What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

Yeaaaa DL for 10-12 reps sounds hilarious outside of a warm-up. Even squats and bench that's the high end of reps for warming up. The 2-6 range is heavy depending on sets that calculate towards the total load. __x4x3 or __x 3 x3 or ___ x 6 x 2 or __x2 x3

Exactly. Any weightlifting, when done properly, will be difficult at the end of the set. Otherwise you’re doing aerobics.

Lifting HEAVY as opposed to just “lifting” refers to a type of programming.

The people arguing otherwise remind me of the people I’ve heard say they ran a 5K marathon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to get a sense of strength standards at different training levels, weight category and age, look at exrx.

Here is the link for deadlift standards for people of 40-49 years of age.

https://exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/DeadliftStandards40LB

These seem kinda low. I'm not huge, weigh around 165, and can rep 225 lbs bench press, which this says is an advanced category for weight for just a 1RM. 225 is OK, but repping it isn't special. I can't see anything below 315 at 165 lbs being as even approaching 'elite' status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

I agree with all of this, but I think exercise selection has to be part of the mix. I see trainers at my gym having their clients do tons of isolation exercises focused on small muscle groups — I think so that the client tires quickly but is sore and thinks they got a good workout. Meanwhile, for their own workouts, the trainers are doing 100% squat, deadlift, bench, barbell row, and overhead press.

Part of getting away from 5lb dumbbells should IMO be getting comfortable with barbell squats and deadlifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

I agree with all of this, but I think exercise selection has to be part of the mix. I see trainers at my gym having their clients do tons of isolation exercises focused on small muscle groups — I think so that the client tires quickly but is sore and thinks they got a good workout. Meanwhile, for their own workouts, the trainers are doing 100% squat, deadlift, bench, barbell row, and overhead press.

Part of getting away from 5lb dumbbells should IMO be getting comfortable with barbell squats and deadlifts.

Agree. Isolations are accessory exercises. Compound movements are important and burn a lot of calories too. Programming is important. But OP is middle aged and between joints and blood pressure, this should be done carefully. Once you’re dealing with high blood pressure or a bad back, you may not be able to lift like you did at 25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

Why does context matter? Why can’t people who do three sets of 8-12 reps, to failure, be doing strength training or weight lifting? Much as some people like to claim otherwise, “lifting heavy” is only one method for building strength. Your insistence that content matters seems irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

^^Context, not content

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

Why does context matter? Why can’t people who do three sets of 8-12 reps, to failure, be doing strength training or weight lifting? Much as some people like to claim otherwise, “lifting heavy” is only one method for building strength. Your insistence that content matters seems irrelevant.

DP. Those people ARE doing strength training and weight lifting. They just aren’t lifting heavy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

Why does context matter? Why can’t people who do three sets of 8-12 reps, to failure, be doing strength training or weight lifting? Much as some people like to claim otherwise, “lifting heavy” is only one method for building strength. Your insistence that content matters seems irrelevant.

DP. Those people ARE doing strength training and weight lifting. They just aren’t lifting heavy.

Right, exactly! I agree with you, just not sure why PP is insisting that “context matters” and those people are also lifting heavy. They’re not, in any definition I’ve seen or understood, after 25+ years of various forms of strength training (including lifting heavy).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

For me it's being able to do 10-12 reps with the last 2 reps being a struggle. If it's too easy, I need to increase weight. Too hard, and need to deload. You should be able to do 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.

If you can do 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets you are not lifting heavy, sorry. A weight you can do for 1-3 reps is heavy.

No. Lifting heavy in the context of fitness and fat loss is just to failure. 8-10 reps 3 sets When the weight gets easy, increase it. You want those last reps to be as hard as possible without sacrificing form. Never sacrifice form.

DP - no, it’s lifting to muscle failure. That’s different than lifting heavy.

Eh…that’s what I said.

You said lifting heavy is lifting to failure. It isn't.

For general fitness and weight loss it is - again, context matters. The point is to get women away from the Tracey Anderson 30 reps of 2 lb dumbbells or thinking the peloton bike-arm routine is worthwhile . Progressive overload ensures you are lifting heavy for YOU. Those of you talking about one rep max and max strength is an entirely different context. Which is OP’s goal?

No, it isn't. There is no context where lifting for high reps until failure is "lifting heavy". There is nothing wrong with lifting to failure, but it's not the same as lifting heavy.

In fact, I do both:
Monday: squat (five sets, 3-5 reps at 80-90% of max)
Tuesday: bench (five sets, 3-5 reps at 80-90% of max)
Wednesday: deadlift
Thursday: bench (five sets, 8-10 reps at 50-60% of max)
Friday: squat (five sets, 8-10 reps at 50-60% of max)

[Anonymous]

Middle age would be a terrible time to start lifting 5x5. OP, ignore these guys. Check out IIFYMwomen.org or Sohee Lee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle age would be a terrible time to start lifting 5x5. OP, ignore these guys. Check out IIFYMwomen.org or Sohee Lee

I wonder why you imagine that to be true.

I mean, you won’t get as strong as quickly as if you started younger, but it’s great for health.

I started at 50 as a lifelong runner with bad knees, and at 190 pounds I got up to 250 bench, 300 squat and 400 deadlift. Not impressive but my back and knees felt much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle age would be a terrible time to start lifting 5x5. OP, ignore these guys. Check out IIFYMwomen.org or Sohee Lee

I wonder why you imagine that to be true.

I mean, you won’t get as strong as quickly as if you started younger, but it’s great for health.

I started at 50 as a lifelong runner with bad knees, and at 190 pounds I got up to 250 bench, 300 squat and 400 deadlift. Not impressive but my back and knees felt much better.

I don’t “imagine it”. It’s absolutely hard on your joints and can spike your blood pressure. I don’t want anyone reading this to discover they have high blood pressure because they stroke out from the bro advice here. No middle aged beginner should begin weightlifting with a 5x5 program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle age would be a terrible time to start lifting 5x5. OP, ignore these guys. Check out IIFYMwomen.org or Sohee Lee

I wonder why you imagine that to be true.

I mean, you won’t get as strong as quickly as if you started younger, but it’s great for health.

I started at 50 as a lifelong runner with bad knees, and at 190 pounds I got up to 250 bench, 300 squat and 400 deadlift. Not impressive but my back and knees felt much better.

I don’t “imagine it”. It’s absolutely hard on your joints and can spike your blood pressure. I don’t want anyone reading this to discover they have high blood pressure because they stroke out from the bro advice here. No middle aged beginner should begin weightlifting with a 5x5 program.

Bless your heart. With proper form and load management, lifting heavy (including 5x5 programming) is not hard on your joints. And lifting dramatically reduces your risk of stroke and cardiac events.