Anyone lift weights? Looking for advice.

[tman12345]

I started lifting about one and a half years ago. I know that people always talk about plateaus and how they reach a point where they stop making improvements with weight. Well Ive never really made any improvements. Ive been at it this whole time week after week and each week I can only really lift the same as normal. I do try to increase the weight, but when it comes to my chest I just get no improvements. Usually when I try to increase it just becomes soo heavy feeling that i have to go back down. Its frustrating.... but im keeping at it.

[bens250ex]

best thing is to work out with someone who can push you and motivate you. I have a work out partner during the school year and we push each other now he is on a intern this summer and im stuck by myself working out. Its hard to motivate myself to go so i hit the jack3d to get me over that bump. Its basically a mind set. If you want to do it you will. If you have no desire then you wont. Switch it up some, do different things, take a break for a week, concentrate on something else. this helps me sometimes. Then you can come back hittin it hard.

[tman12345]

Well i do have to work out by myself also, it really just doesnt work that I could lift with other people cause none of my friends really do and our schedules are so different. I try to push myself as hard as i can. I need to find ways to keep myself motivated. Some days ill be down after lifting cause ill feel bummed about it, other days ill feel like a beast and be on cloud nine. It just sucks cause I thought by now id be lifting alot more weight.

[madskrillz2]

Basically you just gotta keep at it. I was stuck at a plateau for almost a year until I finally broke it. I also work out by myself but I just sit there and tell myself "hey if I don't lift this there's nobody to help me so I better by God lift it" haha. Probably not the smartest thing in the world but hey it's worked for me. Oh and make sure you're eating. I know this isn't a thread on how to get big but you have to take in plenty of protein. If you don't do that, it makes it even harder to break plateaus.

[250rsforlife]

STEROIDS STEROIDS STEROIDS

just kiddin thought it would make u laugh:blah:

[tman12345]

^ well theres one way lmao

[DnB_racing]

im not sure how old you are and your weight and size,

but if your still real young and haven't really developed your adult body,
then it is hard to get big if your body is still putting all its energy into just growing,

and if your real thin and still immature you better start eating more, to give your body what it needs to just grow up, plus grow muscle

when it comes to bench use dumbells this way you can go up in weight and push it till you cant do anymore,and not worry about getting stuck under the bar by yourself

[ben300]

Originally posted by tman12345
I started lifting about one and a half years ago. I know that people always talk about plateaus and how they reach a point where they stop making improvements with weight. Well Ive never really made any improvements. Ive been at it this whole time week after week and each week I can only really lift the same as normal. I do try to increase the weight, but when it comes to my chest I just get no improvements. Usually when I try to increase it just becomes soo heavy feeling that i have to go back down. Its frustrating.... but im keeping at it.

a lot of times a plateau can be attributed to the exercises and/or the rue tine that you are doing. i had about the same problem once when i was lifting hard. i just couldn't get stronger, no matter how much i wanted to...for along time, i basically did the same exercises, the same number of sets, and same number of reps, just in different order..

i then began to read on bodybuilding.com's forums, and i read that some times, you may just need to completely throw tradition to the wind, and just stick with what you are getting a good pump from...

for example..lets say that you are making no progress with chest. and you are doing four five different exercises, 3-5 sets each, with ya know 8-10 reps each..... well, when you start out and you do bench, and you feel like you get your best work from that, and then all the exercises after that, you just feel like you loose pump, and your work....then why not just keep on doing bench..throw in a couple of extra sets, maybe change the weight a bit, throw in a couple of sets, less reps, with a higher weight.

if somethings working good for ya, and the next exercise isn't..then stick with that exercise that's working with you for a bit longer and see what happens...

this is what helped me to break out of a plateau...

well that, and a slightly cleaner diet, with a ton of sleep...sleep is key to getting gains..


either that...or you can, as jason ellis would say, "Harden the **** up!" and take the juice, haha

[derekhonda]

I agree with Ben300 and have two other things to expand on.

1. Hopefully you are already on a split of some kind. If you go to the gym on monday and thursday and just do bench and biceps like all the other idiots in there, then you probably have hit a wall and wont be able to push through it. You need to incoporate a full body routine, you might not think that doing dead lifts, squats, bent over rows, tricep pull down or lats (etc etc) will help you on bench, but you would be surprised.

2. Now that we KNOW you are going to be doing a full body routine, if that didn't solve the problem, do what ben suggested. If you find yourself going in there and doing 5 sets of 5 with 135 pounds everytime and cant shake it. Try doing 5 sets of 10 with 105 pounds, or doing some (**** now i can't think of the name) Anyways throw like 75 pounds on the bar, get a buddy to spot (trust me) do 7 sets of half bench (like from your chest, to half way up) another set of 7 (from half way up to all the way up) and then 7 finally full bench repetitions. Do it all nice and slow and don't put the bar down til you repped 21 off. If you can finish it, add weight, but don't do too many of those. Do some close grip bench, do some incline decline. Do something that you havnt done in a while and your body will not like it, youll be sore, and youll gain muscle and push through your wall.

[400grl]

Diet is important, too. You need to be sure you are eating plenty of proteins, enough carbs, and taking in the right type of foods to help you make gains and give you the energy you need to lift and build. There is a science to lifting/gaining, and it's good to arm yourself with information. Get on bodybuilding.com and do a ton of reading/ask questions. I'm sure you will find out a ton of good information on there! If you are doing the same thing over and over and not seeing any difference, you need to change things up! :)

[tman12345]

Im trying to get it all right and what not. I am 20 years old. I just gotta make sure I keep at it and keep the motivation up. Hopefully it will all come together.

[madskrillz2]

If you're really serious about it, it'll almost turn into a life style more than a hobby.

[HondaPohl]

What helped me was talking with a trainer. My gym offered like a week of free training. Basicly just got me goin. Than beer took over and most of that hard work went out the door.

[tman12345]

it pretty much has started to turn into a lifestyle for me, just gotta put the pieces together.

[destey]

Compound lifts, squats, deadlifts.... no machines or isolation exercises. Make sure your diet is 40/30/30, 40% calories from protein etc, 30% from carbs, etc. Get enough vitamins and minerals, check the RDA table and supplement what you're not getting from food (or multivitamin).

Lift at 85-90% of your one-rep-max. You should be able to do 4-6 reps per set. If you can do more, increase the weight. If you can only do one or two, decrease the weight. Proper form is critical! When doing your squats, go all the way down and maintain the slight natural arch to your back. This is extremely difficult for the first time squatter and you may need to stretch out your glutes by going down into the squat without any weight and staying there for 30-60 seconds (while maintaining your arch). Don't feel pressure to up your weight to keep up with youtube videos or the other guys at the gym. Your numbers aren't going to be amazing and that doesn't matter, what matters is proper form and building your glutes by doing the squat the right way (vs building only your quads by doing 1/4 or 1/2 squats like most people do).

Continue cardio 2-3x per week and remember only type 1 muscle fibers burn fat , the free encyclopedia So you need to do both cardio and weight lifting to lose fat and build muscle (one does one, the other does the other). You make type 2 (2a, 2b, 2x) fibers by lifting weights, but they do not burn fat. So lean out you must do cardio and keep your diet calorie-neutral or deficient (which would lead to not building muscle, unless you're on tren or something)

The first few months/years are probably the hardest. You could also try taking low dose of an anti-estrogen if you feel moody (a sign of high estrogen). High estrogen causes increase in fat and stops muscle building. Lowering estrogen will increase testosterone because of internal feedback loops.

Good luck!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeletal_striated_muscle

[#101]

Try to yank the weights with your back as hard as possible

[madskrillz2]

Originally posted by #101
Try to yank the weights with your back as hard as possible

Lmao

[tman12345]

Originally posted by #101
Try to yank the weights with your back as hard as possible

unfortunately i dont need to do that to eff my back up, it already is in not so good shape.

[MX MaNiAc 06]

Everyone has had great input but you're going to pick up more info on bodybuilding.com. Check it out man theres good stuff on that site. And like others said.. you probly need to eat more. Gotta feed the muscles if you wanna make them grow

[tman12345]

what are some good foods you would suggest?

[DnB_racing]

Originally posted by tman12345
what are some good foods you would suggest? here is a link do some good research, and see what works best for you,not everyone reacts the same...some make fast gains others dont.you have to find your best combination,

it takes work both in the gym and in the books...what works for some may not have the same results for you...
you do realize your asking about fitness on an atv site,,,, as others have said look into the proper forums that specialize in fitness not quads, you will get much more info,

not that some members arnt into fitness, but your really not getting the full potential in this forum
http://stronglifts.com/20-super-foods-you-need-to-build-muscle-lose-fat/

[ben300]

Originally posted by DnB_racing
here is a link do some good research, and see what works best for you,not everyone reacts the same...some make fast gains others dont.you have to find your best combination,

it takes work both in the gym and in the books...what works for some may not have the same results for you...
you do realize your asking about fitness on an atv site,,,, as others have said look into the proper forums that specialize in fitness not quads, you will get much more info,

not that some members arnt into fitness, but your really not getting the full potential in this forum
http://stronglifts.com/20-super-foods-you-need-to-build-muscle-lose-fat/


whole heartedly agree...go to bodybuilding.com's forums...you'll find everything you need there and more

[ALAMX37]

Do negatives with a spotter. Do more weight than you can handle and have him apply only the help needed. Never hit a plateu with my lifting, just lift heavy and get plenty of nutrition.
I personally use the negatives pretty regular and it helps IMO