Do you work hard enough?

The reader recently sent me a great question:

“I always wonder if I’m pushing very much during training for strength. My goals are the construction of strength and muscle – and not being a fragile old lady.”

This type of question is more common than you may think! It’s something almost everyone is kept at some point: “How hard should I do when I pick up?”

Let’s break it.

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

You don’t have to be destroyed to get progress but you need You feel like your muscles made some meaningful work.

What might appear as:

• Feeling tension and “work” in your muscles while you rise
• Feeling that the weight begins inadvertently slow down while fatigue in the middle of your set
• The light muscle “pump” after training
• Slight muscle peeling next day (but nothing brutally)
• I feel like you challenged to the end of each set

If you finish your exercise and feel like you can immediately make a whole thing … it could be a sign that the time to increase repetition, weight or sets increase.

✅ 2. What pain do you get (if any)?

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

Here’s what I’m looking for:

• Treasure pain 1-2 days? Great! You will probably get enough work.
• Extreme pain which lasts 4-5 days or more? That’s too much. Call him back.
• Never It hurts at all? It could be the time to push things on purposefully or transfer the exercises.

Again, is the painfulness of a signalnot the ingredients. It is not something that needs to be persecuted no matter what, but it is another piece of puzzle in understanding what it works and doesn’t work for you. 😃

✅ 3. Do you see progress with time?

Strength training is about challenging your body and then ​gradually increasing that challenge over time​.

• Do you lift harder weights than 4-6 weeks ago?
• Do you work more reps or more sets with the same weight?
• Are your movements feel more stable, confident or controlled?

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

If not, it could be time to switch in a more structured plan, such as a ​Periodized program​ This gradually increases volume (sets and repetitions) or intensity (weight of weight) over 6-12 weeks.

Note: As we age, we will naturally lose some amount of muscle and strength. This is completely normal! However, we can help reduce that loss with smart strength training.

Although you may be able to pick up less in the 70s than you were in the 30s, you can continue to progress in the exercise program to gradually increase the challenge. The principle of progressive overload continues to relate, simply adjust the starting point on everything that your body is possible in state. 💪

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

Another way to make sure you work hard enough?

Try what i call Litmus Set.

Here’s how it works:

1. Select an exercise Work consistently – something like a squatter for body weight, push-up, pumping rows or machine press.
2. Do firm warming. Get your body and your wrists feel good.
3. Then go all out: Do as much quality quality as you can with a good shape. Stop when you know that you can’t complete another clean representative.

This is the easiest (and safest) with:

• Machines (you are already “noticed”)
• Body weight movements (you can only stop without risk)

Less ideal:

• Free weight movements such as piles and strong benches (unless you have a spotter and a lot of experience)

What are we looking for?

Compare your Litmus set to your usual work sets.

Example:

• If you usually do 3 sets of 10 repetitions And your Set Titlmus gets you 12-13 repetitionsYou are right in that sweet place in several repetitions of failure.
• If you hit 20+ repetitionsOn the other hand, you leave 10+ repetitions in the tank during its usual exercises. This means that it is time to increase weight or repetition to continue to progress.

Most muscle buildings happen when you are within ​1-4 repetitions of failure​ on the work set. But if you don’t know which failure feel Like, it’s easy to stop briefly.

Set Litmus helps recall your effort and build trust that you can tend to push (safe) when it makes sense.

💡 Lower line

You don’t need to crash to become stronger. But you do You want your exercises to be purposeful and challenging enough to require your body to adjust.

Look for:

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

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

And remember! If you ask this question, it means you already do what is amazing!

You have this.

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