Increasing lifts

CyeRyn

Im a beginner in weight lifting. I decided a couple months ago to switch from Jillian Michael dvds to strictly weight lifting (free weights) to see what results I could get. I currently only have a curl bar (with incline/decline bench) and only capable of loading 50lbs of weight on it. Its fine for my arms because sadly I can only bench press 50lbs (goal is to lift my body weight of 135lbs). I also have two adjustable dumbbells and can only load 20lbs on each (this is how I do squats because using curl bar is impossible to do with good form). Ive been in search of an olympic bar so I can load more weight when I need/able to.

Im just looking for advice on a safe way to increase weights. Supplements necessary? I havent logged food on mfp for a long time but I know my protein intake is probably not where it should be. After 6 weeks of lifting the only gain Ive seen is that my squats and deadlifts have gotten easier and my arms dont look like sticks anymore. I lift about 3-4 days a week kind of following the 5x5 program but since I cant go heavy I substituted to doing reps of 12 at the weights I have and I also added in some tricep focused moves too. Any suggestions on changes I could or need to make? Im already searching for a real bar and then looking for more weight but beyond that Im kind of clueless. Lol

stealthq

If you're limited with weights, you have a few options to progress until you can add actual weight to the bar/dumbbell.

1) Do more reps
2) Do reps slower (more time under tension)
3) Do reps more explosively
4) Do a harder version of the same lift - this often means shifting to a unilateral lift. Weighted single leg squats vs regular squats for example

There are likely other methods I've forgotten. Others should chime in on those.

jemhh

You could do dumbbell bench and shoulder presses. Usually you need less total dumbbell weight than you need barbell weight for an exercise. In other words, if you can bench 50#, it would be normal to need to use dumbbells that are each less than 25#.

Going with unilateral exercises, single leg RDLS would work. You could do those with a dumbbell or the bar.

You could try Zercher squats with the bar too.

You could use your bar for 1 arm rows.

grob49

The way to get stronger is to lift heavier wieght. You can get bigger doing more reps. But it takes heavy to get stronger. Check out Craigslist for weights and bars even racks.

lorrpb

At 135 lbs you should be consuming about 100g of protein per day. Add in some high protein food sources, or a protein shake or protein bar.

lorrpb

jemhh wrote: »

You could do dumbbell bench and shoulder presses. Usually you need less total dumbbell weight than you need barbell weight for an exercise. In other words, if you can bench 50#, it would be normal to need to use dumbbells that are each less than 25#.

Going with unilateral exercises, single leg RDLS would work. You could do those with a dumbbell or the bar.

You could try Zercher squats with the bar too.

You could use your bar for 1 arm rows.

Can you please elaborate. Why? Doesn't weight=weight?

jemhh

lorrpb wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

You could do dumbbell bench and shoulder presses. Usually you need less total dumbbell weight than you need barbell weight for an exercise. In other words, if you can bench 50#, it would be normal to need to use dumbbells that are each less than 25#.

Going with unilateral exercises, single leg RDLS would work. You could do those with a dumbbell or the bar.

You could try Zercher squats with the bar too.

You could use your bar for 1 arm rows.

Can youplease elaborate. Why? Doesn't weight=weight?

When you use a bar, if one side is weaker than the other, the other side picks up the slack. When you use a dumbbell, the weaker side is all on its own. Dumbbells are a good way to help increase the strength of smaller stabilizer muscles.

CyeRyn

grob49 wrote: »

The way to get stronger is to lift heavier wieght. You can get bigger doing more reps. But it takes heavy to get stronger. Check out Craigslist for weights and bars even racks.

Ive been eyeballing craigslist for a few weeks now. Nothing what Im looking for or out of my current price range. Thx for the suggestion.

jemhh

grob49 wrote: »

The way to get stronger is to lift heavier wieght. You can get bigger doing more reps. But it takes heavy to get stronger. Check out Craigslist for weights and bars even racks.

You get stronger doing more reps too. If she can lift 35 lbs eight times and works up to lifting 35 lbs twelve times, she has gotten stronger. She already said she's looking for more equipment in her OP.

robdowns1300

Get the rack & the bar & go heavy.

SonyaCele

lorrpb wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

You could do dumbbell bench and shoulder presses. Usually you need less total dumbbell weight than you need barbell weight for an exercise. In other words, if you can bench 50#, it would be normal to need to use dumbbells that are each less than 25#.

Going with unilateral exercises, single leg RDLS would work. You could do those with a dumbbell or the bar.

You could try Zercher squats with the bar too.

You could use your bar for 1 arm rows.

Can you please elaborate. Why? Doesn't weight=weight?

unstable weight (dumbbells) is different than stable weight (the bar)