Gym-ing for months but not improving weights?
- Thread starter rania
- Start date
@rania The mod post here is the main thing you need to pay attention to. There’s no reason to spend your time on a routine you’ve invented, there are good ones out there!
If you want to know why your weights on these aren’t going up, my best guess boils down to: these are movements that unnecessarily isolate a muscle group. Thus, you can’t move much weight when you’re doing them. As a result of that, the available increases in weight are a massive percentage of the weight you’re moving, so you’re not able to progress.
Please do look into the FAQ and so forth. I’d recommend “larger” movements like bench press, push press, incline push ups. I’m not sure what you mean by “shoulder press”, but I’d recommend overhead press as well. All of those can be started with dumbbells.
Getting some unknown amount of protein in one(!) meal of the day is probably not helping, either. That doesn’t tell us much about how much protein you are getting in an average day.
If you want to know why your weights on these aren’t going up, my best guess boils down to: these are movements that unnecessarily isolate a muscle group. Thus, you can’t move much weight when you’re doing them. As a result of that, the available increases in weight are a massive percentage of the weight you’re moving, so you’re not able to progress.
Please do look into the FAQ and so forth. I’d recommend “larger” movements like bench press, push press, incline push ups. I’m not sure what you mean by “shoulder press”, but I’d recommend overhead press as well. All of those can be started with dumbbells.
Getting some unknown amount of protein in one(!) meal of the day is probably not helping, either. That doesn’t tell us much about how much protein you are getting in an average day.
@rania I’m glad! I couldn’t progress on really anything until I started following a basic barbell program because I just did not know how to make it happen.
I see your other comment about avoiding the free weight area. I completely hear you, and probably 90% of women here have been there too… but the only thing to do is to do it. All those guys walked in there for the first time once, too. I will say, do dumbbell bench press before trying out the bar and learn how to fail all of your lifts safely. Beyond that, everyone learns form over time and there are a lot of good resources available.
I see your other comment about avoiding the free weight area. I completely hear you, and probably 90% of women here have been there too… but the only thing to do is to do it. All those guys walked in there for the first time once, too. I will say, do dumbbell bench press before trying out the bar and learn how to fail all of your lifts safely. Beyond that, everyone learns form over time and there are a lot of good resources available.
@sk83n I agree with this as well, maybe ease into it by only doing 2 exercises (dumbell bench press and overhead press) I know it’s scary to get form wrong but it’s not as bad as if you get squat or deadlift wrong. I’ve only been going for ~2 months and still don’t think I have the form down great on both of these exercises, no one ever says anything or probably even cares
lovemylord71
New member
@rania When I first started I realized the reason I couldn’t get any progress was because I wasn’t going hard enough. At the beginning, the last entire 45 minutes of my 1 hour workout was complete torture. It felt like my muscles were on fire entire time. That’s how hard you need to go for you to make progress.
@rania First off are you in a calorie deficit or a surplus? If I’m a calorie deficit you won’t see nothing because it is very very very hard to gain muscle will in a calorie deficit in fact it can take many many many months to year’s. But if you’re in a surplus and you got 3-4 days a week and lift as heavy as you can then you will get results
@rania Ttacking your calories on myfitness pal will be worth your time. I would do a base tracking for 1 week, then tailor it after. I learned I was only eating like 1300 calories trying to ride like 40 to 60 miles every weekend + my interval training mid week. I kept depleting my glycogen stores and felt completely worthless after my workout, mentally and physically. Upped my calories to the 2k range and my workouts just rocketed. I completed multiple 100 miles and my best was 100miles at a 19.6mph avg, sub 6 hr ride. Nutrition is key with your training. I did gain weight on the scale, but didn't feel pudgy. I even cut back on my cycling training and added in pole fitness at one point. Fyi, I really only felt pudgy after my kid was born and had to severely cut back on what I was doing for training. Nutrition is super important, learning to fuel your training and events is a huge experiment and very individualized. 
@rania Progressive overload is the most important thing for the gains you’re looking for — meaning building more muscle mass. Progressive overload means building on your training each week, but adding more weight, more rep, or more tempo. Following a structured lifting program will probably be the best move given that a good program will take progressive overload and deload weeks into account and deliver more results than trying on your own. Happy to pass along some recommendations of strength training programs that align well with triathletes/endurance athletics!
@billyjoel Thanks for your reply. Yes please, I’d love some recommendations!
@rania Mezzo Strength & Aesthetics — strength training with progressive overload 3x/week that has a specific focus for endurance athletes
paragon performance methods — they have many different tracts but a few dumbbell only/quickie programs that may work well with your other training
little lysis fitness — her LLM program is specifically for hybrid athletes training both strength and endurance
I hope some of those help!
paragon performance methods — they have many different tracts but a few dumbbell only/quickie programs that may work well with your other training
little lysis fitness — her LLM program is specifically for hybrid athletes training both strength and endurance
I hope some of those help!
@billyjoel Thanks I’ll check them out!
@rania To add to the other comments re. inefficiency/eating enough..
Single arm exercises with dumbbells might be a better idea for you looking at what you're doing, as a thought.
Single arm is more demanding, but the dumbbells will also let you go up in smaller steps also because it looks like you're stuck adding circa. 2.5 - 5 kg i'm guessing with fixed barbells mostly. A smaller gap to the next step means you will probably be able to eek out sufficient reps to push yourself forward a bit more.
You might find your smaller stabilising muscles will struggle. Something like a chest press machine is quite isolated and won't hit as much as something like a free weight bench press variation. Make slow movements (i.e. push strongly on a press, but then lower down over more like 3s) which will add time under tension. By working even the smaller components your overall base strength will increase.
I'd also consider mixed rep ranges as well - sometimes 6-8 just high weight to hit strength, and tend to push into higher reps for volume at other stages. 15 reps is quite high when you're trying to up weight, you would probably find 8 reps or so sufficient as it will enable you to express a bit more knowing you only have half the reps. As you progress you can mix in some at higher reps for the volume and hypertrophy. I've got a trainer to sort it out, but programs might have a framework for you.
Single arm exercises with dumbbells might be a better idea for you looking at what you're doing, as a thought.
Single arm is more demanding, but the dumbbells will also let you go up in smaller steps also because it looks like you're stuck adding circa. 2.5 - 5 kg i'm guessing with fixed barbells mostly. A smaller gap to the next step means you will probably be able to eek out sufficient reps to push yourself forward a bit more.
You might find your smaller stabilising muscles will struggle. Something like a chest press machine is quite isolated and won't hit as much as something like a free weight bench press variation. Make slow movements (i.e. push strongly on a press, but then lower down over more like 3s) which will add time under tension. By working even the smaller components your overall base strength will increase.
I'd also consider mixed rep ranges as well - sometimes 6-8 just high weight to hit strength, and tend to push into higher reps for volume at other stages. 15 reps is quite high when you're trying to up weight, you would probably find 8 reps or so sufficient as it will enable you to express a bit more knowing you only have half the reps. As you progress you can mix in some at higher reps for the volume and hypertrophy. I've got a trainer to sort it out, but programs might have a framework for you.
@polcat Thanks for your reply! Though I don’t doubt dumbbells might be more efficient, it’s a bit difficult for me as, shamefully, I don’t really want to venture into the free weights section of the gym - especially as I won’t really know if what I’m doing is correct form! It’s always full of huge guys who are quite intimidating, no women or average looking people in sight.
This is why I don’t really follow programmes or anything as they always seem to include free weights. Once I get the chance I’m hoping to save to get some for home, but until then I’m stuck unfortunately. I’ll definitely give lowering the reps a go though!
This is why I don’t really follow programmes or anything as they always seem to include free weights. Once I get the chance I’m hoping to save to get some for home, but until then I’m stuck unfortunately. I’ll definitely give lowering the reps a go though!
@polcat This was going to be similar to my comment as well! There’s nothing wrong with machines per se, but especially when you are just beginning, free weights will have you using more muscles and more range of motion. cable machines etc tend to isolate specific muscles and also tend to keep you in a fixed position and range of motion.
Compound lifts (like a bench press) also stimulate growth hormone more so.
Compound lifts (like a bench press) also stimulate growth hormone more so.
@katie4469 Thanks will do!