Gaining strength through gone work out

I find from scratch, after about 5 or 6 weeks I start to feel ever so slightly stronger. Maybe not much visual difference at that stage, but definitely feel it. Improvements slowly continue after that, but be realistic - years if you want significant changes to your physique.  Noticeably improving strength in the medium term is definitely achievable though. Start light, concentrate on good form and gradually increase weight and/or reps over time.  If you just keep using the same weight over and over - you'll never get stronger.  Make sure you have rest days - overdo it out of keenness at the start and you'll get fed up quickly and pack it in.  It needs to be sustainable and become a habit.  Be patient, it will make you stronger.

OP - add to the above plus, always helps to get some advice of a professional trainer.
Been strength training for years (right now in fact) and layoffs catch you up.

I’ve been doing the 12 week Mtb Fitness workouts at home for about a year. I’ve got free weights.

It isn’t an out and out strength programme but I’ve kept records of every workout so can see how much heavier load I’m lifting over a range of exercises. It’s definitely worth doing.

I'm not an expert on this but your age may be relevant, assuming you are as old as the typical STW reader 😉

You need to get on the gear, get juiced up and buy a vest.

Agree with Blokeuptheroad, don't expect too much too soon, you're in it for the long haul.

No claims to be an expert but I have finally found a way that works for me. Instead of trying to do big sessions I now make sure I do something at least 5 days a week.

In my case, its variations on press ups, pull ups, dips and kettlebells. And a yoga mat under the couch to trigger me to stretch while watching TV.

The beauty of pull ups and dips is that my progress, while slow, is easily measured, especially as my starting point was so low. I've fianlly moved off the resistance band I've been standing in for my pull ups and hit the heady heights of 5 in my first set!

My top tips are to make sure you have all your gear in sight so you have no excuse, my pull up bar is bolted to the wall by the kitchen door. And mix it up, sometimes slow and strict, sometimes faster with higher reps. And start filling your YouTube feed with this stuff as a constant prompt.

What I wasn't prepared for was the satisfaction that even a short strength session gives me. Its definitely making me happier. Doesn't matter now how busy a day was or if the weather was a write off, as long as I get that hit, I feel like the day worked out just fine.

Good luck with finding your own way 🙂

Two words of advice:

1. Decide on which metric you want to improve and find a way to OBJECTIVELY measure it.

2. If you are finding it getting harder with (genuinely!) no improvement then you are working out too much. A muscle's power is directly correlated to it's cross sectional area, and this is increased by putting the muscle under stress (ie resistance exercises), after which they are repaired and increase in size in anticipation more load at a future date. This repair process takes at least 36 hrs, so if you are training every day then you are interrupting this process and not making gains

I started doing regular strength stuff a few years ago and have kept it since then - I can definitely relate to your frustration at lack of progress in the beginning. My training has evolved quite a bit in that time, for what it's worth...

- After a decent strength workout it's surprising how long recovery can take. I'm no power lifter but if I do a solid 45mins in the gym on Thursday it's not unusual for me to still feel that the next week. I think if you come from a cardio background in running, cycling etc it can be a bit of a mind set switch to realise the volume doesn't do as much as the quality + recovery. Everyone is different though but you definitely have to listen to your body - if you're training but not feeling it then train harder to improve. If your starting the next session with aches and fatigue then train less.

- I'm more enthusiastic about the strength training than I was when I started 3 years ago. I think it's a game changer for all round and long term health and when life gets hectic I sacrifice the cycling and running and focus on the strength stuff. Stick with it and the improvements will come.

People are different, but there aren't many who gain strength for the first time without trying hard. That is one virtue of pull-ups, press-ups, dips: you're moving your bodyweight so you know you're doing something.

In the opposite to hardcore work gym I used to go to you'd see people moving tiny weights in a desultory way... Whilst I'm sure they felt they were doing a bit of work, I dunno, doing a leg press with half your bodyweight is a lot less exercise than walking up stairs. Pulling down 20kg when you weigh four times that ain't going to do much.

Also, first few weeks if you're going for it, focusing on the exercises and doing them properly, and trying hard, you should see gains in strength come along, as you're developing the nerve - muscle connection. You may not be developing muscles that much at this point, it's more that they're learning what you want them to do, as you increase weight/resistance/intensity each time.

Again people differ in what works for them, but a few sessions with a good trainer would make sense and starting off in a gym until you feel it. And I'd pick some short basic workout with the main push/pull/hinge/corr exercises and stick with it, and the gainz will come...

You should see improvement immediately. Ie the next time.

Should be able to squeeze one more rep, find the last rep less of a struggle or be able to up the weight a bit.

These are all improvements. If you aren't seeing them you aren't working hard enough*

*Not on a dick way just you should feel like you have worked out the next day.

Cheers everyone, as a bit more background, I’m 52 which makes me feel age is against me!
Always only really done cardio (although not as fit as normal at moment) and have literally no muscles in my arm but have managed to build up a decent belly!

What’s even more frustrating is my 17 old son decided to try the gym and within a month he has changed his body shape and has more muscle than I’ve ever had….all whilst non stop eating absolutely rubbish…..oh to be young again!

Rockbus. I'm 59 and had never properly lifted weights until about 5 years ago. I'd always concentrated on cardio too. It's never too late. I have had a few hiccups along the way, mostly lay offs due to injury or illness, but i always come back to it.  I've got a bit of a belly too, but also I have a bit more muscle then when I started. Probably nothing anyone else would notice, but I do and that's all that matters - I've no illusions about having a body builder physique at my age 😄. I definitely feel stronger, less prone to minor aches and pains and more able to manage any physical work though.

I forget the exact details but there is a scary statistic saying you lose a percentage of your muscle mass (5%?) every decade from age 30. That eventually leads to weakness, bone density loss and loss of balance that causes old people to fall and break hips etc.

You can stop or reverse that loss by doing resistance training. It might not make you live longer, but it can definitely allow you to carry on doing the physical stuff you enjoy for longer.

There is even some evidence that it can boost your brain power and immune system. Michael Moseley did a pod cast about it.

I do body weight stuff, TRX, it's tough but I feel at 53 it's what I need for riding mtbs. Not looking for bulk but definitely want the strength on the bike.

Don't confuse looking muscley for being really strong.

Look at the Olympic 56kg weight lifters. Immensely strong (world record clean and jerk is over 170kg) but don't really fit with the media image. See also Lasha Talakhadze - one the greatest weightlifters but looks like a fat bloke from the pub.

As tomd said, strength doesn't necessarily equal visibly 'jacked' in the bodybuilder sense. A guy at my gym was a deadlift champion in his class but looked like a normal bloke until he started picking up 250kg plus and caused all the gym bros to wipe the smirks off their faces in short order.

However doing resistance training properly will probably cause a degree of body recomposition and muscle gain especially from a baseline of no training. The important thing is to keep progressing the resistance in a sustainable way with good form - that's the strength gain just happening. I found the weight increases big at first and recovery time (DOMS) going away quite quickly too.

My experience was going through a bad few years and doing little to nothing, and finding myself struggling to keep up with the family on walks. I went to the gym solely to use the wattbike and other cardio type machines 'to get fit' but a PT in there persuaded me that weights would do me far more good and offered a free PT session to help me decide. I loved it so continued - he asked me to have a goal, and I came up with 'feel fitter and better, but also look good in a tight t shirt' as I was what you might call skinny fat. I was 41 when I started I think.

I ended up with a 3x a week full body workout targeting every body part and with a focus on hypertrophy, so appropriate rep/set ranges for each with the aim of being able to do all the reps/sets, and up the weight each time. Every workout started with a big compound exercise (deadlift, squat etc) and at first I flew through the weight until I was lifting 150Kg deadlifts, doing 10+ pull ups, 300kg leg press etc and it all just felt progressive, I was being disciplined and not chasing the weight etc. Following a decent meal plan was probably the hardest part of it, as well as sometimes getting up at 0430 to ensure I got one of my 3 sessions in during the week

I got much bigger and looked/felt great as a result but the two things just happened, I was getting stronger all the time and my physique was improving... the PT was a bodybuilder and he but here's the thing - what I hadn't focused on at all during that whole time was the other benefits.

Went for a walk up Grindsbrook and realised at the top that I hadn't really noticed it, wasn't sweating etc

One day my wife asked me to dust the road bike off and go for a ride at lunchtime. We went up the big hill from home up to Beeley and it used to be an absolute slog even when I was 'fit' or so I thought. I'd be grinding up there boiling hot and panting in the lowest gear. This time partway up I realised I was breezily spinning my legs with 3 cogs spare on the cassette and able to stand up and accelerate when I wanted. reached the top feeling fresh.

Anyway that's a really longwinded way of saying, resistance training is going to do you loads of good (metabolic effects persist long after the workout), will more than likely cause increased strength and improved physique and other things like posture will improve (I stopped doing the above at one point and am just restarting now my son is 16 and can go to a 'proper' gym, as another poster mentioned he's ended up looking like someone off a beachwear advert in no time) the last time we went, I was feeling achy, old and tired and came out feeling great, re-engaging my core and shoulders etc made me feel 3 inches taller and alleviated back pain straight away.

I always read threads like this with interest but all the terminology goes over my head as I've never done anything before.

Currently 41 with a desk job. Stiff back, knackered hips, very conscious that I need to do 'something' just not sure what.

Also wouldn't mind getting jacked because why not? Realistically though I need a lifestyle change and a new routine because I've got myself in a trap and feel like it's all downhill from here.

If anyone can recommend somewhere to start from scratch and be shown what to do in Sheffield I'm all ears.

If anyone can recommend somewhere to start from scratch

With no prior knowledge? If you can afford it go to a PT who can sort your technique for deadlifts, squats, etc, etc and give you a plan. You can get loads of info here, YouTube or wherever but I think someone watching you and getting your technique dialled is very important. (I’d avoid any PT who just wants you to work on various machines)

I joined the local Crossfit back in May and have finally started to see some improvements in what I have been lifting, partly from the massive improvement in technique but also definitely getting stronger. I think their approach of always having an instructor around keeping an eye on your technique really helps and also gives more motivation having others in the same boat working on the same stuff. Bit expensive but I think worth it so far and definitely going to be less than having a PT a few times a week. No 'gym bros' either which was a relief to this scrawny 50+ year old.

The real bonus came when my daughter randomly came out with 'Dad, you've got abs!' Even my wife agreed 🙂

Cheers everyone, as a bit more background, I’m 52 which makes me feel age is against me!

You slow down as you get older, but you don't stop

I’m 59 and had never properly lifted weights until about 5 years ago. I’d always concentrated on cardio too. It’s never too late. 

This is exactly how it is

Reminds me I need to dust off the weights that languish in the play room.

It used to be a home gym but the architect noted on the plans that it's now a kids play room.

Getting big takes a lot of effort and food.

As an alternative to joining a CrossFit cult, have a look round some local independent gyms, they're more likely to have things like powerlifting / weightlifting workshops on their timetables than some big commercial ones. Although even puregym now does beginners squats and deadlifts workshops.

Otherwise this is a reasonably balanced workout plan for hypertrophy. Although I would probably add in some stuff to address cycling imbalances like hamstring curls (seated and laying down), and some specific abdominal work.

A 12 week program should see some visual and performance improvements IME. I do 2 weights sessions a week and have definitely seen an improvement.

As with all these things you're trying to make your body adapt, the key things are:
- Training
- Rest/recovery
- Nutrition/food
- Hydration

If you're not doing all of the above then you're limiting your progress.

Stick with it and you'll see progress.

Listen to your body, if you're following a weights programme then I'd recommend that you adapt it to how sore you are. No point causing more damage (yes, lifting weights damages your body) if you've not recovered from the last session. Or just do lighter weights if you're sore or maybe just go for a walk or cycle instead.

I like to do 3 sets of 12 and adjust the weight so I am close to failure on the final reps of the last set. If you are struggling to complete a set then just take extra rest periods between each rep.

I think that 5 sets of 5 are better but takes too long to complete for me (I do weights whilst my son is at football training so am restricted to an hour).

Rest at least 1 minute between sets.

I'm only in the gym for 1 hour total and that includes a 2km warm up run. No need to overdue it.

Try not to keep your weight training to a different day to your cardio days (running and cycling), so you can maximise the benefit of each as well minimising the their impact on each other).

I've approached this in a completely different manner and it's evolved from different external pressures in my life   At 42 I was on holiday with the family and my son asked how many press ups I could do. Hadn't done any in years but thought 25 would be easy. Christ it was embarrassing, I'm not sure I made it to 10.

Anyway, this started me on a programme at home to do more.  Basically I just did a couple more each day.  Slowly but surely it worked.

My son then went into a mental health crisis a couple of years later and I found myself wrestling with him too restrain and calm him down. Whilst I could manage, I worried that as he got bigger and stronger I would struggle.  So I upped the press ups and add sit ups into the mix.  I noticed an improvement in bike strength shortly afterwards.

A couple of years later i then separated from the ex and found myself dating again. Decided I needed to work the core and shoulders more so seriously upped the numbers I was doing.  It works, but takes time.

Had a hernia op this year so some gains had been lost and I swear my stomach is a different shape now!  This has coincided with meeting someone new and it's amazing what motivation getting naked in front of someone has done to my training 😀.

I'm now planking and thanks to 100days trying out yoga, hopefully to make me a bit more flexible 😉.

All I can say is find something you can easily work into your day and stick at it.

After about 20,000 sit ups I have a six pack, I'm about half way through defeating my current belly atm, and the press ups have sculpted my shoulders and arms, but I'm by no means ripped, but that's not my intention, just want to feel and look okay.

It took a long time but was worth doing for me for many reasons, my own mental health during my separation benefitted as I could feel changes and I felt in control.of something.

Just enjoy it.

I'm 43, similar stories to above, cardio junkie with noodle arms. But started strength training at the start of the year. I am loving it!

I got it into my head that it's going to take years to see proper changes to physique and I'm fine with that, although I have improved a bit already.

But, I feel so much better overall, it really improves mental health. And you walk better, with better more upright posture.

Everyone is different, but here's my routine. It's simple but it's keeping me going..

I try for 3 strength per week, and then 3 ride days per week. But not strict, you have to be flexible with life/kids etc. I go for a push/pull routine, and throw in deadlifts on the pull day, and barbell back squats on the push day (as long as I don't have a hard/fast club ride the following day! trust me, don't do that!). I don't do a dedicated leg day, maybe I will change that though.

Push: Bench press, barbell back squat (not every time), dips, overhead barbell shoulder press.

Pull: Pull-ups (pronated and/or supinated, both are good), hex bar deadlift (really good for cyclists), barbell bent over row, bicep curl (this is lowest priority, only do it if I have time).

I started the year doing lots of isolation stuff, but I've changed to nearly all compound moves now - better!

As above, you need to allow time to rest through the week. Also pay attention to protein intake. Older people may need more protein. I try for at least 1.5 X bodyweight (kg), for me this is at least 132g but usually more. Through all my years of cycling I was getting siginificantly less protein than that, as cycling is usually carb orientated.

Stick at it!

Depends what you're trying to get out of it.

I'm not trying to change how I look - I have a pretty well adapted body for riding bikes, and that's what I want to do. However thinking long term - weight bearing excercise seems pretty proven to stave off osteoporosis problems in later life and in the shorter term, good core strength translates into better stability and control on the bike for longer and tieing strong legs to a stronger rather than weaker core is a great way to stave off back problems when everything is in balance. As a side effect - enhanced mobility is great in day to day life.

49 here. I find the effects start to kick in after a couple of weeks - although I've been doing gym sessions for the best part of a decade (started with the Blue Steel Racing sessions run by Adela Carter at Sheffield Hallam, which were brilliant but sadly no more.). I've been off it for a couple of months with a broken collarbone; 4 or 5 session back in and I've suddenly started to feel some power on the bike and the feeling of instabiity when riding steep hard terrain is going.

I think at our age if you want to change shape, you're probably going to have to work very hard at it and do the whole protein & supplements thing and quite possibly cut the riding to have the energy to chase the gym stuff. Not for me thanks. The gains will also vanish WAY faster than is reasonable if life gets in the way and you have a week or 2 off.

I try and do 2 sessions a week - one is a general circuits class with moderate weights - the lower body stuff is easy, the upper, not so; core can be quite evil depending on how hard I go at it; and there's always a good sweat. Plus a dedicated session of compound lower body based lifts - deadlifts and hipthrusts which are as heavy as I can manage. The hipthrusts added to keep my glutes working which keeps my dodgy back in check.

DOMS is very much a thing. Even a change of program that works subtly different muscles can be quite hard hitting in the following 36 hrs. Its just part and parcel of it. I deliberately do gym sessions Monday or Tuesday so its over by the weekend

@sharkattack

If anyone can recommend somewhere to start from scratch and be shown what to do in Sheffield I’m all ears.

I think I've mentioned before - there's a couple of us who use Prime Mover down by Decathlon which is about a 10 minute spin from you, I think? The PAYG option works pretty well for me. The classes are fairly generic but will get you moving and in the habit and there's a good range of private coaches if you want something more specific.

I'm definitely starting to feel the effects of age on retaining fitness. I was reaching a point in my progress where the weights I was using and so on meant every session felt HARD, and combined with some tough life events meant I couldn't bring myself to endure 'voluntary discomfort'. Had 2 years off. A year ago decided to start again, walked into the gym and planned to ease myself in but was amazed at how strong I'd stayed and easily managed all my reps on a 100Kg deadlift and got some PBs on other things that were really hard before... didn't manage to keep it up and only a year later am finding it a much harder experience. Haven't done enough yet to know whether gains will be at a similarly reduced pace.

But - the last 2 weeks have been spent in considerable pain after a 2 week holiday doing pretty much no moving that led to muscles getting turned off and my lower back locking up. It had eased up enough that I managed a session yesterday and it's like there was never a problem. If I needed a reason to motivate myself it's that. Just got to keep it up now

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I’m 43, similar stories to above, cardio junkie with noodle arms. But started strength training at the start of the year. I am loving it!

I got it into my head that it’s going to take years to see proper changes to physique and I’m fine with that, although I have improved a bit already.

But, I feel so much better overall, it really improves mental health. And you walk better, with better more upright posture.

Everyone is different, but here’s my routine. It’s simple but it’s keeping me going..

I try for 3 strength per week, and then 3 ride days per week. But not strict, you have to be flexible with life/kids etc. I go for a push/pull routine, and throw in deadlifts on the pull day, and barbell back squats on the push day (as long as I don’t have a hard/fast club ride the following day! trust me, don’t do that!). I don’t do a dedicated leg day, maybe I will change that though.

Push: Bench press, barbell back squat (not every time), dips, overhead barbell shoulder press.

Pull: Pull-ups (pronated and/or supinated, both are good), hex bar deadlift (really good for cyclists), barbell bent over row, bicep curl (this is lowest priority, only do it if I have time).

I started the year doing lots of isolation stuff, but I’ve changed to nearly all compound moves now – better!

As above, you need to allow time to rest through the week. Also pay attention to protein intake. Older people may need more protein. I try for at least 1.5 X bodyweight (kg), for me this is at least 132g but usually more. Through all my years of cycling I was getting siginificantly less protein than that, as cycling is usually carb orientated.

Stick at it!

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This is all excellent advice (and is exactly what I would do) with the exception of the hex bar deadlift. It's too much like a squat in that the quads are the main muscle used. I should be used as a squat variation on push days in fact. Cyclist don't need more quad strength (especially if you are squatting once per week in addition), they need more posterior chain strength - which the conventional deadlift is perfect for. I would say that the conventional deadlift (with a slight deficit even) is the ultimate exercise for cyclists because it strengthens the back (lower in particular) and the core so well. These are the muscles that are often weak in cyclists, resulting in muscle imbalance and back pain. I would also be doing lunges and good mornings/stiff legged deadlifts on a regular basis - both great exercises for cyclists (or anybody else).
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@Jamz true, you do feel the hexbar deadlift in the quads. But I can feel posterior muscles working, including lower back muscles. But you are right.

You can still do straight leg deadlifts with a hexbar ime. That's what I do.

Body weight exercises IMO can be really hard for a beginner.

Starting doing weights at full body weight would almost be impossible for most folk who don't train. Much better to start at approx. 50% body weight and adjust the weight accordingly, some will find 50% easy in some exercises (pull type exercises for me) but harder in other exercises.

Pull-ups are a really good movement, and can be done with varying band thicknesses to help when starting out, before moving on to un-assisted pull-ups. Supinated is probably better for starting out, they also hits your arms well too!

I do them un-assisted now, but really try to get good range of motion instead of focusing on counting how many I can do. I'm 6'3", so a bit tricky tucking my legs up by my arse.

I think I’ve mentioned before – there’s a couple of us who use Prime Mover down by Decathlon which is about a 10 minute spin from you, I think?

Yes! Totally forgot about that. I know where it is, I was starting a new job at the time and struggling to settle in. I could probably arrange some regular sessions now that I know when I'm coming and going.

For deadlifts I think it is important to picture it as a predominantly "hip hinge" rather than a quad dominant squat movement, which is kind of easy when you are experienced but a lot harder without that experiance of how your body moves with weight. When just starting especially it is important to get some guidance and devour some information about technique to understand the movement and how it applies to your body.

I am tall, with longer legs and shorter torso compared to average, so I tend to perform more of a hinge even when squatting, whereas someone with comparatively shorter legs and longer body will be able to keep a more upright torso and be much more quad dominant in squats and deadlifts.

I agree with prioritising the rear chain for cyclists in the gym, I normally workout twice a week, on mondays I will do squats and Romanian deadlifts, and on thursday trap bar deadlifts and hamstring curls.

thisisnotaspoon
Free Member
As an alternative to joining a CrossFit cult,

Is it? When do I attain my first Thetan level? I feel left out now 🙁

Seriously though, what warranted that comment? I just see a group of enthusiastic people looking to get some of the many benefits from working out / weights / etc as outlined in the various posts on this thread.

I think that Cross fit is just a fashion thing. It's ultimately just circuit training but using different gym equipment. I can see the appeal of competing in it so you have a goal and can measure your progression. But it's not for me, I dont need an organised class in order to motivate myself, same with spinning, body pump etc, etc.

To each their own, as long as someone is enjoying it and it is helping motivate them. All the best to them.