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.

there’s no way an untrained woman in her 40s *starts* at a 115 lb deadlift. Sounds like a doable goal, but would take months.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The heavy weight thing is a trend. Focus on consistency with working out, vary your routine and have a trainer set up a new program for you every few weeks.

I am a women in my early 50s and have been lifting heavy weights in the basic compound lifts--squats, deadlifts, bench--and doing push-ups and pull-ups since I was 25. It is not a trend.

You don't need "new programs" every few weeks.

If you are a person of normal health, you can deadlift WAY more than 15 lbs per dumbbell and you are leaving health benefits on the table piddling around with weights that are too light for you.

Anonymous wrote:I’m 48 and in pretty good shape. But o need to add a real weightlifting element to my fitness 2-3 times a week. Right now my “lifting” is Pilates and light weight peloton stuff and rarely circuit training machines at the gym.

Where can I look up a good set of heavy lifting excercises to start with? My teen son who is into lifting is gonna help me

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The heavy weight thing is a trend. Focus on consistency with working out, vary your routine and have a trainer set up a new program for you every few weeks.

I am a women in my early 50s and have been lifting heavy weights in the basic compound lifts--squats, deadlifts, bench--and doing push-ups and pull-ups since I was 25. It is not a trend.

You don't need "new programs" every few weeks.

If you are a person of normal health, you can deadlift WAY more than 15 lbs per dumbbell and you are leaving health benefits on the table piddling around with weights that are too light for you.

Anonymous wrote:The heavy weight thing is a trend. Focus on consistency with working out, vary your routine and have a trainer set up a new program for you every few weeks.

Anonymous wrote:Go heavier. Progress slowly. When something is super easy for you after 12 reps, increase weight.

I’m 40 and 2 yrs into weight lifting from home (I do have a virtual trainer, which helps a ton) started with 5’s, 10’s and 20ms. Have slowly added 15’s, 25’s 30’s and now a squat rack, bar, plates. I lift 3 times a week, walk 45 min 6 days a week and do yoga once or twice if I need it.

I completely shocked my husband with a 135lb dead lift, he had no idea how strong I’ve become.

I’m convinced women need protein (I try .8-1g/per lb body weight) and heavier weights. I’m 40, 2 kids, 5’5 and 120. It’s simple (sometimes boring) but works!

Anonymous wrote:62 year old

Heavy weights are for me: arms, 12 or 15 pounds

Kettle bell swings 30 - 40 pounds

RDL's 20 pounds

Dead lift about 40 or 50 pounds

I maintain bone density and I can also pretty much eat what I want, i.e. don't gain weight and maintain my weight at 135, (after a lifetime of being overweight--up to 185)

In lifting circles these would not be considered heavy but they are to me and I started out with 2 pounds and had to work up

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.

there’s no way an untrained woman in her 40s *starts* at a 115 lb deadlift. Sounds like a doable goal, but would take months.

Anonymous wrote:The heavy weight thing is a trend. Focus on consistency with working out, vary your routine and have a trainer set up a new program for you every few weeks.

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.