What do you do when it gets too heavy?

Graceious1

Hello Ladies,

I am 6 weeks into my Strong Lift programme and really enjoying it. My OHPs are a real struggle now, at 65lbs, but the rest are alright. Here they are:
DL - 135lbs
Squats - 70lbs
Bench and Barbell rows - 55lbs

I am going to deload on the OHP and may well have to with the others. I want to make it to week 12 with lifting. I am considering other lifting programmes that have been mentioned in this forum.

I would like to know what you do when it gets too heavy!

krokador

You'll eventually stall on weights, it's part of the journey, and as such, the SL guidelines are, if i remember correctly, to deload by 10% whenever you fail to hit your 25 reps for 2 workouts in a row. If you take OHP at 65lbs, that means to go back down to 55 and work your way back up. Eventually you should get past the weight you originally stalled at. It may take more than just one go around.

Some folks here like to add reps at lower weights when they've stalled a few times too many. Depending on how your body adapts to the workloads, this may or may not work for you. For some it's better to go up in weight and force adaptation. But you can only figure that out if you try it!

I'd say stick to SL for a bit and milk out the "noob gains" before you move on to something else, unless you find it so boring you won't stick to it.

Also, as a word of, Iunno, encouragement about those upper body lifts: OHP strengthens Bench which strengthens OHP. If you stall on one and are progressing on the other, your progress hasn't stopped. Keep going and the results will keep on coming

Graceious1

Thanks for that @krokaor and I am going to give it a few months because I am liking the changes I see in my body. The SL programme is easy to follow.

giusa

Thanks @Graceious1 for asking this!

@krokador great input, I'm going to try the 10% deload.

I have *NO* upper body strength!!! Never have.

.... it was weird I was progressing slow but nicely, one day ok with 34 the next can't manage 36...or even 35...

Thanks again @Graceious1 for asking this!

Llamapants86

Get fractional if you haven't already. Much easier to go up by a pound or 2 instead of 5. I noticed when I stalled I could get the first 3 sets without too much fail so I took that as a sign to move to 3x5 for that lift.

canadianlbs

also, 12 weeks is a lot of time. sometimes just giving the lifting a rest for a week or so melts a stall. your body may need time to catch up on everything you've been asking it to do.

Graceious1

Thanks for your input on this and you are welcome @giusa. Like you my upper body strength sucks. @Llamapants86 you make a good point on going up in smaller incremements. OHPs are the only ones I am struggling with at the moment. I need my upper body to be strong because next month I have my black belt exam and need to do, as part of it, 70 push ups in one hit.

Graceious1

I have to say I love guys and your support x

indianarose2

Agreed! These ladies are awesome! I'm learning so much from reading here!

TravelsWithHuckleberry

I'll second the suggestion to get fractional plates. I bought a pair of 1.25 lbs. plates so I could go up in 2.5 lbs. increments on my upper body lifts. I just got to the point where 5 lbs. increases were too much. And don't worry about stalling on OHP. We ALL struggle with that b!tch!

Graceious1

Thanks @crabada I will definitely start doing that because 5lb increments on that is tough!

MissHolidayGolightly

Just don't sell yourself short. Sometimes it's hard because it's hard and you have to push through, even if that means failing and deloading.

TravelsWithHuckleberry

Good point, MissHoliday. xo

Graceious1

Yep, I'm on that ladies and thank you so much for your input and I am really enjoying lifting so much!