Comments on: How much can you lift?

By: Tuesday 100105 « CrossFit Breakaway

Tuesday 100105 « CrossFit Breakaway — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:53:06 +0000

[...] a recent discussion here on strength standards for women, I have come up with some standards using the collective [...]

By: Chantelle

Chantelle — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:38:06 +0000

Thanks for that, i’ll try and use that as a guide. If anyone else has any other resources that may be useful, especially weight standards specifically related to machine weights that would also be a great help.

By: gubernatrix

gubernatrix — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:23:19 +0000

Hi Chantelle,

I followed this article up with a post dealing with that very topic – strength standards for women. I am using free weights exercises rather than machines but I am sure you can extrapolate.

Have a read at http://gubernatrix.co.uk/2008/12/strength-standards-for-women/

I’ll also add this as a link to this article.

By: Chantelle

Chantelle — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:17:28 +0000

Hi,

I recently went to the gym and collected my 1RM’s on some of the gym machines including the seated leg press, lat pull down, seated row, hip abbductors and abductors etc. However, im trying to find baseline averages of what is considered a reasonable standard of weight for women to be able to lift so that i know what i need to work on. Of course it varies according to age, ability etc etc, but need something as a rough guide. Im only 20 and 5’1 so of course standards will vary slightly but if anyone knows where i can find these sort of things it would be greatly appreciated

By: Strength standards for women - weight training, strength, fitness, weights, losing fat, women's weight training, bodyweight, free weights, powerlifting, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, bodybuilding, olympic weightlifting

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:14:18 +0000

[...] a recent discussion here on strength standards for women, I have come up with some standards using the collective [...]

By: gubernatrix

gubernatrix — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:34:21 +0000

Thanks everyone for your comments! You’ve all provided great information and food for thought. I will be condensing this info into another blog post so that the main points are captured concisely, as I think people will find it useful.

By: gubernatrix

gubernatrix — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:31:14 +0000

Yep, I agree with you guys that focussing on bodyweight is a fair and practical way to assess progress whatever the sex of the lifter. It’s also much more motivating for the person lifting less who may well have a better strength to weight ratio.

By: Blaine Moore

Blaine Moore — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:59:41 +0000

My operating assumption for women is about the same as it is for men – compare based on body weight. If 2 people are just as serious about working out, then a man will probably be able to lift more than the woman, but you rarely see 2 people at the same level of intensity for each gender. So, set the standards as the same, and if the women can’t lift as much, then so be it. There’s plenty that can lift more than I can, though.

No matter what your gender, start easy, learn good form, and increase the weight when what you are doing seems easy.

By: Ross

Ross — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:11:07 +0000

It might be a very simple system, but my girlfriend and I both just keep adding the weights until it we can’t lift it, then practise until we can.

To keep it competitive between us we go on % of BW, so even if she’s lifting half of what I am, she might still be kicking my butt! This gives us the drive to perform better (mainly so she can gloat!), meaning we slowly work towards what we “should” be lifting.

By: gubernatrix

gubernatrix — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:12:03 +0000

@ Boris: USeful standards, cheers! And yes, I wouldn’t want anyone to panic about how much they ‘should’ be lifting – just to have something to aim for.

@ Bonnie: your story sounds very similar to mine – it has taken a while to find out firstly what is feasible and secondly what is ambitious, taking it that bit further and getting competitive!

@ Taylor: Those are good numbers – hopefully your (female) clients are picking up on this and setting their sights high as well.

@ Darren: I’d go along with those standards. I’d also hope that anyone reading this site is squatting to below parallel if they are able to!