Weightlifting advice? - Chest SO much bigger than arms.

coach wrote:

Ever use battling ropes? You get a nice pump in your arms

Did someone say battle ropes?

This is a great program. Should help somewhat to work out any muscle imbalances.

Squats, Deads, increase 10 lb/week

Bench, Row, OHP, increase 5 lb/week

Dips, Pullups, Abs, Curls, Reverse Fly

If I were you I'd keep doing the lifting you've been doing and not worry about actually trying to gain weight and focus on specifics. If you keep up with the pull ups, bench, squats and deadlifts you'll get stronger and gain some muscle and as long as you're running a good bit, you'll start to get that lean look too in addition to some extra muscle. Make sure you're eating enough, and keep lifting and running.

Isn't your goal to go to foot lockers in 2019? Better go get them miles in

Since this thread has gotten some great responses, I'd like to ask a question. One of my training partners at the gym (F60, slight build, 2 years lifting experience) complains that she has no definition on her upper arms. The muscles are visible when she lifts, but only barely. Most of the other 40-ish women in our class who lift as much as she does have very defined upper body definition. What exercises would you suggest? Running is secondary to lifting, or whatever this would be called... body sculpting?

125# bench as max. Trust me, you do not need to worry too much about being disproportionate. I'm sure you can hardly fit through doorways with that type of strength. It takes years to build big arms, just keep lifting your body parts equally and you will be fine (no need to worry about disproportion). Here is the routine I have fallen into now that I am older, have kids and have less time to work out:

Two times per week upper body:

3 circuits : Bench, Lat Pull Downs (or pull ups), triceps press, dumbbell curls, crunches (you can do the whole circuit without really resting as you are working complementary muscle groups, just get water / rest a minute at the end of each circuit).

3 circuits : Dumbell fly (or incline press), Seated Row, triceps extensions, preacher curls, incline situps with medicine ball

You should be able to do the whole routine in under 30 minutes.

Two times per week lower body and core:

3 circuits: Walking lunges with dumbells or kettlebells, Alternating leg crunches, Reverse crunches

3 circuits: Clean and Jerk, Leg Lifts, Kick Backs

3 circuits: Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Side Crunches, Superman/Banana

Again, you should be able to get through the whole workout in under 30 minutes

As far as reps are concerned, more is better, typically the sweet spot is working with a weight you can handle for 8-12 reps. Core exercise closer to 30-50 reps.

I think whatever you pick being stronger or looking good, work on getting stronger first (for 6 months to a year) as it will make lifting to look good more effective in the longer term, both in terms of gains and injury prevention. You'd still make looks gains while getting strong too.

I highly doubt your chest is massive if you are benching 115lbs for a maximum of 6 reps haha

No benching is a great chest workout.you can do benching, pushups (3+3), dips, incline dumbbell press, cross.and arms work out is bicep curls, concentration, bicep common, try to push down that’s it. I think it will work on your body perfectly.

Talks from ones anus wrote:

I highly doubt your chest is massive if you are benching 115lbs for a maximum of 6 reps haha

ahha youd be surprised

LM wrote:

Well, that won't take long. At most that should take you half a year to gain perhaps 10lbs of muscle, which will easily take you to that look.

I just started weightlifting 7 weeks ago. I am also going for the 800m look (switching down distances). The Fierce 5 program that was posted on this thread is what I'm using. I have gained 7 lbs in 7 weeks. Granted, I have always been very lean (5'3" and 112 lbs), but bigger weight gain than 1/2 lb a week is definitely possible. I also started this while I was injured from running, so I went from 100+ mpw to nothing. Over the last 3 weeks I've been building my mileage up very slowly.

This week I've been phasing out curls and reverse dumbbell flies. I added in standing calf raises (opposite day of seated calf raises...they work 2 separate parts of the calves). I also added eccentric hamstring drops on opposite days of the RDLs. This is for reasons already mentioned. I don't want those particular gains to be a better runner. Once I get the correct BMI, which should be another 10 lbs or so, I will start to switch focus to plyos and running specific stuff, particularly a James Radcliffe type of routine (Nick Symmond's weight coach) and just maintain my size.

Hope this helps!