Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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When to increase weight amounts?

mzbek24
mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
in Social Groups
Hi, I'm just starting out with the program, and I was a bit confused about what I read in regards to when to increase weights.
Am I supposed to increase once I can lift a certain weight pretty easily? or sooner than that?

Thanks

Replies

  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Every workout should be a weight increase until you fail.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Yes techinically you increase the weights each time until you fail.

    I have come to the point where I increase my weight when I can do them all with good solid form...

    as I have had to deload to work on form...ie my squats were deloaded down to 135 from 160 to work on form, and again (due to aggravated injury) and this time I have discovered my squat form has a direct correlation to my leg feeling good. ie ATG.
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    Thanks for your responses. Sorry to be annoying, but i'm not sure I've grasped it still lol- by every workout do you mean each one of the three for the week would have an increase in weight amount from the last one?
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Thanks for your responses. Sorry to be annoying, but i'm not sure I've grasped it still lol- by every workout do you mean each one of the three for the week would have an increase in weight amount from the last one?

    Yup. Exactly. Until failure or form issues.
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    Awesome. Thanks!
  • viglet
    viglet Posts: 299 Member
    I have come to the point where I increase my weight when I can do them all with good solid form...

    as I have had to deload to work on form..

    Same here. I deloaded from 115 to 90lbs (I think something around there) a while ago because my squat form was horrendous. Sometimes when I take a break for a week or get busy, I will just stay at the weight I did last instead of moving up.

    I would rather make sure I have perfect form on everything then move up in weight.
  • cstringfellow2013
    cstringfellow2013 Posts: 172 Member
    Although I am VERY new (just finished my first official "week"), I've decided I won't add until I've got the form in the weight I am in. So even though I've already done three workouts, I won't be increasing my weight on squats until the next time as my knees kept wanting to cave.
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
    I don't add weight every workout. If I did that, I would have been all done months ago.
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    Yeah I've pretty much just been increasing when I can perform them fully, and if not stay at the lower weight. So far it's been really easy to progress with squats and deadlifts, but a bit slower with the upper body things. My arms are realllly weak lol.

    Cute guineapig and birdy btw! :)
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I increase everytime I get my reps. That said I don't count reps that my form is off on. I also follow the 3 fails equal a deloaded of 10 percent.
  • glwerth
    glwerth Posts: 335 Member
    I used to increase every week, because it kept my form OK.

    Now, I have fractional plates and increase by one pound each workout. It works better for me and I've come to realize that no program works the exact same way for everyone.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    I used to increase every week, because it kept my form OK.

    Now, I have fractional plates and increase by one pound each workout. It works better for me and I've come to realize that no program works the exact same way for everyone.

    I do the same with the upper body workouts.

    I increase after I get all my reps by small increments. I have weighted collars that are 2.5 lbs together...so I add those when I complete all my reps.

    Lower body it's the full 5lbs when I do increase....for instance last week I squatted 150 the entire week as I was leaning on a few reps...except on friday I nailed them so on Monday I went to 155...but again I will stay there as I felt I leaned on set 2...

    DL I will be at 200 again today as I want to make sure my form is nailed..I suspect 210 is gonna be a big ole ***** to get up off the floor and I don't want to chance hurting myself.

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