How do you gauge your strength training success?

2»

Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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: 19,809 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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:)
  • AddyB80
    AddyB80 Posts: 8
    More of the following really,

    Weight that the past session,
    Reps than the last session,
    Sets than the last session,

    Or less recovery time,

    Hope that helps.
  • ajaxe432
    ajaxe432 Posts: 608 Member
    My suggestion, find a credible trainer and do a 1 rep max test on legs and chest. He/She will create a program that will increase your strength and therefore reach your goals.

    The muscular endurance is for repitions..how many push ups you can do as opposed to how much you can lift.
  • ScottF83
    ScottF83 Posts: 233 Member
    When next weeks weight is more than this weeks.

    True for me too... it's kind of the point of StrongLifts 5x5 :)
  • Whyareyoumad
    Whyareyoumad Posts: 268 Member
    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.

    Have you done the plank challenge? I came across one of FB and it has really helped me. I like how people look at you funny when you can hold a plank for 3 or 4 minutes. LOL
  • CarlKRobbo
    CarlKRobbo Posts: 390 Member
    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.

    ^^^^ This x 2!!!

    Gym PR's are all good and well, but Meet\Comp Lifts are more strict, and you can't really get one with poor form

    Lifts on the Platform are so much better, as they don't get passed if you squat high etc....

    As for Lifts I love to see progress on... Most!!

    Deadlifts have been flying lately (+70Lbs increase on 1RM in 4 Months)...
    Squat
    and SOP - Just as I like training shoulders!

    Also.... no offence..... but Damn you Newbie's and your Newbie Gains!!! I've been training for 3 1/2 years now, no such thing as Newbie Gains for me now.......
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    When I went down a pant size and I know my eating wasn't as it should be.
  • mitchiejo
    mitchiejo Posts: 179 Member
    When I could actually shovel snow this year and not be sore the next day!!!
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    5 rep max test. Use a weight you can get 5 reps with.

    5 reps won't test your endurance too much, and doing your 1 rep max can be dangerous.

    You can use a 1 rep max calculator to see if you're improving.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    the weight on the bar and the number of reps I am doing…as long as one of those are going up, I am all good...
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    I do progressive calisthenics so for me it would be an increase of time under tension (for example lowering in a standard pushup to a count of 15 seconds and pushing back up each rep) or moving up to a more demanding exercise for the same muscle group - standard pushup to close hand pushup to decline pushups etc,; always staying within strength range (for me that's 5-8 reps per set, 5 sets) and moving to a harder exercise once that target is met.

Categories