Beginner - Am I working hard enough?

[mucker973]

So, some quick bits of info about me. I am male, 41 and not a beginner to lifting per se; I have lifted in the past about 10 years ago I never got any major "results", I did look healthy and if you looked at me you would say I looked after myself but you would not say I "lifted". Looking back with the knowledge I have now, I think I should have a lot more progress. I was doing SL5x5 back then.

Come to now, life got in the way, I got married etc. I am now mildly overweight and not worked out in a long time, does this mean you are a beginner again in terms of your body? I assume it does, which bring me onto the next part.

As my beginner workout I have chosen to Greyskull LP with some added bits. It is 3 full body workouts per week as image attached. The problem I have, is that it doesn't feel like I've worked hard. The next day I feel fine and feel as if I could go again. In contrast to this when I did SL5x5 10 years ago I was knackered and felt sore after every session. I felt like I worked hard, and it did take me two days to recover. I did ok in the beginner but eventually suffered from overtraining, which I didn’t realise straight away. I was going to go with SL5x5 again this time around but was mindful of being older now and the overtraining. I did some research to see what else was out there now and found that SL5x5 is now considered bad (for many reasons) and Greyskull is the way to go.

I know enough to know that no pain doesn't equal no progress (you can still gain muscle by not being sore the next day), it’s just that I don’t feel a “burn” in my muscles afterwards, hell I don’t even feel it on the exercises until the last rep of the last set. My (limited) understanding is that I should be feeling a burn and uncomfortable when going to failure (again which I do on my last rep). I wonder whether my body just isn’t suited for the 5-rep low range – I literally feel no discomfort until I get near the last rep and then just hit a wall – so to me it makes me think that this is the only time the muscle group is pushed – on one rep.

The above is just my thoughts on it, and I am aware, that really, I have no idea, so I decided to just continue and wait to see if any progress was made. I’ve made slight improvements on the lifts but what prompted this post is that my weight, fat, and muscle percentages haven’t changed in two weeks – like literally even by 0.1% on everything, it is as if I am taking the same recordings every day. I KNOW two weeks isn’t enough to gauge progress normally, but surely some of them stats should have changed by at 0.1% by now?

The combination of me not feeling tired and no change in body composition makes me feel that maybe Greyskull is too easy for me, even as a beginner (if I am). Every person’s body is different, could it be that my body just needs more stimulation than the average Joe even as beginner, or should it really be this easy for me as beginner?

I suppose this was a long of way of asking, how do you know if you are pushing yourself hard enough?

Also, I know it’s long post but if poss please scan for the question marks and answer each question.

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: I also forgot to mention that I've changed my nutriton too. I worked out my TDEE based on exercising 1-3 times per week, and all the macros. I am now eating more than I used to and still no change in body composition yet. Again, I want to emphasize (before everyone jumps down my throat) I am well aware 2 weeks is not enough to judge progress, but I am thinking that your body composition not changing in any stat by even 0.1% is enough to say something isn't right.

[air2fakie]

I'm impressed that your scale measures bf & muscle accurately down to 0.1%.

[TolerantLactose]

The first few weeks of a lot programs can tend to feel "too easy". Most people don't stick with a program long enough to reach the point where the real work begins.

What weights did you reach with SL?

[mucker973]

my weight was abtou 75kg and my lifts based on 5 reps where (roughly):
bench - 55kg
shoulder press - 45kg
squat - around 100kg
deadlift - around 120kg
chins 8 reps unassisted - I'd say this is my weakest. Starting out again now I can do 6

[SuffolkPunch]

Don't rely on BIA scales to show composition changes.

https://weightology.net/the-pitfalls...impedance-bia/

If you are getting stronger consistently over time then that is a good reason to believe lean mass is improving.

[MyEgoProblem]

Greyskull is great...

Go with it. Worry less a about that burn bs as a novice

[PissChugger]

If you're overweight why are you eating more? Eat maintenance and do some low impact cardio or eat less for a few months. If you want to feel the burn pick 1 complimentary isolation movement for each muscle group every workout and go hard for a few sets, feel the burn, have some fun.

[mucker973]

I don't really care if I feel the burn or not as long as I'm making progress. I was looking for some advice from more experienced lifters as to if it is normal to NOT feel the burn, and not feel tired and STILL make progress? Considering my weight hasn't changed in two weeks either also makes me think I am not making progress.

I am not massively overweight, just mildly. Every time I start working out again after a long period I focus on losing weight but everyone I speak to suggests I go for size first, so yeah, I'm not that overweight. This is the first time ever I have decided to up the calories - because in the past I didn't put size on, and the recommendation was always to eat more.

[SuffolkPunch]

You can measure progress by progressively increasing reps or weight used or number of sets (amongst other things). Those are the yardsticks of progress, if you can achieve that without feeling the burn or feeling fatigued then great, enjoy it while it lasts because further down the road, continued progress is likely to require more from you.