I Just Don't Understand Stregth Training!
Replies
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Here's a link to a popular version of 5x5, which I assume is the kind of thing you're reading about. It has a lot of information about proper technique, how to add weight to workouts, and what to do when you can't successfully lift any more weight.
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/
There are other versions, but this one should give you a lot of information. And it's not just for guys.0 -
You can't "tone" anything so you might as well get that myth out of your head now0
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So from what I'm been reading the idea is to do the same exercises week to week with the goal to increase weight/reps? But... how? When I read this stuff it just isn't making sense! What I do right now is pick an exercise, dead lifts for example, and do 2 sets of 12 with 8lb dumbbells in each hand. I have a list and I just go down the list and do that but obviously it seems that there will be no way for me to increase the weight amount I can handle. Can someone try to explain what I should do in a simple way? My goals are to build up my tiny shoulders and tone my legs. Thank you!
Yeah, for starters - you're definitely not lifting heavy enough.
You need to learn what muscular failure feels like. The best way I heard it described was: You've just completed your last set, and an eccentric millionaire wanders into the gym and offers you a cool quarter million to do one more rep. If afterwards, you don't have a new car and your student loans are still unpaid - you had reached muscular failure. It literally means that you cannot successfully complete another rep. Your muscles simply will NOT do it.
If you read Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting for Women, you will learn more about how it works, but basically repetitive muscular contraction causes your muscles to adapt. Depending on how many reps you are doing per set, it will adapt in one of 3 basic ways:
1 - Efficiency. Basically an increase in strength without much gain in size. For most people 1-5 reps per set will result in this.
2 - Hypertrophy. This is an increase in strength & efficiency through muscular growth. This is what most men who take up weightlifting are after. Bigger arms/chest/shoulders/legs, etc. For most people 8-12 reps.
3 - Stamina. Just what it sounds like. Sustained muscular exertion. 12+ reps.
Since you are a beginner - no matter which method you use, you will see gains pretty quickly. Follow one of the beginner programs in Starting Strength or NROLFW and that will last you for a LONG time. Probably at least the first year. After that you will know enough about what you're capable of to tweak.
Again - that's a VERY simplified and basic overview up there. The devil is in the details, as always. Google things to find out more.
Good luck.0 -
8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Before I got back into free weights I did bodypump/express pump etc classes with 8 pound dumbells and got pretty toned, I was in much better shape then than I am now (but was also doing a good amount of running).
Body pump is cardio, we are talking about weight lifting...
My wife deadlifts around 135 - 155 for reps0 -
I think a huge part of weight training that is often neglected is logging everything in your workouts. If you have a smartphone, there are a number of great apps for routines/logging/tracking (much like mfp). I use one called Jefit. You can choose a weekly routine that is tailored to your needs, and you just need to find the correct dumbbell/barbell weight for each exercise in which you can do the suggested number of reps, but the last rep of each set should be somewhat difficult to complete. The app also provides a timer for rest between sets. Like others have said, choose heavier weights with which you can complete around 6-9 reps per set until you can't do anymore.
It takes a little experimenting and adjusting, but the more you log, the more aware of yourself and your strengths/weaknesses you become. Even better, when you come back the next week, your short term goal for each exercise will be to beat whatever you did the week before, and the log will provide you with a visual goal to try to beat. In my experience, it's too hard to remember everything you lifted the week before without having written it down or logging it into your smartphone app. Plus, it's easy to just kind of quit after you feel like you've "worked out" for the day..as opposed to sticking to a strict routine.
In short: lift heavier/ fewer repetitions (6-9); find a routine and stick with it, doing every set of every exercise; log your progress. You will see results, definitely.0 -
I guess I don't understand what's not to understand.
1) lift as much as you can
2) your body adapts
3) you can lift more, so you do.
4) go back to step 2
exactly
lifting tears the muscles, resting and proper eating rebuilds and grows them, repeat0 -
Try more something like this
Figure out general max on certain exercise and build up then progression your workout
65x12
70x10
75x8
80x6
85x4
90x2
95x1
100 x1
Repeat, this should be done with core exercise only though. (Bench, Deadlift, Squat, Power Clean and Snatch). If you want something more descript message me and I will figure something out for you.0 -
8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Before I got back into free weights I did bodypump/express pump etc classes with 8 pound dumbells and got pretty toned, I was in much better shape then than I am now (but was also doing a good amount of running).
Body pump is cardio, we are talking about weight lifting...
My wife deadlifts around 135 - 155 for reps
I dead lift about 1X my weight, so 100lbs.0 -
8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Wrong:) hahah I used them for the first two months of working out, you can SEE a difference and feel a difference:)0 -
With weight that light thats more aerobic training if anything.0
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General rule of thumb-
To build muscle: 3 sets of 18-20 reps
To build strength: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
To build mass: 3 sets of 5-8 reps
www.mybody-mymachine.com
fixed it for you below the above is way off
To build muscle: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
To build strength: 4-5 sets of 1-3 reps
To have a good mix of size and strength gains: 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps
To gain endurance 15+ reps0 -
8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Wrong:) hahah I used them for the first two months of working out, you can SEE a difference and feel a difference:)
Did you get STONGER?0 -
8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Wrong:) hahah I used them for the first two months of working out, you can SEE a difference and feel a difference:)
Do you even read?!
We are talking about deadlifts
10/10 you trolled me, i'm mad0 -
Go buy New Rules of Lifting for Women...it's cheap at amazon.com. 8lbs does squat all for you. I'm doing New Rules and I love it. It's comprehensive, lots of support online, easy to understand and programmed for newbies. If you have troubles figuring out the exercise, youtube it.0
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Just to be clear. You can't get toned bruh0
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8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Wrong:) hahah I used them for the first two months of working out, you can SEE a difference and feel a difference:)
maybe for some exercises, but not near enough for a dead-lift (which is what she was doing with them)
The weight you use should make it hard to finish each set with good form on the last rep or two, whatever rep range you chose. So if your goal is 10-12 reps/set your 9th rep through 12th rep should be difficult to do with good form, once you can get the 12 with good form, increase the weight the next time you do that routine.
If your goal is 4-5 reps, the 4th and 5th rep should be difficult to do with good form, if you complete them, up the weight next time.0 -
Start lifting heavier! A good program to start with is 30 day shred to build up your muscles and then start lifting heavy at the gym. Free weights start with 8 then move up to 10 then 15 then 20. Bench presses are really good just make sure you have a spotter and trust me you can deadlift way more. Use a bar and weights for that. I'm 130 and I usually do 70 pounds not including the weight of the bar. For bench presses I usually do 40-60 pounds with sets of 12-8-6.0
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30 day shred is not a good program to start with. In fact it is a program that won't work for her if she's eating properly and understand why MFP sets her caloric intake to the level it does. Same with p90x and Insanity. **** those programs and just eat right and buy or torrent starting strength and do it correctly and live better0
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I usually do 70 pounds not including the weight of the bar.
Not hating, but you always include the weight of the bar.
Nice posterior chain progress btw0 -
Do a tried and true program
Starting Strength
Stronglifts 5x5
NROL4W
When you just pick up some weights and do whatever, that's a condition known as phuck-around-itis, and it will get you nowhere.
^^^ THIS is the way.0 -
General rule of thumb-
To build muscle: 3 sets of 18-20 reps
To build strength: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
To build mass: 3 sets of 5-8 reps
what????0 -
General rule of thumb-
To build muscle: 3 sets of 18-20 reps
To build strength: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
To build mass: 3 sets of 5-8 reps
what????
In this, I would like to know what the difference is between building muscle and building mass (are they not one in the same?) Not to mention the rep ranges are out of whack.0 -
So from what I'm been reading the idea is to do the same exercises week to week with the goal to increase weight/reps? But... how? When I read this stuff it just isn't making sense! What I do right now is pick an exercise, dead lifts for example, and do 2 sets of 12 with 8lb dumbbells in each hand. I have a list and I just go down the list and do that but obviously it seems that there will be no way for me to increase the weight amount I can handle. Can someone try to explain what I should do in a simple way? My goals are to build up my tiny shoulders and tone my legs. Thank you!
so the next time you do your rdl's as 2 sets of 12 with 10 pounds. then the next time increment up again, and again, and again. I use an oly bar and add 2.5 pound plates to each side each time, do as many as I can for the reps I'm trying to reach, and then rest and give it another go. If you get to the end of your reps and think "wow, I could really do more" then you need to add weight.
I now do NROL4W and love it, it has a pretty comprehensive read on functional strength increases.0 -
:grumble:8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Yes, she should just lie on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV.0 -
:grumble:8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Yes, she should just lie on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV.
Don't be silly, no one said anything like this.0 -
:grumble:8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Yes, she should just lie on the couch eating bon bons and watching TV.
If she is trying to get stronger then no, 8lb weights do nothing. Wanna bet her purse/cat/dog/kid weighs more than 8lbs??0 -
You can tone with pilates and yoga, also.
http://s1095.photobucket.com/albums/i480/xo_uhmazing/Pop Pilates/
Yes, Pilates and Yoga are the way to go for me! I keep wanting to do these things ...
What has this to do with understanding strength training and how to add weights?0 -
So from what I'm been reading the idea is to do the same exercises week to week with the goal to increase weight/reps? But... how? When I read this stuff it just isn't making sense! What I do right now is pick an exercise, dead lifts for example, and do 2 sets of 12 with 8lb dumbbells in each hand. I have a list and I just go down the list and do that but obviously it seems that there will be no way for me to increase the weight amount I can handle. Can someone try to explain what I should do in a simple way? My goals are to build up my tiny shoulders and tone my legs. Thank you!
- read Starting Strenght (learn to squat, deadlift, bench press, snatch, etc.)
- count calories
- eat 1g of protein per lb of body weight (less works too but do not neglect your protein intake)
- do cardio and lift stuff
after some 3-4 months on Starting Strenght swap to another more advanced program since SS gives you a good starting base to work on
women lifting weights for real (not small dumbells) get very good "toning" and won't get too muscular unless they do roids0 -
I will reiterate what others have said:
Look into:
Starting Strength
Stronglifts 5X5
New Rules of Lifting for Women
Watch videos (google: Mark Rippetoe) and read starting strength to learn proper form
Lift heavier than you are now, much heavier. I can do 8 reps of 155lbs on DL, so I am close to upping it and I will. If you can do more than eight reps, up the weight by 5 lbs. If you can do 12 reps of something with out feeling like jelly in whatever part you are working, then up the weight. You don't even have to do a dozen different exercises a day, in stronglifts all you do is 3 exercises on 1 of 3 days you workout during the week: Squat, Bench Press and Row one day & Squat, Overhead press and Deadlift the other, all using the olympic bar (45lb) and plates.
Challenge yourself, its fun!0 -
8lb dumbbells is not going to do anything for you
Wrong:) hahah I used them for the first two months of working out, you can SEE a difference and feel a difference:)
It took 2 months for you to progress passed 8 lbs? you were doing something wrong0
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