Weight lifting

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Jadu786
Jadu786 Posts: 141 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello Everyone ...

I have been lifting weights for a long time and for some reason I’m not getting much stronger ... for example, with squats I’ve been doing the bar plus 25 lbs on each side for almost a year. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to try and increase the amount of weight I am lifting ? My goal is to try and tone and see definition ...

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  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
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    you have to progressively increase the weight. Doing the same weight wont increase muscle mass only your ability to lift that weight efficiently.

    You might want to find an actual program and follow it.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited January 2018
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    What lifting program are you running?
    Age, gender, height, weight?
    Are you eating in a surplus or deficit?
    Do you have vid of your form?
    Are you in any sports or physical activities?

  • oaker
    oaker Posts: 132 Member
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    Just keep adding weight to the bar. Even if it’s only 5 lbs...over time it adds up and you will get stronger. Check out stronglifts 5x5.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    simi915 wrote: »
    Hello Everyone ...

    I have been lifting weights for a long time and for some reason I’m not getting much stronger ... for example, with squats I’ve been doing the bar plus 25 lbs on each side for almost a year. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to try and increase the amount of weight I am lifting ? My goal is to try and tone and see definition ...

    to me 'stronger' and cosmetic factors are two different things. not saying they don't interact with each other, but if you're focused on getting stronger then that's what you're focusing on. visual changes either happen or don't but they're not the metric you're using to drive what you do.

    so. assuming that what you want is to get stronger, strength is about incremental increases. you're trying to train your body to get used to the idea that this is going to keep happening - not just the lifting itself, but the rate of increase. your body needs to be going 'uh oh, looks like it's going to keep getting heavier, better start planning for that.'

    there are several good programmes out there, and most of them use the keywords "progressive overload" in some way so that's a good phrase to google.

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    also be aware of rep ranges, an appropriate program will have you in the right rep range for your goals.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    What are your reps and set#s? Add a rep or a set if you can't add weight. Add smaller plates. When I first started lifting, the smallest plates at my gym were 5lbs. That was just too much to add sometimes, so I would just do more squats. After a week, try again. Now my gym has 2.5lb plates and I can increase a little easier/faster. Your program should also tell you when to increase.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,704 Member
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    This would be a good thread for you to read, and a place to ask follow-up questions if you have any after reading it:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    If you have tried adding more weight to the bar and it just isn't happening get smaller plates. I have a set that weighs between a quarter pound and one pound. I can only manage increasing one to two pounds at a time in overhead press, but it's still progress.

    You might want to try a program with different sets and reps. Sometimes you just need to do things a little differently to progress. The link above should help with that.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,485 Member
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    Have a look at the AllPro programme in the thread that @AnnPT77 posted.
    It is a rep before weight increase programme with heavy, medium, and light days.
    I found this progression worked better for me than a straight weight progression programme like 5x5 or 5x3.

    Cheers, h.

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