Weight lifting advice

jaymerz22

Hey all! I have a question I'm hoping someone can answer! I am very much into weight lifting and have been doing it for awhile now. My biggest concern is increasing the weight...and not because of the most common misconception around - that I will somehow "bulk up." My issue is that when I increase the weight (particularly when working biceps and shoulders) I start using other muscles like my traps to compensate. Has anyone ever experienced this? Physically, I am capable of completing 3 full sets with a heavier weight, but I feel the tension in other parts of my body, even days later. I want to be able to steadily increase weight in order to burn more calories, gain muscle and tone, but how do I do that without engaging unneccessary muscle groups?

Sam_I_Am77

Part of it is natural when using certain loads. If you're doing a standing barbell curl for instance and you're just holding the bar in the starting position, your traps will be helping to support the load. As the weight becomes heavier they will naturally engage more. The problem then becomes with the concentric motion and trying to limit the Deltoid engagement in the curl. It's hard to keep the shoulders 100% out of it, but you should definitely feel it in your biceps when it comes down to it.

What kind of exercises are you using?

What types of sets / reps?

When are you progressing weights?

jaymerz22

Thanks for the advice! Typically I use free weights for biceps, standing up or sitting upright with back support. I vary my sets and reps, but try to do my max for ten reps, increase the weight by 5ish pounds every week, and alternate with weeks of moderate weight and max reps. So for biceps, my max for 3 sets/10 reps is 15lbs. But I definitely feel that strain in my neck and shoulders at that weight. I can drop down to 10 pounds and comfortably do many more reps, but I can't imagine there is much benefit to that over the long run.

SunofaBeach14

I'd say stop worrying so much about bicep curls at this stage, and get on a beginner's program such as a 5x5 that focuses on compound movements like "Starting Strength" or "Stronglifts."

margannmks

If your over compensating then your not really ready to increase weight, dont really understand the term unnecessary muscle. I see it like some one flinging a weight or over posturing just to lift heavier when slower controlled movements will keep the muscle engaged.

_KitKat_

From everything I have read or been told....10 reps is too high for working with heavy weight. 4-6 reps for 5 sets on compound and normally reps of 8 for 4-6 sets isolation. I may be 100% wrong especially on the isolation exercises, but most plans call for low reps, more sets when working with heavy weights. Like strong lifts 5x5....it is 5sets of 5 reps. A guy at my gym who is always helpful and knowledgeable, told me for isolation exercises aim for 30 something reps all together, so if you do 6 reps aim for at least 5 sets, 8 reps at least 4 sets.

If you can do 10 reps the weight is too light for heavy lifting. For myself on compounds if I can hit 7, I increase weight, on the new weight I need to hit at least 4. For isolation if I can hit 10 I increase, and need at least 6 on the new weight.


If I am wrong on this, please feel free to correct me.

Do you do your compound lifts? Squats, dead, bench, overhead, rows? These will work everything. If your shoulders or upper back is weak, rows, bent over rows, shrugs, overhead press can all work on these areas. Compound exercises are so that your body uses multiple muscles to accomplish the lift, they help you develops in a more balanced way.

ETA I mentioned shrugs in the last paragraph, they are not compound but they do help the neck, upper shoulder area......guys a little help on what those muscles are :drinker:

LJCannon

:drinker: Bumping just to Listen/Learn from the conversation.

Sam_I_Am77

I'd say stop worrying so much about bicep curls at this stage, and get on a beginner's program such as a 5x5 that focuses on compound movements like "Starting Strength" or "Stronglifts."

Generally I agree but she's not a beginner and maybe her goals are different.

If you can do 10 reps the weight is too light for heavy lifting. For myself on compounds if I can hit 7, I increase weight, on the new weight I need to hit at least 4. For isolation if I can hit 10 I increase, and need at least 6 on the new weight.

BB Curls, DB Curls, etc are not compound lifts. They can be used for whichever rep range you want that suit your goals.

@ OP: What are your goals? One thing you might find to be fun is do periodize your isolation work. This was given to me by a considerably strong and intelligent individual, that happens to write books on strength training as well.

Find an estimated 1RM for the lift you want. I typically use a formula like this... weight x reps x 2% + weight. That is a semi-conservative calculation but it's better to err on the side of going light. Then, take 80% of that number and that's your starting point.

I.e. 90lbs x 6 reps x 0.02 + 90 = 100 (rounded of course)

- Week 1
15 reps @ 65% of the 80%
15 reps @ 75%
15 or more @ 85% (shoot for max reps)

- Week 2
10 reps @ 70%
10 reps @ 80%
10 or more @ 90% (again, shoot for max reps)

- Week 3
10 reps @ 75
10 reps @ 85
10 or more reps @ 95

When you hit that 95% weight for 20 reps, progress your weight. In the meantime, you're getting stronger by focusing on the volume. This doesn't work as well with DB's because of the obvious progression of DB's. The above is just one way to approach training isolation or accessory (non-bodyweight involved) exercises.

shor0814

During compound lifts if you add weight and your form stays good and you start feeling the accessory and stabilizer muscles engage, that is a good thing.

If it is happening with isolation exercises then something is wrong. Video would help.

LoneWolf_70

if you over compensate expect to get tendinitis.

Lofteren

Quit worrying about training "muscles". Train movements instead. Don't think of overhead pressing as a deltoid exercise because it isn't, it is a deltoid, upper pectoral, trapezius, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, rhomboids, teres major & minor, subclavius, abdominal, serratus anterior, etc.. (this list could get really long) exercise. Just focus on keeping good form and increasing the weight.

A good way to change your mentality in the gym is to stop labeling your workouts as "chest" or "legs" and start labeling them "bench press+assistance work" or "Squat+assistance work". Once I changed my philosophy in the gym to this I packed on a lot of muscle and strength.

Lofteren

if you over compensate expect to get tendinitis.

This isn't true and doesn't even make sense.