workout intensity?
 

I've lifted on and off for maybe 5-6 months but have only been going at it consistently for about a month now. I break my lifting into three workouts, legs/lower back, chest/upper back,and shoulders/forearms/upperarms.

When I do legs and lower back I get a great pump going so I am always able to work myself to exhaustion just lifting. I usually feel the effect of the workout for the next few days. My leg muscles are much stronger and more developed than any others.

On my other 2 days my workouts just don't seem to have the same intensity. I can reach failure in a set, move to a higher weight and lift to failure again and seemingly give it my all, and do many exercises per body part usually spending an hour to an hour and a half lifting, but I don't seem to get anywhere near that same pump. At the end of the day I just don't feel like I've worked my muscles enough , and they are basically recooperated within 24 hours.

Is this standard and I am expecting too much out of myself , or do I need to do something different to increase the intensity of my workouts?

thx

-Jeff

Re: workout intensity?
 

This is standard. You could try focusing on the bigger exercises for your other two days, eg bench, military press, barbell rows from the floor. Even those won't hit you as hard as heavy squats and deadlifts though.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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the pump doesn't mean anything

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Re: workout intensity?
 

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Is this standard and I am expecting too much out of myself , or do I need to do something different to increase the intensity of my workouts?


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You need to do something different all right.

Re: workout intensity?
 

great pump? You mean sick pump, right?
so confused.

Re: workout intensity?
 

(not to beat a dead horse, but...)

He means cumming.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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Is this standard and I am expecting too much out of myself, or do I need to do something different to increase the intensity of my workouts?

-Jeff

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Jeff, you certainly don't need to go to failure to progress. Soreness also isn't an indicator of the quality of your workout. I am barely sore from my workouts, but somehow I am able to progress.

Also, pump doesn't do anything for you except that feeling everyone likes. While it can mean that you blasted your muscles good, you can also get a pump lifting light weights for a ton of reps. It is not the indicator of a quality workout.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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I've lifted on and off for maybe 5-6 months but have only been going at it consistently for about a month now. I break my lifting into three workouts, legs/lower back, chest/upper back,and shoulders/forearms/upperarms.

When I do legs and lower back I get a great pump going so I am always able to work myself to exhaustion just lifting. I usually feel the effect of the workout for the next few days. My leg muscles are much stronger and more developed than any others.

On my other 2 days my workouts just don't seem to have the same intensity. I can reach failure in a set, move to a higher weight and lift to failure again and seemingly give it my all, and do many exercises per body part usually spending an hour to an hour and a half lifting, but I don't seem to get anywhere near that same pump. At the end of the day I just don't feel like I've worked my muscles enough , and they are basically recooperated within 24 hours.

Is this standard and I am expecting too much out of myself , or do I need to do something different to increase the intensity of my workouts?

thx

-Jeff

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Learn WTF intensity means. Thx.

Re: workout intensity?
 

Having a day just for arms and forearms is kinda goofy. It's better to arrange things where the large muscles doing most of the work get worked at the same time as the little support muscles. Examples: do chest shoulders, and triceps all one day -- all pushing movements where you extend the upper limbs away from the body. Commonly called doing "push" exercises. Or, do a day where all your upper body movements are about bringing the limbs inward, a "pull" day -- chin-ups, rows, whatever for triceps if you still have any gas left. And do another day for legs/lower back.

That will let you work very hard every single session, because the big muscles on the torso will be getting involved. You won't have a single work-out where you feel you aren't getting the most out of your time or are doodling around uselessly.

Note that if you need more work on your arms, you're better off just doing more pressing or pulling movements. Get your arms used to being able to handle the weight your trunk muscles can. That will make you a more coordinated athlete better able to get the most from what muscle you do have. If your biceps aren't tired, forget curls -- go do some pull-ups. If your triceps feel neglected, do some military presses, etc. Your arms should be giving out before your back, chest, or shoulders do. If they don't, you could be lifting heavier and getting stronger.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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I can reach failure in a set, move to a higher weight and lift to failure again and seemingly give it my all, and do many exercises per body part usually spending an hour to an hour and a half lifting, but I don't seem to get anywhere near that same pump.
-Jeff

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This may be really obvious but I think that you should just lift heavier to start off, after being fully warmed up. If you pick a weight that you TRULY cannot do more than 5 times in 3 sets you will, by definition, not be able to do any more than that... no one is able to, for example, curl 50 pound dumbbells for 4 sets, 5 reps, without being able to do 3 sets using 52.5

Re: workout intensity?
 

non serious responses,

smd

blackkey,

yeah good point. I have definitely shown progress the past month but just assumed I should be having more cuz of my "weak" arm workouts

mwalsh,

yeah you're probably right. I like to do a warmup set and then 3 more sets of 10,8,4-6 or something like that for arms and shoulders. Starting with more weight is probably a good idea.

A friend also suggested decreasing the amount of time between sets (I do like 45-90 seconds) but im worried that will result in me not being able to perform in my next set. I want to burn body fat though so maybe this is a good idea?

Blarg,

ok. One thing, are you sure re: a day for arms and shoulders? The only reason I've been doing this is because Arnold S. told me to in his huge bodybuilding book that I bought after reading a txredman thread, lol

-Jeff

Re: workout intensity?
 

you have alot of money I think. Go get a personal trainer. They will help motivate you.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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you have alot of money I think. Go get a personal trainer. They will help motivate you.

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do they really help that much? the personal trainers at my gym suck and don't take weight training seriously. I know of someone who would probably be really good but I don't know if its worth it I guess... probably worth looking into to just try

Re: workout intensity?
 

Re: workout intensity?
 

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I've lifted on and off for maybe 5-6 months but have only been going at it consistently for about a month now. I break my lifting into three workouts, legs/lower back, chest/upper back,and shoulders/forearms/upperarms.

When I do legs and lower back I get a great pump going so I am always able to work myself to exhaustion just lifting. I usually feel the effect of the workout for the next few days. My leg muscles are much stronger and more developed than any others.

On my other 2 days my workouts just don't seem to have the same intensity. I can reach failure in a set, move to a higher weight and lift to failure again and seemingly give it my all, and do many exercises per body part usually spending an hour to an hour and a half lifting, but I don't seem to get anywhere near that same pump. At the end of the day I just don't feel like I've worked my muscles enough , and they are basically recooperated within 24 hours.

Is this standard and I am expecting too much out of myself , or do I need to do something different to increase the intensity of my workouts?

thx

-Jeff

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Learn WTF intensity means. Thx.

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it's pretty obvious that he's not referring to percent of 1RM.

Re: workout intensity?
 

jeff,
I suggest you at least take a serious look at how the starting strength and 5x5 program's are designed, to give you a feel what a very effective workout looks like.

I know you're doing a split workout, with probably mostly isolation exercises like tricep/bicep work and leg extensions/curls. While those are really popular workouts at gyms across the country, they mostly suck. They don't include squats, and if they do, they aren't full squats but rather slight knee bends. Form is usually atrocious, as they often don't really focus on legs or it's not important to them. Squatting is THE most important exercise, period. Next, hardly anybody doing those splits performs deadlifts. Again, if they do, they usually do them for bouncing reps with bad form. Both the above programs, and any program, should have at least one of those as it's focus.

Also, the 5x5 program is designed specifically for intermediate lifters who experience plateaus.

But anyways, you haven't even told us what your program looks like. What exercises do you do on each day, for how many reps and sets, and how is progression built into the program? You basically gave us nothing. Also let us know at what weights you started at, and where you are now, so we can have a better idea of where to lead you. If you've only been working out for a month consistently, and sporadically for the last few months, you would probably do well with the starting strength program.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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Re: workout intensity?
 

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jeff,
I suggest you at least take a serious look at how the starting strength and 5x5 program's are designed, to give you a feel what a very effective workout looks like.

I know you're doing a split workout, with probably mostly isolation exercises like tricep/bicep work and leg extensions/curls. While those are really popular workouts at gyms across the country, they mostly suck. They don't include squats, and if they do, they aren't full squats but rather slight knee bends. Form is usually atrocious, as they often don't really focus on legs or it's not important to them. Squatting is THE most important exercise, period. Next, hardly anybody doing those splits performs deadlifts. Again, if they do, they usually do them for bouncing reps with bad form. Both the above programs, and any program, should have at least one of those as it's focus.

Also, the 5x5 program is designed specifically for intermediate lifters who experience plateaus.

But anyways, you haven't even told us what your program looks like. What exercises do you do on each day, for how many reps and sets, and how is progression built into the program? You basically gave us nothing. Also let us know at what weights you started at, and where you are now, so we can have a better idea of where to lead you. If you've only been working out for a month consistently, and sporadically for the last few months, you would probably do well with the starting strength program.

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I do squats and deadlifts. My program is pretty intense and time consuming. Like I said I wasn't working with a program originally until I bought the Arnold S bodybuilding book txredman recommended.

Like my squats and deadlift days are great, I just feel like my other workouts are a lot less effective- although I have shown a pretty good amount of progress its so short term its hard to gauge. Like I don't know if its because my arm/shoulder muscles are less developed but I just don't get the same burn and sweat going and lasting soreness as with leg/back days- although apparently that doesn't matter. That was really my main issue.

if you want I can still post my program and stuff. Everything is basically from Arnold's book (lol)

-Jeff

Re: workout intensity?
 

Yeah post it. Instead of monitoring the burn, the pump, or soreness, keep a log and watch the numbers grow. That is the important part. The burn, the pump, soreness shouldn't be your primary gauge of progress.

Again, check out the 5x5 program. Read that website, it is a goldmine.

Re: workout intensity?
 

To go up in your weights, i would recommend changing the timing of your exercise. For example, on benchpress (this is just an example, any exercise is pretty much the same), move the weight down slower, you can even pause at the bottom of the movement if you feel the need to and then push back up normally.

This will definitely demand more out of your muscle fibers and enable your slow-twitch fibers to be more involved. On the long run, you should start to lift more. Also as suggested by others, 5X5 programs are good, even though i feel you hit a wall after a while on them, as with any other programs.

If you need any advice PM me, dont hesitate, i did a few bodybuilding competitions and hopefully can help you as you helped me on cardrunners lol!

Re: workout intensity?
 

Can we stop using intensity as some sort of catch all for "trying really hard"? It makes me want to gouge my eyes out with rusty nails.

ActionJeff,

You're reading the SuperSystem of BB books. 1983 wants it ideas back.

Re: workout intensity?
 

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Can we stop using intensity as some sort of catch all for "trying really hard"? It makes me want to gouge my eyes out with rusty nails.

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It seems to me that "intensity" is used with different senses -- the connotation different if the context is HIIT or % of 1RM (to give two examples).

Re: workout intensity?
 

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Can we stop using intensity as some sort of catch all for "trying really hard"? It makes me want to gouge my eyes out with rusty nails.

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It seems to me that "intensity" is used with different senses -- the connotation different if the context is HIIT or % of 1RM (to give two examples).

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I just find people using it as an explanation for the "I don't feel like a work hard enough" thing totally unacceptable. Or that like straining makes your results better. Or some sort of weird bastardization of failure.