A couple of dumb questions on strength training

hikinggal11
hikinggal11 Posts: 59 Member
edited November 28 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I am new to weight lifting and have a couple dumb questions.

#1 I am between weight on many of my exercises and don't know if I should go up in weight or do more reps. For example, I am using a 15lb weight for my bicep curl which is starting to be too light. I do 12 reps. Should I increase my number of reps until I feel fatigued or should I bump up to 20lbs and do as many as I can until I can no longer remain in good form. I want to build muscle.

#2 Some exercises that I perform don't seem to target the areas that they are intended for. For example, the seated row (I think that is the name) is suppose to target the upper back, but when I do them I feel it more in my arms. I feel that I am doing them in good form. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong? Most of the exercises that I perform I do feel the target area being engaged i.e. the glutes, so I am not sure if some muscle groups are just harder to target.

Thank you in advance.

Replies

  • flowerhorsey
    flowerhorsey Posts: 154 Member
    Not dumb questions! #1 maybe do both, warm up with lighter weight db, a couple heavy 20lb lower rep sets, and end with high rep low weight. #2 I'd lower the weight and/or change position, move hand placement, leaning angle until you feel it working where you want it... I've sat on a weighed ball at times too, copying Erin Stren in one of her videos.
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    edited September 2018
    2) Seated row/low row (usually cable/machine) - pull through using the elbows (hands/wrists are just "hooks" to hold onto the handle) back & down slightly towards belt line - elbows tucked into your sides; low row is more targeted for lower lats (of course you can change which part of the back you target with path placement using dumbbells or a t-bar).

    This is a great warm up exercise for getting a feel for lats; use light weight of course for warming up. Straps can help you focus less on gripping/using biceps
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    yep the seated row thing - your hands are just hooks. Also you can pause right at the top of the movement and really squeeze between the shoulderblades. Also make sure you bring shoulders down and back before you start to pull - lots of people pull all hunched up.

    Re the weights - go up and do less reps if you can't make the whole 12 of them. eventually you will. Anyway, no set prescribed thing says to do 12 reps. I do periodised undulation where some workouts I'll only do like 6 reps with very heavy weight and others 20 reps with lighter weights.
  • Stockholm_Andy
    Stockholm_Andy Posts: 803 Member
    The only stupid question is the one you don't ask is what I used to tell the recruits when I was an instructor in the army. (Between you and me I got some really dumbass questions :D )

    Anyway your aren't. Some good advice so far but here's my tupence....
    1. How many reps can you do with the 20lbs DBs? If you can do 5 or more with decent form then I'd move up. 5lbs is quite a jump which is why you are finding it difficult to judge. My gym's DBs (and most I've trained in) go up in 1kg (2lbs) increments.
    2. The lats are much bigger muscles than the arms so will may tire later. What order are you doing your exercises? Are you following a structured program? Exercise order will effect which muscles tire first of course which is why we do the big compounds first and the isolations last. The lat pull down (or pull up if you can do them) is a great exercise for the lats. I often do these prior to the low row.

    Good luck and happy lifting B)
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Before I would suggest taking a 25% jump in weight for the rep scheme for that lift, I would suggest adding one set per week for two or three weeks at the current weight.

    You can also lighten your rest periods slightly as a seperate option.

  • hikinggal11
    hikinggal11 Posts: 59 Member
    Thank you for all of your ideas and insight. I guess that my form was not as good as I thought on the seated row, which I will be correcting tomorrow. I did not know that the order of lifting was important, now I know! Thank you!
  • JorrunFulhelm
    JorrunFulhelm Posts: 42 Member
    For the low row, if you are using a machine for this, something I have found helpful is to do some activation moves first and really focus on the part of my back I want to be working- so I might do a set or two of rows with DBs and then move to the machine. Also make sure you are really retracting your shoulders and squeezing when you are doing your rows!
  • cr4igw
    cr4igw Posts: 12 Member
    If you want to build muscle then you should be working at 3-6 rep range for 3-5 sets. Try using thumbs out grip on your rows and pull from your elbows. Yes you’ll feel it in your biceps but if you’re feeling it there most then it simply means they’re doing more of the work not your back. Switch your back exercises around don’t just stick with seated rows. Try lat pull with a variety of grips, single arm rows, overhead pulls etc... find the one that feels right.
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