How do you know how hard to train?

J

justin18

0
I've just started weight training to gain weight and increase muscle size. I am worried about training too hard or not hard enough. If my muscles ache the next day, is that good, or is that too much?

Also, should I do an all round workout for all muscles each day or train different muscles on different days? How do you train just one or two muscles per session without tiring out very quickly?

Sorry for all the questions, but any advise would be very helpful to me.

Thanks,

Justin
 
You need compound training 3 times a week.

Training programs:
Starting Strength
New Rules of Lifting
Strong Lifts 5x5
(look'em up)

Clean eating with lots of protein &calories to gain.

Yes, aching is part of it all, but you need rest days so 3 times a week is good.
 
If its just soreness you're fine. If you have pain in your joints then it might be a problem.

If you're tiring easily then you may be taking in too few cals.
 
DEF said:
+ extinct rep to tenpercent.
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Haha x2

Always keep the intensity up, but don't that TOO literally. You don't want to always be training to failure. Do what your program tells you to do. And don't use soreness as a guide. Soreness does not equal a good workout.
 
for what its worth (Im just a newbie around here) I would use that old saying, no pain ,no gain!

Personally when training on a particular area, I train there 'till I reach MMF (moment of muscular failure) followed by an isometric.
 
Mick G said:
for what its worth (Im just a newbie around here) I would use that old saying, no pain ,no gain!

Personally when training on a particular area, I train there 'till I reach MMF (moment of muscular failure) followed by an isometric.
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And there's your problem. That is not the right way to train.
 
You should go as hard as you can, learn how your body responds, and adjust accordingly. It's like focusing in on a microscope-- use the big, coarse focus, then the fine tuning after things come into view.

Basically you don't really know how hard to go when you first start. Then you start training, and if you train smart and stay aware, you will have a good idea of what you need to do in a few years.
 
Ride_On said:
And there's your problem. That is not the right way to train.
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Its been working for me but always looking to improve...obviously a person has to build up to a certain level.

IMO if you stop short 2 or 3 reps of a particular exercise then you have stopped short of the threshold leading to increased muscular strength and growth.

Maybe you could point out what I'm doing wrong below, if you wouldn't mind please?

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

Hi, here just stumbled upon this site. people seem very friendly and great on advice.

I'm going on 39 yrs old and 5'7'' in height,been weight training on and off for about 17 yrs so my weight has been up and down more times than a yoyo.

I returned to training about 12 weeks ago and have lost about 20 pounds, now I'm currently 237lbs...my goal is to get as close to 200...My first aim is to reduce my calorie intake by 500 per day,because my weight loss has slowed down.

I ditched my weights 12 months ago but have held onto 1 x 10 kg dumbell and workout 3/4 times per week.

workout is something like this with 12/14 reps(20 for squats):
Warm up----spot running, star jumps, windmill toe touching.
squats
bench press, press ups/inclined press ups
shoulder press
flyes
bent rowing
single arm tricep extension
dumbell curls
side laterals
leg raises
side bends (for the love handles,which love me waaay more than I love them!)
finished off with 30 sit ups.

Diet is
breakfast
approx 40 gms cereal, eg museli

morning
fruit 2/3 pieces

lunch
ham salad or tuna salad roll or sandwich

dinner
roast chicken(skin removed) potatoes & veg or chicken fillet & veg...(actually I eat chicken, mostly grilled about 3or4 times a week.)
or
pasta bolognaise with turkey mince
or
some variation of red meat & veg

I do allow 1 'cheat' meal per week but my vice is my beers (once a week)

for the first 8 weeks I took whey protein as a post workout supplement but have changed to amino-or supplements which are to be taken 2 hrs after food and just before bed.

Does all of the above seem ok to people or am I way off the mark?

I intend to change my workout in the next week or two just to mix it up a little, all I need to do is find 1!!

I hope this make some sense to people and I do apologise for rambling on, thanks for reading

I await your input, comments and suggestions,

Michael.
 
Diet is a little random. You need more fruit, more veggies, and probably more protein. Try to keep most meals with a balance of each macro rather than just carbs (i.e. your cereal and then fruit later on). Figure out how many calories you're taking in also. It doesn't seem like much.

Don't know what you mean by ham salad, but tuna salad probably isn't a great choice, nor is a "roll". Doubtful that roll is really whole wheat, but if so, I take that previous statement back.

On to your workout. You should really pick up one of the pro routines that can be found around here:

Strong Lifts 5x5
Starting Strength
New Rules of Lifting

All great places to start. Since you're a beginning (and this trend will continue probably for at least a year or two), you should really be focusing on compound, multi-joint lifts, and get rid of the isolation crap. You'll hit those mirror muscles plenty hard if you're doing the right things - squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench press, shoulder press, rows, and some ab work.

As per my comment on not training to failure, you definitely don't want to do that. There are certain times in which you should, but it's not every day or every workout. You NEED recovery time. Follow what your routine says.
 
Thanks for the helpful pointers...in my eagerness to learn more about training/nutrition I'm just about getting my head and attitude around it all.

I need to treat it like a marathon I suppose instead of a sprint ie, wanting results instantly!

Again thank you.
 
Mick G said:
Thanks for the helpful pointers...in my eagerness to learn more about training/nutrition I'm just about getting my head and attitude around it all.

I need to treat it like a marathon I suppose instead of a sprint ie, wanting results instantly!

Again thank you.
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Yes patience is one of the main keys to good results, I messed up my first year of training due to over eagerness for results and lack of patience. Thank god I developed some.
 
Just keep adding weight as long as your form does not suffer you're doing fine. I did FBW's when I first started but I've come to realize a split is much more efficient. You may want to give that a shot if FBW's are not working for you.
 
Mick G said:
Its been working for me but always looking to improve...obviously a person has to build up to a certain level.

IMO if you stop short 2 or 3 reps of a particular exercise then you have stopped short of the threshold leading to increased muscular strength and growth.
Click to expand...




Lieunfat has the better advice here.

hi Mike, in strength training nothing is ecthed in stone.

One can get pretty good results doing about anything, and that means doing things wrong also.

There is nothing wrong with going all out, training hard but you gotta be smart also, training hard is learned, one can train themselves to train hard, work hard, go all out.
 
Last edited:
one more thing

"no pain, no gain" "pain weakness leaving the body" are silly lines that are not needed with strength training.
 
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