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!

 

[superwife]

I stick to the same weight until my set of 8 is done without too much strain. Then I move up the next workout. I typically stay with the same weight for about a month or maybe a little less. It is all little baby steps but at least they are in the right direction...

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

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?

interesting question-- Iv been lifting 4 yrs & I really dont go up anymore...Im more into increasing my reps & sets than actual weight.

A couple reasons-- I dont have a spotter, Im cutting- not bulking anymore- so Im not looking to add size w/heavy reps & Im sorta injury-prone w/heavy lifts & w/competitiions in Jan- I dont have alot of recovery time.

 

[jenscats5]

I've been trying to get more (ie 10 instead of 8) reps in a set of 3 and once that is "easy" then I move up. Trying to make sure I'm doing perfect form before the change up. No cheating!

 

[Backlash]

I used to just use the same weight forever back when I didn;'t know what I was doing. Now I'm doing a 5x5 so I move up every workout on my main move, and as often as possible on accessory moves. I love it.

 

[lola]

I try to keep going up on everything - and, after getting out my little black book realized I do - except for my nemesis that Spatts mentioned - calves. I've been doing the same weight for calves for three months now.

Hmmm, and they look puny too ...

Lola

 

[Sassy69]

I've been hovering around the same weights for about a year, though some different training regimens w/ different trainers had me up on reps.

Upon discovering the joys of PL, all my weights went up 10-50 lbs (depending on if the lift is one of the "standard" lifts or if it's a PL thing) and have become more solid. Due to a move to a new city I've been out for about 3 weeks, however my first day back in was respectable. (as respectable as one can be at the local Bally's :| )

 

[MissChris]

My squat, bench, DL, rack pulls -- stuff like that -- go up consistently, even if it's just a 2.5 for one lousy rep, I make an effort to make even the smallest progress every week. It's usually more notable than a 2.5, but just as an example.

The only lifts that don't go up as frequently are ones for which I can't make small incremental jumps -- dumbbell stuff is a good example. I progress much more slowly with those. But I try to keep an eye on it and push myself when I realize I've picked up the same dang dumbbells for several weeks. At last resort, I know I can switch up the set/rep ratio until I can comfortably do the new weight.

 

[jenscats5]

As I was doing my back & triceps tonite I was thinking about this thread. Next week I'm going to up the weight on my lat pull downs & I upped the weight doing triceps tonite.