Not sure what to do...

B

babalou64

Member
Hi Cathe,
I just purchased a 100 pound barbell set since I want to start lifting heavier to build strength...so far I have been using up to 25 pound dumbells in each hand for squats and lower body moves. My problem is when I got home and set up the barbell with ~ 45 pounds I could not get it up onto my shoulders! I could swear that I have been lifting heavier than that with the dumbells, but of course I don't lift that weight above my head. I'm not sure if I should bag the barbell since I will never be able to get it above my head with the weight that would challenge my legs----any advise or thoughts on this?

Lisa
 
You've discovered the problem with trying to lift heavy at home: it's impossible to lift a heavy enough weight to really challenge the legs if you have to get it up over your head, as you do when you take it from the floor. The shoulders are the weak link (and trying to muscle it up can cause injury to them).

Some solutions:
A weighted vest or belt can add weight above and beyond what your shoulders can safely handle. I have determined what my 'shoulder safe' weight limit is, and add a weighted vest on top of that weight.

A squat rack. This puts the bar in a position (BEFORE you add plates to it) where you can duck under and place it on your shoulders. Several types have been mentioned in various threads here and there. Some are space hogs, but there are some two-piece versions that are much more storable. (I'm not at home now, which is where I have a bookmark to somewhere that sells these, maybe www.power-systems.com ?).

I have a Soloflex Rockit that I use for heavy leg work (but it's pricey--I got mine several years ago at a discount).

If you have a strong person around to help spot, that person could help you get the bar in place.
 
Don't get rid of that barbell.

I am an upper body weanie, but just recently, after all the heavy weight training I have been doing, I have finally been able to lift a 45 and even a 50 pound barbell over my head a few times!

it i possible to build up upper body strength, you have to work at it in a disciplined fashion and this will come as you progress with your training.

What I have to do to use a barbell over 45 pounds is make use of the furniture around me. I use a table that my kids have as a computer table, and I load up the plates, lift the barbell onto the table, then squat down underneath it and roll the barbell onto my shoulders and then push to standing, which is already one squat achieved!

It is much easier to get the barbell back off the shoulders than it is to get it up over the head onto the shoulders.

So, take a look at the furniture in your house and see what you can use. Maybe even some old shelving?

You could even invest in a relatively inexpensive squat rack and problem solved! Take a look at the following Gold's Gym XRS 20 squat rack, go to walmart.com, click on sports & fitness, then on exercise & fitness, then on weight benches and you will find it. It is the cheapest one around and great value for money. Several people on these forums have recently purchased it.

Clare
 
Lisa - I'm not Cathe, but I'll suggest a couple of strategies that do NOT include bagging the barbell. Getting the barbell over the shoulders takes core strength as well as shoulder strength and coordination; it takes practice but is well worth the effort.

Starting with a 25-lb total barbell load, try to get that weight load over the shoulders and see how that feels. If it feels like nothing at all, then put another 5 lbs (evenly distributed) on the BB and try that. Once you've gotten to the heaviest weight load you can manage safely and with good trunk form, work with that weight load for your squats and lunges. If you already have a weight vest or weight belt (I think a weight belt around the trunk would be better), use that to make up the difference between the weight of the BB and what you were used to with dumbbells.

If you don't have a weight belt / vest, I would execute a nice, slow controlled leg set with the barbell at the heaviest load you can safely hike over the shoulders, then do a bonus burn set with your heavier dumbbell weightload.

Either way you go, you'll be surprised at how quickly you are able to up the BB weight load as long as you are consistent with it.

HTH -

A-JOck
 
I'm having the same problem as you. What I have resorted to doing is 1 leg squats because it is 1 leg doing all the work instead of both and your 1 leg WILL fatigue. It basically looks like a lunge but your legs stay stationary as you move up and down. I think Cathe has called them split squats in the slow and heavy workout.

Another thing I do is stand in a lunge position and I place the back leg's foot on a chair (laces on the chair). I then go up and down slowly from that position holding heavy dumbells at my side. Your 1 leg is doing all the work.

Last thing I do is step ups on a chair with heavy dumbells in my hands. I think it works the legs and butt even more than ATG heavy squats.
 
I just want to thank everyone for all the great suggestions! I will try them and eventually become stronger and possibly lift that barbell!
Thanks a million!
 
If you have the room for a squat rack or anything like one, such as what Kathryn suggested, I think they are SO worth it. Since DH and I purchased one, I've been squatting with up to 90 pounds (I say this not to brag, just to show how much my squatting weight has improved - I started squatting with 20 pounds thinking that was heavy). Before the squat rack I used to lift 60 pounds over my head to squat (VERY carefully) but I realized I probably couldn't get much heavier without the squat rack. It's been the best piece of fitness equipment we own (even better than the treadmill).

Carolyn
 
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