Confused.. Gym Guy say's I'm lifting too light!

[langknow]

Hey guys,

I was at my gym again to the 5x5 lifts program, and there was personal trainer guy doing his workout using the squat machine.

So I asked to work in between him.

Then he started to give me some advice.

He said that the weights I'm lifting are too light, and that I should be lifting at least 10lbs more. I told him that I'm increasing the weight each work out. But he said I should be lifting more.

He said I lifted "too fast", and that I'm not getting "tired"

I'm currently 25 years old. About 5 ' 5 ".

I weigh 170 lbs, with 22.3 % body fat (measured by fat calipers)

I was doing:

Squat = 5x5 = 32.5 lbs + 45 lbs bar +32.5 lbs

Bench Press = 5x5 = 15 lbs + 45 lbs bar + 15 lbs

Invert Row = 3x F = 6, 5, 5

Push Ups = 3 x F = 20, 15, 12 (my left wrist still hurts from a broken wrist injury ) I use to be able to do 30 pushups in one go...

Reverse Crunch = 3 x 12 complete.

So my question is .....

Should I continue with the 5x5 lift program going up small lbs each work out ? Or should I be lifting 10 lbs more right now?

[Owehn]

You'll be lifting 10lb more soon enough. My advice is to stick with what's working - you seem to be doing well so far. If you try to advance too quickly you may just end up stalling sooner.

[RobCosimo]

Best advice - don't listen to gym advice.

[ricepower]

He said I lifted "too fast", and that I'm not getting "tired"

LOL.

Your just learning & preparing yourself to lift the bigger weights with good form. You could tell him youll be lifting 10lb more after a couple more sessions.

Lifting fast is good, recruits more muscle fibres & develops power output. Just make sure your form is good and you can lift as fast as you like. Hell, squat so fast you leave the ground!

[jakemcmillan]

I was at my gym again to the 5x5 lifts program, and there was personal trainer guy doing his workout using the squat machine.

I hope you don't mean smith machine.

And don't listen to personal trainers, really. They suck 95% of the time or more. Squat as fast as possible with good form, explode out of the bottom.

Keep moving up slowly, get your form down.

[langknow]

I'm just a bit confused, because he was using the Squat Rack, doing Military presses.

Although his form for the military press was a bit weird.

He used his legs to "help" him, I don't know what the benefits are , but maybe he's trying to pass a plateu??

According to Rippetoe, he says you shouldn't use any leg bounce to help you press.

And he seemed like he knew what he was doing , because he asked me "What are your goals?".... and then I said "Strength Training". And he's like, where did you get your info from ?

I'm like "Stronglifts.com".

He says "Never heard of them, but you should check out T-muscle, and "another site", he says that T-muscle is mainly bodybuilding , but they have some good strength training articles too.

And he said that I should be lifting a bit heavier.

So I'm just not really sure now... if I should increase the weight 10 lbs or something .

[atypical1]

You'll get to heavier weights soon enough. In fact in two workouts you'll would have added that 10 pounds and in three workouts you will have added 15 so you'll get there. I can say from experience that you won't want to add weight too soon.

T-nation can be a good site but it's really, really, really hard to filter the junk from the good stuff. I don't mean that to be derogatory at all but they try to be a site for both body builders and powerlifters. They have a forum that's ok though but you'll find some of the same information here and you don't have to hunt for it.

james

[dhw]

Stick with the program and get your form down as the weight will get heavy soon enough. Barbell squat, do not cheat yourself by using the Smith Machine.

[guru]

Tell him politely that you are not likely to listen to him, so he can go advise someone else.

[Dragar]

As someone who found stronglifts relatively recently and partly applied the methodologies, I can tell you just follow the programme! I jumped into the squats at 5x5 volume 3x a week at heavier weights due to my existing strength. I didn't have technique down properly and now I have quad tendonitis and can't squat.. Just went to my physio and i have to do quarter squats and leg extensions to strengthen the tendon without flexing the insertion point too much until I've recovered

This happened because I was squatting deep with too much weight before I learnt to use hip drive properly, and loaded the join too much too often without the gradual strengthening it requires. Now I have improved my technique but it's too late to resume until I recover. When I go back to deep squatting you can bet I'll be starting it light and incrementing slowly.

The time taken to catch up those 10lbs is nothing compared to the time lost in injury if you do things wrong.

[mpetry]

if you think about it, in a month of workouts without stalls, you'll have added 60lbs to your squat. why worry about whether or not you should be adding 10lbs today when you need to focus on the big picture of 60lbs in a month and maybe over 100lbs more in two months. as everyone else has said; don't rush!

[doit]

Although his form for the military press was a bit weird.

He used his legs to "help" him, I don't know what the benefits are , but maybe he's trying to pass a plateu??

According to Rippetoe, he says you shouldn't use any leg bounce to help you press.

I guess he's doing Push-press. http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/PushPress.html
It may be an good assistance lift for breaking plateau on OHP when that times comes, but stay on the strict overhead press on this program. No leg use at all.

[baatzt]

Nothing will destroy a lifter faster, or for longer, than ego. -Jim Wendler

Leave it at the door.

baatzt

[NorthstarUK]

Ask him if he's read Starting Strength and what his track record is in training novice lifters in Strength Training. If he can demonstrate 25% of what Rip has acheived, follow his advice.

By then I suspect he will have moved on to another easier cash in.

[MikeD]

As someone who found stronglifts relatively recently and partly applied the methodologies, I can tell you just follow the programme! I jumped into the squats at 5x5 volume 3x a week at heavier weights due to my existing strength. I didn't have technique down properly and now I have quad tendonitis and can't squat.. Just went to my physio and i have to do quarter squats and leg extensions to strengthen the tendon without flexing the insertion point too much until I've recovered

This happened because I was squatting deep with too much weight before I learnt to use hip drive properly, and loaded the join too much too often without the gradual strengthening it requires. Now I have improved my technique but it's too late to resume until I recover. When I go back to deep squatting you can bet I'll be starting it light and incrementing slowly.

The time taken to catch up those 10lbs is nothing compared to the time lost in injury if you do things wrong.

It sounds very much like you were relaxing at the bottom and letting the knees slide forward. When you're back to squatting keep in eye on that.