Anonymous
Post 04/07/2023 09:37     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
I love lifting big
Anonymous
Post 04/07/2023 09:32     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m no expert, and many people on DCUM disagree with me, but to me it means full body, progressive resistance, barbell exercises like barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, barbell bench, barbell overhead press, and barbell rows.

Lifting 2.5 times your bodyweight for deadlifts is a really different thing physiologically than a set of “heavy” lat raises with 15 pound dumbbells that you can only do 8 of.

I fooled around with various schemes I’d 8-12 reps and no deadlifts or squats for 30 years off and on without getting stronger. Once I switched to focus on the big lifts for sets of 3-5, I got stronger than I ever imagined I could be, and my body really changed.


I totally agree with the recommendation for including those kind of full body exercises. (I'd add pullups, which you can do anywhere.) But VERY few people will ever deadlift 2.5 times their weight. That might be a reasonable target for a young man lifting regularly for a few years, but for women, older men, or anyone who doesn't want to make lifting a major part of their life, the amount will be WAY lower - and that's fine! (I'm male, and when I was in my 40s, lifting several times a week for several years, I got to about 1.75 times my weight, which was a significant accomplishment for me.)


NP - I also tend to think of lifting heavy as barbell work (powerlifting or Olympic lifting), having done it in the past. I also think that’s difficult to prioritize for many people, at least over other kinds of strength training. Focusing on big lifts, in sets with 3-5 reps or a 5/3/1, and maximizing results also requires more attention to diet and sleep than most people can reasonably do.

All those things are why, as much as I love barbell lifts, I’m leery of insisting that’s the *only* way to get strong, as many people here like to say. Exercise needs to fit into your life to be maintained - said as someone who has worked out daily for over 30 years.
Anonymous
Post 04/07/2023 07:48     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:I’m no expert, and many people on DCUM disagree with me, but to me it means full body, progressive resistance, barbell exercises like barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, barbell bench, barbell overhead press, and barbell rows.

Lifting 2.5 times your bodyweight for deadlifts is a really different thing physiologically than a set of “heavy” lat raises with 15 pound dumbbells that you can only do 8 of.

I fooled around with various schemes I’d 8-12 reps and no deadlifts or squats for 30 years off and on without getting stronger. Once I switched to focus on the big lifts for sets of 3-5, I got stronger than I ever imagined I could be, and my body really changed.


Yes and isn’t that the idea behind the 5x5 lifting regimen?
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 21:18     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would love to know what this means in terms of different exercises: what should people in middle age work towards when doing lunges or squats versus curls or presses? TIA


I'm 5'4", 128 pounds and use 20 pound dumbbells for lunges squats and chest presses. That's heavy for me


In terms of your muscles’ capacity to do work,

Lunges =\= squats =\= chest presses.

If that works for you, great. But if you wanted to, you could probably be barbell squatting 135 within 1.5-3 years.


I really don’t want to do that. Ever.
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 14:12     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would love to know what this means in terms of different exercises: what should people in middle age work towards when doing lunges or squats versus curls or presses? TIA


I'm 5'4", 128 pounds and use 20 pound dumbbells for lunges squats and chest presses. That's heavy for me


In terms of your muscles’ capacity to do work,

Lunges =\= squats =\= chest presses.

If that works for you, great. But if you wanted to, you could probably be barbell squatting 135 within 1.5-3 years.
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 12:30     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:I would love to know what this means in terms of different exercises: what should people in middle age work towards when doing lunges or squats versus curls or presses? TIA


I'm 5'4", 128 pounds and use 20 pound dumbbells for lunges squats and chest presses. That's heavy for me
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 12:29     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I’m no expert, and many people on DCUM disagree with me, but to me it means full body, progressive resistance, barbell exercises like barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, barbell bench, barbell overhead press, and barbell rows.

Lifting 2.5 times your bodyweight for deadlifts is a really different thing physiologically than a set of “heavy” lat raises with 15 pound dumbbells that you can only do 8 of.

I fooled around with various schemes I’d 8-12 reps and no deadlifts or squats for 30 years off and on without getting stronger. Once I switched to focus on the big lifts for sets of 3-5, I got stronger than I ever imagined I could be, and my body really changed.


I totally agree with the recommendation for including those kind of full body exercises. (I'd add pullups, which you can do anywhere.) But VERY few people will ever deadlift 2.5 times their weight. That might be a reasonable target for a young man lifting regularly for a few years, but for women, older men, or anyone who doesn't want to make lifting a major part of their life, the amount will be WAY lower - and that's fine! (I'm male, and when I was in my 40s, lifting several times a week for several years, I got to about 1.75 times my weight, which was a significant accomplishment for me.)


2.5 times bodyweight for a male in their 40s is at the 90% percentile of lifters, so yeah, you’re right.

https://strengthlevel.com/
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 11:56     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:I’m no expert, and many people on DCUM disagree with me, but to me it means full body, progressive resistance, barbell exercises like barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, barbell bench, barbell overhead press, and barbell rows.

Lifting 2.5 times your bodyweight for deadlifts is a really different thing physiologically than a set of “heavy” lat raises with 15 pound dumbbells that you can only do 8 of.

I fooled around with various schemes I’d 8-12 reps and no deadlifts or squats for 30 years off and on without getting stronger. Once I switched to focus on the big lifts for sets of 3-5, I got stronger than I ever imagined I could be, and my body really changed.


I totally agree with the recommendation for including those kind of full body exercises. (I'd add pullups, which you can do anywhere.) But VERY few people will ever deadlift 2.5 times their weight. That might be a reasonable target for a young man lifting regularly for a few years, but for women, older men, or anyone who doesn't want to make lifting a major part of their life, the amount will be WAY lower - and that's fine! (I'm male, and when I was in my 40s, lifting several times a week for several years, I got to about 1.75 times my weight, which was a significant accomplishment for me.)
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 11:40     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
I’m no expert, and many people on DCUM disagree with me, but to me it means full body, progressive resistance, barbell exercises like barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, barbell bench, barbell overhead press, and barbell rows.

Lifting 2.5 times your bodyweight for deadlifts is a really different thing physiologically than a set of “heavy” lat raises with 15 pound dumbbells that you can only do 8 of.

I fooled around with various schemes I’d 8-12 reps and no deadlifts or squats for 30 years off and on without getting stronger. Once I switched to focus on the big lifts for sets of 3-5, I got stronger than I ever imagined I could be, and my body really changed.
Anonymous
Post 04/06/2023 07:36     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
A weight for any exercise where you can only get about 4-6 reps in with good form.

Lifitng heavy will help you break through strength plateaus.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2023 21:06     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Anonymous wrote:Generally, if you can do more than 12 reps, that is light. I consider 8-12 for mid-range. Heavy means I can only do 4-6 reps.

How many you should do depends on your goal and individual body mechanics. Will vary wildly from person to person.


I tend to agree. Not that the 12+ reps are easy, just possible. It can help to think about a range between your one rep max, 3-5 rep max and everything above that. Lifting heavy is a combination of excellent form so you don’t hurt yourself and the pushing your limit.

And getting to the point of heavy lifting requires a lot of building of other skills. For example, most lifting requires a really solid squat.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2023 20:45     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Deadlifts and suitcase squats are good to start with
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2023 16:27     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
Generally, if you can do more than 12 reps, that is light. I consider 8-12 for mid-range. Heavy means I can only do 4-6 reps.

How many you should do depends on your goal and individual body mechanics. Will vary wildly from person to person.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2023 16:24     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
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.
Anonymous
Post 04/05/2023 16:12     Subject: What does ‘lifting heavy’ mean?
I would love to know what this means in terms of different exercises: what should people in middle age work towards when doing lunges or squats versus curls or presses? TIA