3 lb weights. BAHAHAHHAHA

[cline]

Yes this^ When this thread was first posted, I was pretty offended by it. I typed several replies only to just delete them. I was one those that started out at 3lbs, some of us really are that weak when starting out. I hope no one sees that post, that is at the point of using those 3lb weights a think that what they are doing is useless.

Why be so judgmental, just because you can do more?? Doing more, doesn't make you better than someone that can't do as much.

You are 100% right. And yes, we all deserve a smack upside the head for it. Especially given I was handed those weights for a prone shoulder exercise the other night.

Good call!!!

[airen123]

in fact I have my starting set of weights in my desk drawer. Never mind that I bench at 105 max now

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[morethanjustamom]

in fact I have my starting set of weights in my desk drawer. Never mind that I bench at 105 max now

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Always good to remember where you came from.

I believe even Spezzy said she started with with a 5lb set of dumbbells, and look at her now, doing 70lb dumbbell snatches!

[rtalencar]

I do drop sets of weighted corkscrew punches for reps. I think 3 lbs is darn heavy.

[bgvanbur]

My mom got four 2 pound weights so she gave me two of them a long time ago. I would use them occasionally to see how many reps of different exercises I could do with them. Now the kids use them when they want to emulate me working out. I am also thinking about taking them with me on for a run (since not sure if 5 pound dumbbells will feel too heavy by the end of running a 5k).

[Rosie]

Hey now. Just a-hold on there, folks.

There are plenty of us out here that started out just exactly that weak. Some of us are still exactly that weak. (*raises hand* oh me! me! I'm that weak!)

I say, if that comment can get a few people started with something easy, and point 'em down the road to building up a little muscle, then good on' em and let it rip. 3 lbs leads to 5, then 7, then who knows where. Maybe even to being AWESOME!

Yeah gotta agree with this. Everyone has to start somewhere and its the starting that leads you on to bigger and better things. Heck when I started my push up training, I could barely do 3...against a wall...standing almost vertical. Now I'm doing 3X10 knee assisted daily, plus a couple of full push ups to work up to my next challenge. soon I'll be able to do 30 full and then who knows what?!

[Rosie]

By the way, this is me and a friend after a 10km mud obstacle race and yes, our arms were too f**king heavy to bear!

Maybe we should have lifted 3lb weights beforehand ;-p

[rtalencar]

By the way, this is me and a friend after a 10km mud obstacle race and yes, our arms were too f**king heavy to bear!

Maybe we should have lifted 3lb weights beforehand ;-p

I dislike you...this just makes me want to attempt a tough mudder carrying hand weights =)

[bigm141414]

By the way, this is me and a friend after a 10km mud obstacle race and yes, our arms were too f**king heavy to bear!

Maybe we should have lifted 3lb weights beforehand ;-p

Poor Rosie! You look like you need a hug in that picture! And a nap. Definitely a nap.

[mahchoo]

By the way, this is me and a friend after a 10km mud obstacle race and yes, our arms were too f**king heavy to bear!

Maybe we should have lifted 3lb weights beforehand ;-p

While I'm impressed that you did the 10k mud run, I'm currently more interested in whoever it is to the far left that apparently did the run in that getup?

[epaleocookbooks]

They do! I have them for my 5 year old, when he wants to be cool with his mom in the weight room.

and sometimes my toy poodle picks it up in his mouth and runs with it. it's pretty awesome.

hahaha my 3 year-old lifts 5 lb plates.

Lots of exercise routines for women suggest working out with 3-5lb weights. It always amazed me. How do you carry groceries or pick up your kids if you lack that much strength?? Even a gallon of milk is ~10 lbs. My sister's cat is 14. WTH are you supposed to do with 3lbs?!

I'm really curious to know when the theory started that women will bulk up if they lift more than that. When I first started strength training, that's all I heard from my mom, "You're going to look butch." It's a really difficult mindset to break for people.

And seriously runners, I don't care how fast or long you can run. If you can't even lift your own arms, I'm not impressed.

[rtalencar]

hahaha my 3 year-old lifts 5 lb plates.

Lots of exercise routines for women suggest working out with 3-5lb weights. It always amazed me. How do you carry groceries or pick up your kids if you lack that much strength?? Even a gallon of milk is ~10 lbs. My sister's cat is 14. WTH are you supposed to do with 3lbs?!

I'm really curious to know when the theory started that women will bulk up if they lift more than that. When I first started strength training, that's all I heard from my mom, "You're going to look butch." It's a really difficult mindset to break for people.

And seriously runners, I don't care how fast or long you can run. If you can't even lift your own arms, I'm not impressed.

Take your hands, hold them out straight in front of you for an hour without pause. It gets heavy. Boxers, MMA fighters, really REALLY strong people, can feel the weight of their arms (plus 1/2 lb in gloves), after just a few minutes of fighting. You have to start somewhere.

[Strawberry Squatcake]

I'll raise my hand here, too! I did some lifting in a HS conditioning class. Although, the entire reason I was in that class was because it was last hour, and right next to the parking lot. So I was the first one in my car and gone when the bell rang. WIN!

Anyway, I didn't lift another weight again until after college. And I started with videos that suggested 3, 5 and 8lb dumbbells. I got in great shape that way, and I never progressed beyond 20 lb dumbbells. You do build strength that way, but after awhile, you're also building endurance. Once you can do a set with X weight in perfect form, you move up. Anyway, that's how I built up to my first real pushup - which is still one of the RAWRiest moments of my life. And somehow progressed to 23 real pushups, doing only the light weights and ALWAYS knee pushups during workouts.

I'm not sure I would have been strong enough mentally to take on the heavy lifting I'm doing now had I not started with the much less intimidating dumbbells, at weights I could manage.

We all have badass potential out of the womb, but we gotta work it to realize it!

RAWR!

[Rosie]

While I'm impressed that you did the 10k mud run, I'm currently more interested in whoever it is to the far left that apparently did the run in that getup?

mahchoo that guy was dressed as a robot and I'm sure he didnt wear that outfit the whole way round given that he at the start line he crossed about 5 minutes behind me and then finished about 30 seconds after me, and he was slooooow!

Here's him getting in the way of our awesome highfive.

haha aww thanks BigM, but all I was thinking at that point was "pint, I neeeed a pint!" I love the way my friend and i are perfectly in time with our exhausted walk too.

the same group of us are doing a mud run again in September - 14km O_0

[Pat G]

Rosie, SOLID work, all i can say is WIN. + give 5 bucks to that robot guy, Never seen a dejected robot before.

[Raikas]

Old discussion, but I was just thinking about this and wanted to add that I don't think it's even a beginner vs. experienced thing:

I have seen amateur runners near the end of a 5K race with their arms held as low as their hips, as if they’re too heavy a load to bear. If that is a problem for you, the answer is weight-training. No, you don’t need bulging biceps, and no, women do not bulk up when we lift free weights a few times a week. I’m only suggesting, for women in particular, to start off with a few sets of 3lbs dumbbells (or lighter if you wish) and gradually build up to 5 or 7lbs.

BHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.

Guess I'll put down that 30lb dumbbell. I'm doing it all wrong

I was just remembering this thread last night when I discovered that I had an overdue book that needed to go back to the library and ran off there with the dog. The distance is around 5km and the book was an 800-page hardcover and around 1.5kg (so a little over 3lbs) and I totally had switch hands several times. The dog and I cover 85km/week and I have 20kg (44lbs) dumbbells that I enjoy picking up and the book was still awkward to carry. Granted it's hard to get a good grip on a large book, so that's part of the challenge - but still: running with something in your hand is very different than lifting on its own (or running with weight on your back or hip).