Heavy Lifting

[purple_magada]

From time to time I notice that posters will say that today is my day to lift heavy, or you've got to lift heavy for this or that, etc. I know that each person is different, but typically, what is heavy to you? Can you give examples? Just curious to where I fall.

Thanks!

 

[mogambo]

For legs, 70-75 lb barbell for squats and lunges.

For chest 55 lbs, 25 lb dumbells for biceps, 30 lb tricep overhead press, and 10 lb kickbacks. 30 lb dumbells for dead lifts and 50 lb bar for rows. 20 pound dumbells for military press and 12 lb dumbells for the lateral and front stuff.

 

[KathyH]

Hi Dana! Heavy for me in doing a chest bench press & flyes is 25# dbs & 20#s for incline bench press & flyes. In doing my shoulders, however, I can only go to 15#s for the lateral moves but when doing a shoulder press I can do 20#s. Triceps I find the easiest body part to work (for me) I use a 35# bb. HTH, Kathy

Both Aquajock (Annette) & Diane Sue (WD) are much stronger than me.}(

 

[clareMc]

It doesn't matter what anybody else lifts, heavy is whatever is heaviest for you. What is your 8 rep max? That would be heavy. For me, say, with shoulders, Arnolds' press, this is 12 pound dumbells, maybe 15's. It's way less than Liane lifts, but it is heavy for me!

Clare

 

[haydee]

With a spot from my husband: I can bench bet. 95 - 100+, bar bell squats 135 maybe a little more on good days, leg press (the most I've ever pushed out was 500lbs, only twice in my life, no more), overhead tri's 30-35, chest (machine) 100+, bar bells chest (flat bench) 30-40 lbs., flys 20-25lbs., bicep curls with a bar(just for kicks w/help; and only that one time 70lbs) usually 30lbs.

Haydee

To add:

This is the reason why dh is always trying to prep me to compete. Not interested.

 

[Maximus]

Here's my split:

Legs:
Squats: 150
Lunges: 110
Presses: 230
Extensions: 90
Curls: 60

Shoulders:
Military press: 25 lb dumbells
Lateral raises: 20 lb dumbells
Front raises: 20 lb dumbells

Chest:
Bench: 75 lbs
Incline press: 30 lb dumbells
Flies: 25 lb dumbells

Triceps:
Cable pushdowns: 80 lbs
Kickbacks: 20 lb dumbells
Cable pulldowns: 30 lbs each side

Biceps:
Barbell curls: 50 lbs
21s on cables: 60 lbs
Preachers curls: 50 lbs
Concentration curls: 20 lb dumbells

Back:
Wide grip cable pulldowns: 90 lbs
Close grip cable pulldowns: 80 lbs
Cable rows: 90 lbs
Also assisted pullups, 5 sets of ten at body weight minus 60 lbs

 

[Maximus]

Haydee--I thought about competing too, but have you ever seen those posing costumes? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!

 

[haydee]

>Haydee--I thought about competing too, but have you ever seen
>those posing costumes? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!


HIDEOUSx( x( . NO WAY IS RIGHT?.........LOL

Haydee

 

[kathryn]

"Heavy" is relative to each person. It's what you can lift for a low number of reps (3-6) to failure.

 

[trevor]

I like to think "heavy" is whatever the weight is that brings you to failure within a chosen rep range. It's definitely relative to each person.
Is anyone in here lifting 3 rep sets? That's not enough to properly stimulate muscle fibers for purposes of bodyshaping, in my opinion. That's more of a powerlifter range.
T.

 

[trevor]

Maximus, just wanted to ask, is there a reason you do squats and leg presses together? They are pretty much the same exercise, so thought I'd ask. And where's your deadlifts?
T.

 

[shelia]

Heavy is what is heavy for you some of my heavy lbs are
joined a gym for leg training-100lb lunges
240lb squats
200lb calfs
deadlifts 100lb
still do upper at home
80 lb(2 40 dumbells) chest press
60lb(30lb db)flys
mil press 80lb(2 40lb)
side raise 50( 2 25 lbs)
lying tricep 60Lb(2 30 lb)
kickback 50lb sometimes 60lb (2 25 lb)
bicep curls 70lb (2 35lb)
hammers 60Lb ( 2 30 lb)
like I said this heavy for me lift for you and be sure to push yourself.

 

[fit_fairy]

WOW!! I am impressed and in awe of you all!! That being said I am more than satisfied with what I lift considering 2 years ago I could barely do any of it!!! So yes I agree heavy is a relative term and very individual. I continue to see changes in my body and strength gains.

Interesting post though. Nice to see what others are doing.

catherine

 

[AndreaL]

Trevor

Does a 3 rep max add strength or size? When you say bodyshaping, can you elaborate for me? I really enjoy lifting heavy, with low reps. At home I only go down to 8 reps, but if I was ever able to go to a gym I'd be interested in working down to 3. I was under the impression that this would add size, which is what I am interested in.

If I remember right, you lift heavy and are very please with the results. How many sets/reps do you do?

Andrea

 

[shelia]

RE: Trevor

andrea-me personally if I do more than 8 I up the reps.I do as low as 4 reps on some esp. on the pyramid dvd I use the same wt on all the exercise example biceps 35lb dumbbell 8-5-4-4-4 on hammer 30-10-8-6-6-6 so when I get those 4 sets up more on reps I change wts.example when I get them to 10-8-8-8-8 than I move up my wts.Or when I feel like I need to move up.To be honest I didn't start seeing good muscle until I upped my wts often.and if i'm having trouble upping wts on a exercise i'll do that muscle group first it really helps.

 

[trevor]

RE: Trevor

Hi Andrea,
I don't have the chart in front of me but 8-12 reps is the best range for stimulating type 2 muscle fibers. Type 2 fibers are the ones that are easiest to make grow. Type 1 fibers need amazingly high reps to get stimulated, like 45 reps. Unfortunately, these fibers are not as dense as the type twos and when they grow they don't have the impact that twos do. So stick to the 8-12 range, in general, for growth. I do the very high reps stuff every now and then to stimulate the types ones. It's very hard and burns like nothing you have ever done. You can combine high and low rep in one workout as well.
Low rep stuff is a powerlifting thing. They do stuff in the 1-3 range I believe, perhaps up to five. Different adaptations occur in this range and it is not optimal for muscle building. Great for strength though. Ever see a pure powerlifter whose body you though was great muscularly? Most are fat-looking guys from what I have seen, such as in the Olympics. Not what I am looking for to be honest!! Again, it's all about goals.
Don't forget to play around with rep speeds. The eccentric part of a lift is the most important.
I am doing 3x8 work right now but everything is supersetted, sometimes with a third exercise as a "finisher". Except for calves, which need higher reps. I do 2x25, supersetting two different heel raise exercises for the calves. I am on a four day split now, as well.
Mon -- chest/back
Tues - legs/glutes
Wed. - arms
Thurs. -- shoulders
Fri -- repeat Monday

Abs go Mon, Wed, Fri
Works for me!!

Hope this helps...
T.

 

[AndreaL]

Thanks Trevor

I see what you mean now. No, powerlifter look is not what I want.

Andrea

 

[maxwells]

Hi Dana --

As many other people here have said, "heavy" is a very individual thing. It depends upon your weight, height, body composition, # of years training, whether you are male or female, etc. Telling you what I lift is not very helpful in determining what is heavy for you.

As a very general guideline, a good (ie, heavy) bench press poundage for a woman is being able to lift your bodyweight. So, for example, a 120lb woman benching 120lbs is considered excellent. It is a good goal to set for yourself. For squats, 2X bodyweight is very good. So, the 120lb woman squatting 240 is considered very good. These are the 2 big (compound) movements I use to gauge my absolute strength. I don't use any guidelines for the isolation movements (biceps/triceps/etc). In general, I try to lift as heavy as possible so that I will reach failure around the 8th rep. I typically lift in the 8-12 rep range.

These are the goals I use for myself when it comes to heavy lifting. As you can see, it is difficult to get this type of thing at home in most cases.

Shonie

 

[Lynnne]

wow - do I feel like a weenie! Now I truly understand what heavy is and why I'm not seeing results in my legs! I haven't even tried to go that heavy! Curious though - those of you who are squatting over 100lbs - how do you do that in your home? do you have a spotter?

 

[Lynnne]

wow - do I feel like a weenie! Now I truly understand what heavy is and why I'm not seeing results in my legs! I haven't even tried to go that heavy! Curious though - those of you who are squatting over 100lbs - how do you do that in your home? do you have a spotter?