Do I have to use heavy weights?

[Anonymous]

I'm 42. I have for years done strength training at home (30 minute videos) in addition to cardio and am generally happy with the results, and recently added some 10 pound weights to my routine instead of just 5s and feel like I'm getting a good strength training workout. I also love barre but am never clear if that should count as strength training or exercise.

I keep hearing about how everyone is doing workouts with heavy weights though - are they essential, and what for? I will admit that weight loss is a goal for me, but historically that has been more about food for me. As I get older, trying to figure out what the right mix is and if I'm really missing out by not having a home barbell set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 42. I have for years done strength training at home (30 minute videos) in addition to cardio and am generally happy with the results, and recently added some 10 pound weights to my routine instead of just 5s and feel like I'm getting a good strength training workout. I also love barre but am never clear if that should count as strength training or exercise.

I keep hearing about how everyone is doing workouts with heavy weights though - are they essential, and what for? I will admit that weight loss is a goal for me, but historically that has been more about food for me. As I get older, trying to figure out what the right mix is and if I'm really missing out by not having a home barbell set.

depends on what your goals are. If all you care about is weight and not muscle then, correct, diet is all that matter. If you want to be strong and maintain muscle as you age then you should be lifting relatively heavy weights

[Anonymous]

For general health and fitness, it doesn't really matter if you are doing sets of 15-20 (with relatively light weights) or sets of 5-7 (with relatively heavy weights). But to build strength, you do need to be using weights that are heavy enough to really challenge you. You don't have (and probably shouldn't) go to exhaustion, where you literally couldn't do another repetition if your life depended on it. But the last rep of the set should feel quite difficult and give you the sense that you couldn't do more than a few more.

Also, it's generally more efficient to do exercises that engage multiple large muscles, such as rows, deadlifts, and squats. You will naturally use heavier weights for those than for exercises like shoulder curls and bicep curls.

For instance, according to https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards60LB, an untrained, 97 pound woman in her 60s should (on average) be able to deadlift 30 pounds. Unless you are a frail, small, elderly woman, deadlifting with 10 pound dumbbells won't help. (And the standard for a "novice" 130 pound woman in her 40s is 115 lbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For general health and fitness, it doesn't really matter if you are doing sets of 15-20 (with relatively light weights) or sets of 5-7 (with relatively heavy weights). But to build strength, you do need to be using weights that are heavy enough to really challenge you. You don't have (and probably shouldn't) go to exhaustion, where you literally couldn't do another repetition if your life depended on it. But the last rep of the set should feel quite difficult and give you the sense that you couldn't do more than a few more.

Also, it's generally more efficient to do exercises that engage multiple large muscles, such as rows, deadlifts, and squats. You will naturally use heavier weights for those than for exercises like shoulder curls and bicep curls.

For instance, according to https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards60LB, an untrained, 97 pound woman in her 60s should (on average) be able to deadlift 30 pounds. Unless you are a frail, small, elderly woman, deadlifting with 10 pound dumbbells won't help. (And the standard for a "novice" 130 pound woman in her 40s is 115 lbs.

These deadlift amounts aren’t with dumbbells are they? I would pull a back back muscle if I lifted that! I usually do 15lbs for each dumbbell (30lbs total) and do it nice and slow, and feel it in hamstrings and glutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For general health and fitness, it doesn't really matter if you are doing sets of 15-20 (with relatively light weights) or sets of 5-7 (with relatively heavy weights). But to build strength, you do need to be using weights that are heavy enough to really challenge you. You don't have (and probably shouldn't) go to exhaustion, where you literally couldn't do another repetition if your life depended on it. But the last rep of the set should feel quite difficult and give you the sense that you couldn't do more than a few more.

Also, it's generally more efficient to do exercises that engage multiple large muscles, such as rows, deadlifts, and squats. You will naturally use heavier weights for those than for exercises like shoulder curls and bicep curls.

For instance, according to https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards60LB, an untrained, 97 pound woman in her 60s should (on average) be able to deadlift 30 pounds. Unless you are a frail, small, elderly woman, deadlifting with 10 pound dumbbells won't help. (And the standard for a "novice" 130 pound woman in her 40s is 115 lbs.

These deadlift amounts aren’t with dumbbells are they? I would pull a back back muscle if I lifted that! I usually do 15lbs for each dumbbell (30lbs total) and do it nice and slow, and feel it in hamstrings and glutes.

No, these are BB standards, but even with DBs you should be able to do significantly more than 15lbs. You are stretching the muscle, which is why you feel it, but you are not meaningfully overloading the muscles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For general health and fitness, it doesn't really matter if you are doing sets of 15-20 (with relatively light weights) or sets of 5-7 (with relatively heavy weights). But to build strength, you do need to be using weights that are heavy enough to really challenge you. You don't have (and probably shouldn't) go to exhaustion, where you literally couldn't do another repetition if your life depended on it. But the last rep of the set should feel quite difficult and give you the sense that you couldn't do more than a few more.

Also, it's generally more efficient to do exercises that engage multiple large muscles, such as rows, deadlifts, and squats. You will naturally use heavier weights for those than for exercises like shoulder curls and bicep curls.

For instance, according to https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards60LB, an untrained, 97 pound woman in her 60s should (on average) be able to deadlift 30 pounds. Unless you are a frail, small, elderly woman, deadlifting with 10 pound dumbbells won't help. (And the standard for a "novice" 130 pound woman in her 40s is 115 lbs.

These deadlift amounts aren’t with dumbbells are they? I would pull a back back muscle if I lifted that! I usually do 15lbs for each dumbbell (30lbs total) and do it nice and slow, and feel it in hamstrings and glutes.

No, these are BB standards, but even with DBs you should be able to do significantly more than 15lbs. You are stretching the muscle, which is why you feel it, but you are not meaningfully overloading the muscles.

You have to be careful giving advice. It’s easy to injure yourself working with weights that are too heavy. People have to build up… slow & steady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For general health and fitness, it doesn't really matter if you are doing sets of 15-20 (with relatively light weights) or sets of 5-7 (with relatively heavy weights). But to build strength, you do need to be using weights that are heavy enough to really challenge you. You don't have (and probably shouldn't) go to exhaustion, where you literally couldn't do another repetition if your life depended on it. But the last rep of the set should feel quite difficult and give you the sense that you couldn't do more than a few more.

Also, it's generally more efficient to do exercises that engage multiple large muscles, such as rows, deadlifts, and squats. You will naturally use heavier weights for those than for exercises like shoulder curls and bicep curls.

For instance, according to https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards60LB, an untrained, 97 pound woman in her 60s should (on average) be able to deadlift 30 pounds. Unless you are a frail, small, elderly woman, deadlifting with 10 pound dumbbells won't help. (And the standard for a "novice" 130 pound woman in her 40s is 115 lbs.

These deadlift amounts aren’t with dumbbells are they? I would pull a back back muscle if I lifted that! I usually do 15lbs for each dumbbell (30lbs total) and do it nice and slow, and feel it in hamstrings and glutes.

NP: I lift weights regularly - 57F - Goal is overall fitness, decreased body fat %, bone strength. I deadlift 70lbs currently and I try to bump it up 5lbs every other time I go which is 3x's a week. I use a 45lb barbell plus plates.

[Anonymous]

OP, what videos are you doing that you recommend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For general health and fitness, it doesn't really matter if you are doing sets of 15-20 (with relatively light weights) or sets of 5-7 (with relatively heavy weights). But to build strength, you do need to be using weights that are heavy enough to really challenge you. You don't have (and probably shouldn't) go to exhaustion, where you literally couldn't do another repetition if your life depended on it. But the last rep of the set should feel quite difficult and give you the sense that you couldn't do more than a few more.

Also, it's generally more efficient to do exercises that engage multiple large muscles, such as rows, deadlifts, and squats. You will naturally use heavier weights for those than for exercises like shoulder curls and bicep curls.

For instance, according to https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards60LB, an untrained, 97 pound woman in her 60s should (on average) be able to deadlift 30 pounds. Unless you are a frail, small, elderly woman, deadlifting with 10 pound dumbbells won't help. (And the standard for a "novice" 130 pound woman in her 40s is 115 lbs.

These deadlift amounts aren’t with dumbbells are they? I would pull a back back muscle if I lifted that! I usually do 15lbs for each dumbbell (30lbs total) and do it nice and slow, and feel it in hamstrings and glutes.

No, these are BB standards, but even with DBs you should be able to do significantly more than 15lbs. You are stretching the muscle, which is why you feel it, but you are not meaningfully overloading the muscles.

You have to be careful giving advice. It’s easy to injure yourself working with weights that are too heavy. People have to build up… slow & steady.

Did I tell her to go pick up 100s? She can experiment herself, but she will very likely find out that even 30s are pretty easy to move. For most women the grip will give up before their posterior chain too, so straps or Cobra Grips could be useful.

[Anonymous]

Since OP asked if heavy weights are essential and what for:

As you age, the more lean muscle mass you have, the more likely you are to maintain bone density and prevent worsening osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can greatly decrease your lifespan when it limits your mobility and ability to stay active, increases your likelihood for fractures from minor falls and accidents, etc. For this reason, it's especially critical for perimenopausal and older women to increase protein consumption and lift heavier weights. Dieting and exercising purely for caloric deficit and weight loss is often at the cost of lean muscle mass.

Obviously extra fat mass carries risks regardless of your lean muscle mass and bone density, so it isn't just about those markers. However, safe weight training with progressively heavier weights should be a priority for almost everyone. The bonus is increased functional fitness for the rest of your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since OP asked if heavy weights are essential and what for:

As you age, the more lean muscle mass you have, the more likely you are to maintain bone density and prevent worsening osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can greatly decrease your lifespan when it limits your mobility and ability to stay active, increases your likelihood for fractures from minor falls and accidents, etc. For this reason, it's especially critical for perimenopausal and older women to increase protein consumption and lift heavier weights. Dieting and exercising purely for caloric deficit and weight loss is often at the cost of lean muscle mass.

Obviously extra fat mass carries risks regardless of your lean muscle mass and bone density, so it isn't just about those markers. However, safe weight training with progressively heavier weights should be a priority for almost everyone. The bonus is increased functional fitness for the rest of your life.

Any guides or videos to help someone worried about developing osteoporosis, like many women in my family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since OP asked if heavy weights are essential and what for:

As you age, the more lean muscle mass you have, the more likely you are to maintain bone density and prevent worsening osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can greatly decrease your lifespan when it limits your mobility and ability to stay active, increases your likelihood for fractures from minor falls and accidents, etc. For this reason, it's especially critical for perimenopausal and older women to increase protein consumption and lift heavier weights. Dieting and exercising purely for caloric deficit and weight loss is often at the cost of lean muscle mass.

Obviously extra fat mass carries risks regardless of your lean muscle mass and bone density, so it isn't just about those markers. However, safe weight training with progressively heavier weights should be a priority for almost everyone. The bonus is increased functional fitness for the rest of your life.

Any guides or videos to help someone worried about developing osteoporosis, like many women in my family?

Woman close to 60 here. My 2 cents: Go to Target, test lift the dumbbells. Get one set that you can use for arms (minimum 5lbs!), one heavy for legs (10-20). Women underestimate how much they can lift.
YouTube videos
Caroline Girvan’s Iron series has basic moves, is slow paced so less risk of injury. Don’t be intimidated by her weights, which are extremely heavy.
Live yourself young. Specifically geared toward woman over 50. Explains a lot.
Nourish Move Love. Full of energy, talks through the exercises and has a partner who shows modifications. She’s too fast for beginners but check out for the modifications.

[Anonymous]

Find someone of inspiration on YouTube that is your age.

[Anonymous]

I’m 41 and recommend going heavier. 5-10 lbs is good for shoulder work, but yes, for deadlift, which is usually where you can lift the most, it should be significantly more. I max out at around 110 with a barbell. I’ve been regularly doing the powerlifting moves (squat, deadlift, chest press) with a barbell for a couple years now and after getting some instruction from a trainer.

It does take heavier weights to sculpt your muscles into a toned, youthful look. On the bright side, it’s way more time efficient than cardio and you will feel at least 10 years younger after you do it for a few months.

[Anonymous]

As someone who has been sidelined with several overuse injuries since age 40, be careful with heavy weights. It is important to use correct form and to gradually work your way toward more weight. And for some of us (I am petite and barely over 100 pounds), I think it is just better to stick with a steady routine using bodyweight exercise, bands, and light weights.