Workout Frequency

CyberDave

I currently go to the gym 3 evenings a week for 1 hour 15 mins each time. I do mainly weights and usually just 15mins warm up on either the bike or the cross trainer. Is this often enough to make a difference? I have been going now for 6 months, but haven't seen much of an improvement and I am not lifting much heavier weights than when I started. Any advice anybody? Thanks

jhealy74

weights are only half the battle you should get some diet advice too

mack1

What are your goals? lose or gain weight? get stronger?

As above, if you are looking to lose or gain weight then diet is important, post it up for feedback.

Also, you should be increasing the weight you lift, muscles get used to lifting a weight and stop growing.

CyberDave

mack1 wrote: »

What are your goals? lose or gain weight? get stronger?

As above, if you are looking to lose or gain weight then diet is important, post it up for feedback.

Also, you should be increasing the weight you lift, muscles get used to lifting a weight and stop growing.

There is a lot of Meat in my diet and fruit, but I do have a bit of a sweet tooth. I primarily set out ot loose weight and to tone up abs and pecs, I'm not really into bulking up to much. I would just like to get healthier and a little bit fitter.

I have notice my arms have gotten a little bigger but nothing major. I have tried lifting extra weight but my arms just can't take it. for example on the bench press, my max is 30kg. I usually start of with 20, then 25, then 30. I cna just about do the final ones with 30. I still get soreness the following day.

Supercell

Dave , if 30kg is the best you can bench after 6 months you need to examine what you are doing unless there is a medical reason for it.

I'm starting out too and after a couple of months my 1RM is around 75kg which isn't spectacular but is improving by about 1kg a week on average and do most of my sets around the 60kg mark. When I started out around 55kg I think was my 1RM limit.

Have you had someone in the gym checked out and advised you on form?
Are you sure you are reporting correct weight?, the Olympic bar on its own weighs 20kg.

If anything you are spending too long in the gym, I would question your intensity, no pain no gain and all that. 1.5 hours three times a week does not = 30kg bench

I think you need to kick things up a notch and get a programme that makes you sweat hard.
Your paying a gym membership, surely you get a consultation with one of the pros there as part of this?, ask them to put a programme together for you and have them check out your form doing the exercises.

At least you are getting your ass to the gym, fair play, respect for that, now just start using it!

CyberDave

OK maybe I am calculating the weights incorrectly. I didn't realise the bar was 20kgs. That means the max I'm lifting is 40kg, still not great. I have started to loose motivation recently because I can see other guys, younger than me and not necessarily any bigger lifting a lot more on the bench.

Transform

Key point with weight training - always always be getting stronger if no then its most likely your not pushing yourself hard enough.

Supercell

I honestly doubt its age, I think its much more likely to be intensity.
I'm 37 going on 27 btw:)

CyberDave

Longfield wrote: »

I honestly doubt its age, I think its much more likely to be intensity. I'm 37 going on 27 btw:)

I have been talking to these younger lads and they have been telling me about 'Creatine'. What are it's advantages or disadvantages?

Supercell

CyberDave wrote: »

I have been talking to these younger lads and they have been telling me about 'Creatine'. What are it's advantages or disadvantages?

Hmm, I don't use it (yet),I really don't think you will see benefits either using it at your current intensity.
Dave, you need to push yourself a little harder, thats the bottom line I think.

CyberDave

I'm not to keen on the idea, just wondering. I do try bigger weights but my arms just can't take it yet. How much extra should I lift each week?

Transform

Aim to add the smallest increment possible.

Put up your current training program - weights, reps,sets otherwise its just guess work

nibble

As Transform said lets see the routine/diet, honestly you're almost definately not eating enough and/or not pushing yourself hard enough in the gym. Or maybe it's a really, really bad workout.

Hanley

The general impression Im getting from reading this is that your bench form is most likely not that great.

Still tho, after that long you should have progressed more. Something's amiss. As Transform said, get your workouts up.

Also, creatine. No point yet.

BrokenArrows

CyberDave wrote: »

I'm not to keen on the idea, just wondering. I do try bigger weights but my arms just can't take it yet. How much extra should I lift each week?

I only started going to the gym about 6 weeks ago lifting around 40kg of 8 reps and 3 sets. I try and do a 4th set of an extra 10kg where im only going to be able to lift it once or twice. Usually get someone to spot me for it. (nearly killed myself once when i didnt have someone spotting me. lol)

You need to really push yourself to get the weight increase.

With regards to the weight of the lifting bar. Do all bars weigh roughly 20kg?

nibble

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Do all bars weigh roughly 20kg?

A proper olympic straight bar weighs 20kg and is 7' long, EZ curl and tri bars can vary, about 10kg usually.

Supercell

CyberDave wrote: »

I'm not to keen on the idea, just wondering. I do try bigger weights but my arms just can't take it yet. How much extra should I lift each week?

As Transform says, the smallest ones possible, if you throw on an extra 10kg you'll just fail at best and feel like crap and at worst injure yourself.
The tiny little weights may seem like nothing but after a while all those little increments equals big progress.