Woman, 37, n00b, seeks to lift bodyweight.

[mariawolters]

A chairdean,

although I'm not doing the Starting Strength programme, I thought I'd set up my training log on here because I love the biomechanics and physiology geekery, and because the ladies on this board seem to be strong, real women who don't do screwed up super skinny body image nonsense. I've started training with a personal trainer (experienced female weight lifter) a couple of weeks ago. I live and lift in Scotland, UK, Europe, Across the Atlantic.

Main goals:
- to gain mental and physical strength
- to keep lifting for as long as possible
- to get one of my lifts up to bodyweight
- to be able to lift my daughter (25 kg) onto my shoulders

Age: 37
Mobile Free Weights (AKA kids): 2, both of whom like to be lifted and carried
Weight: I avoid scales, but I think I'm around 65 kg. Dress size UK 8-10 (US 4-6), and I don't want to get any thinner, kthxbai
Height: 5'7" or 1.71m
Married: happily, he doesn't work out, but is happy to watch the kids so that I can
Body fat: unknown

I go to the gym 2-3 times a week, doing either a long or a short session. That's a frequency that suits my priorities as well as the colds I tend to catch from my kids. The short session involves deadlifts, standing rows, and a pec machine (all 3 x 15), the long session involves bench presses, squats, lat pull downs, biceps curls, triceps dips, and lunges (all 3 x 15).

I have no idea of my current 1RM, but here's what I can manage:
- bench press: 20 kg (1 x 15)
- squat: 20 kg (2 x 15; would be more if I had a decent OHP!!!)
- deadlift: 25 kg (1 x 7; was testing the waters)

I'm not in the squat rack (yet!), and my squat is not (yet!) below parallel, but I'm working on it.

My diet is too carb heavy and contains not enough vitamins, fruit, and veg, but I've begun to up the protein and the real food. This is one more reason for lifting - you guys eat a clean, relatively low carb diet, and I want to get on that wagon, seeing as I have diabetes in my family. I want junk less when I lift, funnily enough.

I have Practical Programming & Rip's book of general reflections and am waiting for Starting Strength second edition to arrive (ordered it before I saw that there was a third!).

As you can see, I've got far to go. I'm looking forward to logging my progress here, checking in with the others, and learning more about the art and science of lifting heavy stuff.

Le durachdan

Maria

(P.S.: seeing as I started this thread on one of the main US holidays, Happy Thanksgiving!)

(P.P.S: That language was Scottish Gaelic; I speak a little and am sending my kids to Gaelic school / nursery here in Edinburgh.)

***

This was when I first started the thread. Here's an update on the occasion of the move (hopefully) to the Starting Strength logs.

I have switched to Starting Strength. What I love most about the program is its elegant simplicity and focus. I will be microloading to milk (!) progression. My goals in doing Starting Strength are not just to lay a solid foundation for a lifetime of lifting, but to improve my relationship with food, eating, and my body, and sort out my life to make sure I get enough rest. Circumstances are a tad rough just now, but I don't want to wait for better circumstances because I would have to wait for a very long time.

My current bodyweight: 65kg. Should be going up now that I'm upping the protein and aiming for a surplus (of good food)

My current numbers:
Squat: 40kg
Deadlift: 60kg
Bench Press: 32.5kg
Power Clean: 27.5kg
Press: 21.1kg

Me and the bench have been having an ongoing argument about going up to 35kg. I think I will microload here, too.
I started linear progression 9 workouts ago, so am three weeks into the programme. I keep my log in the black book (get it, people - it's brilliant).

My next training aim is a trip to WFAC around May 12. My aim is 25/40/40/60/80 for the press / power clean / bench / squat / deadlift; I will be very happy if I can lift this when at WFAC. For the lifts that are not on the schedule on the day I visit, I will warm up to a single at the target weight, for the other lifts, I will do the full sequence.

My long-term aim is to take part in a Powerlifting meet - they sound like a good way to focus one's training.

[melody]

Nice to see another woman on here!
Is there a reason you're squatting and pressing 15s instead of 3s or 5s? Your deadlift should be bodyweight in no time!

[mariawolters]

Hi melody! *waves*

Basically, I think I'm starting on a programme that emphasizes endurance & learning technique; we will reassess soon, I think. I just hope I have been able to maintain form while upping the weights.

That's reassuring to hear about the deadlift - I quite enjoy it.

Looking forward to logging my progress on the board

[ladylifterfcs]

Welcome Maria!
as Melody said, it's good to see more women here and lifting!

[mariawolters]

So, I had a massive cold, and stopped training for 10 days. Today was my first day back in the gym - upright row, pec machine, deadlift.

I set a NEW DEADLIFT PR at 30 kgs 3 x 15 I am so clearly a n00bie ... such easy gains!

I took it easier on the rows, with 10 kg x 3 x 15, and on the pec machine I did 10 kg x 3 x 15. I have been using higher weights on this one, but I thought having PR'd on the DL, and having been sick, I might as well take it easy. Finished up with a few sets of 15 crunches for obliques and rectus, then stretching.

ETA:
(P.S.: Thanks for the welcome, ladylifterfcs, much appreciated.)

[mariawolters]

OK, PT session today. We worked a lot on my posture and looked at where I am just now in terms of 1RMs (bearing in mind the caveats against 1RMs in novices outlined in PPST). For my 1 RMs, form is allowed to break down a tiny bit, but not fall to pieces, and yes, I have to do full ROM; bench press is to my actual chest, not somewhere in between.

(Jeez, why is posture so hard? )

There are some good news: my bench is at 30 kg, which is a PR at an estimated 65 kg bodyweight. (I failed 32.5). I think I need to learn to push through my legs as the other ladies on here have been describing ... then I can crack that 32.5

The deadlift variation I'm supposed to be doing is indeed the (semi) stiff legged one, where the weight moves between hips and knees.

Next up on the bench: working on my form. The bar doth wobble too much for the 3 x 15 under 20 kg. Think smooth bar path ...
On the machines (accessory stuff), my lat pull is up to 35 kg max, my biceps curl up to 14.5kg max (not quite at 15kg yet).

I also learned to stretch properly. Ow. Clearly haven't been doing that quite right.

[Oldster]

This is going to be a fun log to keep up with! If you keep up on it, you'll find your goals are set soooo low!

(Jeez, why is posture so hard? )

I have a theory on that. Women as a whole aren't taught to keep their chests high and shoulders back. How to put this..... proper posture ends up emphasizing the bust which many young girls aren't comfortable with. So the shoulders round, the chest drops and posture droops. Sound plausible?

[ericholas]

Welcome maria.
I am so jealous you live in Edinburgh. I played in the World Pipe Band games in 1998..we were able to travel a bit and I found Scotland to be such a beautiful country! We met some people who spoke gaelic there and IMO it’s a beautiful language.
Anyway, good to have you here. I have 3 mobile weights but only 2 of them want to be carried.
It took me months to get my squat form down so don’t lose faith, it will happen.
Good luck on your training.

[Michele Knaub]

welcome from nyc

[Rusty9]

Hi melody! *waves*

Basically, I think I'm starting on a programme that emphasizes endurance & learning technique; we will reassess soon, I think. I just hope I have been able to maintain form while upping the weights.

That's reassuring to hear about the deadlift - I quite enjoy it.

Looking forward to logging my progress on the board

Generally speaking most peoples form breaks down when they do higher rep sets. You are on point about the endurance thing but if form is a concern you may have better results doing 5-8 reps with the same weight you are doing the 15's and gradually making process. Good luck to you.