How long have you been using the same weight?

[spatts]

Tricep extensions, bis, back, calves, etc.....do you try to lift a little more every time? What about your compound moves? Did you pick a nice round number and stay there for the last year, or do you try to add weight regularly?


If your numbers aren't going up, why?

 

[Shak]

I'm doing 5X5, so I increase weight a little bit each week. It's nice setting new PRs every time I'm in the gym.

 

[spatts]

Good for you!

 

[RottenWillow]

Did you pick a nice round number and stay there for the last year...

That's a respected training method, LTHT (LongTerm Habituation Training for you newbies). The muscle becomes annoyed by being subjected to exactly the same amount of stress for months on end and it grows to escape the tedium.


Comedy aside, I add 3-5% to my weight every workout with HST. It really does a lot to avoid boredom and keep your workouts exciting and new. Plus its making me bigger!

 

[spatts]

Good, then you will be rowing the bar in about.....2-3 weeks.

 

[RottenWillow]

Good, then you will be rowing the bar in about.....2-3 weeks.

yeah I think my 5RM row was 50. I'll be back to that in 2 weeks.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I don't have a formula per say to increase weights, I just try to lift a little heavier eerytime or push out another rep. Everytime I lift I try a little harder - somedays it works, other days it doesn't.

DB Chest Press up a lot though - doing 40s now Can do 1 set of 10, 1 set of 8. Might be time to try for 45s.

My OH Press would be up, but my Left Rotator is bothering me a little. So I am babying it for a bit. Using 20s, but prob have the strength to use 30s if I could go all out. Patience....

 

[wend]

I try to go up a little every time, though sometimes I can't. I try to balance the need for good form with the need to increase the weight. If I feel like I'm sacrificing good form to lift heavy, I go ahead and drop some weight until I can advance without cheating. I know if I'm cheating, I'm not really using the target muscle well, anyway, AND I might hurt myself.

 

[freekgirl]

I've been going up on everything except db curls and db presses. The db curls, I'm not too worried about, but being stick on the db presses drives me crazy. I can not get anything more than the 35lber's on my own. I can squeak out a few reps with the 40's...but only with a spot. Damn it...I want some delts!

 

[2Shy]

I increased my JMs by 20 lbs. today to 65 and my chest supported rows from 60 to 75.

Of course, I've been using baby steps since I'd been away for so long. I knew the weights were light last workout (for me anyway) and decided today I'd up them. I didn't think I could do 65 for the JMs, but decided to try. They were tough, but I did 'em!

Also fell in love at the gym. Finally saw someone doing barbell curls OUTSIDE of the power cage!