How to gauge effort

[Patrick[VoS]]

I looked around and didn't see any particular thread that dealt with this issue. If I missed it, feel free to point it out.

My issue is the following: I started lifting at the gym again with the goal of making hypertrophic gains. My background is more so endurance sport (ex-competitive triathlete here). As such, I'm already pretty lean, working on the bulking aspect.

What I'm trying to figure out is how hard a good lift should feel ? What does it feel to have pushed to the point that you're getting the best gain for your effort.

I lift and push myself, but I'm never sure if I'm doing enough. At the end of my last set, usually I'm struggling pretty hard to get the weight back in position on the last rep, but should that be the feeling throughout ?

Any thoughts / advice out there ?

[drpcnow]

I looked around and didn't see any particular thread that dealt with this issue. If I missed it, feel free to point it out.

My issue is the following: I started lifting at the gym again with the goal of making hypertrophic gains. My background is more so endurance sport (ex-competitive triathlete here). As such, I'm already pretty lean, working on the bulking aspect.

What I'm trying to figure out is how hard a good lift should feel ? What does it feel to have pushed to the point that you're getting the best gain for your effort.

I lift and push myself, but I'm never sure if I'm doing enough. At the end of my last set, usually I'm struggling pretty hard to get the weight back in position on the last rep, but should that be the feeling throughout ?

Any thoughts / advice out there ?

nope you got it down

[Bostongeorge617]

There are a few different indicators that you can look for, but you must be mindful that the absence of any of these do not neccesarily take away from the level of exertion or effectiveness of your workout. For example, a person's body can adapt to a degree and they won't experience DOMS at all until they make a change or take some time off. That doesn't mean that their chest routine was ineffective. Anyways, here are a few:

1. Pump is a useful indicator of an effective workout. By your second working set on a muscle, you should feel a pump within the muscle. Meaning, it should be swolen with blood and feel nice and tight.

2. Muscle Failure. Not to be confused with temporary muscle fatigue. If you know that you cannot possibly squat that working weight for another quality set, then chances are you have reached failure and can move on to a lesser movement or call it quits in good conscience.

3. Total working sets. If you did a decent number (15 max for me, but depends on the individual) of total working sets for a muscle group and gave a good go at each and every set, then you can rest assured you will grow even if you don't experience anything else.

4. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) If you wake up sore the next day, you can be assured that your previous workout was effective in tearing up muscle tissue. Now to sit back and rest to get bigger.

[Patrick[VoS]]

There are a few different indicators that you can look for, but you must be mindful that the absence of any of these do not neccesarily take away from the level of exertion or effectiveness of your workout. For example, a person's body can adapt to a degree and they won't experience DOMS at all until they make a change or take some time off. That doesn't mean that their chest routine was ineffective. Anyways, here are a few:

1. Pump is a useful indicator of an effective workout. By your second working set on a muscle, you should feel a pump within the muscle. Meaning, it should be swolen with blood and feel nice and tight.

2. Muscle Failure. Not to be confused with temporary muscle fatigue. If you know that you cannot possibly squat that working weight for another quality set, then chances are you have reached failure and can move on to a lesser movement or call it quits in good conscience.

3. Total working sets. If you did a decent number (15 max for me, but depends on the individual) of total working sets for a muscle group and gave a good go at each and every set, then you can rest assured you will grow even if you don't experience anything else.

4. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) If you wake up sore the next day, you can be assured that your previous workout was effective in tearing up muscle tissue. Now to sit back and rest to get bigger.

Thanks dude, that's great info !

[ironwill2008]

Any thoughts / advice out there ?

'Failure' isn't a requirement for growth, but progression is. Just try to get one more rep the following week, or the same reps with more weight (with good form, of course). Do this on a consistent basis, and with proper rest and nutrition, your body will have no choice but to grow bigger/stronger.

[drpcnow]

'Failure' isn't a requirement for growth, but progression is. Just try to get one more rep the following week, or the same reps with more weight (with good form, of course). Do this on a consistent basis, and with proper rest and nutrition, your body will have no choice but to grow bigger/stronger.

wow , i like this, im gonna put it in my sign if you dont mind as a reminder of the basics.

[ironwill2008]

wow , i like this, im gonna put it in my sign if you dont mind as a reminder of the basics.

Be my guest. It's the plain truth, something that seems to be in short supply on these forums sometimes.

[DJAuto]

You should be telling us what pushing to the limit means for you...