Need a little help please.

N

numtwo

0
Hi, ive been working out now for about a year and a half. I lift some and mostly bag/box. My diet I think is fine, no fast food, no pop, no candy mostly oatmeal, soup, and fish. Sometimes chicken. Now my weight workout consists of a bench press workout and a curl workout. Both with three sets each. It doesnt take more than 15 to 10 minutes. Afterwards I box/bag for 40 minutes on average (with small breaks consisting of 1 to 2 minutes in between various sets). In the end I do a push up burnout and a situp burnout. I do this everyday. Every two to three weeks something comes up and I miss one to two days at the most. Now my problem is that I dont seem to be breaking my limits much at all. Ive talked to some people about working out and they say you have to limit your workout to a certain amount of days a week. I have no idea on how many days to break and in what order.

In weights I weight around 140 and bench 210-215 and curl 95-100. I havent been able to break those limits for almost two months. I dont gain weight or lose it. So if you can help me out please do. If something is unclear or if there is something more that I must tell you let me know.

If this is the wrong forum for such a question let me know where the right one is. Thank you.
 
For one thing, your workout seems all chest and biceps, throwing in the abs.. Now I know your back is getting a bit of workout in the boxing, but not like your chest is getting with the bench press etc. Try to work the opposite muscles (lats, triceps, back), you have to get a full body workout.

You should rest at least one day per week, but if you are doing the exact same workout every day it should be more, usually people cycle their workouts so that parts get exercise (or weights one day, cardio the next etc.)

Also, how many reps/sets are you doing with your current workout? If you do the exact same thing, it is easy to plateau, change it up a bit.
 
Well I do my workout with the Husker Power Poundage Chart that I got at school. My workout starts like this: Bench:3 sets, 3 reps, first set 170 second 180 and third is 190. Now all I have for weights is a bench press bar that I use as a curl bar. For curl workout I do 3 sets, 3 reps, first set 75 second 80 third 85. Ive been thinking about doing ten rep sets one week then five rep sets next week then three rep sets the week after, and continue to cycle between the weeks. Is that what you mean by changing it up a bit? Also what should I add to the workout? I know for sure that I can push myself to do more.

So right now im thinking about changing it to. 3 sets of 10 for curl and bench this week plus the pushup and situp burn out, and take saturday and sunday of since its the same workout...kinda. Like I said earlier, what else should I add to it to help balance out the workout?

Thank you for your help!
 
Hey, ok, first of all, not sure what the Husker Power Poundage chart is but I know why you are not increasing... definately change it up. When you do the 3 reps of whatever weight, are you tired by the end? Generally speaking, three reps is not enough to build muscle, without building the muscle up, you are not able to surpasse what you have already done for strength.. make sense? So keep the same weights, and see how many times you can do the weight properly, instead of stopping at the magic number... k?

Now to add to your exercises, do you have the rack for the bar, or just the bar?
 
The chart just has different workouts based on what you can max. No as a matter of fact when I finish I dont feel all that tired at all, although for my last rep of my last set I do struggle quite a bit. If that means anything. Properly I can do 165 about 8 times with good control and smooth motion. Curls I can do 70 7 times without losing proper technique. What do you mean by keep the same weights? Do the same weight until you cant do it anymore? Now for my equipment I have multiple amounts of 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, and 2 25lbs. I also have the bar and the bench to lay down on. For a rack I have the two hook like objects that I lay the bench bar on. If needed I can probably get a hold of two smaller curl bars that I can take weights on and of on....You know the little bars that you can put the weights on like a bench bar, just little ones. Its called a Weider Pro 220.
 
The chart just has different workouts based on what you can max. No as a matter of fact when I finish I dont feel all that tired at all, although for my last rep of my last set I do struggle quite a bit. If that means anything. Properly I can do 165 about 8 times with good control and smooth motion. Curls I can do 70 7 times without losing proper technique. What do you mean by keep the same weights? Do the same weight until you cant do it anymore? Now for my equipment I have multiple amounts of 2.5lbs, 5lbs, 10lbs, and 2 25lbs. I also have the bar and the bench to lay down on. For a rack I have the two hook like objects that I lay the bench bar on. If needed I can probably get a hold of two smaller curl bars that I can take weights on and of on....You know the little bars that you can put the weights on like a bench bar, just little ones. Its called a Weider Pro 220.
 
What do you mean by keep the same weights? Do the same weight until you cant do it anymore?

Yes, that is exactly what I mean.

Great. With a good sturdy rack you can grap a couple of hand towels (matching texture, size etc.) and wrap them both over the bar. Move the bench out from under the bar, and grabbing each hand towel, create a plank with your body... looking up at the ceiling, and you can pull your body up for the lat pulls, getting the opposite muscles as with bench press. Make sure you keep your abs and back nice and tight to do this, your weight on your heels.

For your triceps, lay on the bench facing up with a comfortable weight in your hands(start with at least half what you do bicep curls with) and point your elbows straight up toward the ceiling. Forearms over your head pointed to the wall behind you, and press the weights up strait toward the ceiling. Do not lock your elbows. Do this for however many reps you can do WITHOUT FEELING STRAIN IN YOUR ELBOWS, and properly. You may find that there is strain in your elbow even if the weight seems light to begin with. Your muscles are useless without your joints, so please do not strain it.

There is tons more to do, but this should help you to be more even, and you should see an increase in strength if you allow yourself to go to fatigue no matter what weight you have on the bar.

Enjoy, good luck, let me know how it goes.
 
Ok so, my lifting workout will start with 3 sets of 155 bench (max on each set), 3 sets of 70 curls (max on each set), then 3 sets of that tricep workout. Also max on each set.

Now what I am confused about is the "lat pulls" I just dont see how you want me to do that with the bench press :(. I attached a picture to this message, maybe it will help you describe the lat pulls a little better, if not, theres always the paint program that isnt too hard to work. Its all up to you of course.

But yeah, that lat pull workout would be the last with 3 sets of hmmm I dont know how much but to the max. Thanks for your help!
 

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You have to give your body a REASON to change. Remember, the human body is very adaptable. It will adapt to your programs if they remain the same. If you change your routine, and increase weights to force stress onto the musculoskeletal system, it will have no choice but to adapt to the new program by growing and getting stronger.
 
Does that bench move? If not, I don't see how you can do it, it woudl be with your body weight, like a pull up, maybe you would have enough room to just skip the towel situation and lay on the bench and do it... but the point that your weight is on should be as low as possible, so that you have as much weight in the exercise as possible. Remember to go nice and slow, to get the most out of it. Are you understanding?

Now when you do your maxing on each set (after you warm up of course), count how many you do, then you'll know if you have to move up in weight or not. If you can do more than 12 of any weighted exercise except the warm-up weight, increase it. You want your goal to be 6-10. Some would say 6-8, but 6-10 is decent.
 
Ok, im starting to get it. When I do my reps, I am to do them slowly, between 6-8 reps in each set. Lift everyday except sunday and take it easy on saturday. (Correct me if something seems a miss or wrong please.)Do biceps, triceps, chest, and back. Between each set ive decided to do situps/crunches. I will do 3 sets for each muscle area.

I still dont quite know how to work my back out to balance my workout. Also I dont understand how I am to do a pull up on my bench press, and no it doesnt come apart.

Thank you for all your help bedfordfitness, and thanks for the info HeatherSchad, it put a clear image in my mind.
 
Ok, ive been doing the 6-8 rep workouts to my limit and ive become WEAKER! I dont know whats going on, my form is better than it was before, I feel more tired and sore after a workout but ive gotten weaker.

At the moment my only opinion on this is that my diet cant keep up with my new routine.....

Normaly I just eat a lil bit of breakfast, then throughout the day have a bowl or two of soup and then for dinner have some meat. Am I not getting enough calories? Not enough energy? From just an hour my workout has become almost two. Also ive been feeling tired and weak throughout the day as well. Im not sick either.

If it is my diet what should I eat? Perhaps someone could give me some routine meals? It has to be something I can get at wal mart. It would really help if someone could give me a plan for eating, thank you.
 
numtwo, you maybe burning out as you are weaker and have no progress. Resting for an entire week and continue eating healthily may help. Take a break man, competitive athletes do that too. :) When you give yourself time to rest, your muscles can grow and most importantly you will be energised and refresh when you hit the gym again.

In addition to that, you need more more variations to your workouts. Can't stress that enough. You need to find alternatives to train the same muscles. Like bench press to cable cross overs or any other chest exercise. Pull ups for Lat pull downs etc etc...

Hope that helped. Feel free to ask more questions...


Regards,
Sam Chng
Sports Scientist
LiveWithFitness.com
 
And yes, don't know what kind of soup you are eating, but i think I would faint after a few days of that diet. Eat some veggies, get some protien in earlier in the day too (what do you eat for breakfast?) and where are your CARBS exactly? You need whole grains, veggies, a little fruit, more whole grains... add some brown rice to your soups if you really like soup... which you apparently do... but yes, take a break, every other day (after you feel rested up from the rest you should already be doing following Sam Chng's advice), and work back into it.

Back to the pull up though, lay on the bench, grab the bar, and pull yourself up, like a row, but with your body weight. Keep your whole core tight. Got it? Ok, try it when you are rested.

Good luck.
 
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