Well thank you to both of you - I've actually read an article just recently about how we get more muscle thanks to the little "tears" that happen when we lift heavy so lifting heavier weights does make sense- for me anyway, since I'm looking to gain more lean muscle mass. I wasn't actually avoiding heavier weights for fear of bulking up - thanks to you, Boss Man, I now know that's not likely to happen I was just doing it to keep up with the program because 10 kg seems to be the max amount of weight I can go 15 reps with. I never considered getting in all the reps wasn't that big of a deal and good results could be achieved by fewer reps as well. I always assumed I'd get stronger after a while and would be able to lift heavier with 15 reps. But now I guess I should change that mindset and go for heavier+more reps until I get stronger and can do more reps with those weights - then I progress to even heavier ones. (Is that right? I just wanna make sure I understood correctly haha)
Thanks for the help!
so as not to change too much keep the same exercises but now aim for 2 reps per set which will mean a weight increase...once you hit 12 reps, the very next workout increase the reps and aim for 10 then 8...be aware different exercises will progress at different rates so increase when you need to
go with the day 1 / day 2 option i provided as well
Yes, Melanie when you're getting a few more reps with something you're doing increase the weight.
In general I used to find when I could lift something for another 3 reps, I was ready to add a bit more and do 3 less reps and this worked on leg exercises, two handed cable exercises and two handed bar exercises.
The only time I'd not do that, was on a one armed dumbbell exercise, because I couldn't use the same weight increase like I could on bar exercises for example, as the weight would be load bore into the one limb, not shared by two limbs, so I'd have to maybe wait until I was hitting another 5-6 reps on that weight before going up, as I didn't want to be increasing too early and start struggling on something.
Some people like doing 3 rep sets and working up, but I never liked going less than 6, just because I wanted the time frame to assess what I was doing in case I was having an off day and couldn't always hit the 6, as then I'd be more prepared.
If you're aiming for 3 and start struggling on a 2nd one, you might get caught out and that's not good for exercises where the weight is above your chest or head or on your back, because if I wasn't getting enough time to realise I could be struggling, it could have caused problems.
Everyone is different and people have their own understanding of their bodies, but in general if someone is doing too many reps with not enough weight, logically add more weight and do less reps, then as a useful guide, when you're capable of getting around 3-5 more reps, depending on the exercise, then someone will be ready to go a bit higher on the weights.
Just checking in -
Yesterday I tried heavier weights+less reps for the first time and today is the most sore I've ever felt the day after a workout! I was supposed to go kickboxing today but I've decided to take one of rest days today instead since I'm so sore. Improvement or a bad thing?
DOMS, (Delayed onset Muscle Soreness), is neither indicative of a good workout or a bad one, as people who don't get it can have a good workout, but it can mean you did too much.
However I feel you may have done enough for your needs and in time the DOMS should get less as your body gets used to the feeling, so don't worry about it, because if you knee jerk on this and think it's a problem then you might change what you're doing to something that's less efficient and hinder yourself.
Well I almost never get sore so I was a bit worried and I felt even worse yesterday but I went to kickboxing class anyway since I'd already rescheduled it and didn't want to take both of rest days back to back - and I was very surprised to see I felt better afterwards and today: no soreness. Hair of the dog type of thing? Anyway now that I can actually sit down without cringing, I'm confident that I'm going to be just fine like you guys said. And it feels good to pick up the heavier weights - it's hard to feel badass with the small pink ones haha. So yeah, so far so good I probably can't comment on the gaining muscle/getting stronger aspect until at least a month has passed, but I'll let you know if I see any improvements with strength.
I was just doing it to keep up with the program because 10 kg seems to be the max amount of weight I can go 15 reps with. I never considered getting in all the reps wasn't that big of a deal and good results could be achieved by fewer reps as well. I always assumed I'd get stronger after a while and would be able to lift heavier with 15 reps. But now I guess I should change that mindset and go for heavier+more reps until I get stronger and can do more reps with those weights - then I progress to even heavier ones. (Is that right? I just wanna make sure I understood correctly haha)