Constantly Feel Like I'm Not Doing Enough...Am I?
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That's 20 sets of squat-like exercises, which seems like a lot to me but I'm not an expert. How many times a week do you do that? Are you a once a week leg trainer? I don't think that 90 minutes is bad TBH but my preference is not to do cardio every day after lifting. If you're running short on time could you do your normal lifting, skip the cardio, and then later in the day go for a walk? You might find that a walk is helpful because it can be relaxing.
Out of curiosity, do you do a more hamstring-centric day ever?
Usually 2 x week! One day like this, and another with more moderate weight and different muscle focus - i.e. pliet squats, assist machine push-downs, lunges, curtsey squats, v-squat machine variations, curl variations, etc. And yeah, cardio I just recently started incorporating and it's been exhausting. I went from doing 15-20 minutes on upper body days only to doing 15-30 minutes every day and that definitely isn't going to be maintainable. It's been a week (maybe a little more) and I'm completely exhausted.0 -
To each their own, though. I know the structured programs are promoted and highly recommended but personally I like accessory lifts. I like the variety and since I don't do cardio I use those accessory lifts as my break between my other sets so that I keep my heart rate up.
I'm not the OP nor am I answering for her. Just wanted to say that as good as those structured programs are there is no "one size fits all".
I agree with liking accessory work and I use it the same as you do - especially on my upper body days. I have FUN when I go to the gym, while getting fit of course, but if you aren't focusing on making gains or getting cut for a competition, then that's all it's really about. Enjoying yourself while getting healthy. Maybe after my time with my trainer is up I'll try a program, but for now I like the routine that I have set and kind of enjoy incorporating new things and trying them out.1 -
peaceout_aly wrote: »That's 20 sets of squat-like exercises, which seems like a lot to me but I'm not an expert. How many times a week do you do that? Are you a once a week leg trainer? I don't think that 90 minutes is bad TBH but my preference is not to do cardio every day after lifting. If you're running short on time could you do your normal lifting, skip the cardio, and then later in the day go for a walk? You might find that a walk is helpful because it can be relaxing.
Out of curiosity, do you do a more hamstring-centric day ever?
Usually 2 x week! One day like this, and another with more moderate weight and different muscle focus - i.e. pliet squats, assist machine push-downs, lunges, curtsey squats, v-squat machine variations, curl variations, etc. And yeah, cardio I just recently started incorporating and it's been exhausting. I went from doing 15-20 minutes on upper body days only to doing 15-30 minutes every day and that definitely isn't going to be maintainable. It's been a week (maybe a little more) and I'm completely exhausted.
Okay, I am going to say this to be nice...chill out, sister
I think that your perfectionistic tendencies are causing you a bit of anxiety here and that you need to step back and breathe a bit.
It's tempting to have all the goals and do all of the exercises but it's generally better to pick one or two goals (maybe one big goal and one smaller goal) and work on it rather than trying to do everything at once. If your goal is to get stronger, work on that (it may mean changing your training or may not if you really like your current lifting.) If your goal is to increase cardio endurance, focus on that while maintaining your lifting at a comfortable level. If your goal is something else, do that. But I think that a bit of focus would help.0 -
peaceout_aly wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »peaceout_aly wrote: »Not to be rude but your posts are exhausting to read, every time. Do you obsess over everything? You always do a million lifts. It doesn't have to be this hard.
Yes, I actually do. I'm a perfectionist in all aspects of life, and the gym is my extreme perfectionist zone. This message board is the place to ask questions, I take advice that is given seriously and have made progress due to it. I'm not one of the people who disregards the answers that I get - someone suggests I eat more, lift in a different order, spend less time, etc. I try it out and see how it works for me. Also, I don't do a million. I am working different muscles and doing 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps for the most part.
You realise that's part of the problem though, right? You aren't focused. You ask these things so often that there's no way you know that you are implementing changes effectively. If you aren't following your trainer and are setting workout goals you can't achieve, you aren't being a perfectionist.
I ask about diet more so than my routine on the boards. And have done nothing but up my calorie-intake, as per suggestions of everyone on this board and around me, with much success. Recently, I asked for suggestions for abs because that is simple at-home work out stuff. I also asked to have my upper body routine critiqued because I feel like I am advancing out of what is set from my trainer and I wanted to get ideas for more back focused exercises. Is it terrible to ask for suggestions? Is incorporating new exercises not acceptable? I am following my trainer. The difficult part is that she incorporates new exercises so often that it's hard to fit them all into my routine - as shown above. Hence why I am asking if it's really that big of a deal if some are decreased or omitted from time to time.
What are your goals. Are you trying to be a body builder.
No way! Honestly, my goal when I first started was to get in shape for summer and now I am more so focused on gaining strength. Of course, adding in cardio is to help moderately get in shape for summer but I'm not going to go out and run for 60-minutes like some people on here do! I just enjoy the gym. I like feeling strong and being able to constantly have the mindset that I'm "stronger than I was two weeks ago."
Answer #1: If your goal is primarily gaining strength then you've really got to re-evaluate what you are doing. You are doing high rep, high volume style workouts with lots of variations and sets. That's pretty much a cookie-cutter hypertrophy setup (for gaining mass). If you want to focus on strength, lower reps, compound movements and some sort of program that emphasizes progression is probably more of what you want.
Answer #2: If you have a trainer, why not just trust him and have faith in his program? If you don't trust him and you don't like the program or it's not conducive to your goals, then why not talk to him about it? Or get another trainer? Or do your own thing? It just seems counter intuitive to pay a trainer to do something that you are skeptical about and/or isn't optimal for your goals.1 -
peaceout_aly wrote: »...my goal when I first started was to get in shape for summer and now I am more so focused on gaining strength. Of course, adding in cardio is to help moderately get in shape for summer but I'm not going to go out and run for 60-minutes like some people on here do! I just enjoy the gym. I like feeling strong and being able to constantly have the mindset that I'm "stronger than I was two weeks ago."
OK, then time to retarget. Your routine's rep ranges are lifting for endurance -- if you want to lift for strength, you need to drop the rep ranges into the 4-6 range and start upping the weights. 3x - 4x a week on the lifts, cardio on the other days (I'm not going to repeat all the available structured strength programs -- you know what they are; or since you're paying a trainer, get a custom one designed). And eat and sleep enough -- you can't gain strength without enough of both. Listen to your body -- when you say It's been a week (maybe a little more) and I'm completely exhausted , you've crossed the line into overtraining. Back off.
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I keep my leg routine pretty much the same, with some minor changes on movements. Like others have said, I think you are trying to do to much, and you are feeling like you are not doing enough. I normally incorporate 6 exercises into my routine. Two that never change are leg press and calf raises (I can't do barbell squats because of my back). I'll throw in box jumps, sumo squats, balance squats, weighted lunges, hip abductor, leg extensions, and leg curls. I'm not focused on one certain aspect, IE; endurance, strength, etc. So I periodically change my rep and set range. As others have said, if your focus is on strength. I would lower your rep range, and increase weight. I would then add weight whenever it becomes to easy to finish your sets.
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I would start by getting away from the smith machine. That will add challenge to your lifts immediately.0
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as others have said, if you want to gain strength and muscle, lift heavier for less reps.
btw, i have talked to several trainers (all men) who say they will never give women heavier workouts as - they all told me - women don't want to build muscle. this was, btw, after i specifically told them my only goal was to build muscle.0 -
I would start by getting away from the smith machine. That will add challenge to your lifts immediately.
I know I need to work on this! Unfortunately, I have a reconstructed foot (and the other is not that dependable either) so my balance is VERY off and my ankle gives out on me a lot. I'm trying to get my one buddy to go with me and spot me until I can build my balance to manage at least a small weight on the barbell. Without a spot though, I don't trust my ankle to not give out and for me to maintain balance. I know barbell squats are significantly more efficient than the Smith though. Just making do with my current capabilities.0 -
itsbasschick wrote: »as others have said, if you want to gain strength and muscle, lift heavier for less reps.
btw, i have talked to several trainers (all men) who say they will never give women heavier workouts as - they all told me - women don't want to build muscle. this was, btw, after i specifically told them my only goal was to build muscle.
I actually have a female trainer and have told her I want to gain strength, but from everything I'm reading and the responses I'm getting she has me on more of a hypertrophic/endurance aimed routine. Definitely going to discuss.0 -
Aly, if you have a trainer, follow her work plan or fire her.
Have you run a sanity on your work down by checking the inol values? You're either not putting in enough volume or intensity if all of your workouts are all over the place. You have a goal that doesn't seem supported by the work you are doing.
Why?0 -
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peaceout_aly wrote: »That's a LOT of time spent in the gym. I mean, I love my gym and the whole gym atmosphere overall, but IMHO the "constant" feeling of not doing enough and "feeling like a failure" seems to me much more of a mental issue than a physical one. Now, please note, I did NOT call you "mental". I just think that you are already doing a lot. What if you get injured? I'd scale down and try lower reps, heavier weights, less time as was suggested.
My lift sessions are only 40-60 minutes and that's because I give a lot of rest time in between sets. The extra half-hour is cardio typically and I just started adding it in since summer is right around the corner. And the failure aspect tends to come from comparing previous gains (being able to up weight weekly) that were made quickly to now coming to a plateau and having it take almost a month to up any significant amount. Just makes me question the set routine. What is considered "low reps"? I see people that do 5 x 5, in which case I assume you would drastically increase the weight? Or would 3-4 sets of 7-8 suffice?
Your gains in the beginning will come relatively quickly due to neuromuscular adaptation. At some point those gains will start to taper/plateau regardless of what program you're following. If you're eating in a deficit, continuing to build significant strength will become harder and harder. Just as weight loss isn't a linear process, neither is strength gain. If it was possible to continue gaining strength indefinitely at the "noob" rate, there would be people bench pressing 2000+ pounds and squatting 5000+.
Don't compare noob gains to what you're able to do further down the road. It won't continue to happen that quickly and easily. Even the strength-oriented programs like SL 5x5 acknowledge that if you're cutting (eating at a deficit), it's going to become more and more difficult to keep adding weight to the bar.
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