OK, LWL.

I've been lifting for a full three months now. I've been doing mostly machines, but I'm throwing in dumbbells as I learn new exercises (once I scrape enough extra cash together for a couple training sessions, I'd like to start doing mostly free weights, but that may be a while.) Basically, I'm still LOVING the lifting.

HOWEVER, I think I've hit a plateau. I guess I shouldn't have expected to see the same kind of gains I did at the beginning, but I feel like I've been lifting the same weights forever now. I try to move up to a higher weight, but on some machines, my form starts to degrade, so I'm nervous about upping it.

Here's the question -- should I just push through it, doing as many reps as I can until failure, or should I be going down to the lower weight until I can do it with good form? I feel like I've been doing the latter, and I've been slow to improve. Does there just come a point when any new strength gains come very s-l-o-w-l-y???

If you want stats about what I've been lifting, I'll be happy to provide them. Any advice would be mucho appreciated.

p.s. I've lost 18 pounds, but I'm losing slowly and eating enough calories (clean clean clean), so I don't think I'm losing muscle.

There definitely is a point where you stop making such quick gains in strength, and days where you'll seem weaker and have to back off the weight to keep form. I think the best thing for you to do is to really change your routine. If you can't afford sessions with a trainer now, watch what others are doing (just be careful who you pick as a role model- not everyone knows what they are doing), and ask questions if you can find any friendly looking, knowledgeable veterans. Try asking other women, most everyone loves to teach. There are also websites with loads of information; try the Krista Smash site www.stumptuous.com/weights.html.
If you really need to stay with the same machines, it's very easy to do "drop sets". On your last set, go for a higher weight. If you fail or lose form, just move the pin to a slightly lighter weight, and continue to finish your set. Really confuse you body by dropping it again without a rest, and do another set. Repeat. You'll be amazed how different 25 pounds can feel on your hamstrings when it's your last set after doing 4 sets going up, then 4 sets going down with no rest. Or mix things up by using the same machine in different ways. For example, instead of using both arms at once on the vertical shoulder press, set it at a lighter weight and do each shoulder separately, then up the weight and do a 2 armed set. You can do the same with various rows and get a greater shoulder rotation than when you do both arms at the same time.

Congratulations on the progress that you've been making!

And yes, there comes a point when it takes 6 months to be able to add 1 more pound!

Mel

My recommendation, although I'm not an expert in the least, is try to shake up your body a little and do different exercises. Look at some weight lifting websites like www.abcbodybuilding.com (which I am actually looking at right now, trying to plan what to do for tonight) and also www.exrx.net and find some different exercises. I think it is the same as when you are trying to lose weight and you hit a plateau, you have to try different things to shake your body into losing weight again.

Also, don't go into a too high weight that it makes you lose form. What I tend to do is if I can do 15 reps on an exercise, I increase the weight. If I can do 8 on an exercise, then I keep the weight there and do 8. I aim for about 12-13 reps.

Thanks for the advice, Mel and Nelie! I'll give the drop sets a try today. I added a couple of new machines last time I went, as well as a few dumbell sets, so maybe all that will jump start my routine. I'm such a creature of habit that I have to watch it, or I'll do exactly the same things in the same order every time!

Jen

Hello all, I am getting back to some serious lifting after I goofed off from hitting a plateau. I am one of those people whose body will survive anything I go through and still be pleasantly plumb. I have gotten interested again in some serious lifting and am going to try BFL. I do know the carbs are not my friends and am deleting the "whites" from my diet.

You all have some great advice as well as good website info. Thanks in advance.

Liza
202/182/182/140
HW/SW/CW/GW

Mini Goal - 2 pounds a week

I have an extra little tip for you if you go to a gym, watch the personal trainers and their clients. I tend to do that just to get ideas, then if I see an exercise that is interesting and I want to try, I try to look it up or I'll try it the next time I get a chance.

Woweeeeeee, I tried this out today, and it kicked my butt! My arms and shoulders are sore and not unlike wilted lettuce. Thanks, Mel and everybody else! Since I was feeling plucky (and the gym was empty), I also tried out the chin assist machine that I've been meaning to try forever. I felt like an idiot but finally figured out how it works, and man, was it tough!

Just another milestone on my way to becoming a superhero someday. Ha!

Ok this may be a stupid question, but I think I know what machine you are talking about with the chin assist. Basically you kneel on a machine that uses weights to counteract your weight, then you pull yourself up. I am dying to try it out but weighing as much as I do, I don't want to get up there and it not be able to handle my weight. So, my question is how much should I weigh before I try it? If anyone knows, I'd appreciate it.

Well, I'm sure Mel can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's a simple equation that works like this -- you just subtract the weight on the machine from your weight to get what you're lifting. I did notice that the weights only go up to 160, so that means I was lifting roughly 70 pounds at the heaviest weight on the machine. Luckily, I could do that because I've been lifting, but I was just barely able to eke out 2 sets of 8 reps, so I would guess that heavier people would have to be able to lift more to use the machine. Is that a correct assessment?

(Thanks for the advice on watching the trainers, by the way. I kinda wish I had a gym buddy who could help me out with this stuff!)

Yup, Jennifer, that's how it works. The ones I'm familiar with, you stand on rather than kneel, but I guess the principle is the same. The amount of counterbalance weight that you need is a function of your weight and how strong you are, You just have to try it, there's no formula.

Glad the ideas helped! I hope you are not too sore and cursing me tomorrow

Mel

I hope I *am*