Proportions to aim for?

[tyel]

I've been reading some of the journals here and it strikes me that for some exercises, I can lift as much as some of the more experienced women but on other exercises I can't. I was also surprised to see that some people have a lot of strength in one area -- say, shoulder press -- that doesn't seem to be mirrored in, say, a lateral raise.

So I am wondering whether there are any guidelines I should be pushing for? Something along the lines of: your incline press should be x% of your flat DB bench; or if you can leg press x weight, a certain % of that is reasonable to expect for hamstring curls.

Does something like this exist?

[laura817]

Originally Posted by tyel

I've been reading some of the journals here and it strikes me that for some exercises, I can lift as much as some of the more experienced women but on other exercises I can't. I was also surprised to see that some people have a lot of strength in one area -- say, shoulder press -- that doesn't seem to be mirrored in, say, a lateral raise.

So I am wondering whether there are any guidelines I should be pushing for? Something along the lines of: your incline press should be x% of your flat DB bench; or if you can leg press x weight, a certain % of that is reasonable to expect for hamstring curls.

Does something like this exist?

tyel -- I am not sure if something like that actually exist. Some people have a lot more strength in legs than they do in chest and vice versa.

As far as why some people have more strength in certain exercises (though both exercises work the shoulders) is if you noticed for example in my journal my first exercise I always have the most strength, but as I progress to my second one my strength slowly decline. I have a tendency to switch the orders of my workout around or I will add a new exercise hoping that I will stimulate progress. Hope that makes sense.

[laura817]

tyel -- Here is a better example to answer your question.

--------------------

Originally Posted by laura817

12.08.03 -- Monday

6:00 p.m. -- [ Chest & Biceps ]
70 lbs -- Flat Dumbbell Press -- 1 x 10
75 lbs -- Flat Dumbbell Press -- 1 x 9
80 lbs -- Flat Dumbbell Press -- 1 x 8
85 lbs -- Flat Dumbbell Press -- 1 x 6*
75 lbs -- Incline Dumbbell Press -- 3 x 5-7
50 lbs -- Cable Crossover -- 4 x 7-9

Originally Posted by laura817

12.15.03 -- Monday

5:45 p.m. -- [ Chest & Triceps]
75 lbs -- Incline Dumbbell Press -- 1 x 10
80 lbs -- Incline Dumbbell Press -- 3 x 5-6
80 lbs -- Flat Dumbbell Press -- 1 x 8
85 lbs -- Flat Dumbbell Press -- 3 x 5-6
50 lbs -- Cable Crossover -- 4 x 6-8

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This is taken off my journal when I was a little stronger than I am now.

If you noticed on 12.08.03 I was able do only 75-lbs total weight on the Incline Dumbbell Press only pushing 5-7 reps, but on 12.15.03 (a week after) not only was I able to increased an extra 5-lbs; I was also able to do 75-lbs in 10 reps.

I guess for me I used the most energy in my 1st exercise.

[Tuna Fish]

Wow, Laura.... 85# DB's for reps... Dang. You're pretty strong!

Remind me not to piss you off anytime soon.....

Tuna

[tyel]

Actually, it was this entry that got me to wondering:

05.07.04 -- Friday

6:15 a.m.. -- [ Quads, Hamstrings & Calves ]
110 lbs -- Leg Extension -- 1 x 7
120 lbsX -- Leg Extension -- 1 x 7
130 lbsX -- Leg Extension -- 1 x 7
135 lbsX -- Leg Extension -- 1 x 5
225 lbs -- Leg Press -- 1 x 7
275 lbsX -- Leg Press -- 1 x 7
295 lbsX -- Leg Press -- 1 x 6
315 lbsX -- Leg Press -- 1 x 4
50 lbs -- Seated Leg Curls -- 1 x 7
60 lbsX -- Seated Leg Curls -- 1 x 7
60 lbsX -- Seated Leg Curls -- 1 x 7
220 lbs -- Rotary Calf -- 1 x 7
230 lbsX -- Rotary Calf -- 1 x 7
240 lbsX -- Rotary Calf -- 1 x 6

Your leg curl seems really light in comparison to the other leg weights. I can only press about 155 pounds, but I can do 90 on the seated curl. So I am trying to figure out whether this is just a normal difference in physiology or if I am out of balance.

I noticed this same sort of thing in other areas, too, but this was the one that struck me the most.

I've been working out for a year but I think I have only recently gotten to the point of really understanding (or wanting to understand) all the connections. This one -- the issue of balance -- stumps me.

[laura817]

tyel –A lot of the quad exercises target the quads, but it also indirectly works on the hamstring muscles too. It’s the same thing with a lot of different exercises as well. Another example is the barbell straight dead lifts. The main focus in this exercise is the hamstrings, but it also strengthens the back.

So when I exert all my strength working quads, I tired my hamstrings out as well resulting to really weak seated leg curls.

[laura817]

Thanks Tuna, but it's a combined total weight.

[laura817]

Originally Posted by tyel

Your leg curl seems really light in comparison to the other leg weights. I can only press about 155 pounds, but I can do 90 on the seated curl. So I am trying to figure out whether this is just a normal difference in physiology or if I am out of balance.

Do you remember when I said that some people naturally have a lot more strength in legs than they do in chest and vice versa? Well, the same thing is true with different muscle parts.

The main target when working with the leg press are the quads and the main target when working with the seated leg curls are the hamstrings.

Originally Posted by tyel

I've been working out for a year but I think I have only recently gotten to the point of really understanding (or wanting to understand) all the connections. This one -- the issue of balance -- stumps me.

P.S. I have been working out with weights for ~8 months so I can't really say I am more experienced than any other.

[DaRkAnGel]

Originally Posted by Tuna Fish

Wow, Laura.... 85# DB's for reps... Dang. You're pretty strong!

Remind me not to piss you off anytime soon.....

Tuna

I am going to assume that they are 40 each? Otherwise DAYYYUM.

[Cort]

Everyone is a little different. For instance since I haven't been doing deadlifts until recently I deadlift below my squat, though most people can deadlift more than their squat. If you go by the 3 major lifts, bench, squat, and deadlift...you're usually going to see bench as the lowest, squat coming next, and then deadlift. It is all going to vary somewhat. I know people that bench 300 and squat it too when I'm down around 250 and squatting closer to 400...