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Do you even lift girl?

So yeah, just another noob girl trying to get fit and strong. You may have seen me around the transformation contest, but I'm serious now and planning on starting a proper training programme.

In the past I've done Insanity, fad diets, cardio-obsessing, pilates, tai chi, running, youtube-obsessing - basically anything you could think of, I've done it.

Anyway, one thing I haven't really got into and known what I was doing is weight lifting. Recently I've read so many articles and seen so many inspiring stories of lifters that I really want to start myself! So I found this programme on simply-shredded (or something) for female beginner weight lifters. It is 12 weeks long and incorporates HIIT and weight lifting 4 days a week for fat loss and muscle building, sounds great basically!

I am a complete beginner so this post won't have any 'stats' however I can squat quite well - I know this isn't very official, but I regularly squat with my 10 year old brother on my back for 3 sets of 12, he weighs about 30kg.

Anyways, this is probably getting too long now for the first post, but I should be taking my starting measurements and weight this weekend, with my first gym session this Sunday woohoo!

Stick around and watch me get strong!

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stick to it, you'll see results.
In b4 white knights.

What is the routine exactly?
(as in, which lifts on which days with which rep schemes)
Ok I know this isn't the weekend buuut Saturday night I got quite drunk... and was hungover the whole of yesterday! Didn't go to the gym, but tbh I was planning to officially start today anyway.

Starting stats: (metric units)
Weight: 75.3kg
Height: 170
Bust: 98
Waist: 79
Hips: 105
Left arm: 32
Right arm: 32
Left leg: 57
Right leg: 57

So I'm symmetrical huzzah!
Anyway for those who asked a detailed plan will be coming up on each workout day, but basically Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday are weight days. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekend mornings are HIIT cardio days (sprinting intervals) the reason it's these days is because I don't have time on Mondays and Wednesdays and cannot go to the gym, but have time to run.

Tuesday and Saturday are arm/chest/back days, Thursday and Sunday are leg days. For the first 4 weeks its 3 sets of 8-12, weeks 5-8 it's 3 sets of 6-8 and weeks 9-12 it's 3 sets of 4-6 reps.

This is a picture of all the exercises, it's a screen shot of parts 1 and 2 but part 3 is the same, just the reps are changed as I mentioned above:

1402899531163.jpg

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(edited 9 years ago)
Alrighty so today was day 1!
Didn't think it'd go amazingly because I had a headache all day, but took some painkillers and went for my run anyway.

HIIT: 10 min warm up brisk walk, 12 reps of 15 seconds sprinting followed by 45 seconds brisk walking. 10 min cool down brisk walk.
Was actually quite hard! If I hadn't been properly sprinting I may have been able to jog for 45 seconds instead of walking, but I found it challenging.

Food diary:
Cheerios with almond milk
Apple
Pot noodle
Peach and blueberries
Vegetable stir fry
One scoop protein shake

Not the healthiest of days but I haven't had a chance to pre prepare my meals from home for lunch so had to make do!

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Can we see some before pics please?
Reply 7
G'luck
Original post by Bassetts
Can we see some before pics please?


someone is thirsty
Original post by illusionz
someone is thirsty


Original post by Bassetts
Can we see some before pics please?


I would, but genuinely they're so shocking that I'm gonna save them until I have after pictures I can compare them to!

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Original post by danadd9
G'luck


Thanks!

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Day 2:
I realise you guys don't care about this much but this is mainly for me to record my progress and have something to look back at every week or whatever.
Went to the gym today for the first time (not ever haha) and did my upper body A workout.
Don't laugh at how weak I am hahaha

Bench press: 3x12 4kg
Lying tricep extension: 3x12 4kg
DB shoulder press: 3x12 4kg
DB curl: 3x12 4kg
Bent over row: 3x12 4kg

The two that I found the hardest, where I really struggled in the last set were the bent over row and the DB curl, although that may be because those were the last exercises.
Therefore next week will increase the first three more than the last two.
Also did a short warm up run and a few stretches and the plank etc after the weights.

Food diary:
Cheerios with almond milk
Apple
Cheese sandwich
Natural yogurt
Skittles (whoops)
2 scoop protein shake (post workout)
Grapes
Melon
Curried vegetables and lamb
One Thorntons chocolate

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Original post by marinajelly
Day 2:
I realise you guys don't care about this much but this is mainly for me to record my progress and have something to look back at every week or whatever.
Went to the gym today for the first time (not ever haha) and did my upper body A workout.
Don't laugh at how weak I am hahaha

Bench press: 3x12 4kg
Lying tricep extension: 3x12 4kg
DB shoulder press: 3x12 4kg
DB curl: 3x12 4kg
Bent over row: 3x12 4kg

The two that I found the hardest, where I really struggled in the last set were the bent over row and the DB curl, although that may be because those were the last exercises.
Therefore next week will increase the first three more than the last two.
Also did a short warm up run and a few stretches and the plank etc after the weights.


Gratz, you've done the hardest part which is actually getting yourself into the weights room. Just a word of warning, progression with dumbells can be quite hard because each one is quite a big jump up from the previous one. 6kg will be a 50% increase. Don't get disheartened if it takes a while.

If your gym has lower weight premade barbells then I'd advise you to try and use them. Mine for example has 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 25 etc
I started bench press with 6kg dumbbells, everyone starts on baby weights (apart from angry cucumber the genetic freak who started with 25kg dumbbells :P ) !


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Original post by Reps4Jesus
I started bench press with 6kg dumbbells, everyone starts on baby weights (apart from angry cucumber the genetic freak who started with 25kg dumbbells :P ) !


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Thanks that makes me feel better haha! Especially cos I'm a girl :wink:

Original post by illusionz
Gratz, you've done the hardest part which is actually getting yourself into the weights room. Just a word of warning, progression with dumbells can be quite hard because each one is quite a big jump up from the previous one. 6kg will be a 50% increase. Don't get disheartened if it takes a while.

If your gym has lower weight premade barbells then I'd advise you to try and use them. Mine for example has 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 25 etc


Yeah I'm using the weights from the 'floor area' where there are dumbells with 1kg difference up to 10kg, so I'll progress on them and then move up to the scary weights :biggrin:

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Original post by marinajelly
Day 2:
I realise you guys don't care about this much but this is mainly for me to record my progress and have something to look back at every week or whatever.
Went to the gym today for the first time (not ever haha) and did my upper body A workout.
Don't laugh at how weak I am hahaha

Bench press: 3x12 4kg
Lying tricep extension: 3x12 4kg
DB shoulder press: 3x12 4kg
DB curl: 3x12 4kg
Bent over row: 3x12 4kg

The two that I found the hardest, where I really struggled in the last set were the bent over row and the DB curl, although that may be because those were the last exercises.
Therefore next week will increase the first three more than the last two.
Also did a short warm up run and a few stretches and the plank etc after the weights.

Food diary:
Cheerios with almond milk
Apple
Cheese sandwich
Natural yogurt
Skittles (whoops)
2 scoop protein shake (post workout)
Grapes
Melon
Curried vegetables and lamb
One Thorntons chocolate

Posted from TSR Mobile


good commitment so far. diets looking great too. glad to see you're not depriving yourself of a bit of chocolate.
Original post by AreebWithaHat
good commitment so far. diets looking great too. glad to see you're not depriving yourself of a bit of chocolate.


Aw thanks! Yeah I know if I deprive myself I'll end up losing control which isn't good. Good to know there are no criticisms so far!

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Original post by Reps4Jesus
I started bench press with 6kg dumbbells, everyone starts on baby weights (apart from angry cucumber the genetic freak who started with 25kg dumbbells :P ) !


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Dem genetics

Tbf I've been on and off farming during my holidays for years, despite marathon training I worked on farms for 6 weeks during last summer. Genetics do play a role though.

My flatmate is ridiculous, looks aesthetic as hell despite never benching above 80kg for reps and hasn't touched a barbell since Xmas due to marathon training again!

Trained with him a few times last week... He still has a 150kg DL for 1
Can bench 80kg for 2 and matched me on farmers walk.

He's 65kg

Goddamn his genetics!

OP congrats on going to the gym, will keep up to date!
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(edited 9 years ago)
Day 3:
Wow my arms hurt today! Not loads, but definitely aching.
HIIT run today, but I've stepped it up to 15 minutes of intervals, and last time I did 12. Was quite hard because I was so hot, been really sunny today

Food diary:
Cheerios with almond milk (big surprise)
Apple
Tuna sandwich
Natural yogurt
Skittles (this needs to stop)
Grapes
Peach
1.5 scoop protein shake
Vegetable pizza
Salad (lemon dressing)
One Thorntons chocolate

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(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by marinajelly
I would, but genuinely they're so shocking that I'm gonna save them until I have after pictures I can compare them to!

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I don't mind. I'd still love to see some. :smile:

Original post by Angry cucumber
Dem genetics

Tbf I've been on and off farming during my holidays for years, despite marathon training I worked on farms for 6 weeks during last summer. Genetics do play a role though.

My flatmate is ridiculous, looks aesthetic as hell despite never benching above 80kg for reps and hasn't touched a barbell since Xmas due to marathon training again!

Trained with him a few times last week... He still has a 150kg DL for 1
Can bench 80kg for 2 and matched me on farmers walk.

He's 65kg

Goddamn his genetics!

OP congrats on going to the gym, will keep up to date!
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Who cares how much he can lift. We go to the gym to look better. Strength is fairly meaningless in this day and age. Unless you want to go and break a world strength record, the only benefit of being able to lift that much at that weight is boasting among your bro-gym friends. No one in the real world gives a damn.

In my opinion, it's much better to actually look like you lift and look like you're strong, even if your bodyweight:strength ratio is a bit worse than some skinnier guy who doesn't look like he lifts. Do you see what I'm getting at?
(edited 9 years ago)

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