How do you gauge your strength training success?

Options
2

Replies

  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    Options
    Increase in weight and/or number of reps.

    Not strength related but speed with which I can do something/increase in number of reps within a specified time limit.
  • ZombieGeezUs
    ZombieGeezUs Posts: 476
    Options
    Increased iron on the barbell. Realizing 30 lb dumbells are not enough for me. Having my size get smaller while not losing any weight. My flexed muscle pics. Being able to carry $100+ in groceries into the house on one arm. Being able to push 960 pounds of concrete on a flat cart at Lowe's. I could go on...and on...

    Remember that time you lifted my car out of the mud? Or when you smashed Loki with one arm?
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    ummmm...... i don't understand the question?

    Think in terms of your general badassery.

    This. I didn't intend this to be too serious of a question. What makes you feel LIKE THE HULK!?!?!

    Ahh, I both get it now and understand why i didn't get it before. i don't go for that sort of thing anymore. i've been doing it for too long, i guess. i used to appreciate things that made me feel like a bad *kitten* but now i just put things on my checklist and cross that shish off like zorro and yelling "NEXT!" without really feeling any emotion about it. just business gettin handled.

    it's better your way tho, so carry on
  • djc315
    djc315 Posts: 585 Member
    Options
    When I first started lifting (a few weeks ago), I did 10 reps, 3 sets. Then I increased to 15 reps, 3 sets. Tonight I increased the weight and when back down to 10 reps, 3 sets. Tonight was the first time I felt like I was getting stronger, even though increasing my reps showed that as well.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Options
    Increased iron on the barbell. Realizing 30 lb dumbells are not enough for me. Having my size get smaller while not losing any weight. My flexed muscle pics. Being able to carry $100+ in groceries into the house on one arm. Being able to push 960 pounds of concrete on a flat cart at Lowe's. I could go on...and on...

    Remember that time you lifted my car out of the mud? Or when you smashed Loki with one arm?

    Shhhh, no one was supposed to know I took down Loki!!! ;)
  • YouHadMyCuriosity
    YouHadMyCuriosity Posts: 218 Member
    Options
    Increasing endurance and strength are not the same thing.

    Increasing 1rm is the way you tell if you're getting stronger.

    Actually, for how much I wanted this to be a light hearted silly discussion, this is actually a very thoughtful, concise, and smart answer to my dumb question :) Thanks for that! Like I said, still waiting for my other weights till after xmas to get accurate results on my 1rms.

    Question- what you the number of pushups you can do count as? Endurance or strength?

    They're not mutually exclusive. They often come together, esecialy for newbies. But if you find yourself doing 50 pushups at a time, being able to do 55 doesn't mean you've gotten stronger.

    Past a certain number of reps, more reps doesn't really indicate more strength, which I really think of as the ability to produce force.

    Ok, awesome. I am a total newb, and have been really excited about the fact that in a couple months, I've gone from not being able to do a single good form pushup to 15. So in that case it's still an increase in strength, but once I'm less of a wimp it will be less of an indicator, correct?
  • losingwhatican
    losingwhatican Posts: 26 Member
    Options
    I held a plank for three minutes a couple of weeks ago, and I've definitely never done that before. Also, just admiring my biceps or periodically poking my stomach to feel the fat-muscle ratio changing is fun. Insanity's Fit Test was a great way to gauge progress when I was doing the program, too, and I wonder if it would be appropriate to test my gains from the class I'm in now.
  • YouHadMyCuriosity
    YouHadMyCuriosity Posts: 218 Member
    Options
    ummmm...... i don't understand the question?

    Think in terms of your general badassery.

    This. I didn't intend this to be too serious of a question. What makes you feel LIKE THE HULK!?!?!

    Ahh, I both get it now and understand why i didn't get it before. i don't go for that sort of thing anymore. i've been doing it for too long, i guess. i used to appreciate things that made me feel like a bad *kitten* but now i just put things on my checklist and cross that shish off like zorro and yelling "NEXT!" without really feeling any emotion about it. just business gettin handled.

    it's better your way tho, so carry on

    I gotcha. I hope I one day get to the point where I'm taking increases in strength as a check in the box, and moving on to the next goal. I would rather be Zorro than the Hulk eventually ;)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Options
    Increasing endurance and strength are not the same thing.

    Increasing 1rm is the way you tell if you're getting stronger.

    Actually, for how much I wanted this to be a light hearted silly discussion, this is actually a very thoughtful, concise, and smart answer to my dumb question :) Thanks for that! Like I said, still waiting for my other weights till after xmas to get accurate results on my 1rms.

    Question- what you the number of pushups you can do count as? Endurance or strength?

    They're not mutually exclusive. They often come together, esecialy for newbies. But if you find yourself doing 50 pushups at a time, being able to do 55 doesn't mean you've gotten stronger.

    Past a certain number of reps, more reps doesn't really indicate more strength, which I really think of as the ability to produce force.

    Ok, awesome. I am a total newb, and have been really excited about the fact that in a couple months, I've gone from not being able to do a single good form pushup to 15. So in that case it's still an increase in strength, but once I'm less of a wimp it will be less of an indicator, correct?

    Less of an indicator of raw strength, sure. Don't worry about it: just focus on constant progress. That's what matters. This week you should be able to do more whatever than last week, but not as much as next week. The thing to really focus on is that if you're doing more than 15 or 20 reps it's time to make the movement more difficult with more weight or a different body position.
  • ZombieGeezUs
    ZombieGeezUs Posts: 476
    Options
    Increased iron on the barbell. Realizing 30 lb dumbells are not enough for me. Having my size get smaller while not losing any weight. My flexed muscle pics. Being able to carry $100+ in groceries into the house on one arm. Being able to push 960 pounds of concrete on a flat cart at Lowe's. I could go on...and on...

    Remember that time you lifted my car out of the mud? Or when you smashed Loki with one arm?

    Shhhh, no one was supposed to know I took down Loki!!! ;)

    well, you weren't very quiet about it....
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Options
    Increased iron on the barbell. Realizing 30 lb dumbells are not enough for me. Having my size get smaller while not losing any weight. My flexed muscle pics. Being able to carry $100+ in groceries into the house on one arm. Being able to push 960 pounds of concrete on a flat cart at Lowe's. I could go on...and on...

    Remember that time you lifted my car out of the mud? Or when you smashed Loki with one arm?

    Shhhh, no one was supposed to know I took down Loki!!! ;)

    well, you weren't very quiet about it....

    Yeah, but you are part of my inner circle!!
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    Options
    Load, reps, and/or form

    Form quality is also a form of strength progression, one that is especially important with bodyweight work.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Options
    When fellas 35 years YOUNGER than me stop & gawk in awe as I crank out a set of ten incline dumbbell presses with 85 pounders. Okay, bragging's over.

    being a girl and lifting more than some of the boys/men is fun too :)
  • Mighty_Rabite
    Mighty_Rabite Posts: 581 Member
    Options
    I pretty much take aim, see what I do on exercises, and then try for more the next time around, whether it's more reps or more weight.

    Having to use both decks for leg press is fun and gets people gawking somewhat; I also have enjoyed seeing some of the bigger guys come into the gym and dead lift some pretty solid weight, and getting to where I am approaching their weights as well - very satisfying!
  • amastre
    amastre Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    When I set new PRs on the platform in a powerlifting meet. Also, just when I set PRs in general, but meet PRs are super special.
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
    Options
    When next weeks weight is more than this weeks.

    I truly can't wait to have the rest of the weights I need to track this! What is your favorite move to see higher weight on?

    Deadlift. With a little hard work and luck, next year I will be going for my provincial record.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    When fellas 35 years YOUNGER than me stop & gawk in awe as I crank out a set of ten incline dumbbell presses with 85 pounders. Okay, bragging's over.
    Can I take a turn?
    When youngsters half my age follow me on the leg press and you just hear a "clunk", see bulging neck veins and the weights don't move.
    I know it's childish but I am in my second childhood after all. :smile:
  • YouHadMyCuriosity
    YouHadMyCuriosity Posts: 218 Member
    Options
    When fellas 35 years YOUNGER than me stop & gawk in awe as I crank out a set of ten incline dumbbell presses with 85 pounders. Okay, bragging's over.
    Can I take a turn?
    When youngsters half my age follow me on the leg press and you just hear a "clunk", see bulging neck veins and the weights don't move.
    I know it's childish but I am in my second childhood after all. :smile:

    Good for you!!!! I think that a huge part of staying young is always being a child at heart :)
  • WhoHa42
    WhoHa42 Posts: 1,270 Member
    Options
    Reaching a 1RM goal. Feels good when you get a weight you couldn't ever imagine lifting a few years before.
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    Options
    Increasing endurance and strength are not the same thing.

    Increasing 1rm is the way you tell if you're getting stronger.

    Actually, for how much I wanted this to be a light hearted silly discussion, this is actually a very thoughtful, concise, and smart answer to my dumb question :) Thanks for that! Like I said, still waiting for my other weights till after xmas to get accurate results on my 1rms.

    Question- what you the number of pushups you can do count as? Endurance or strength?

    They're not mutually exclusive. They often come together, esecialy for newbies. But if you find yourself doing 50 pushups at a time, being able to do 55 doesn't mean you've gotten stronger.

    Past a certain number of reps, more reps doesn't really indicate more strength, which I really think of as the ability to produce force.
    Yep! It indicates the muscular endurance aspect of fitness:)

Categories