[Closed] Anyone done/do weightlifting?

Does getting up off the sofa count?

I don't weight lift as such however I do weights workouts at the gym (something I am trying to do much more regularly!) and try and use the free weights where possible as they, as well as working the muscles the exercise is aimed at, also have an effect on your core and well as on bone strength.

I think a well rounded weights routine would be more beneficial that focussing on pure lifting however if that is what gives you the focus and motivation then go for it. If just a rounded routine is more appealing then any gym with a PT will do you just fine.

Have a look at Stronglifts. It's a progressive weight lifting program with only 5 exercises split over 2 workouts. Great for core strength.

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

I have just started with some weights for the first time in about 10 years. Only two months in and can see the difference on the bike which is nice. Also the same as you, not interested in size, just keeping some strength.

My only tip would be to join a gym/club that you enjoy. I headed back to a 'normal' gym and lasted one session. Now part a small group exercise club and love it.

Used to do powerlifting, was a rugby league player for 20 years, our training very much focused on building muscle but by doing functional lifts. For instance, we would very rarely do bench press, shoulder press, curls etc. Lots of squats, deadlifts, cleans.
The movements can be quite complex and not necessary something you can do in a normal gym. It’s a noisy workout so you may find a local David Lloyd may not appreciate you dropping weights etc.
We also generally built up to this style of training as a progression, maybe just doing the basics before moving to learning the snatch. Form is critical, so personally I’d recommend you to go to a gym where this type of lifting is the norm.

I lift, but simpler rather than Olympic as I could do with some form coaching for that. So for now I deadlift, military press, bent over row + kettle bell work and plan to build something to enable back and front squats at some point as I have the bar and discs, but no way of lifting from a safe start point.

I'd recommend strength and conditioning training as way better than classes or other forms of exercise, but it suits me and I enjoy it, others may vary.

I did weightlifting for a few years, competed in local leagues for Snatch and Clean and Jerk. I was just curious to see how well I could do. Not done either lift for a few years now and got back into road cycling.

The only problem is as you get older (like over 30) explosive lifts get much harder as you just don't have as much fast twitch muscle fibre. If you stick to pure strength stuff, eg power lifting, it's not so much of an issue.

There's loads of technique in weightlifting (far more than power lifting) and it takes years to get half decent at the two lifts - especially Snatch, once you get to flipping body weight overhead in a deep squat, the bar only needs to be out by a few mm and you won't be able to correct it.

I have dropped heavy bars (> 60kg) on my head, neck, foot (that hurt the most). Back of the skull bleeds a lot too, did look like I'd been shot! I nearly passed out when I dropped 40kg on my big toe....

Thanks all

Form is critical, so personally I’d recommend you to go to a gym where this type of lifting is the norm.

Yeah, I'm very much aware of this, which is why I don't want to just go to a gym and 'do weights', plus, if I'm honest, a more structured approach would keep me better motivated.

I'd get a coach or join a weight lifting club. The Snatch and Clean and Jerk really need someone else watching to correct your movement.

Find a crossfit gym, they usually have oly lifting classes

Try squating with your arms directly overhead, now imagine it with 60kg in your hands on a bar. You will almost certainly have a few years ahead of working on mobility. NOT flexibility, this is at the opposite end of the strength spectrum.

Tried it in my 20s, also with powerlifting around the same time.

Kept it light for technique and "functional" strength rather than going for pure size and strength. Makes you work really hard, quite a time efficient way of training.

Now over 50 and looking for some sort of local gym that offers a decent mix of strength and core/flexibility workouts, so interested in thoughts on this thread.

Like a lot of others, not done Olympic lifting but have done weights as part of a strength & conditioning course - deadlifts, squats, bench press & row etc

There's something quite therapeutic about picking up heavy stuff just to put it down again.

We used to train alongside an Olympic lifting club, and its given me enormous respect for the mobility and technique involved. As a starter for 10 - grab a broom, stand with it held overhead as if it was a barbell, then see how far you can squat with it still balanced overhead and not leaning forward. I'm fairly mobile and I'm buggered if I can go full ass to grass.

I was really chuffed when I got a BW overhead squat...

I did it when about 14/15 yes old. It is ALL about technique. No disrespect to your age but can your knees cope with the range of movement required under load? If your serious, go to a proper BAWLA (if they still exist) club and go from there. Start with a broom handle, start with a broom handle deadlift, stretch a LOT.

My PBs @ 55kg were:
C&K 75kg
S 55kg
and a then British record for a one handed C&J (using Olympic bar) of 55kg (iirc).

At my (our) age, if I was to give it a bash now I'd not be competing, I'd avoid full depth lifts and use components of the training regimen for strength and power (power cleans, dead lift, jerk, squats to parallel etc).

No disrespect to your age but can your knees cope with the range of movement required under load?

Well, this is a concern, I do have an Officially Dodgy Knee.

No disrespect to your age but can your knees cope with the range of movement required under load?

There are lots of studies that show the body lays down more cartilage and increases bone density etc when you load joints, so the body can adapt very well to lifting heavy loads.

I think going from no to any lifting is a good move. I started general strength training at 40 and do less technical versions of Oly lifts. That's due to life long mobility not age.

Check out squat university on insta for tips on mobility work, biomechanics etc.
Any reputable programme will work a lot for you, and there's many.

Well, this is a concern, I do have an Officially Dodgy Knee.

This won't stop you doing it, it'll just mean you may find limitations that you'll need to work on.

Your suggestion of going to a weight lifting club is the best way to go about it. I did a 6 session into course a while ago.

My mobility is awful so I didn't enjoy it enough to continue beyond the intro knowing I'll forever be outlifted by someone half my weight, but I'm glad I've got the basics under my belt so I feel confident dropping the lifts into a workout when I fancy.

Oh and there's this, following the infographic will get most people into a far better place.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01490-1

Done some weight lifting for a couple years now not Olympic stuff though.

I'm in my mid 30's, I was very out of shape and wanted to get back into shape quick and needed some motivation so joined a personal training gym for a bit. Their style was aimed around weightlifting and bodybuilding, steady movements with good technique and not throwing or cheating the weights up. Idea was to work the whole body in ~45mins, start of with compound movements with largest muscles first finishing of with smaller muscles and isolating them. Exercises are done with only a small reset in between so it becomes a HIIT exercise and had some cardio benefits too.

They ensured they understood my background (ie none) and started me off on some basic movements with lighter wights or on cable machines for a few weeks before I was conditioned enough to do squats and deadlifts etc.

The steady and controlled manner in which they taught the movements meant I never got an injury. I got much stronger, lost a crap load of fat and was in much better shape. Also found it therapeutic, my mind was totally focused on doing the reps and making sure I don't drop a big heavy metal thing on my face and it was a great mental release from everyday worries.

I highly recommend it. Find a CrossFit gym or weightlifting gym or similar and get someone to train you how to do it properly as it will not only prevent injuries but also you'll get better gains.

I used to compete in my teens then had a bit of a break to my late 40s! I competed internationally for GBR at Masters level in my 50s.

It's a fantastic sport which is as much about flexibility and speed as strength; all of which are vitally important as we get older. You won't develop a bodybuilders a physique, but you will add functional muscle (especially quads and back) and improve bone density.

As mentioned a few times above, the lifts are quite complex and technical, so finding a coach is v. important. Luckily enough, there are plenty around and massively enthusiastic in helping learners.

Oh and there’s this, following the infographic will get most people into a far better place.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01490-1/blockquote >

Interesting, similar to Chris Beardsley

https://www.patreon.com/SandCResearch

https://www.facebook.com/StrengthandConditioningResearch

He puts out loads of summaries of all the latest research on S&C.

 

Form is critical, so personally I’d recommend you to go to a gym where this type of lifting is the norm.

Got to say that form was where a lot of the enjoyable challenge was for me in that space. I also had a great teacher in this and a good buddy who challenged me, never let me get away with poor technique and was supportive. That made it for me.

I do the strong lifts program 2 or 3:times a week. I've always enjoyed lifting weights. Have a fear of getting sand kicked in my face.

Never done oly lifts but have trained 'bodybuilder style' for a while, at one point really consistently, at this very moment not so much. When I was really focussed on it I've never been fitter, physique wise but also generally. For example - ran up Kinder Scout and only really noticed at the top that I'd barely broken a sweat and wasn't really out of breath. Similarly since I'd been focussed on weights I'd not ridden for a year, a local hill was always a full on grind, hard even in the granny gear etc. Rode up it with 3 cogs to spare and had power to accelerate at will. Probably as a result of squats and leg press.

One point to note though is that vs other exercise the effects of this kind of training are long lasting. It doesn't feel like cardio to me but it clearly has a massive impact on CV fitness. I've lost my physique a bit at the moment but on the occasions when time allows and I can get into a bit of a regime again it soon returns visibly. And after a 2 year layoff with no lifting and only a bit of riding, I walked into the gym again and picked up 100Kg deadlifts without really thinking about it. vs. when I first started, finding 40kg for reps hard work.

Lockdown has been interesting as I haven't been to the office since last March. I had my employer buy me a new chair as my back/hips were getting painful but it didn't really help. 2x full body workouts following my old plan sorted it out in a week...

Thanks all, interesting stuff.

Last night I tried a broom-handle squat, just to see. Blimey flipping charlie, at the bottom of the squat my arms were at an angle of what felt like about 45deg to the floor, they were very, very much not over my head. Trickier than it looks, innit?

I do more of the bodybuilder/strength training stuff as oppose to Olympic lifts. Work with a trainer, very similar experience to Jairaj's post above.

It's helped with my bad knee since I've built up leg strength. Physique is better too and much stronger than I used to be. I also enjoy going to the gym, doing the lifts and tracking my progress on each exercise.

The only thing I would add to what people above have said is that, if you get into it, you need to start monitoring/altering what you eat in terms of calories and (mainly) protein. As well as getting good sleep. It's more the recovery from the exercise that builds strength/muscle other than the weight lifts themselves.

For nutrition I initially used myfitnesspal just to get a real idea of what I was actually eating in terms of macros, it's a hassle but a nice way to start (and you can scan barcodes if you're eating stuff that has them). Some good info here on how to work out what you need to be consuming: https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a36092326/macro-calculator/

Also worth considering a daily good quality multivitamin, Vitamin D and Omega 3 (I have no nutritional credentials just repeating what my PT taught me at first) and not getting hung up on supplements, pre workout etc.

I always eat a bowl of muesli and milk for breakfast and I've really noticed the difference between just that (hungry sooner and craving sugary snacks) vs, adding a scoop of whey powder where I get none of that.

Last night I tried a broom-handle squat, just to see. Blimey flipping charlie, at the bottom of the squat my arms were at an angle of what felt like about 45deg to the floor, they were very, very much not over my head. Trickier than it looks, innit?

To be fair, once you use a bar and have a bit more weight above you, it helps keep you more upright. But shoulder flexion will improve as most people won't have the necessary range of motion as you just don't need it in everyday life...

I'm too broken to do olympic lifts, knackered ankle means I don't have the mobility to get into a deep front squat, and weird shoulders that are really bad at going overhead (MTB crashes + bass playing). However, if you're not damaged then it strikes me as a great reason to work on mobility and strength and speed - such a technical challenge.

Like many above, i don't really do the Olympic lifts as i don't feel safe doing them training alone in garage as all have stated, it really is about technique and form.

But with a squat rack and bench at home, i have really enjoyed getting back into doing the big Compound lifts again when lockdown started again. So bench press, squats, deadlifts etc. I tend to work on 3 x 8, as again being alone, i don't want to be lifting much higher weights that would be lower rep work. But have really noticed all round gains (and no back pain for over 2 years, when i used to suffer monthly).

Mark rippletoe seems to do a lot around correct form for lifting