Am I lifting enough?? (weightlifters please)

MattySparky
MattySparky Posts: 771
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, I want to post on here and see what kind of responses I get. So heres my dilema. I do a mix of cardio and weights and lately I've been focusing on weights a bit more and filling with Cardio. My issue is that Im not sure Im working out enough, especially when Im working my chest. What I've noticed is that my muscles are fatigued before I can feel any sort of afterburn or aching like I do when I work my arms and legs. Does anyone else experience this? Should I change my technique? Add more weight? Whats the deal?

Replies

  • jmb1510
    jmb1510 Posts: 45 Member
    How much are you lifting and how many reps?
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    It changes from workout to workout because I like to keep my body guessing. But as a for instance, this afternoon I did chest:

    Bench Press: 4 sets, reps: 15, 15, 10, 8 with 150 lbs
    Dumbbell flys: 4 sets, reps: 10, 10, 8, 12 with 35 lbs each arm

    I alternated between excercises 3 times (4 sets bench, 4 sets fly) and each alternation on the bench I changed from straight, to incline to decline.

    I threw in some leg stuff but that was just to have a chest break and still keep the hormones up. My workout was about 35 mintues.

    Thing is I know Im working out because it's hard work and I feel it when Im working out and I work out til I cant lift anything and am shaking but after Im done there is nothing.
  • futfurd
    futfurd Posts: 33 Member
    When lifting you need to do sets. Lift the heaviest weights you can lift 12 to 15 times. Lift them clear to failure(when you can't lift it again). Then move on to another excersize come back and lift to failure again. It should be fewer reps than the first set. Continue to do that five or six times. When you can do more than 15 reps on your first set bump up the weight again. I guarantee you will burn at the end!
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    When lifting you need to do sets. Lift the heaviest weights you can lift 12 to 15 times. Lift them clear to failure(when you can't lift it again). Then move on to another excersize come back and lift to failure again. It should be fewer reps than the first set. Continue to do that five or six times. When you can do more than 15 reps on your first set bump up the weight again. I guarantee you will burn at the end!

    and if Im not burning at the end??
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    anyone else? or anything else by those already posted?
  • futfurd
    futfurd Posts: 33 Member
    I don't know. It's never happened to me when I lift till failure. Usually the last 3 or four reps before failure burn like heck.
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    mine do as well, Im just concerned because literally right after I work my chest I feel nothing, as though I never worked out at all.... the feeling is there while Im working out just not after. Catch my drift?
  • ykantoro
    ykantoro Posts: 24
    I catch your drift. The chest is a hard one to get sore. It may be bc when working the chest you are also working the arms and the back? I feel a burn in muscles that I can isolate and workout on their own (biceps, triceps, quads, etc..) but not always in my back and chest. It could be that you're doing it incorrectly? I know when I work my chest I feel tired all over (while doing it), sometimes i feel it the next day, but sometimes not.
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    I hear ya... the compound excercises are what I try to focus on (bench press, squats, deadlifts etc etc...) Im just wondering am I wasting my time or is my chest getting worked out? I feel the all over tired that you mentioned, Im just wondering am I getting tired before I've gotten a good enough work out?
  • ykantoro
    ykantoro Posts: 24
    Given my experience (meaning non, other than i weight lift) my advise would be to lower your weight, and up your reps, and go faster. So instead of doing 10-15 reps in one minute, up it to 20-30 and repeat. I did some of that yesterday and definitely feel it today. =) Push-ups are also a great way to work your chest and back. Aim for 100 (25 x 4) with little breaks.
  • ChadRademacher
    ChadRademacher Posts: 9
    I don't think you are lifting enough weight to tear your muscles down to get the growth that you want.
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    yeah, Im trying to add muscle and strength though and that sounds too much like endurance training I used to do which didn't add any muscle it just cut fat. Thanks for the input though I guess Ill just keep on keeping on LOL.
  • ChadRademacher
    ChadRademacher Posts: 9
    First try upping the weight to 155, try to get 15 reps, if you can get 13 or more reps than the weight is too light , increase the weight by 5 lbs. Complete three sets of 8-10 reps of Flat Bench Press with this weight. use this method to determine proper workout weight for all exercises. Try this workout, I will put suggested weight, but you will have to use this method to find the proper weight for you. Also when you bench press, try to squeeze your shoulder blades backwards and try to almost have them touch and dig them into the bench when you lift, if you do this right, you will be popping out your chest a bit and it will help isolate your chest muscles when you lift.

    Flat Bench Press 3 sets of 8-10 reps at 155 lbs.

    Incline Bench press 3 sets 8-10 reps at 115 lbs.

    Decline Bench Press 3 sets 8-10 reps at 145 lbs.

    Dumbbell Pec Flyes 3 sets 8-10 reps with 40 lb dumbbells

    Dips 3 sets 8-10 reps , or use assisted dip machine if you cannot do these with your full body weight
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    First try upping the weight to 155, try to get 15 reps, if you can get 13 or more reps than the weight is too light , increase the weight by 5 lbs. Complete three sets of 8-10 reps of Flat Bench Press with this weight. use this method to determine proper workout weight for all exercises. Try this workout, I will put suggested weight, but you will have to use this method to find the proper weight for you. Also when you bench press, try to squeeze your shoulder blades backwards and try to almost have them touch and dig them into the bench when you lift, if you do this right, you will be popping out your chest a bit and it will help isolate your chest muscles when you lift.

    Flat Bench Press 3 sets of 8-10 reps at 155 lbs.

    Incline Bench press 3 sets 8-10 reps at 115 lbs.

    Decline Bench Press 3 sets 8-10 reps at 145 lbs.

    Dumbbell Pec Flyes 3 sets 8-10 reps with 40 lb dumbbells

    Dips 3 sets 8-10 reps , or use assisted dip machine if you cannot do these with your full body weight

    all excellent input, thank you...

    I've gotten away from the boring, stagnant "3 sets of 10 reps" because I find it's just too boring and not very effective compared to changing things up each week. This workout you've put up is exactly what I did tonight except all with 150 lbs and no dips, and I fly'd with 35 lbs not 40.

    I have to ask though, why would I want to isolate a muscle group?
  • ChadRademacher
    ChadRademacher Posts: 9
    I am assuming you have a routine for the rest of your body so trying to isolate your chest wouldn't mean that the rest of your body is neglected. If you isolate your chest then it will be doing all or most of the work that is required to lift that weight, so it will also receive all or most of the benefit of lifting that weight.
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    I am assuming you have a routine for the rest of your body so trying to isolate your chest wouldn't mean that the rest of your body is neglected. If you isolate your chest then it will be doing all or most of the work that is required to lift that weight, so it will also receive all or most of the benefit of lifting that weight.



    I totally disagree about muscle isolation, for one thing in real life situations muscles are NEVER isolated... just think about it for a sec. The other thing is that if you try to isolate a muscle you are neglecting the CRITICAL stabilizing muscle groups surrounding the muscle that are integral to its performance. The perfect example of this is the concentration curl with a dumbell to "isolate" the bicep. Might rip up the bicep and burn like hell but repeated behaviour like this can actually lead to things like tendonitis and tennis elbow. Sounds scary to me! Anyways, I know you're just trying to help and trust me Im not trying to start some kind of heated debate. I always ask that when people suggest trying to isolate a muscle. It's widely known and understood that the most effective lifts are compound lifts which utilize as many muscles as possible. The one that comes to mind first is the deadlift. Im more curious who has taught you that?
  • ChadRademacher
    ChadRademacher Posts: 9
    that is why I put in the part of assuming that you work out all areas of your body and do not neglect any area, cause I would definitely not recommend that. The form I was trying to describe to you is what bodybuilders use, especially powerlifters. maybe I misunderstood your original question or just wen t off on my own little tangent which is entirely possible, but I thought you wanted to get your muscles in your chest fatigued and sore thereby making them bigger and stronger. Yes, muscles are not isolated very often in every day life but that is why we lift weights cause we more often than not, are not able to improve our physiques through everyday life situations. When you bench press if your shoulders are rounded and not pressed into the bench as I suggested they will not maintain constant contact with the bench. Doing it like that helps isolate the chest which is what you are trying to do I would assume by doing a bench press, it is a chest exercise. but besides all that isolation driving the shoulders back helps stabilize your body. This will explain it a bit better

    " I identify four main points where vital action-reaction dynamics are occurring, and if you aren't using them, you won't lift to your potential.

    The most important would be the shoulder blades. Most of the loading goes through this point. You must learn to use your shoulder blades as nonmoving, stable points of action-reaction. Drive through them!

    The next important point is feet and legs! When I see lifters moving their feet or, worse, still flailing them about during a max lift, I cringe.

    The action-reaction potential of the feet contacting the ground is significant. To do this properly, make sure that the knees are slightly bent, feet flat, and drive through them into the ground without moving the feet during the lift.

    The head and hips aren't as significant, but they still contribute to the "tightness" of the body during the lift. They shouldn't move during the lift.
    An awareness of how to use these action-reaction points could be worth another 10% on your lift!"
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
    I lift enough weight that I can go at least 4 reps but I hit failure by 6 reps. I do three sets of each exercise that was. I used to do the 12-15 reps but did not get very good results. I've gotten the best results by doing the high weight low reps.
  • nardingerm
    nardingerm Posts: 3
    If you really want to build muscle then you need to be lifting pretty heavy weights. Instead of using a weight that you can go 12 to 15 reps with lift a weight that you can go maybe 8 reps with. Make sure you are using good form too, because if you aren't then the muscle you are trying to focus on won't be working as hard as it could, but still try and hit muscle failure. Also some muscles are just harder to work than others. I have the same problem working my stomach, but just because you don't feel it right after you work out doesn't mean you won't feel it the next day. If you are still having problems I'd say start looking for some different exercises to do to mix it up a bit.
  • jmb1510
    jmb1510 Posts: 45 Member
    Sorry I disappeared after asking a question...life happened. Anyway, I agree with nardingerm, try upping the weight. If you want that burn and the size, you need to push the muscle and not the body. More weight will make the muscle fail quicker before your body has a chance to burn out. Feel the burn and 6 and hopefully around 8 or 9 you will be failing. Also, do you have a spotter? It really helps the burn if someone is helping you do the last two or three that you couldn't do on your own.
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    I dont have a spotter, I work out at home by myself usually. When Im on the bench which is the only time I would personally use a spotter, I have stops on my risers that can catch the bar if I fail and cant lift it back up and I also take the retainers off the ends so there is nothing holding the plates on incase I miss the stops I can always dump one side in an emergency situation to get the bar off my neck/ face/ chest...
  • HOSED49
    HOSED49 Posts: 642 Member
    Lifting heavy weights builds muscles, lifting light weights for multiple reps, builds muscles, lifting weights while using conentric and eccentric contractions( 3 seconds up, 3 seconds down) builds muscle. Which one works best for you though. Depends on your body type , your lifting history and your recovery time. Now lets look into your dilemma ...your chest fatigues before you feel a burn. In a workout your chest should feel full as it is filled with blood thus getting the "pump" . Making your muscles feel a burn everytime you workout is not a proper way to gauge its effectiveness. You will feel in the next few days how effective that woorkout was as your chest and arms are screaming. I have done arm workouts where I could barely wash my hair in the shower after the workout because they were so pumped(but not burning). Are you going for size or definition or both. Know that in some(not all) cases cardio will limit your strength depending on the amount of cardio you do. If you have to have the burning sensation look up lactic acid training ...you will feel the burn and scream for mommy...but in my opinion the burn doesnt show you how effective you are doing, the soreness in the next few days will tell you how effective it was.
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    word.
This discussion has been closed.

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