It's true - working harder isn't necessarily better.

[SteelWeaver]

I've always thought my weights seemed to go up very slowly, but just thought perhaps I wasn't designed to be particularly strong. And size gains haven't really been a problem, so I haven't worried. But now I realise something. All this talk of you have to basically kill yourself in the gym, and it's all about intensity, and if you can hold the clutch in on the way home you didn't work hard enough, etc etc, is nonsense (althought I suppose this depends very much on your situation, supps, body type, muscle fibre ratio, nutrition, sleep, job, etc etc etc)

I spent 2 months with my trainer working very intensely, very very intensely. This wasn't a problem for me, on the contrary, I loved every second of it, and there was method in our madness - time was limited, and I had a lot to learn from her. Before that, I had always trained very hard. Lots of intensity enhancing stuff. She justhelped me to focus more, get form down exactly perfectly right, and take my body beyond what could do alone. Anyway, it was an intense time, so the last few weeks, since I got home, I've been taking it easy, so to speak. I go to concentric failure, but not beyond. NO drop sets, NO forced reps, NO rest-pause, none of that stuff. And what happens???

My weights start jumping.

It just goes to show ....

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

Nice...would you mind, if you did a post here of what you USED to do and what you do now? For example, chest training then vs. now?

 

[Cheetarah]

Yeah, sometimes too much is just too much. The key is finding that fine line for YOURSELF as everybody's body is different in what it can handle, how much is enough, etc.

I wish I could get that thru this one fellow speed skater's head. He thinks if you just eat right you can train as hard and as often as you want. But there's a limit to that, as I tried to explain to him. Some people are just so bull-headed, they are just CONVINCED that MORE is BETTER.

I had a similar experience. I quit counting calories, I now eat pretty much as much as I want (clean) and I cut down on all the weight lifting sets I was doing, rarely do any shocking methods anymore either, and I found my lifts are going up quicker now too. I tell ya, bodybuilding sure is a learning experience. And those that are the best at it are the one's who have REALLY figured out their bodies.

 

[vinylgroover]

I've always thought my weights seemed to go up very slowly, but just thought perhaps I wasn't designed to be particularly strong. And size gains haven't really been a problem, so I haven't worried. But now I realise something. All this talk of you have to basically kill yourself in the gym, and it's all about intensity, and if you can hold the clutch in on the way home you didn't work hard enough, etc etc, is nonsense (althought I suppose this depends very much on your situation, supps, body type, muscle fibre ratio, nutrition, sleep, job, etc etc etc)

I spent 2 months with my trainer working very intensely, very very intensely. This wasn't a problem for me, on the contrary, I loved every second of it, and there was method in our madness - time was limited, and I had a lot to learn from her. Before that, I had always trained very hard. Lots of intensity enhancing stuff. She justhelped me to focus more, get form down exactly perfectly right, and take my body beyond what could do alone. Anyway, it was an intense time, so the last few weeks, since I got home, I've been taking it easy, so to speak. I go to concentric failure, but not beyond. NO drop sets, NO forced reps, NO rest-pause, none of that stuff. And what happens???

My weights start jumping.

It just goes to show ....

Weren't you in pre-contest mode for that 2 months you were working out with a trainer?

 

[SteelWeaver]

Nah - I DID do one month or 5 weeks or so with her pre-comp in October, then worked with her post-comp for the last week of Nov through the end of Jan.

It's not so much that I thought MORE is better - I came to the impression that harder, more intense, was better, from hanging out here. I used to do MORE - high volume, lots & lots of sets as well as lots of forced reps, drop sets etc.

Then I thought to try the lower volume high intensity ideas I found at elite, and did that for a while - with not bad results, actually, as I recall - I certainly felt better anyway, and workouts were shorter, which was nice. Can't really judge strength increases then - I was dieting. Then I worked with my trainer and intensity went up with a slight further decrease in volume, but no amazing strength increases - although I have to say, my form is now beautiful. If you've ever seen a pro lift properly, you'll know what I mean by beautiful. Perfecting form naturally meant a decrease in weights. But I also now know exactly how to target very specific muscles, which is great.

Anyway, now I've gained back what I dropped and more. So, newgirl, for example, what I was REALLY struggling to lift for 5 reps in December (with breaking form), I lifted yesterday for 10 no sweat, and no breaking form.



It's only been a few weeks - I'm going to go with it a while longer, see how long I can stand to not do drop sets, etc, lol, see how things go.

 

[The Shadow]

Not to say...ahem*


well...you know.....


but I did tell ya......

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

Thanks Steel.....keep us posted. And yes when my form is perfect, my weights do suffer (so does my ego but I get over it!).

 

[FitFossil]

Lately I have found this to be true, but when I first started training, what I thought was "intense" really wasn't that intense after all. It wasn't until I worked with a particular trainer that I learned there was a lot more "in me" that I wasn't putting to good use. And it wasn't for lack of effort on my part, but a rather lack of confidence in myself and my body.

But then I got addicted to that intensity, and the mental and physical rush of going all-out every workout. Every time I'd try to dig a little deeper. Gradually it caught up with me, and my progress stalled. Then I started alternating heavy weeks with light weeks, and I began making progress again, and in bigger increments than before - with less work - I couldn't believe it!

I still think it was good for me to seek out my intensity "threshold" (so to speak), but part of my learning curve in this whole training game has been figuring out when and how much to push myself. I think that's why I like it so much. It's as much a mental puzzle as it is a physical challenge.

 

[wyst]

Steel...what did you notice in terms of visible results with your new way of lifting...is your physique changing as fast as your weights are now?

xoxo

Wyst

 

[SteelWeaver]

Gosh wyst! Haven't seen you around here in AAAAGES. How are you?

To answer your question - I don't know yet. My physique has changed quite a lot in the past few months anyway - I've put on some good size, but I'm trying to cut off some of the extra fat now, so I suppose I'm getting visible results, but I'm sure that's more from the diet.

Cornholio - haH ha haaa ha ha ha ha ha waa haH! Yes. You did. And yes, I was mule-headed. But I have also gained much more than I would have had I just listened and followed without trying. But I'm very glad you popped in to say that anyway

FF - great post. I like the mental aspect too. And for me too, it was very important to work as intensely as I did with my trainer. Because now I know my limits are far beyond what I ever thought they were. And I've also grown in my ability to train intensely without simply fatiguing myself. I seem to have developed a better mind-muscle connection. Never being allowed to be sloppy sure improves focus! I don't regret a single second with her. Stepping back is sometimes a better way forward.