Anyone else feeling weak at the gym?

jstarz002

Honestly not ever and I'm 5ft even and 90 lbs.... I saw a weak guy at the gym doing dumbell presses with two 21.5 lbs weights when I'm using 25lbs dumbells for my chest presses.... I can deadlift 135lbs and am still working on my form; I know for sure that if I train my deadlift eventually I can do 200lbs at the very least. I can also do parallel dips. I am actually a beginner too considering I have only been lifting around 5 months but I train progressively and add weight every time.

I don't know what kind of gym you go to but I go to a commercial gym and I see tons of weak guys using machines and they don't even look like they lift. Barbells and free weights are superior to machines. I very rarely use machines except as an accessory/isolation exercise once in a while. I stick to dumbells, barbells and compound exercises.

Lots of weak guys at my gym here who can't even squat 135 parallel; they are all doing quarter squats. It's actually very pathetic really. I think I've only seen one guy squat parallel so far. Rarely see any guys deadlift over 2 plates. Most guy have horrible form when they deadlift too. Guys using just 25 lbs and then moaning like it's actually heavy. And then the curl monkeys who never work legs or only do leg press and never squat and deadlift and have legs that look like twig. I may be smaller than them but I feel strong due to the fact that I can barbell squat over my bw and probably will be able to bb squat 2x my body weight while these losers are afraid to touch a barbell.

I also always LOL when I see guys using a pad to squat in the smith machine or gloves to do curls and cable lifting. I think to myself "Is this real life"? I'm smaller than all of them and bb squat with no pad and no gloves. I take pride in my hard work and calluses.

So, no. I never feel weak.

The key to get stronger is to train progressively. Once I can do 10 reps I up the weight by 2.5 lbs for upper body... for lower body more. Push yourself really hard and watch videos on form. Soon you will be lifting as much as the weaker guys in the gym and laughing at guys doing quarter squats with light weight. It's also important to eat in caloric surplus and sleep a lot.... I am eating in surplus and very high protein (150-180 grams).... and my strength gains have gone up like crazy. I didn't start out strong either; when I first started the bar alone was heavy.

alisonlynn1976

The most that I can lift is nowhere near what people on here consider "heavy," but it's the most that *I* can lift, and that's what counts. I just keep working on trying to improve without comparing myself to others.

emelia_

From your diary it looks like you sometimes under eat and I know from experience that this is a big contributor to that weak feeling. 1,200 calories is not going to cut it if you hit the weights and run 5 miles.

cwolfman13

1) why are you comparing your strength to male counterparts? It'll never be there.

2) why are you comparing your strength as a beginner to people who have been lifting for YEARS, not weeks or months?

3) i would recommend actually doing a tried and true program that is progressive in nature if you really want to make some headway. Just willy nilly picking up some weights and doing whatever in the weight room isn't very efficient and won't get you very far.

4) Are you eating enough? You need energy (calories) to actually train big.

sallysoldiergirl

Tailor you workout; alternate your days to topheavy workout cardio and topheavy workout weights. females looking to tone need to do light weights high repetition.
Body builders do high weights low repetition as they are trying to tear muscle fibres to grow muscle (tear and repair) To tone muscle that is already there lighter weights at high repetition is advised. on days you do weights add a little extra lean protein to your diet for recovery this may help with the feeling weak. hope this helps

cwolfman13

females looking to tone need to do light weights high repetition.

No they don't...They can lift just like a male body builder and they will "tone". Only genetic outliers and steroid users will bulk.

JustYandy

If you feel weak you probably are,but that's ok you go to get stronger.I didn't realize how weak I am in certain muscles groups til I started going to the gym and so I'm working on them to fix that.