Casey Johnston, the writer behind the She's A Beast newsletter and Liftoff, joins us today to answer any and all questions you have on strength training, weight-lifting, exercise, and more.
If you’re not familiar with her, she’s written extensively about all of these topics in a number of publications and been profiled in GQ, New York magazine, Slate and the Atlantic, and given interviews on a number of podcasts over the years.
Her focus? It’s on why lifting weights is for everyone — not (or, not only) about getting huge, but about creating a different relationship with your body.
I’m excited to have her here with us today, because she brings such a wealth of knowledge and experience (and a voice of reason) to this topic, as I know many of us have questions about strength training and what, exactly, we should do with it.
Go ahead and post any question you have in the comments, and Casey will join us in just a little bit to answer them. I really look forward to hearing your thoughts and questions! — Terrell
I just went through a medical ordeal and lost over twenty pounds. Speaking frankly, I've got a little loose flesh around my middle. I don't want to put those pounds back on, but what are the best exercises I can do to tighten that flesh back up? Right now I'm doing two sets of 50 leg lifts and crunches twice a day. I heard that regular sit-ups aren't as good. HELP!!!
Unfortunately there are not any exercises that tighten loose skin; only surgery will do that. If you want to change your body composition or build muscle, laying some foundational groundwork with strength training is a great way to start doing that. You can do something really basic, like LIFTOFF or Stronglifts if you can already handle a barbell.
Hi there Casey! My main question is, as someone who's lifted weights in the past in a gym -- but did it all under the supervision of a trainer, and therefore didn't actually learn much about what I was doing -- where would you tell that person to start? Do I need a gym membership -- is that a must? -- or are there things I can do on my own, starting today? Especially if I've never done it before. Thanks!
This is a good question! To be honest, "how do I get started with strength training?" was the absolute top question people asked me for years after I started writing Ask A Swole Woman. I wrote LIFTOFF to give as complete of an answer to that question as I could, for the widest audience of people. That's why it starts with basic bodyweight movements and stresses really learning good form, and progresses upward into dumbbells and barbells. You don't need a gym to start, or any equipment, really, you just need a little floor space. If you've never done any strength training before, you will get a ton out of Phase One of LIFTOFF.
Eventually, I recommend investing in a gym membership, just because when you look at the cost of the equipment it takes to allow you to linearly progress in the weights you lift (adding a little weight anew every session), a membership is pretty solid bang for your buck. Many people don't know this, but independent non-chain gyms also tend not to have weird predatory contracts that lock you in for a year; most let you pay for even just a day at a time for a few bucks to try it out.
The best possible thing you can do, in my opinion, is invest in knowledge about good form and body mechanics. You do have to sit down and learn some things, unfortunately, haha, but it's knowledge that will pay off many times over, all over the place in your daily life. While I think it's incredibly gratifying in ways people will be surprised by to learn to use heavy weights, really learning solid mechanics even just for bodyweight stuff will give you a taste of what is available to you there.
1 - Depends on your goals! If you are already quite strong and generally active and just want to maintain, you can get away with twice or maybe even once a week. If you are trying to actively build strength, three days a week is usually considered the minimum for progressing consistently enough that it won't feel meandering. A crucial thing most people don't know is you don't have to go on building strength forever; giving it a focus for even three months could make a big difference in your understanding of strength as it relates to your body.
2 - Again, this depends on your goals; if you already have a good amount of strength and are just maintaining, you can get a lot done in 20 minutes if you have access to all the equipment you need and manage you time well. When people are doing LIFTOFF, I tell them to allot about 15-20 minutes for the first phase that is just bodyweight movements, and then 30-40 minutes once they start adding weights in.
3 - A good rule of thumb for non elite athletes (most of us! me included!) is that you probably can't pursue two very different goals at once. You can't build strength and train for your first half marathon ever at the same time (or, you can, but you are far more likely to end up exhausted and frustrated than is necessary). If you are training for a first race, whether it's a half or a full, or trying to significantly improve your performance for one, you don't want to set your expectations at "also building significant strength at the same time with additional training sessions." But there is not an inherent difference in how you'd mix in strength training for a half vs a full marathon; it depends very much on what you are already adapted to. But just because you are not BUILDING strength doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't do strength training; runners do strength training to hold onto what they have, cross train, maintain mobility, lots of other things.
What is the basic equipment I can use at home to build overall body strength, burn 5-10 pounds of excess fat, keep me walking/ running strong into my 80’s and beyond? I have 20 minutes 3x a week to dedicate to your recommended routine. Please keep it Simple, Quick & Affordable. Thanks
I think there are a lot of ways I could answer this that I feel would not be entirely honest. But "simple quick and affordable" reminds me of "good, fast, or cheap--pick two" (cf https://medium.com/swlh/the-big-lie-of-good-fast-cheap-fb8905818250). I don't think there is anything I could suggest that would accomplish all of these goals that would also be all three things.
If you want something simple, quick, and affordable that will help you get a better grasp of body mechanics and mobility, you can work on compound body weight movements at home (this is what Phase One of LIFTOFF is designed around). This ultimately won't build much overall body strength, but it's a good learning experience for sure. I would say this is fast and cheap, but not necessarily "good" all on its own in terms of the goals you list, but it's a great way to start.
If you want to build strength at home and absolutely would never go to a gym, the single best piece of equipment you can buy is a set of adjustable dumbbells that go up to about 50lbs each. These can be fairly easy to get secondhand if cost is an issue! It compares unfavorably to monthly gym fees but some people just can't make a gym work. You can really build a good bit of strength once you bring some heavy dumbbells into the mix. But I admit they are not terribly affordable. This is the fast and good approach.
The "good and cheap" would be joining an affordable gym where all the equipment is, where you can let bodyweight work carry you into progressing with weights you lift. This is the most likely one to meet your goal to build strength or change body composition, but it's not "fast"--it will take a few months, and going to a gym is of course slightly more time-consuming.
I'm sorry not to have an answer that hits all the marks! But I do believe that giving time and space to strength training is just about one of the most rewarding things you can do, even if it's only for a few months. And then you can go back to your life, having built up that strength, and it will never be as hard to build that strength again as it was to build it in the first place. In a way, you keep it forever!
Squats, deadlifts, and probably some single-leg work like b-stance RDLs, step-back lunges, or split squats. Doing a linear progression with compound movements (not just building the mobility to do it, but progressing up through the weights) made a night-and-day difference for my body mechanics and I can't recommend it enough.
Fantastic! I strained my right psoas doing barbell split squats 6 weeks ago so that has limited asymmetrical stuff for now. But I’ve been doing one-leg squats with a dumbell off a step bench. Any other ideas for an asym exercise that doesn’t involve the psoas as much?
My times this year have all been considerably faster, and I attribute that to strength training. Deadlifts are the bomb!!
Are you able to do lateral step ups? I love those as well; building up to a good deep step-up, even just for your own bodyweight, is no joke. You can start from a low height, touching your heel to the ground and avoiding throwing your weight around to get back up, and continue to build the depth.
I just went through a medical ordeal and lost over twenty pounds. Speaking frankly, I've got a little loose flesh around my middle. I don't want to put those pounds back on, but what are the best exercises I can do to tighten that flesh back up? Right now I'm doing two sets of 50 leg lifts and crunches twice a day. I heard that regular sit-ups aren't as good. HELP!!!
Unfortunately there are not any exercises that tighten loose skin; only surgery will do that. If you want to change your body composition or build muscle, laying some foundational groundwork with strength training is a great way to start doing that. You can do something really basic, like LIFTOFF or Stronglifts if you can already handle a barbell.
Hi there Casey! My main question is, as someone who's lifted weights in the past in a gym -- but did it all under the supervision of a trainer, and therefore didn't actually learn much about what I was doing -- where would you tell that person to start? Do I need a gym membership -- is that a must? -- or are there things I can do on my own, starting today? Especially if I've never done it before. Thanks!
This is a good question! To be honest, "how do I get started with strength training?" was the absolute top question people asked me for years after I started writing Ask A Swole Woman. I wrote LIFTOFF to give as complete of an answer to that question as I could, for the widest audience of people. That's why it starts with basic bodyweight movements and stresses really learning good form, and progresses upward into dumbbells and barbells. You don't need a gym to start, or any equipment, really, you just need a little floor space. If you've never done any strength training before, you will get a ton out of Phase One of LIFTOFF.
Eventually, I recommend investing in a gym membership, just because when you look at the cost of the equipment it takes to allow you to linearly progress in the weights you lift (adding a little weight anew every session), a membership is pretty solid bang for your buck. Many people don't know this, but independent non-chain gyms also tend not to have weird predatory contracts that lock you in for a year; most let you pay for even just a day at a time for a few bucks to try it out.
The best possible thing you can do, in my opinion, is invest in knowledge about good form and body mechanics. You do have to sit down and learn some things, unfortunately, haha, but it's knowledge that will pay off many times over, all over the place in your daily life. While I think it's incredibly gratifying in ways people will be surprised by to learn to use heavy weights, really learning solid mechanics even just for bodyweight stuff will give you a taste of what is available to you there.
Hi all! Excited to be here, going to jump in and answer q's for the next hour or so--
I won’t be able to attend the live discussion but have a few questions.
1 - How many times a week is appropriate to do strength training?
2 - What is the ideal duration to complete a strength training session?
3 - Should the strength training sessions be adjusted based on goal such as training for a half marathon vs a full marathon?
1 - Depends on your goals! If you are already quite strong and generally active and just want to maintain, you can get away with twice or maybe even once a week. If you are trying to actively build strength, three days a week is usually considered the minimum for progressing consistently enough that it won't feel meandering. A crucial thing most people don't know is you don't have to go on building strength forever; giving it a focus for even three months could make a big difference in your understanding of strength as it relates to your body.
2 - Again, this depends on your goals; if you already have a good amount of strength and are just maintaining, you can get a lot done in 20 minutes if you have access to all the equipment you need and manage you time well. When people are doing LIFTOFF, I tell them to allot about 15-20 minutes for the first phase that is just bodyweight movements, and then 30-40 minutes once they start adding weights in.
3 - A good rule of thumb for non elite athletes (most of us! me included!) is that you probably can't pursue two very different goals at once. You can't build strength and train for your first half marathon ever at the same time (or, you can, but you are far more likely to end up exhausted and frustrated than is necessary). If you are training for a first race, whether it's a half or a full, or trying to significantly improve your performance for one, you don't want to set your expectations at "also building significant strength at the same time with additional training sessions." But there is not an inherent difference in how you'd mix in strength training for a half vs a full marathon; it depends very much on what you are already adapted to. But just because you are not BUILDING strength doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't do strength training; runners do strength training to hold onto what they have, cross train, maintain mobility, lots of other things.
Thank you Casey - very helpful feedback!
What is the basic equipment I can use at home to build overall body strength, burn 5-10 pounds of excess fat, keep me walking/ running strong into my 80’s and beyond? I have 20 minutes 3x a week to dedicate to your recommended routine. Please keep it Simple, Quick & Affordable. Thanks
I think there are a lot of ways I could answer this that I feel would not be entirely honest. But "simple quick and affordable" reminds me of "good, fast, or cheap--pick two" (cf https://medium.com/swlh/the-big-lie-of-good-fast-cheap-fb8905818250). I don't think there is anything I could suggest that would accomplish all of these goals that would also be all three things.
If you want something simple, quick, and affordable that will help you get a better grasp of body mechanics and mobility, you can work on compound body weight movements at home (this is what Phase One of LIFTOFF is designed around). This ultimately won't build much overall body strength, but it's a good learning experience for sure. I would say this is fast and cheap, but not necessarily "good" all on its own in terms of the goals you list, but it's a great way to start.
If you want to build strength at home and absolutely would never go to a gym, the single best piece of equipment you can buy is a set of adjustable dumbbells that go up to about 50lbs each. These can be fairly easy to get secondhand if cost is an issue! It compares unfavorably to monthly gym fees but some people just can't make a gym work. You can really build a good bit of strength once you bring some heavy dumbbells into the mix. But I admit they are not terribly affordable. This is the fast and good approach.
The "good and cheap" would be joining an affordable gym where all the equipment is, where you can let bodyweight work carry you into progressing with weights you lift. This is the most likely one to meet your goal to build strength or change body composition, but it's not "fast"--it will take a few months, and going to a gym is of course slightly more time-consuming.
I'm sorry not to have an answer that hits all the marks! But I do believe that giving time and space to strength training is just about one of the most rewarding things you can do, even if it's only for a few months. And then you can go back to your life, having built up that strength, and it will never be as hard to build that strength again as it was to build it in the first place. In a way, you keep it forever!
Thanks Casey for your well reasoned and presented advice. Back to the gym for me…!
What are your top three fave exercises for getting stronger to conquer those hills? I’m a half-marathoner. Thanks!
Squats, deadlifts, and probably some single-leg work like b-stance RDLs, step-back lunges, or split squats. Doing a linear progression with compound movements (not just building the mobility to do it, but progressing up through the weights) made a night-and-day difference for my body mechanics and I can't recommend it enough.
Fantastic! I strained my right psoas doing barbell split squats 6 weeks ago so that has limited asymmetrical stuff for now. But I’ve been doing one-leg squats with a dumbell off a step bench. Any other ideas for an asym exercise that doesn’t involve the psoas as much?
My times this year have all been considerably faster, and I attribute that to strength training. Deadlifts are the bomb!!
Are you able to do lateral step ups? I love those as well; building up to a good deep step-up, even just for your own bodyweight, is no joke. You can start from a low height, touching your heel to the ground and avoiding throwing your weight around to get back up, and continue to build the depth.
Oooo! I’ll try it! Thanks.