Two Weightlifting Questions

[dullard]

I'm just about 6 months into a weightlifting routine that I've created. I've always been stick thin (5'9" and 130 lb was typical) and had no muscle. I was a runner for many years, but I quit a decade ago. I decided to start lifting dumbbells (about 14 excerises per workout day to focus on all major muscle groups), and have stuck to a routine quite well.

I workout 3-4 times a week lifting, and usually one aerobic activity a week. Each time I lift weights, I lift the same or more reps than I lifted the day before (usually more, only rarely do I lift just the same number of reps). After every 3 weeks or so, I bump up to the next size dumbbell (clearly the number of reps falls on that day).

Question 1: Clearly I cannot continue to increase every day forever. Now after 6 months, I'm starting to plateau. What do you do to keep up motivation?

Question 2: Can a realtively weak person burst a small vessel while doing curls? Yesterday I tried going from my normal 40 lb dumbbell (I'm now at 15 reps, sitting, I can't curl 40 lb while standing yet, maybe that is a sign my technique sucks) to a 45 lb dumbbell. I could barely lift it once after lots of struggle (with poor technique). Today my right bicep has a huge brused area, like a small blood vessel burst. I don't remember anything hitting my arm during the day - so I didn't injure it that way. Could lifting too much be the culprit?

 

[neegotiator]

1. try getting a workout partner? it's good motivation for eachother if ya'll lift about the same

2. never had that happen before...so i have no idea

 

[purbeast0]

I'm more confused by your 2nd question, as to how it's harder for you to curl standing up than sitting down? 😕

in my experience, doing them standing is always easier. how much do you weigh now? because if you are your current weight, doing 15 reps of 40lbs at a weight of 130lbs just doesn't sound right unless you aren't doing them properly ...

 

[Azurik]

I think standing curls are easier...

In any case, if you are still 5'9", 130lbs and you are doing 40lbs @ 15 reps... that's pretty good.

As for the blood vessel, I dunno man🙂

 

[HN]

you're already motivated so that's not the problem with the plateau. the problem is you've gotten into a routine that your muscles have just gotten used to. try going 4-6 weeks on one routine, break for a week, and then come back with another routine. even something as slight as reversing the order of workouts (exercise a..b..c for a few weeks; break; come back with exercise c...b...a) makes a big difference.

other things you can do is different exercises all together or, for compound exercises like squats or benching, try to focus on muscles related to the exercise. i know my bench increased more when took focus on my shoulders and triceps.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I'm more confused by your 2nd question, as to how it's harder for you to curl standing up than sitting down? 😕

in my experience, doing them standing is always easier. how much do you weigh now? because if you are your current weight, doing 15 reps of 40lbs at a weight of 130lbs just doesn't sound right unless you aren't doing them properly ...

Oh, I'm sure I'm not doing them properly. I think I drop my shoulder a bit while sitting. I'll have to work on that.

I'm now 142 lb. And I can tell I have less fat than I did before. So I've gained over 12 pounds of muscle in 6 months. I'm fairly happy so far with 0.5 lb gain a week. I could possibly do more with suppliments, but I refuse.

 

[Doboji]

You need to try different lifts than just straight dumbells... try straight bar curling... use the machines... work up on different type lifts, and for godssakes work on your technique... watch other guys do it... ones who look like they know what they're doing, and imitate them.

-Max

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: HN
you're already motivated so that's not the problem with the plateau. the problem is you've gotten into a routine that your muscles have just gotten used to. try going 4-6 weeks on one routine, break for a week, and then come back with another routine. even something as slight as reversing the order of workouts (exercise a..b..c for a few weeks; break; come back with exercise c...b...a) makes a big difference.

other things you can do is different exercises all together or, for compound exercises like squats or benching, try to focus on muscles related to the exercise. i know my bench increased more when took focus on my shoulders and triceps.

I'll try to reverse the order and see what that does. Hmm. Maybe some muscles at the end are already slightly tired by helping on other exercises and thus don't get the full benefit when it is their turn.

Originally posted by: Doboji
You need to try different lifts than just straight dumbells... try straight bar curling... use the machines... work up on different type lifts, and for godssakes work on your technique... watch other guys do it... ones who look like they know what they're doing, and imitate them.

I'm keeping the cost to a minimum. So far, I'm at ~$75 for all the weights I'll likely need for a long time (Scheels has by far the best deal on them). Gym memberships and other types of weights are out of the picture for now.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Doboji
You need to try different lifts than just straight dumbells... try straight bar curling... use the machines... work up on different type lifts, and for godssakes work on your technique... watch other guys do it... ones who look like they know what they're doing, and imitate them.

-Max

agreed. if you admit you are doing 40lbs x 15 times, and are doing it with poor form, then you are now trying 45lbs, that is not a good thing. work on your form before you try to get your weight up.

heh you remind me of the guys who are like 150lbs at the gym and want me to spot them on benching 225lbs, and I lift it off of the rack for them, then they move the bench like 2 inches towards their chest before they push it back up.

who cares how much weight you are doing. just do it properly and you will get the most benefit. trust me i know, i used to overtrain up the ass which made my progress very minimal, then changed to doing each muscle group a week and have gained over 20lbs since then (good lbs too).

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
agreed. if you admit you are doing 40lbs x 15 times, and are doing it with poor form, then you are now trying 45lbs, that is not a good thing. work on your form before you try to get your weight up.

The 45 lb was just for fun, I had just purchased it for crunches and wanted to try it out. With just one rep of it, I'll need a lot more strength before I actually move to it on my normal workout. Maybe I'll drop to 35 lb for now and work on technique.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
I'm more confused by your 2nd question, as to how it's harder for you to curl standing up than sitting down? 😕

in my experience, doing them standing is always easier. how much do you weigh now? because if you are your current weight, doing 15 reps of 40lbs at a weight of 130lbs just doesn't sound right unless you aren't doing them properly ...

If done right, a single arm curl is a single arm curl whether you are standing or sitting. If done right, you are focusing all weight on the same muscle.

If you find one easier than the other, then you are probably compensating somehow through your technique. While standing, have your back and hips against a wall and keep them touching the whole time before, during and after each repetiton. If not, it is too easy to use your hips and or body momentum to facilitate the lift.

If sitting, make sure to start each curl from a stationary arm position. Otherwise, you are far more likely to left your arm swing backwards generating forward and upward momentum making the lift much easier.

In terms of the original questions:

1) Too personal a question for me to help you. My motivation for working out was to prepare me to play rugby against the best in the world. I didn't do it for weight gain, definition or even measureable results. I simply did it because otherwise I wouldn't be as prepare as possible to compete at the level I wanted in sports.

2) When you work out, you are breaking down your muscle. When it repairs itself, it builds back a little stronger than before. Having said that, I have never experienced a case where I visibly bruised after a work out (soreness, tightness, immobility yes, bruising no). I may be a little concerned that you did some damage to your muscle. Depending on your recovery, you may want to see a doctor to look at a tear or a partial tear of the muscle.

PS - I am not a doctor or a physical trainer. I have worked out for many years and played many, many sports during that time so I have accumulated some experience in this field.

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

standing is always easier the way i do them cause i tend to use my back/shoulders more to gain leverage. i can do ~8 reps of 40lb, and 3-4 of 45. focus on lifting slower more controlled reps.

 

[CKent]

Google up some pics or even videos describing techniques; if you can do 15 reps sitting and 0 standing, god only knows what you're doing. And in my experience you ultra skinny people always have things going wrong with your bodies, you should, you know, eat something?