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2005/05/10, 12:10 AM
Hey guys,
I've been working out for about 4 months now and I've been cruising along.
I have an issue though... When working out, I have seen improvements on my first exercise for a specific muscle group (Ex: On bicep day, I start off with standing barbell curls and over the past few weeks, have increased my first set weight by 10 lbs.), but the rest of the exercises afterwards, I see no improvement; I basically feel "stuck" in the same weight and rep area.
This is the same for chest, triceps, and everything else. Is this normal to be generally "stuck" in the same weight and rep range for the later exercises AND see most of the progress during the first exercise?
This has me very confused. Thanks guys for your help and input will be greatly appreciated. :surprised:
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2005/05/10, 04:11 AM
I think it could be muscle endurance...I am very similar...because of the way I train....very low reps, very few sets, long rest periods....I can lift a lot on first exercise...but on 2nd and 3rd...I am much weaker....
To work on muscle endurance....you can try to alternate the reps at which you do those exercises....so maybe try a month at 10-15 reps...which will build endurance for your muscles.....then maybe 6-8 reps to help build size.....and then maybe heavier reps...2-4 reps for power/strength gains.....although remember when lifting heavier focus on lifting with muscle and minimize momentum......
Also part of the problem can be loss of mental aspect...loss of concetration can cause loss of intensity so that you may quit before your muscles are completely fatigued....try to fight for the last rep(with good form...)...
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2005/05/10, 10:19 AM
Use prioritization. You are always stronger in your first exercise. Try this...every 6 weeks or so, change your beginning exercise. Prioritize it in other words, and use maintenance on your other muscles. You can normally really only prioritze one muscle at a time to get good results, so don't go overboard, and have the patience to choose one muscle group to work on every 6 weeks, while of course doing maintenance on your other groups. You may be amazed, while you are doing "maintenance" on your stronger muscles, they will magically keep gaining.
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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything....
bb1fit@freetrainers.com
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2005/05/10, 11:05 AM
What I do, although I am not sure if it is the best way, is change first starting excercise every week. I don't necessarily change the excercises I do during the workout, but just the starting order in which I do it. I have seen progressive gains in all my excercises week after week, even though they are small gains, gains are gains and I am happy with it.... :)
Like I said this probably is not the best way to do it, but if it works, it works for me :)
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:Hard work equals great results!:
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2005/05/10, 02:16 PM
This is indeed a good option, and works well. My suggestion of prioritization is if you have a bodypart that is really lagging, and want to bring it up, then emphasis on it is demanded. But if it is just a matter of "keepin up" so to speak, the what sbroyhill does works incredibly well, I do this all the time. So, I guess it depends on your interpretation of how bad a bodypart is.
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Quoting from sbroyhill:
What I do, although I am not sure if it is the best way, is change first starting excercise every week. I don't necessarily change the excercises I do during the workout, but just the starting order in which I do it. I have seen progressive gains in all my excercises week after week, even though they are small gains, gains are gains and I am happy with it.... :)
Like I said this probably is not the best way to do it, but if it works, it works for me :)
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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything....
bb1fit@freetrainers.com
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2005/05/10, 02:46 PM
I see.. thanks for the input guys... That makes a whole lot sense to me...
So just to clarify, on the secondary exercises following the first one, those are mainly for "maintenance" and its normal to not see gains (both by weight and reps) on them?
Or is it? That's the only part that has me confused. For example, you were saying BB1fit, I should switch the first exercise for the corresponding muscle group every 6 weeks. So during the 6 weeks, the secondary exercises shouldn't be experiencing any 'gains'?
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2005/05/10, 05:58 PM
I am talking the secondary bodypart. Do all exercises for the first bodypart with equal intensity. The second bodypart you do, this do heavy weight to keep the muscle, but do not overdo it. Just enough to "work" it. This will keep growth emphasis on the first bodypart that you "kill".
Many times, the secondary muscle group will magically continue to grow, from good diet and good rest.
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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything....
bb1fit@freetrainers.com
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2005/05/10, 06:41 PM
Okay... so you're referring to the second bodypart (ie; On Monday's I do chest followed by BICEPS; so you're referring to the biceps applying what you said).
I am experiencing gains for the secondary muscles worked on my workout day (for this example, biceps). After increasing the weights and reps on my first exercise over the past weeks, the standing barbell curl, the exercises afterwards, the preacher curl and alt. db curls have either remained the same or decreased a bit in weight and reps while my standing bbell curl, weight and reps has increased.
I understand what sbroyhill and you were saying about switching up the first exercise every so often and what menace was saying about intensity. I don't know if its intensity because I feel like I'm working my butt off on the next exercises.
If it's not intensity, I'm just wondering if it is normal to not experience gains on the exercises following the first one.
Sorry for beating a dead horse, but I guess 'understanding' will help my psyche and ultimately help my workout...
Thanks again
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2005/05/10, 07:53 PM
Sbroyhills post is relevant here in light of what you are now saying. What he says to do is exactly right for you.
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If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything....
bb1fit@freetrainers.com
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