Stronglifts help

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micls
micls Posts: 234
in Fitness and Exercise
Well I finally got up the courage and went for the scary free weights area and tried the first part of the stronglifts programme., unfortunately it was a bit of a disaster.
Couple of issues, 1 I think is form, the other is practicality.

The main problem was I'm too weak! I couldn't use the empty bar for anything, it was far too heavy. I did manage 1 set of squats, but I realised I wasn't going down far enough. So start of the next set I went down properly, and very nearly fell over. I managed to stand myself up but my quads were fecked afterwards. It was just way too heavy for me.

I didn't wanna give up, so I found the gym had some fixed weight barbells. I went for one that said 20 on either side, thinking I'd try 40 and see if that was doable. But I found this really light, so I think it meant it was actually 20lbs in total and I got confused. I used these fixed weights to finish the sets of squats. The weights were too light, but my legs were really hurt after the one squat with the empty bar! Finished the sets but with the really light weights.

Then moved to bench press. Again I tried to lift the empty bar, but it was much too heavy, and felt like it would be dangerous. I used the fixed weight again, the 20 which I thought was 40 and was very confused at the weight difference (I only realised later it was probably only 20!). Did the sets with this but it was too easy.

Did the same for the rows. Bar was too light but tried to focus on form (had the bar on top of other weights. Really not sure abotu form on this one but did the sets.

So my main problem is how to do the program. Currently I can't do empty bar and I can't move up in 5lb increments. My gym has the fixed weight barbells in increments of 10. So I could try using those til I get to 40, then move onto the empty bar? I think I might struggle going from 30 to 40 though. Any ideas? All suggestions welcome :)

The other niggly thing is my squat. I think I'm doing it wrong. I did bodyweight squats as warm up, and when I go parallel like you should I feel like I'm gonna fall backwards and lose balance. This carried over when I did the squat with the bar and I nearly fell over. Tips/ideas? Not sure what exactly I'm doing wrong.

Thanks for reading.

Replies

  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Well I finally got up the courage and went for the scary free weights area and tried the first part of the stronglifts programme., unfortunately it was a bit of a disaster.
    Couple of issues, 1 I think is form, the other is practicality.

    The main problem was I'm too weak! I couldn't use the empty bar for anything, it was far too heavy. I did manage 1 set of squats, but I realised I wasn't going down far enough. So start of the next set I went down properly, and very nearly fell over. I managed to stand myself up but my quads were fecked afterwards. It was just way too heavy for me.

    I didn't wanna give up, so I found the gym had some fixed weight barbells. I went for one that said 20 on either side, thinking I'd try 40 and see if that was doable. But I found this really light, so I think it meant it was actually 20lbs in total and I got confused. I used these fixed weights to finish the sets of squats. The weights were too light, but my legs were really hurt after the one squat with the empty bar! Finished the sets but with the really light weights.

    Then moved to bench press. Again I tried to lift the empty bar, but it was much too heavy, and felt like it would be dangerous. I used the fixed weight again, the 20 which I thought was 40 and was very confused at the weight difference (I only realised later it was probably only 20!). Did the sets with this but it was too easy.

    Did the same for the rows. Bar was too light but tried to focus on form (had the bar on top of other weights. Really not sure abotu form on this one but did the sets.

    So my main problem is how to do the program. Currently I can't do empty bar and I can't move up in 5lb increments. My gym has the fixed weight barbells in increments of 10. So I could try using those til I get to 40, then move onto the empty bar? I think I might struggle going from 30 to 40 though. Any ideas? All suggestions welcome :)

    The other niggly thing is my squat. I think I'm doing it wrong. I did bodyweight squats as warm up, and when I go parallel like you should I feel like I'm gonna fall backwards and lose balance. This carried over when I did the squat with the bar and I nearly fell over. Tips/ideas? Not sure what exactly I'm doing wrong.

    Thanks for reading.

    Try building some basic strength using dumbbell forms of the same exercises. Squats with 10's in each hand until you get to 30lbs per hand, then move up to the bar. Presses with 10's in each hand, until you can safely press 20's in each hand, then move to the bar.

    Almost every barbell lift has a dumbbell equivelant.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
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    The other niggly thing is my squat. I think I'm doing it wrong. I did bodyweight squats as warm up, and when I go parallel like you should I feel like I'm gonna fall backwards and lose balance. This carried over when I did the squat with the bar and I nearly fell over. Tips/ideas? Not sure what exactly I'm doing wrong.

    Really to diagnose this, you need a video to see what is happening when you squat.

    That said, if you're falling over backwards, it's likely you're lacking mobility of the hip and\or ankle. If you get a 10lb dumbbell, and hold it out in front of you at roughly arms length, can you squat to full depth without falling over?
  • micls
    micls Posts: 234
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    Really to diagnose this, you need a video to see what is happening when you squat.

    That said, if you're falling over backwards, it's likely you're lacking mobility of the hip and\or ankle. If you get a 10lb dumbbell, and hold it out in front of you at roughly arms length, can you squat to full depth without falling over?

    I'll try this tomorrow, thanks.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
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    I'm no expert by any means, but I think it might help a lot if you work with just your body weight to start. A trainer at my gym told me that nobody should attempt a squat with weights until they can stand facing a wall with their toes nearly touching it and do a full squat without falling over. I keep that in mind every time that I squat, and I practice at home often facing a wall. The point being that you may need to strengthen all kinds of supporting muscles that allow you basic strength and proper form before you work on adding resistance. All those big muscles (the ones everyone talks about) have to work together with all kinds of supporting muscles, tendons, etc. You can prepare them by working on your form with body weight or light dumbells first.

    Is there a trainer at your gym who you could ask to help you with form? At my gym, the trainers will help you with that (without paying them for "training"). Otherwise, like a previous poster said, you could take a video of yourself (from side and front if possible) and ask for help based on that.

    Also, you don't have to use the barbells. If they are too heavy for you, there is nothing wrong with doing the same excercises with dumbbells. I can't think of anything you can do with a barbell that you can't do with a dumbell.

    Don't give up!
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
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    Google "goblet squats" and use a 25 or 30 lb dumbbell to work on form/strength development til you feel ready for the bar. I was there not too long ago. It's worth it if you keep at it!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Google "goblet squats" and use a 25 or 30 lb dumbbell to work on form/strength development til you feel ready for the bar. I was there not too long ago. It's worth it if you keep at it!

    Goblet squats/dumbbell squats...exactly.
  • Shfiftyfive
    Shfiftyfive Posts: 261
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    Goblet Squats are a good carryover. It would be ideal if a gym has barbells lighter than 45lb., but most big box gyms don't.
  • micls
    micls Posts: 234
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    Goblet Squats are a good carryover. It would be ideal if a gym has barbells lighter than 45lb., but most big box gyms don't.

    Yeah, I made a mistake in my post. It was a 20lb barbell I was using. Gonna try the 30lb one today.

    Thanks for all the advice. Will work on my form with bodyweight ones first and move on. Will also try the goblet squats if I'm struggling.

    Don't really have the trainer option, well I do but they don't speak english! Will see how it goes.

    Appreciate the advice!
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
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    I'm no expert by any means, but I think it might help a lot if you work with just your body weight to start. A trainer at my gym told me that nobody should attempt a squat with weights until they can stand facing a wall with their toes nearly touching it and do a full squat without falling over. I keep that in mind every time that I squat, and I practice at home often facing a wall. The point being that you may need to strengthen all kinds of supporting muscles that allow you basic strength and proper form before you work on adding resistance. All those big muscles (the ones everyone talks about) have to work together with all kinds of supporting muscles, tendons, etc. You can prepare them by working on your form with body weight or light dumbells first.

    I would be very careful of the wall thing, without a trainer. If the reason for not being able to squat is lack of ankle dorsiflexion, squating against a wall is unlikely to help much, and may actually cause more confusion.

    Goblet squats may help, but they may just move your CofG further forward, so that you can get away with a mobility restriction somewhere, without falling backwards, which is ok, but you won't have addressed the underlying problem, and you may just groove a bad movement pattern.

    Can you get a video of your squat, or at least a picture?
    That would be the easiest way to help, otherwise it's really just guesswork.
  • micls
    micls Posts: 234
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    Can you get a video of your squat, or at least a picture?
    That would be the easiest way to help, otherwise it's really just guesswork.

    I'll try it again in the gym today, and if the same thing is happening, I'll ask my boyfriend to take a pic or video to see what it is. Thanks.
  • micls
    micls Posts: 234
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    Returned to the gym yesterday and tried the B workout. Not sure why but worked much better. Didn't feel like falling over during squats. I'm not sure what I did differently. I just tried focusing on the tips I'd read on form and it seemed to work better.

    Thanks for all the tips. I'll keep an eye on it and see if there's any more big issues. I was going to film it yesterday but there's no photography or video in my gym for some reason. If I start struggling again I'll try to film a bodyweight squat at home.

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