lifting and upping weight

Dfracassa

I lift three days a week, and have been doing that for a few months. For a while, I had gotten my bench amount up to 120 (including the bar), but then my husband noticed that my form wasn't all that great. So I brought the weight down to 95 (including bar), and focused only on form, then gradually brought it up 5 more pounds. Right now I'm at 100 pounds, and I can usually do 4-5 reps, each time. But it's been a month, and I haven't been able to get past that. Am I doing something wrong? I feel like after a month, I should be able to up my weight, but when I try, it feels like the bar is going to decapitate me or something. Should I up the weight, and then forget about doing more than 2 or 3 reps? It seems like it would be a waste of time to only do that much.

mikemc620

There is nothing wrong with doing 2-3 reps. It will help you get used to the heavier weight and allow your CNS to adjust. I follow Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program and in each of the weeks you try to get 5, 3 and then 1 reps followed by a deload week. Then you add weight for the next cycle.

knot_enough

when it comes to weight training, progress is measured by increasing in either weight or volume.. so i'd suggest either dropping weight but increasing the amount of reps, or increasing weight but with a lower amount of reps. then slowly add on weights, maybe do a set with 5lbs extra, then the next week add 5 more lbs.

i wouldnt be so worried about the numbers, but 1 good rep at a lower weight will beat out a set of terrible bad ones at a heavier weight

Dfracassa

There is nothing wrong with doing 2-3 reps. It will help you get used to the heavier weight and allow your CNS to adjust. I follow Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program and in each of the weeks you try to get 5, 3 and then 1 reps followed by a deload week. Then you add weight for the next cycle.

Thanks! I know it's still pretty good, but I just feel stuck, you know? What is a "deload" week?

Dfracassa

when it comes to weight training, progress is measured by increasing in either weight or volume.. so i'd suggest either dropping weight but increasing the amount of reps, or increasing weight but with a lower amount of reps. then slowly add on weights, maybe do a set with 5lbs extra, then the next week add 5 more lbs.

i wouldnt be so worried about the numbers, but 1 good rep at a lower weight will beat out a set of terrible bad ones at a heavier weight

Thanks! I guess I should stop worrying about numbers, but it is so ingrained in my thick skull to focus on them! Weight, inches, pounds, whatever. But I am gradually moving away from that.

mikemc620

There is nothing wrong with doing 2-3 reps. It will help you get used to the heavier weight and allow your CNS to adjust. I follow Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program and in each of the weeks you try to get 5, 3 and then 1 reps followed by a deload week. Then you add weight for the next cycle.

Thanks! I know it's still pretty good, but I just feel stuck, you know? What is a "deload" week?

When working so close to your max, your body needs just needs a rest, so for that week you would just do 60% of your max. It feels like you aren't really doing anything but it is letting you recover so that you can do the heavier weight. There is no set time on how often you should do it, just listen to your body.

mikemc620

when it comes to weight training, progress is measured by increasing in either weight or volume.. so i'd suggest either dropping weight but increasing the amount of reps, or increasing weight but with a lower amount of reps. then slowly add on weights, maybe do a set with 5lbs extra, then the next week add 5 more lbs.

i wouldnt be so worried about the numbers, but 1 good rep at a lower weight will beat out a set of terrible bad ones at a heavier weight

You can always increase the intensity as well. Do the same amount of work in a shorter period of time.