weight lifting question

meeper123
meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started doing Stronglifts 5x5 yesterday, but I have a quick question. I was wondering if it is a good idea to start low and work to high? That is what I did...it seemed to work ok. I was just wondering if there is a better way?
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Replies

  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    I started doing Stronglifts 5x5 yesterday, but I have a quick question. I was wondering if it is a good idea to start low and work to high? That is what I did...it seemed to work ok. I was just wondering if there is a better way?
    Not really sure I understand the question.

    You do warmup sets with minimal weight, then work your weight for the day through all 5 sets. Next time you hit that exercise (every other workout except for squats) you add more weight.

    ETA: so if your bench press weight is 60 pounds that day, you do a few sets of warm ups with 30 or 40 pounds, then 5 sets of 5 reps at 60 pounds. Next time you are on an A day, you do 65 pounds.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I didn't do SL, but I did Starting Strength which is pretty similar and it basically had you start with the bar (or less) and add weight each session. This allows you to work on form while also getting your muscles and tendons and what not use to bearing a load and slowly increasing it. You don't want to start maxed out...you'll have nowhere to go...you'll be lifting "heavy" soon enough, just follow the program as it is laid out.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    Not sure I understand the question either. You start with the bar which is 45 pounds for most lifts and then you add more each session. Most ladies need to start lower on OHP cuz that lift is the hardest for most of us. :grumble:
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    This is exactly what you're supposed to do, but you add weight each session - not each set. And I recommend Starting Strength which uses a 3x5 routine, but that's just my opinion. I started stalling a lot using 5x5 and was able to progress on my OHP/squat using 3x5 instead.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    ok I will elaborate....

    Set 1: Bar
    Set 2: Bar and 10 pounds
    Set 3: Bar and 15 pounds
    Set 4: Bar and 20/or if 15 was too much 15
    Set 5: Repeat set 4

    Do something like that for each workout... maybe wrong?
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    This is exactly what you're supposed to do, but you add weight each session - not each set. And I recommend Starting Strength which uses a 3x5 routine, but that's just my opinion. I started stalling a lot using 5x5 and was able to progress on my OHP/squat using 3x5 instead.


    OH! Ok I see :D
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    Not sad at all. Im a 6' guy and I started with the bar for OHP.

    ANd no - you dont add weight each set. You have your weight for the day and you do that each set. So Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar and if you make all 25 reps, you add 5 pounds next time.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    I am doing 3 exercises and doing 5 sets each. So I think I am.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    Not sad at all. Im a 6' guy and I started with the bar for OHP.

    ANd no - you dont add weight each set. You have your weight for the day and you do that each set. So Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar and if you make all 25 reps, you add 5 pounds next time.


    Oh :D I get it better now
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    Not sad at all. Im a 6' guy and I started with the bar for OHP.

    ANd no - you dont add weight each set. You have your weight for the day and you do that each set. So Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar, Bar and if you make all 25 reps, you add 5 pounds next time.


    Oh :D I get it better now

    Awesome. Oh, and btw... awesome that you are lifting! Kill it, lady!
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
    Start low. If you can do 10 reps rather easily then add weight. Reps for stronglifts
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    thanks :) I want to be hot and ruing in the hamster wheel isn't going to get me there lol
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Start low. If you can do 10 reps rather easily then add weight. Reps for stronglifts

    Ok that makes sense because on squats it was too easy so I added more but on the other two it was a lot harder
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Did you read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    It's much easier to comprehend than the big pdf.
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    Start low. If you can do 10 reps rather easily then add weight. Reps for stronglifts

    Ok that makes sense because on squats it was too easy so I added more but on the other two it was a lot harder

    Also make sure you're learning proper form. Very important.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Did you read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    It's much easier to comprehend than the big pdf.

    oh cool thanks!!
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Start low. If you can do 10 reps rather easily then add weight. Reps for stronglifts

    Ok that makes sense because on squats it was too easy so I added more but on the other two it was a lot harder

    Also make sure you're learning proper form. Very important.

    I have been using youtube to see how to do it I think I am. Not 100% sure. I am thinking about getting a personal trainer after christmas
  • juggz212
    juggz212 Posts: 32
    Get a spotter if possible. Form is key if you train with a partner have him/her record you so you can see for yourself if you are doing it properly.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Get a spotter if possible. Form is key if you train with a partner have him/her record you so you can see for yourself if you are doing it properly.

    See that is the problem I don't know anybody. I need to make some friends here. We just move here not long ago.
  • rlw911
    rlw911 Posts: 475 Member
    Definitely read the thread BusyLady linked to. Work on getting your form down, before worrying about increasing your weight. If your form is bad and you hurt yourself, you won't be able to lift anything. :tongue:

    Good luck and have fun!
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Definitely read the thread BusyLady linked to. Work on getting your form down, before worrying about increasing your weight. If your form is bad and you hurt yourself, you won't be able to lift anything. :tongue:

    Good luck and have fun!

    yeah I saved that to favorites and am going to watch the videos before I go until I get it down. Maybe write myself some notes. I am sore, but pleasantly so. ( If there is such a thing) I made sure I did low impact exercises to day to keep from getting stiff. I think the foam roller and yoga helped a lot too.
  • NathanielJL
    NathanielJL Posts: 15 Member
    If you're starting to lift weights, make sure you're doing it progressively. Like everyone has stated, start with a warm up of 0 weights for the 1st set. If you believe you can add on more weight, do so. If you start of with heavy weights and you know mentally you can do it, there are consequences (from pulling a muscle/tearing a muscle) - which in turn, will set you out from weight lifting. So, make sure your muscles are warmed up enough to do squats/weighted squats, chest press (with or without weights), pullups, chin ups, etc. If you can't do a normal push up, try doing knee pushups then do planks. Then afterwards, try do 1 pushup. I've seen plenty of people, who go full on with their push ups and the following week they don't even workout any more cause they use too much energy and their body is strained. Good luck :) if you need more help, don't hesitate to add me and ask me about it :P

    Make sure you stretch before hand and drink your protein :P
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    I don't get very much protein I guess I am a vegetarian so that doesn't really help. I do eat eggs now after finding a local farmer that I really like. I suppose that Sunwarrior is a good brand I hear good stuff about it anyways. I can't do a pushup :( I can't do a chin up or pull up either. I hope to in a month or so. I will defiantly be taking the advice given and start slower. I was kind of mixed up there I think lol
  • NathanielJL
    NathanielJL Posts: 15 Member
    Ah! I understand that you're a vegetarian. There are new proteins that are for vegans :) so try them out. Good thing you've been researching it too :) Also, I don't expect anyone to do push ups that easily haha, it takes a while to get used to push down with your weight then up again. You just need to build more upper body strength (which I'm sure you will)! As with pull ups and chin ups, same story haha. I wasn't able to do any until a month into my new workout regime and now I'm able to do a solid 30-40 pullups + chin ups without any hesitation. Just takes practice and patience :) It's best to do both weight lifting as well as body weight exercises. The more circuit training you do, the more you burn and you'll notice a phenomenal change in your body within 2 months :) Good luck!
  • ninjajoshy
    ninjajoshy Posts: 3 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    Try using lower-weight dumbbells until you can do full sets with the bar.
  • NathanielJL
    NathanielJL Posts: 15 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    Try using lower-weight dumbbells until you can do full sets with the bar.

    Exactly. Normal sets and reps = 3 sets of 10. If you're able to do that without any problems, then add an extra 2.5kgs. Then gradually increase with 5kg and remove the 2.5kg. The muscle fibers being recruited, the more fat is being stripped away.
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Well they do have those pre-weighted bar thingies would that work?
  • NathanielJL
    NathanielJL Posts: 15 Member
    Definitely will help. If they have assisted machines that have weights attached, use them. When you're ready, try doing weights without any assistance from the machines :)
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    well this is sad but on bench press I could only do the bar and by the end of it I couldn't even do a full set. I wasn't sure how much I could lift honestly. So I thought starting light then adding more weight until I couldn't do anymore was a good idea. idk...

    I started lifting using Stronglifts, and started out with just the bar. It's actually recommended. No offense intended, but it seems that you may want to go back and read over the program again to be sure that you understand it fully before proceeding.

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