What's Your Definition of Heavy?.?.?

[BrotherIron]

All this talk about getting older and not lifting heavy made me wonder... what's your definition of "heavy".

Is it a set number like 300lbs, 400lbs, 500lbs OR a multiple of your bodyweight, 1.5x bodyweight, 2x bodyweight, 2.5x bodyweight?

 

[JAXNY]

There is no number imo..
It would all depend on an individuals physical capabilities. How heavy can you lift at an older age without injuring yourself or worsening an injury.
Lift as heavy as you can up until that point. That will be your new heavy.
It might not be as heavy as you use to lift but its heavy for your current physical condition at your older age.
I always go heavy. I push myself to my limit. But as time passes that limit gets a little less.

 

[Bro Bundy]

Everyone that goes heavy gets hurt and is out of the this game .Its not good
for longevity

 

[JuiceTrain]

Anything that keeps you under 3-4reps imo

 

[BrotherIron]

There is no number imo..
It would all depend on an individuals physical capabilities. How heavy can you lift at an older age without injuring yourself or worsening an injury.
Lift as heavy as you can up until that point. That will be your new heavy.
It might not be as heavy as you use to lift but its heavy for your current physical condition at your older age.
I always go heavy. I push myself to my limit. But as time passes that limit gets a little less.

That's a very good point. As we get older our "heavy" changes. What was once easy may become heavy and what was heavy may no longer be in our grasp.

Anything that keeps you under 3-4reps imo

A coach of mine used to say... if you can rep out the weight it ain heavy.

 

[Jin]

Half of what you lift?

 

[tinymk]

Heavy is up to the individual and where he is at on that given day. I always said if you can rep it, it is not heavy also if it causes you to be nervous. Big weight approach requires an athlete performance to be successful.

 

[stonetag]

To define heavy didn't come in one day for me, it was a slow lead up to where I stand today. Trial and error. Pain and soreness equaling the error part. The hardest person to convince, unfortunately, was myself that age was playing a huge part in "heavy".

 

[Sicwun88]

Going heavy for me means,
Working with weight I can only get 2-4 reps
Then adding weight even if it's 2 & half pounds and getting 1 rep!

 

[BrotherJ]

It's all relative to the individual and what their limits are, bio-mechanics, weight/height etc...i.e. Stefi Cohen squatting 495lbs at 120lbs is a ****ing feat

 

[CJ]

When the DBs don't have colors. :32 (20):

 

[Adrenolin]

Hot, cold, skinny, fat, short, tall, small, big, light, heavy.... it's always going to be relative to the individual.

That said even particular days can change what I determine to be heavy.

 

[ken Sass]

heavy is heavy at 60 it keeps getting to be less weight lol

 

[Uncle manny]

I’d say 5 reps and under, maybe even say rpe 8,9,10. However it is subjective to the individual like stated above.

Talked with my friend earlier today about this. His cardiologist told him to “cut the heavy lifting shit out” my buddy is only 33, been lifting since he was 20, smaller, fit kinda guy trains for aesthetics and enjoyment. Gets tendinitis like we all do and some aches here and there. And his idea of heavy is 4-6 reps which he doesnt do too often. I said Wtf is your cardiologist to tell you that? Does he lift? “No he runs and said cardio vascular health is more important after 30” I said wow what an idiot. My friend does cardio 3-5x a week. I told him don’t let any one put dumb ideas in your head and then you go and limit yourself. Listen to your own damn body you wanna go heavy, do so just program it properly and keep on with the same cardio you do. Some doctors out there can be plain stupid when it comes to training and nutrition.

 

[John Ziegler]

heavy would be barely being able to push or pull a weight properly more than twice

 

[Adrenolin]

heavy would be barely being able to push or pull a weight properly more than twice

After 20 reps of 315 on bench, the weight becomes very "heavy"

 

[Seeker]

Try carrying a baby grand piano on your back down a flight of stairs. That's fuking heavy

 

[Adrenolin]

Try carrying a baby grand piano on your back down a flight of stairs. That's fuking heavy

I know the feels. Used to work for a moving company in college. Those assholes called me for all the pianos, weight sets, safes, gun safes, commercial server racks etc

 

[John Ziegler]

After 20 reps of 315 on bench, the weight becomes very "heavy"

in 1987 my dad at 220lbs has a documented 800.0 kg/1760.0 lb total in USPF single ply master "heavy"

 

[Adrenolin]

in 1987 my dad at 220lbs has a documented 800.0 kg/1760.0 lb total in USPF single ply master "heavy"

Cool, that's strong! Do you compete as well?

I've only competed raw, but never totaled all 3 lifts in a given weight class.

475@235 for bench (10yrs ago in 2010 partially tore my left pec hittin a triple in training with 515@272)

675@272 squat
725@272 dead

But now with a broken L4 and herniated discs (from a triple digit speed car accident) as well as prior pec injury I don't go higher than 315 on bench, or 405 on squats/deads.