Weights on Barbells = ??

[olexa17]

Good morning everyone, I posted this in Ask Cathe but thought I would post here too for your input:

This could be an incredibly silly question but as someone just starting to do all my new Cathe videos, I am curious - on the dumbells, when you say, "I'm using 40LBS" does that mean you have 40LBS of plates on the barbell or 40 LBS of weight TOTAL including the weight of the actual barbell?

I know that I am doing the weight according to what my body can handle, but I was curious. I started doing a DVD yesterday where you had 40LBs and I had 2 10lbs plates on my barbell (which is 8lbs). Just curious.

Also, I am much stronger in my LB already than my UB. Right now my bench at home does not have that 'holder' for the barbell so my barbell is on the floor. I feel like I could go heavier for LB barbell work but to lift that barbell over my head....I don't know I feel like we'll need to get a contraption similar to a Smith machine so I can get underneath it.
Does this make any sense? Just wanting to be safe and not swing out my back lifting weight for LB when my UB strength hasn't caught up yet.

Thanks for any advice...and hope you are recovering!!!

Kelly

 

[atiman]

Does that mean you have 40 LBS of weight TOTAL including the weight of the actual barbell? Yes.

I have a stronger LB than upperbody, too. I ended up joining a gym to get anything above 65lbs up and over my head.

Some people here wear a weighted vest to heavy it up.


Namita

 

[LauraMax]

Yes, I count the weight of the barbell. Heck, if I didn't I'd be lifting hardly any weight at all--like with the bench press, the barbell weighs more than twice as much as the plates I use.

Also with machines I count the weight of the machine. Like the leg press machine weighs at least 25 lbs without plates (the older ones weigh more like 45-50 lbs), so I add that in too.

 

[kathryn]

> I am much stronger in my LB already than my UB. Right
>now my bench at home does not have that 'holder' for the
>barbell so my barbell is on the floor. I feel like I could go
>heavier for LB barbell work but to lift that barbell over my
>head....I don't know I feel like we'll need to get a
>contraption similar to a Smith machine so I can get underneath
>it.

That is normal, the lower body muscles are larger than upper body, and lifting a weight over your head doesn't use the largest upper body muscles (back and chest), but the smaller shoulder muscles.

For safety, determine the heaviest weight your shoulders can lift overhead and onto your back with good form (no struggling: the shoulder joint can be prone to injury), then don't use heavier than that on a barbell. Make up extra weight by wearing a weighted vest or belt (some ankle weights can be linked together to make a belt).

There are such things as free=standing barbell racks (two separate posts with a support near the top to hold the barbell) that you could get at home. Then set the barbell in the racks, add more weight plates as needed, squat under the racks to put the bar on your back, then back out of the racks to do the squats or lunges, etc.

 

[olexa17]

Thanks - that sounds like what I need. I am glad to know I am not the only one in this position. DH and I want to make our home gym even more complete so we will begin looking for this probably this weekend!

Thanks everyone,

K