Advice Please...

ghoniba · 08-May-08, 07:08 PM

Hi Gang:

I am 46 and I have been lifting weights for years now. I seemed to have reached a plateau with the weight I can lift for all my exercises. This doesn't really bother me as I am happy with the size I have attained and my overall conditioning.

I do have one question about my lifting pattern. I typically do six sets of every exercise and do a couple of body parts per day. My routine lasts about an hour each morning. Seems to work for me and I really enjoy it. I was wondering though if I am better off doing fewer reps with a heavy weight or a lighter weight and more reps? For example, when I do deadlifts I can do 10 reps at 270-280 lbs for the first set and it drops down to around 5-6 reps for the remaining five sets. Would I be better off dropping the weight so that I can do 10 reps for six sets or just breaking it up with a variety of weight, which is kinda what I have been doing?

I have heard that lifting heavy with fewer reps is for strength, but I'm not all that concerned about strength at this point in my life, I'd be more concerned about preventing injury or straining my aging body. Funny enough, I always feel a bit guilty if I drop down in weight even though I just can't crank out 10 reps of it!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you, Glenn

08-May-08, 07:25 PM

While you wait for a more comprehensive answer from others, I'll add a brief comment. I believe it is good to keep your muscles guessing by periodically changing rep/set schemes and the weight. Therefore I believe your body would respond to either of the variations you listed in your post and the one you choose should be based on where your heart is.

I have no bodybuilding goals but am having fun doing more sets of fewer reps at a heavier weight, including many workouts that include alot of sets of a single rep. I am learning that my body needs plenty of recovery from this kind of workout.

It is all good. We just need to show up and do it!

mesomorph · 08-May-08, 11:54 PM

G'Day Ghoniba. Your flat line on progress could be due to a number of factors whch include things like a lack of variety as suggested by pierini, diet changes or even reaching your genetic potential!! I don't think you've reached your potential so it sounds as though your body has readily adapted to your work. That is, it recognises the exercises, the loads, the intensity of the lifts, cadence, exercise order and so on.The body is quite specific in its adaptation and your body is well trained and attuned to adaptations. As pierini has suggested, a change in your routine should be all that's needed at this stage. Change exercises, exercise order, go back to full body days, go lighter weight or go heavier, shorten w/o time, 3 day split, take a week off etc.
It doesn't matter what the variations are -strength based, hypertrophy, sport specific, gen fitness as long as you do something different that will create some sort of "shock" or challenge within your body that will in turn induce new and novel adaptations that will assist is busting through your plateau and up to a new level
(keep in mind as your intensity increases so do your nutritional needs. Make sure you eat according to your increasing strength and body size)

westside24 · 09-May-08, 03:27 PM

good answer!

ghoniba · 10-May-08, 06:39 AM

Thank you all very much for taking the time to answer. I do change things up often so I guess I'll keep doing what I have been doing! I think genetically I am not a super strong guy. I can't help thinking though that lifting very heavy weights is hard on the body. I seem to get some joint soreness flaring-up after heavy (for me!) lifting. I am careful about my form. Not sure if there is a substitute for lifting heavy though.

Oh, one other thought. I am happy with my overall size, my wife thinks I too 'bulky' as it is. If I continue to lift the weight that I lift will I basically stay the same size or do I have to continue to challenge myself just to stay where I am? Having said that though, I do find every workout a challenge, it's not like I breeze through my workouts!

Thanks again, Glenn

**.V.** · 10-May-08, 12:03 PM

Try something completely different. Something like 5x5 with ramped sets. Or even HST. Sure both have some very heavy days. But there are a lot of very light days...and they work. Easier on the body since it's not being pushed to it's limit on EVERY workout.

Hey, worth a try yanno.

westside24 · 10-May-08, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghoniba

If I continue to lift the weight that I lift will I basically stay the same size or do I have to continue to challenge myself just to stay where I am?

I dont believe so... I see alot of huge guys go into the gym, like 3 times a week doing super light weight full body workouts.

I agree with V, just from what ive read, HST and 5x5 have heavy light and moderate lifting days, which would help train strength, hypertrophy and endurance. Im just hypothesizing.

**.V.** · 11-May-08, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westside24

I dont believe so... I see alot of huge guys go into the gym, like 3 times a week doing super light weight full body workouts.

I agree with V, just from what ive read, HST and 5x5 have heavy light and moderate lifting days, which would help train strength, hypertrophy and endurance. Im just hypothesizing.

If you lift the same weight/reps/intensity... day in and day out, your body will become acclimated to it, maintain the muscle mass needed to keep lifting it, but not feel challenged to need more so it will not grow more.

i.e. Do the same thing forever, stay the same forever.

Now RE HST and 5x5. Hst actually uses a heavier weight every workout during each 2 week block of training. But each 2 week block starts with a VERY light weight.

5x5 has heavy, medium, and light days during every week.

Either way...good progress to be had for an investment of 3 20-40 minute workouts a week.

hellpup · 11-May-08, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghoniba

Funny enough, I always feel a bit guilty if I drop down in weight even though I just can't crank out 10 reps of it!

That's silly :-)

I've tried different routines over the years, and what works best for me is three sets of 4-8 reps at maximum weight (w/ strict form) per exercise -- I usually have to drop weight 5 or 10 lbs between sets to stay in my target rep range with good form.

I think the key for me is to really watch my form and do my reps slow and controlled on both the up and down parts of the rep.

As I've gotten older (I'm 42 in June) it's become more important to watch what I eat and get enough sleep (always in short supply).

ghoniba · 11-May-08, 09:23 PM

Thank you again for all of your help, I really appreciate it. Can I ask you to elaborate on the layout of these workouts, how are they structured?

>>Something like 5x5 with ramped sets. Or even HST<<

Hellpup, I might give that a go as well. I guess the key is to change things up!

Glenn

westside24 · 12-May-08, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .V.

If you lift the same weight/reps/intensity... day in and day out, your body will become acclimated to it, maintain the muscle mass needed to keep lifting it, but not feel challenged to need more so it will not grow more.

i.e. Do the same thing forever, stay the same forever.

Right... Thats what i was saying

he asked

Quote:

If I continue to lift the weight that I lift will I basically stay the same size or do I have to continue to challenge myself just to stay where I am?

So I was just saying, little work is needed for maintenance... you do not have to break yourself in order to stay where youre at.