So, I'm lifting and I like it.

Except I feel like a wuss because I can only consistently bench press (with good form) 40 lbs in one set of 10 reps. Just moved up from 24 lbs, and I actually feel the 40 lbs working me properly where the 24 lbs wasn't enough.

Does anyone know if lifting weights increases testosterone levels even by a little bit in women? In my understanding, birth control puts hormone levels out of whack and I'm starting to feel less emotional and more "in check", just a little though, ever since I started lifting the more challenging weight.

Anyway I think all women should take up weight lifting. It's great! I haven't lost any more weight simply becuase I got all "Late Night Denny's" for the past 3 weeks, finals kind of consumed my sanity. Hopefully soon I'll get my act together; My problem is I don't eat till like 6 PM every day and gorge. Gotta get in the habit of eating breakfast >.< and waking up in a sane fashion.

Whoo hoo! Yay lifting!

Not sure about increasing T levels, but exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don't shoot ther husbands.... that last part probably didn't need to be said.

Yay!

Everybody's got to start somewhere...  I ran into a couple of guys at the gym yesterday doing push presses - one with 135# and one (the bigger guy actually!) really struggling with 90#.  It made me smile because the 90# guy had a really good attitude about it - he cracked a couple of jokes about not wanting to intimidate the other folks in the weight room with the massive amount of weight he was putting on the bar.

It always really makes me smile to see *guys* at the gym like that, who find a weight that works for them, not just one that works for their ego!  As girls, we have no choice but to swallow our pride - 90% of the other people in the weight room will be lifting heavier than us.  It is just a little bit annoying when you break a personal squat record... and then some guy comes in behind you and warms up with your PR. Ugh.

About the bench press - are you using two dumbbells, or a barbell? If you use a barbell, you'll be able to lift more, because your stronger arm will compensate for your weaker arm. Which isn't really a good thing - better to let the weak arm catch up - but it's a nice ego boost.

Also, you can try bench pressing on an incline, just to switch things up.

I used to love lifting.  I took a strength training course first semester in college.  It really got me into lifting and fitness (prior I'd play sports (not exeling in any thing inparticular), pick up game here and there w/ friends, rode bikes and gym class but no formal workouts).  I'd watch the guys pumping iron.  Heck I'd look at everyone.  I used to get a rush becase despite being small (in frame and stature) I lifted more that the other women/girls in class.  I'd especially get a rush when I could lift more than a couple the guys (albeit the smaller guys but never the less I was lifting more than a man and that just put me thought the roof.

Good luck in school and lifting and all your endevours.

I just started a weight program, and love it too!  I like feeling strong and seeing my progress.

In answer to your question, I googles "Does weight lifting increase testosterone in women."  This is one of the articles I came across - don't know if the science is good, but here it is:http://fitness.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_e xercise_improves_sex.  It says that yes, a long, grueling weight workout can spike testosterone in women.

And here is a journal abstract that says that the testosterone in women did increase, but not significantly: http://www.springerlink.com/content/uhl134071 21003u5/

Don't really know what small testosterone level spikes really mean in the real world, besides the love life article, but there it is.

Original Post by amethystgirl:

Whoo hoo! Yay lifting!

Not sure about increasing T levels, but exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don't shoot ther husbands.... that last part probably didn't need to be said.

 lol I love that movie.

But yes, what everyone else said. I'm pretty wimpy too, but after a month I've managed to increase everything by ten pounds (except dumbell shoulder presses, I still struggle with them and am stuck on ten pounds as lame as that is). I felt so good yesterday because one of the trainers noticed I was doing sixty pounds on the lat pulldown and complimented me, and I was about to go up to seventy when he said that. You'll get stronger if you work at it. Everyone had to start somewhere, right?

I'll jump in here and put my 2c in for what it's worth (2c).  Unless you are competitively lifting the amount of weight isn't really significant anyway. Sure, we all like to say we can bench 125, or 250 or 300... whatever but when you're lifting for fitness the important thing is generating that burn or fatigue feeling in the muscles! I've been weightlifting with a trainer since I quit smoking in 2001. When I started, I struggled with 70 lbs @ 10 reps and even though I haven't been trying to bulk up at all, I can comfortably knock out 10 reps at 155. The important thing here is that the benefit to your health and fitness is realized when you fatigue the muscle and cause your body either strengthen the existing tissue or create more. The numbers are great for our egos of course, but in the final analysis the real deal is how your body responds to the exercise.

I started just over a week ago and I love it too! I am sooo lucky to have a gym at work - 99% of the time I am in there by myself, so its really nice.

I can already see that I can knock out more reps than the last time I did it.

I am moving up to heavier weights next week. I LIKE to feel my muscles working. Its way more satisfying than just the treadmill.

Original Post by danaofdoom:

I'm pretty wimpy too, but after a month I've managed to increase everything by ten pounds (except dumbell shoulder presses, I still struggle with them and am stuck on ten pounds as lame as that is). I felt so good yesterday because one of the trainers noticed I was doing sixty pounds on the lat pulldown and complimented me, and I was about to go up to seventy when he said that.

Keep in mind that when you are increasing weight, you are increasing by a certain percent. So going from 10lb to 15lb might only seem like a 5lb increase, but you are actually increasing the weight by 50%!

Whereas increasing from 60lb to 70lb (way to go!) is only going up 17% - which isn't bad, by a long shot, but it's to be expected that it'll take you longer to progress in weights for the shoulder presses than it will for the lat pulldowns

Original Post by amethystgirl:

About the bench press - are you using two dumbbells, or a barbell? If you use a barbell, you'll be able to lift more, because your stronger arm will compensate for your weaker arm. Which isn't really a good thing - better to let the weak arm catch up - but it's a nice ego boost.

Also, you can try bench pressing on an incline, just to switch things up.

I am using two dumbbells for everything, as I don't have room to use a bar here. I really like dumbbells though, to be honest. I like bars for curling.

I don't really have any advice that hasn't been said, but go you for getting into lifting! I have been lifting weights since January and I LOVE IT. I just started New Rules of Lifting for Women recently and it's kicking my ass though...and I thought I was pretty fit!

The important thing is to always work as hard as you can, don't focus on the weight you're lifting, focus on how great it makes you feel! I feel really empowered after I finish a tough workout :)

I must say it kind of sucks upping the weight and really pushing yourself when you're an art major/hobby painter like me. The next day my arms are so sore and quivering that I can't hold my paint brush steady to paint my 28 mm figures. Is this lactic acid buildup or just 'deal-with-it-fatigue'?

My first piece of advice would be to adjust your nutrition plan. You should start trying to eat 5-6 small meals a day (1 meal every 2 1/2 - 4 hours) to speed up metabolism. You also want to start getting a lot of protein (1 gram per pound of bodyweight) to help repair and strengthen the muscles, and good complex carbs from whole grains and vegetables. Also a lot of water. Nutrition can play a big part in how well your workouts go and with how fast you recover. If you are not eating until late in the day and you are binge eating, that might be why your progress is not moving forward as much as you would like.

It is great to see that you love lifting as a whole. I would recommend working in some barbell training with your bench and other pressing exercises for variety. If you always use dumbbells your body will adapt and your progress will slow way down. If you are interested in getting stronger, you want to use a weight that you can only do 4-6 reps with. Also make sure that you only lift each muscle group once per week. Muscles and overall strength develop outside of the gym from rest and proper nutrition.

The last piece of the puzzle is just to stick with it and be patient.