Do you work hard enough?

Recently reader sent me a great question:

« I always wonder if I press hard enough during a strength training. My goals are to build strength and muscles – and not to be a fragile old lady. »

This kind of question is more common than you can think! This is something that almost everyone is wondering at some point: « How hard should I work when I raised? »

Let’s break it.

✅ 1. Do you feel your muscles during and after the workout?

You don’t have to destroy yourself to make progress but you should Feel your muscles have done some meaningful work.

This can be shown as:

• Feeling tension and « work » in your muscles as you lift
• The feeling that the weight begins to inadvertently slow down when you tired in the middle of your set
• A light muscle « pump » after a workout
• Mild muscle soreness the next day (but nothing brutal)
• Feeling that you have been challenged to the end of each set

If you finish your workout and feel that you could do everything again immediately … It may be a sign that it’s time to increase reps, weight or kits.

✅ 2. What soreness do you get (if any)?

Contrary to the conventional belief, Soreness is not the only sign of progressBut that can give us clues.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

• Mild soreness For 1-2 days? Great! You will probably get enough work.
• Exceptional soreness This lasts 4-5 days or more? That’s too much. Dial it back.
• Never sore at all? It may be time to press things a little more deliberately or to switch the exercises.

Again the soreness is a signalNot an indicator. This is not something to chase, no matter what, but this is another piece of puzzle in understanding what works and does not work for you. 😃

✅ 3. Do you see progression over time?

Power workouts are to challenge your body and then ​Gradually increasing this challenge over time​S

• Do you lift heavy weights than 4-6 weeks ago?
• Do you do more reps or more kits of the same weight?
• Do your movements feel more stable, confident or controlled?

If yes, you get stronger. And that’s exactly what we want.

If not, it might be time to transfer to a more stated plan, such as a ​periodic program​ This gradually increases volume (sets and repetitions) or intensity (raised amount of weight) for 6-12 weeks.

Note: With advancing age, we will naturally lose some muscles and strength. This is completely normal! However, we can help reduce the loss of intelligent power training.

Although you can lift less in your 70s than in your 30s, you can still advance within a training program to gradually increase the challenge. The principle of progressive overload is still applied, you are simply adjusting your starting point to anything your body right now. 💪

🧪 Do you want to test your strength in a safe way?

Another way to check that you work hard enough?

Try what I call a lacquus setS

Here’s how it works:

1. Choose an exercise You have done a consistent-something like weights with body weight, push-ups, dumbbell rows or machine press.
2. Make a solid heating. Have your body move and your joints feel good.
3. Then go out: Do as many good quality repetitions as possible. Stop when you know you can’t finish another pure representative.

This is the easiest (and most fascinated) with:

• Machines (you are already « noticed »)
• Body weight movements (you can just stop without risk)

Less ideal:

• Free Weight Movements such as Barbell Back Squats or Heavy Bench Press (Unless you have a spot and a lot of experience)

What are we looking for?

Compare your Lakmus, set with your usual work sets.

Example:

• If you usually do it 3 sets of 10 repetition And your Lakmus Kit gets you 12–13 repsYou are right about this sweet place within a few reps of failure.
• If you hit 20+ repsOn the other hand, you leave 10+ reps in the tank during your normal workouts. This means it’s time to increase weight or repetitions to continue to progress.

Most muscle buildings happen when you are inside ​1-4 reps of failure​ On a working kit. But if you don’t know what failure feelings As, it’s easy to stop short.

The Lakmus kit helps to calibrate your efforts and builds confidence that you can press more (safe) when it makes sense.

💡 The bottom line

You don’t have to crush yourself to intensify. But you make You want your workouts to be purposeful and challenging enough to require your body to adapt.

Search:

• Muscle tension (during the kit)
• Muscle fatigue (after your workout)
• Mild soreness (especially at the beginning of a new training program)
• Progress in time (reps, weight, technique)
• … and from time to time Lakmus that is required for clarity

And if you don’t see them? Let’s adjust your approach and help you find this sweet place.

And remember! If you ask this question, it means that you are already working, which is incredible!

You have this.

– Coach Matt Ps Need help finding the next step to progress in your workouts? Shoot me an email and I will see how I can help! 💪