ScrabbleGirl learns to lift

[ScrabbleGirl]

Objectives: 

Learn to lift properly.

Push myself.

 

 

First work out: I actually managed to deadlift properly (with help from one of my ace friends). 30kg. I'm pretty happy with myself, not massively heavy, but better than just the bar. 

 

For future reference I've included the full amount of weight for each exercise, not what amount I'm holding in each hand  (if it's a dumbell exercise)

 

• Windmills (D) : 16kg / 4kg
• Military press (D) : 6kg
• Goblet Squat (1xD) : 10kg
• Deadlift (D ) : 30kg
• Chest Flies (D ) : 16kg
• Overhead lunges (1xD) : 10kg
• Squat ( D ): Bar
• Push Press ( D ) : Bar
• Bent over row ( D ) : 30kg
• Glute Bridge ( D ) : Bar
• Waiter Walks ( D ) : 8kg / 14kg
• Chest Press ( D ) : 6kg

Now: Improve.

[ScrabbleGirl]

• Windmills (D) : 16kg / 4kg (2 x sets of 12) 
• Deadlift (D ) : 30kg (2 x sets of 10)
• Chest Flies (D ) : 12kg - WHY IS THIS DOWN? 8kg dumbells were impossible.
• Bent over row ( D ) : 30kg (1 x set 10)
• Glute Bridge ( D ) : 30kg (1 x set 10 with 5 second hold on the last one)
• Waiter Walks ( D ) : 8kg / 16kg (1 x walk there and back - Had to push press the 8kg on the way back. Most weird) 

Not really sure why last time I was doing chest flies with  2 x 8kg dumbells, but finding that practically impossible this time round. Very weird. Wondering if I wrote the wrong amount down. 

 

Only 3 guys in the weights room today. Got one snigger from one. Another was a work colleague. The other didn't care. 

[Katinka]

• Windmills (D) : 16kg / 4kg (2 x sets of 12) 
• Deadlift (D ) : 30kg (2 x sets of 10)
• Chest Flies (D ) : 12kg - WHY IS THIS DOWN? 8kg dumbells were impossible.
• Bent over row ( D ) : 30kg (1 x set 10)
• Glute Bridge ( D ) : 30kg (1 x set 10 with 5 second hold on the last one)
• Waiter Walks ( D ) : 8kg / 16kg (1 x walk there and back - Had to push press the 8kg on the way back. Most weird) 

Not really sure why last time I was doing chest flies with  2 x 8kg dumbells, but finding that practically impossible this time round. Very weird. Wondering if I wrote the wrong amount down. 

 

Only 3 guys in the weights room today. Got one snigger from one. Another was a work colleague. The other didn't care. 

 

This changes real fast: I'm still no where near my goal weight, but these days I feel sexier in the "mens" weight room than anywhere else (ok, maybe except the bedroom, lol). More women need to lift weights - good for you! I started back in September, and I can't even begin to tell you what it has done for my self confidence

[ScrabbleGirl]

Thank you! I really appreciate that. I'm enjoying it. I'm only logging any comments/weird looks I get to just remind myself that I don't actually care what they think of what I'm doing. 

[Zaci Deets]

Thank you! I really appreciate that. I'm enjoying it. I'm only logging any comments/weird looks I get to just remind myself that I don't actually care what they think of what I'm doing. 

 

I'd love to start lifting heavy but I'm a bit intimidated by the whole 'weight room is a GUY area' thing.  I have a membership to a gym at the rugby club I go to, so it'll be full of big-ass rugby lads lifting giant weights and grunting.  I'm going to try to take your attitude though!

[ScrabbleGirl]

Yeah! Fuck them. I went in first with a girl I know who is very kick ass and does a lot of weights, so that helped too. But I think if you just go in there, know what you want to do and then do it. Concentrate on you. 

 

 

Day off: The backs of my thighs hurt. Deadlifts?

[Zaci Deets]

Good advice, thanks!

[Kalia]

I generally hate the phrase "man up" but that's what you have to do to take the first step into a free weights area...it scared me, so I did it

 

Well done ScrabbleGirl, and go for it Zaci!

 

Kalia x

[Nye]

I don't think you have to be afraid to go to the free weights area; as long as you exercise correctly I don't see why anyone would look down on you. Only morons can fail to realise that everybody has to start somewhere. Now, the people who go in with too heavy weights without learning the form, they can sometimes receive askance looks in the gym I go to, but as a rebel, that shouldn't be you.

[Zaci Deets]

Cheers guys!  I'm going to put it as one of my goals on the 6 week challenge I think : )

[ScrabbleGirl]

Literally couldn't get in the free weights room yesterday evening. Who knew Friday nights were so popular? It looks like a rugby team do their circuits in there so I had to make do with the weights area in the cardio room. My farmer walks got very, very weird looks. I did not care. Progress.

[ScrabbleGirl]

Finally did some barbell push presses. Only managed 5 with the bar, but I did them last so perhaps that's why. 10 next time. My upper body strength is a sack of shit. 

[Pat G]

As you keep training you'll start seeing the patterns of heavy usage in the gym area to know when the squat rack is free. Or just wheedle your way in when needed. To whomever was freaked out by rugby players, get that 20 seconds of courage on that Steve talked about today, we like more people strength training.

[ScrabbleGirl]

As you keep training you'll start seeing the patterns of heavy usage in the gym area to know when the squat rack is free. Or just wheedle your way in when needed. To whomever was freaked out by rugby players, get that 20 seconds of courage on that Steve talked about today, we like more people strength training.

 

 

Oh I wasn't freaked out by them, but there's about 25 of them, and that's all the room there is in the weights section of my gym. It's a separate room and they were literally on every piece of equipment and on the floor doing circuits. It's not a proble,, I just need to avoid the gym at that time on a Friday. 

 

Some good phrases to help you muscle in (he he!):

"Can I work in?" (Can I take turns with you on this equipment?), and

"How many sets have you got left?" (Will give you an idea of how soon they'll be finished, and is a nice passive way of asking "Are you going to be done any time soon, 'cause I want a go!")

Also, anyone doing something *other* than squats in a squat cage or squat rack should be hinted to move along with "Will you be done soon or can you do that elsewhere, because I need to do squats."

Thanks for this. My confidence is getting better in the weights room. I'm pretty comfortable in there now. 

[ScrabbleGirl]

Added 10kg on to my squats today... I think my pushing excersises suck more than my pulling ones, so I'm trying not to skip them. Noticed my BW squats were easier today too. 

 

I'm thinking about making a spreadsheet so I can catalogue my lifts and make graphs. Maybe I should do some work instead though?

I need to do a search on here for the general consensus on whether or not to include the bar weight when listing weight lifted. I don't want to be adding 20kg on to my lift totals if that's not the done thing. 

[Katinka]

Added 10kg on to my squats today... I think my pushing excersises suck more than my pulling ones, so I'm trying not to skip them. Noticed my BW squats were easier today too. 

 

I'm thinking about making a spreadsheet so I can catalogue my lifts and make graphs. Maybe I should do some work instead though?

I need to do a search on here for the general consensus on whether or not to include the bar weight when listing weight lifted. I don't want to be adding 20kg on to my lift totals if that's not the done thing. 

 - Totally make a spreadsheet. Spreadsheets are fun

- Definitely include the bar weight! The bars I use weigh 45lbs - no way I'm leaving that out!

[ScrabbleGirl]

Yeah, a couple of minutes on google sorted that one for me! Including the bar weight for sure!