First few weeks of weightlifting have been a struggle - advice appreciated

TheCenturion

TheCenturion

TheCenturion

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I've been lifting for a couple of weeks now. Over the last week, I've felt a niggle in my lower back. Is it possible that this is due to my back just being weak, rather than incorrect form? I've tried my best to get my form correct, read descriptions, asked trainers, watched videos. But every time I work out, I still don't feel confident that I'm doing it correctly.

Today was leg day, which is squats and lunges. However after completing squats, I tried to lunge but my legs just weren't up to it. Even sitting down was painful. Is it normal to sometimes have sessions where your body isn't up to the task?

People say they feel good after exercising, but I just feel rubbish and depressed, and feel like I'm not doing well. None of the above is an excuse however. I'm still going to train hard and eat big and hope I get to 145 pounds in the next 6 years. It's just frustrating to think that if I'm doing something wrong, or something is missing from my regime/diet, then I won't notice for nearly a year, considering it takes that long to start seeing results :(


Lastly, can anyone recommend some back exercises? At the moment I'm doing bent-over rows but I feel sod all in my back when I do them.

Thanks everyone :)
 
It's hard to tell you about your form without a video of it.

It's going to be very tough for the first few weeks; when was the last time you tried anything like this?
 
As above, somewhat difficult to comment on form.

However what I can say is I don't think anyone has felt good the first few times they have done weight training. The first time I did weights I couldn't move for a week, I was in incredible pain in all the muscles I had trained. I struggled to even get my clothes on. This goes away after a few weeks but you should still be feeling something after workouts, just not to that extreme.
 
If this is your first experience in apt he gym, or doing any form of exercise your probably suffering pretty hard from doms. I could barely walk for the first 2 weeks I went to the gym.

If you think there's an issue with form then check out the form thread and get some vids of your deadlifts and squats up here for comment. Other then that it's going to be very hard to gauge if it's just newbi doms
 
Form will be critical at this point. I'd definitely post up in the relevant thread for pointers, as a lot of PTs in gyms are worse than useless when it comes to anything that doesn't have a 'start' button on it.

Post up your lifts as honestly as you can, and then follow the advice.

Regarding your lower back or whatever, simply by getting your form right and lifting big, your back will get stronger. I haven't done a specific 'back' exercise since I left Jitsu six years ago, and my back is plenty strong enough from deadlifts, chinups, cleans, rows and squats.

There are some days that the magic just doesn't happen: yesterday, I could barely clear 70kgs in a power clean, when I've managed sets of 85kgs before... All because I had a busy day at the Olympics (just walking around) and hadn't rested properly before hitting the gym.

It happens to us all. So drop the weight and concentrate on form... I dropped the cleans down to 40kgs and had a technique session instead.

And personally, I wouldn't squat and lunge on the same day, simply because unless you have pretty awesome lunge and squat technique, you're going to hit the same muscles with each one. So you're going to hurt badly. :) Split them out: ultimately, do what works for you.

EDIT: I remember you, now - the veggie wanting to get MASSIV. Along with not posting your videos to the form thread for advice, you probably aren't eating enough of the 'right' stuff, either. :)
 
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For your back, just think of your hands as hooks only. Make sure as much of the movement is with your back and only when back is fully utilised do you use the rest of your arms.
BORs are classics for people using too much biceps to pull the weight up, missing the whole part of what you are trying to hit.

That said, post some vids of your form :)
 
Morba said:
For your back, just think of your hands as hooks only. Make sure as much of the movement is with your back and only when back is fully utilised do you use the rest of your arms.
BORs are classics for people using too much biceps to pull the weight up, missing the whole part of what you are trying to hit.

That said, post some vids of your form :)
Click to expand...

This, imagine pulling your elbows towards your body not your hands. Also don't squeeze the bar too tight.
 
mrthingyx said:
Form will be critical at this point. I'd definitely post up in the relevant thread for pointers, as a lot of PTs in gyms are worse than useless when it comes to anything that doesn't have a 'start' button on it.

Post up your lifts as honestly as you can, and then follow the advice.

Regarding your lower back or whatever, simply by getting your form right and lifting big, your back will get stronger. I haven't done a specific 'back' exercise since I left Jitsu six years ago, and my back is plenty strong enough from deadlifts, chinups, cleans, rows and squats.

There are some days that the magic just doesn't happen: yesterday, I could barely clear 70kgs in a power clean, when I've managed sets of 85kgs before... All because I had a busy day at the Olympics (just walking around) and hadn't rested properly before hitting the gym.

It happens to us all. So drop the weight and concentrate on form... I dropped the cleans down to 40kgs and had a technique session instead.

And personally, I wouldn't squat and lunge on the same day, simply because unless you have pretty awesome lunge and squat technique, you're going to hit the same muscles with each one. So you're going to hurt badly. :) Split them out: ultimately, do what works for you.

EDIT: I remember you, now - the veggie wanting to get MASSIV. Along with not posting your videos to the form thread for advice, you probably aren't eating enough of the 'right' stuff, either. :)
Click to expand...

I've posted videos of me doing squats before, was told that my form looked good for those at least. If any exercises keep troubling me, I'll post up vids of those.

Morba said:
For your back, just think of your hands as hooks only. Make sure as much of the movement is with your back and only when back is fully utilised do you use the rest of your arms.
BORs are classics for people using too much biceps to pull the weight up, missing the whole part of what you are trying to hit.

That said, post some vids of your form :)
Click to expand...

Thanks buddy. you mentioned people using too much bicep, but I often feel that BORs stress my tricep, not my bicep.
 
No 2 reps are the same, I'd be recording as many as possible, especially when you are still learning. I've been at it for a while now and still struggle to get form bang on at times. It isn't going to happen over night.

I know you said that the videos you posted had good feedback but the more videos you can put up the less chance there is of picking up an injury.
 
If you're hitting your triceps extensively with BORs you're almost certainly doing them wrong.

Considering that you haven't squatted in a while, I wouldn't assume they were correct.
 
Yeah, tris on back work can come into it when done wrong. BORs and chins being 2 of the clear ones when tris get involved
 
Question: should you arch your back while bench pressing with dumbbells, so that your lower back isn't really touching the bench, and instead the pressure is transferred to your legs?

This is something I was told (not by a PT mind, by a mate) but can see no mention of it in any videos or anything.

EDIT: Regarding the BORs. Having just watched a video of a BOR on youtube, I can safely say that is not what I'm doing :p

I'm doing this: http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/DBBentOverRow.html

Just in case there was confusion
 
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Hi,

I'll give you my advice / experience from two and 1/2 years' experience (i.e. still fairly new but consistent and only minor tweaks to the routine):

For the first year, I trained three times a week with a Starting Strength routine, e.g.

  • Workout A = Squats, Deadlift, Benchpress
  • Workout B = Squats, Standing press, bent over row


From memory (although I could consult my logbook, in which I have kept a log of every single workout, which I highly recommend you do), I think I tweaked it to this:

  • Workout A = Same
  • Workout B = Squats, Seated DB press, DB row


I found that the standing BB press hurt my shoulders and lower back (I don't have very flexible shoulders and my spine is quite curved, although I'm working on the shoulders with yoga) and the bent over row was too difficult for me to maintain strict form.

After another year, I changed to this:

  • Workout A = Deadlift, Benchpress, Seated DB Press
  • Workout B = Squats, Weighted chinups, machine row


and only twice a week, for the following reasons:

  1. I found only going twice per week that my strength progressed just as quickly, possibly more so (in the big lifts especially). This was therefore easier to fit around "normal life".
  2. Machine row further enabled me to maintain form and RoM, which I consider more important than the choice of exercise itself (i.e. correct form and RoM on machine row is better than incorrect form or reduced RoM on DB row / bent-over row).
  3. Notice that there are equal amounts of pushing exercises (bench, squat, press) as pulling (dead, chinup, row). I think this is important because at first, I was doing too many pressing exercises on my chest and developed stronger internal rotators than external (i.e. I hurt my shoulder). After some physio to strengthen the external rotators (which I continue to do) and a minor adjustment to the routine, my shoulder is back to normal.

The main lessons I have learned from weightlifting are:

  1. Patience - it takes a long time (years) to make significant progress in size and strength.
  2. Diet - this is far more important. You will not gain muscle if you aren't eating enough calories. You will not lose fat if you are eating too many calories.
  3. Consistency - as long as you are lifting heavy and pushing yourself a little bit further every week, even if that's only once a week, you will make progress. Keep a log book of how many reps, sets and weight you are doing and try to push yourself a little bit more each time.
  4. Don't worry about the details. e.g. "Should I eat 100g protein or 178g protein?"; "Should I get my protein shake within 30 minutes or within 2 hours after working out?"; "Should I eat chicken or tuna?" etc. Get the main things right (heavy weights, enough calories, plenty of rest, consistent training) and the strength / size will come automatically.

Hope some of this helps!
 
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TheCenturion said:
Really really useful, thank you :)

If I may ask, how much did you weigh when you started training, and how much do you weigh now?

I'm just wondering if my goal of 20 pounds in six years (incuding newbie gains) is realistic.
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I think that's pretty realistic and I'm hoping for similar.

I cut down to 110 lb in the first six months (wanted to get as lean as possible because I was a chubby kid and would rather be small & lean than big and bulky).

Two years later and I'm currently 123 lb and almost as lean. I expect to be as lean when I'm 120 lb, so that's 10 lb of muscle in the first two years (newbie gains).

In April 2010, at 117 lb (53 kg), I was doing the following (typically 5 reps):

  • Squat (Smith machine) = 76 kg
  • Dead = 100 kg
  • DB Bench = 28 kg
  • Weighted Chins = +10kg

Now, at 123 lb (56 kg), I'm doing this (typically 5 reps):

  • Squat (Smith machine) = 125 kg
  • Dead = 134 kg
  • DB Bench = 36 kg
  • Weighted Chins = +20 kg

Will post a pic in the pics thread when I've finished cutting. Previous post here:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21440491&highlight=mahoney#post21440491
 
if you are completely new to lifting free weights I'd say you shouldn't be doing squats with an olympic bar this early on. Especially if you have had no guidance on proper form and technique. You'd be better off using a leg press machine / hack squat machine to build strength first, and get a session in with a trainer who will tech you correct form.

Its impossible to see your own form properly unless you video yourself or have your spotter / trainer watching you and correcting any bad posture. Doing squats in bad form is the quickest way to injure your back and pout you our for months...................
 
TheCenturion said:
I've been lifting for a couple of weeks now. Over the last week, I've felt a niggle in my lower back. Is it possible that this is due to my back just being weak, rather than incorrect form? I've tried my best to get my form correct, read descriptions, asked trainers, watched videos. But every time I work out, I still don't feel confident that I'm doing it correctly.

Today was leg day, which is squats and lunges. However after completing squats, I tried to lunge but my legs just weren't up to it. Even sitting down was painful. Is it normal to sometimes have sessions where your body isn't up to the task?

People say they feel good after exercising, but I just feel rubbish and depressed, and feel like I'm not doing well. None of the above is an excuse however. I'm still going to train hard and eat big and hope I get to 145 pounds in the next 6 years. It's just frustrating to think that if I'm doing something wrong, or something is missing from my regime/diet, then I won't notice for nearly a year, considering it takes that long to start seeing results :(


Lastly, can anyone recommend some back exercises? At the moment I'm doing bent-over rows but I feel sod all in my back when I do them.

Thanks everyone :)
Click to expand...


Low back pain is first indication of weights being to heavy. Remember you need to learn to walk before you can run. I know you can sometimes feel like a wimp using smaller weights but you will do more harm than good using weights that are to heavy for you.

One of the best tips I can give you is drink loads of water keep hydrated and first thing in the morning the 2nd you get out of bed do 15mins stretching this can do wonders.

Also a swimming is great for the back (and just about every other part of yer body)


As for
Is it normal to sometimes have sessions where your body isn't up to the task?

This can be many things diet or overdoing it and burnout are the main causes. Will rule out burnout due to the time you have been doing it I suspect it is you are overdoing it.
 
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