Do you work hard enough?

The reader recently sent me a great question:

“I always wonder if I push enough during strength training. My goals are to build strength and muscles – not to be a fragile old lady.”

This type of question is more often than you might think! It is something almost all wonder at some point: “How hard do I need to work when I get up?”

Let’s break it.

✅ 1. Does your muscles feel used during and after your exercise?

You don’t have to destroy yourself progress, but you needs You feel like your muscles did some meaningful job.

This could occur as:

• Feeling tension and “work” in your muscles while you rise
• Feeling that weight begins to slow down inadvertently while fatigue in the middle of your set
• Light muscle “Pump” Post-training
• The next day (but nothing brutal)
• Feel like you challenged to the end of each set

If you finish your exercise and feel like you could do the whole thing again, it could be a sign that it is time to increase repetition, weight or sets.

✅ 2. What pain do you have (if any)?

Contrary to popular belief, Painful is not the only sign of progressBut it can give us clues.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

• Mild pain In 1-2 days? Great! You probably get enough work.
• Extreme pain that lasts 4-5 days or more? That’s too much. Call him back.
• Never At all? It could be time to intend things to push more or shift the exercises.

Again, the pain is a signalnot a reception desk. It’s not something that is no matter what it is another part of the puzzle in understanding what it does and doesn’t work for you. 😃

✅ 3. Do you see progress over time?

The strength training is about the challenges of your body and then ​Gradually increasing that challenge over time​.

• Does it raise you harder weight than 4-6 weeks ago?
• Do you do more repetition or more kits with the same weight?
• Do your movements feel more stable, self-confident or controlled?

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

If not, it may be time to switch to a structured plan, as ​Periodized program​ that gradually increases the amount (sets and repetitions) or intensity (amount of weight lift) over 6-12 weeks.

Note: While we grow, we will naturally lose some amount of muscles and strength. This is completely normal! However, we can reduce this loss with smart strength training.

Although you may be lifted less in your 70s than you were in the 30s, you can still progress in the exercise program to gradually increase the challenge. The principle of progressive overload is still applied, just adjust the starting point in any body currently able to be capable of currently. 💪

🧪 Want to test strength in a safe way?

Another way to check to do you do enough?

Try what i call LITMUS SET.

Here’s how it works:

1. To choose the exercise Consistently you worked – something like a squat with body bodies, push-up, bučići, or machine pressure.
2. Do solid warming. Get your body and your wrists feel good.
3. Then go all: Do as many quality reps as you can with good shape. Stop when you know you can’t finish another clean representative.

This is the easiest (and safest) with:

• Machines (You are already “noticed”)
• Body weight movements (you can only stop risk-free)

Less ideal:

• Free weight movements like Barbell with back scratches or heavy bench Press (unless you have a spot and lots of experience)

What are we looking for?

Compare your litmus set to normal working groups.

Example:

• If you usually do 3 sets of 10 repetitions and your Lithmus is placed 12-13 repsYou are right in that sweet place within a few repetitions of failure.
• If you guess 20+ repetitionsOn the other hand, leave 10+ repetitions in the tank during their usual exercises. This means that it is time to increase weight or repetitions to continue to progress.

Most muscle buildings happen when you are inside ​1-4 Repeats of Failure​ in the work set. But if you don’t know which fault feeling Like, it’s easy to stop short.

Litmus set helps to calibrate your effort and build confidence that you can push harder (safe) when it makes sense.

💡 Lower line

You don’t have to crash to grow stronger. But you bring You want your exercises to be more purpose and challenging enough to require your body to adapt.

Search for:

• Muscle tension (during the set)
• Muscle fatigue (after your exercise)
• Mild pain (especially at the beginning of a new exercise program)
• Progress over time (repetition, weight, technique)
• … and occasional litmus set for clarity

And if you don’t see it? Let’s customize your approach and help you find that sweet place.

And remember! If you ask this question, it means you already work, which is amazing!

You have this.

– Coach Matt PS Need help Finding the next step to progress in your exercises? Shoot me email and I’ll see how I can help! 💪