Quote: (07-11-2014 09:35 PM)Travesty444 Wrote:
Mongo,
I used to lift about 4 days a week in college. Upper, then lower body (2 times a week each) back and forth focused on the big compound lifts. I noticed I would plateau quickly after a few weeks, switch it up to different lifts. Plateau, then go back to other lifts. No solid progress after initial gains.
A few years later I would only do a set of muscles once a every week or week and half. I would just listen to my body and my soreness. I wouldn't lift if my body didn't feel like it could have a shot at a PR. This could last as long as 3 weeks if I was doing other activities that would tire me out. I had about 8 months or so of solid PR's broken. After that, presently I have plateau'd pretty hard again only 3 PR's in the last 10 months.
Should I only lift after my soreness has subsided? Or push through and still lift again.
First, stop going for PRs every workout. If you lift 4 times a week, pick main exercises for each day, and focus on building those. Do reps. Lots and lots of reps. Instead of trying to always hit a new 1RM, do sets of 5-8, adding reps or sets each week. Or increase the total weight you do. Example, if you do 5x5 on squat at 155, 165, 175, 185, 195 in week one, do 165, 165, 175, 185, 195 the next week.
Second, do three "loading" weeks where you push it, then make the 4th week an "unloading" week where you do approximately 75% of your week one volume/weight. Make it an easier week so your body can recover and grow. Then go back into loading.
Lift in spite of the soreness. It will force your body to adapt to increased levels of activity and stress. Which is the whole point of working out. Obviously don't push it to the point of injury, but don't be afraid of lifting because you are sore.
The first 3ish weeks of doing a new exercise, you will see rapid "strength" gains which is really your nervous system adapting to the movement and becoming more efficient at it. In order to build true strength, you must continue to train it beyond your initial plateau. Yes, the progress will slow down, but that is part of the challenge. Don't worry about testing your strength, worry about building it.