barbell Squat = great free weight exercise with the bar going across the back of your neck and squat down until your upper leg is parallel to the ground always keeping your back flat; total body workout, primarily rectus femorus, glutes, hamstrings
• Step Ups = free weights or body weight only, stepping up on a bench, risers, etc to mimic the downward pedal; primarily rectus femorus, glutes, hamstrings
• Deadlifts = starting with the bar on the ground, picking it up using your legs and back until standing upright and then back down to the floor sticking your hips and butt out with back ALWAYS flat; even better total body workout, primarily the posterior chain, rectus femorus, low back
• Straight Leg Deadlifts = same as above but keep your legs straight (NOT locked) and keeping the bar as close to your shins/legs as you can; extremely good workout for your posterior chain and hamstrings
• Bench Press = strength to hold the upper body, can be done with a bar or dumbbells; primarily pectoral girdle (pecs, anterior delts, triceps)
• Lat Pull Downs = strength to hold the upper body and pull when climbing hills or sprinting; primarily upper back (rear delts, traps, rhomboids, lats)
• Seated Rows = cable or plated machine, strength to hold the upper body and pull when climbing or sprinting; primarily upper back (rhomboids, traps)
• Upright Rows = the multi-joint equivalent of delt raises; primarily shoulder muscles (delts, traps)

SINGLE-JOINT

• Back Extensions = done on some type of padded bench to anchor your feet (exercise done either horizontally or at a 45 degree angle); great low back and glute exercise
• Leg Extensions = machine workout extending the leg to straight; primarily vastus medialis and lateralis
• Leg Curls = opposite of leg extensions; hamstrings and glutes
• Calf Raises = either free weight or machine, full range of motion
• Tricep Press Downs = done on a pulley or machine, tri's are good for arm/upper body stability and strength on the bike
• Abs = core strength is key for any sport. a MUST do.

 

[Equus123]

okay, so now that its typically the AA period for most people - those who are in the winter months and race in the summer and its the beginning part of their training year. For this we do light weight with high reps to strengthen the connective tissue. and get the muscles ready for the power that will be built later on in the winter/spring.

During the AA, I like to do 3 sets of 20 reps of a given exercise. Here is an example with the workout I did yesterday. The way its written is the order (very important) of the exercises followed by the weight/# reps. Between every set I do a 1 min rest.

Hack Squat - 50/20, 50/20 *only 2 sets because of more leg exercises also done. all machines vary, for mine, I add 2 25lb plates*
Lat Pull Down - 30/20, 30/20, 30/20
Horiz. Squat - 115/20, 135/20, 135/20
Bar Bench - 45/15, 45/15, 45/15
Seated Row - 30/20, 30/20, 30/20
Straight Leg DLs - 85/10, 85/10, 85/10
Upright Rows - 30/15, 30/15, 30/15
Tri Press Downs - 30/15, 30/15, 30/15
Abs


Each rep is done slowly on both the pull/push and the negative (back to the starting position) movements - about 2 or 3 seconds each. You'll notice that each exercise bounces back and forth between and upper body and lower body. This is done to give that body part/muscle group rest (we aren't going for hypertrophy here). It needs rest mainly because we're working on overall conditioning, not power, so doing 3 sets of 20 reps is plenty of work for a muscle group. Even though you go right to the next exercise and may use those muscles as stability or secondary muscles, they're not the primary ones being used and therefore "rest". Make sense?

Now as far as the amount of weight you should be using, if we're doing 20 reps, you should use the amount of weight where you can only do it 25 times (= 25 rep max). And that's exactly what it means. You literally can't do it 26 times. Women often do NOT follow these rules because they fear building larger muscles and do much easier weight than what they *should* be using. This method is actually unproductive because if you're already doing a high number of reps and the weight doesn't provide a workout, you're basically not even doing anything in terms of building conditioning/fitness/strength/muscle. Might as well just go home. If anything, they're barely maintaining their current strength.

**Ladies - large muscles aren't from actually lifting the correct way, its accomplished from specific set/rep combinations NOT simply by lifting. biiiiiiig difference**

 

[Dr.Hairybiker]

Wow! I don't mean to be forward, but I'm in love!

Are you married Equus123? Nice pics!

 

[Equus123]

haha, yes. but thank you very much

 

[Equus123]

one correction, the exercises i called a Hack Squat is really called just a 45 degree leg press (sled).

here are the examples of the exercises i mentioned above in the same order:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/SL45LegPress.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/SLSeatedLegPress.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSquat.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBStepUp.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BBDeadlift.htmlhttp://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBHackSquat.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBStraightLegDeadlift.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BBBenchPress.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBFrontPulldown.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/CBStraightBackSeatedRow.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidLateral/CBUprightRow.html


http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/Wt45Hyperextension.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/LVLegExtension.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/LVLyingLegCurl.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Gastrocnemius/LVStandingCalfRaise.html
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/CBPushdown.html

 

[Trisha14]

Wow! I don't mean to be forward, but I'm in love!

Are you married Equus123? Nice pics!

Are you sure you're married.... isn't that a pic of Shane from the L word?

 

[Equus123]

hahaha. shhhhhh, don't tell


yeah, its shane. and how would YOU know???

 

[Equus123]

hahaha. shhhhhh, don't tell


yeah, its shane. and how would YOU know???

 

[pilotgoddess]

Equus,

THANK YOU!! i've been wanting to start lifting a bit, but i have no clue where to start. We have lots of free weights at the house, along with two benches (one tilts). i really need to work on upper body strength. Any ideas for that?

I also have a bunch of little 'baby' weights as well. I was thinking about bringing a few of them (2 & 5 pounders) to work with me. Hopefully I can sit at my console, tell the cops where to go and get a little stronger at the same time!

Thanks

Dee

 

[Trisha14]

hahaha. shhhhhh, don't tell


yeah, its shane. and how would YOU know???

Because I watch the L word silly

 

[Equus123]

may i ask if you're "on the dark side"??

 

[Trisha14]

may i ask if you're "on the dark side"??

Well normally I wouldn't call it the "dark side". But I guess the answer to your question is yes!! Why do you ask??

 

[Equus123]

than you could say we're on the same team.

 

[kaian]

Great thread. I've been lifting weights since I was about 14 (I'm 32 now), and I always get to a certain point of development and stop. I don't know if it's genetics or what, but I have a hard time getting passed my usual. I am pretty fit, but would certainly like more definition and maybe a little more upper body mass (I'm pretty small in general). Perhaps I'll try out some of the stuff you listed! You have a really nice back, by the way.

 

[Equus123]

thanks i'm glad to hear your need for improvement. its refreshing to hear that coming from a woman. there are so many things you can do to change it up in the gym and deviate from your usual or normal type or routine. i know that the general rule of thumb is that your body adapts to a schedule and therefore must be changed every 4-6 weeks. if you don't, you're basically just maintaining instead of continued progression.

one thing that i like to play with is the amount of rest between sets. this one particular workout that i tried for 7 weeks was a total-body strengthening program. everything was 5x4 (5 sets of 4 reps at your 5 rep max; with exception to certain exercises being 2x15) and started with 1:00 rest between every set and dropped :05 off each week until you had :30 rest during the last week. it was awesome. every day had different exercises and the decreased rest period constantly forced your body to adapt. ....mmmm i loved it. excellent lifting program. if you're interested in it, let me know.

 

[velorapture]

Hi, I lift weights at least once a week because my normal job requires me to be in good shape and my fitness level helps me prevent injury. I don't own a car so I commute and do all my shopping by bike. I don't know if weight lifting helps my bike riding but lifting makes me feel good, helps with my bone density, and keeps all my muscles strong and balanced.

Lat. pull down = 60-70# 10x3
chest press = 60# 10x3
Pec fly = 70# 10x3
delt fly = 40# 10x3
bicept curl = 15-20# 10x3
Leg press = 105# 10X3
Hamstrings = 105# 10x3
calf raises = 90# 10x3
inner and outer thighs = 100-110# 10x3 each
triceps = 20# 10x3
seated row = 50# 10x3
AB machine = 40# 25x3
back extensions = bodywight with 5# weight 12x2
also do assisted dips and pull ups, stretching, and routine on large exercise ball. Not too bad for being over 50 years old. My longest ride has been 50 miles and I hope to do a century soon.

 

[Equus123]

thats awesome. i think we do very similar weights for these exercises. that's extremely impressive for over 50! ...i'm 23 are you currently training for your century or hope to ride in one at some point?

thank you for sharing

 

[kaian]

I work out at home which some people think is a limitation. I have a nice all-in-one machine made by Body Solid that I use, plus I have a nice set of free weights and resistance bands. I try to use a mixture of all of those. The resistance bands I got for strengthening smaller muscles and soft tissue. I've had tendinitis in 3 different places and each time it had to do with weak stabilizing muscles (those little ones that are hard to find and tricky to work), so now I try to work all the nooks and crannies.

One of my biggest limitations has been that my muscles can handle more, but my joints start to get sore amd aggravated when I try to up it too much. Frustrating! Yeah - feel free to share any workouts you have. I really want to focus on my shoulders, back and core for cycling. If you have some routines that would be good for home work-outs, that would be great!

 

[velorapture]

thats awesome. i think we do very similar weights for these exercises. that's extremely impressive for over 50! ...i'm 23 are you currently training for your century or hope to ride in one at some point?

thank you for sharing

Right now I'm recovering from a bad ankle strain, sprain or what ever it is. I've been mostly on crutches since 1/20! My bike misses me and I can't wait to get out of the house. I also want to do some bicycle touring in the future so I have a Rivendell Atlantis. My everyday, pickup truck bike, is an old Bridgestone CBzip. I love both my bikes and wouldn't go back to owning a car unless it was absolutely necessary.