The reader recently sent me a great question:

"I always wonder if I press enough during strength training. My goal is to build strength and muscles - and not to be a fragile older woman."

This kind of question is more common than you might think! This is something that everyone is wondering at some point: "How hard should I work when I raise?"

Let's break it down.

✅ 1. Do your muscles feel used during training?

You don't have to destroy yourself to make progress, but you should Feel as if your muscles have done a significant job.

This may turn out to be:

• Feeling of tension and "work" in the muscles during lifting
• The feeling that the weight begins to slowly slow down when you get tired in the middle of the set
• Light "pumping" muscles after training
• Slight muscle pain the next day (but nothing brutal)
• I feel like you have challenged until the end of each set

If you finish training and feel as if you could do everything again ... It can be a sign, it's time to increase repetitions, weight or sets.

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

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

Here's what I am looking for:

• Mild soreness For 1-2 days? Great! You probably have enough work.
• Extreme soreness Does it take 4-5 days or more? It's too much. Get him back.
• Never sore? Perhaps the time has come to push things more intentionally or replace the exercises.

The pain is again signalIt is not a results card. This is not something that can be chased no matter what, but it is another piece of the puzzle in understanding what works, not for you. 😃

✅ 3. Do you see progress in time?

Strength training consists in questioning your body, and then ​Gradually increasing this challenge with time​.

• Do you raise heavier weight than 4-6 weeks ago?
• Do you do more repetitions or more sets of the same weight?
• Are your movements more stable, certain or controlled?

If the answer sounds like this, you become stronger. And that's what we want.

If not, there may be time to switch to a more structured plan, like ​Periodic program​ This gradually increases volume (sets and repetitions) or intensity (amount of mass raised) within 6-12 weeks.

Note: With age, we will naturally lose some muscle and strength. This is completely normal! However, we can help reduce this loss thanks to intelligent strength training.

Although you can raise less in the 70s than at the age of 30, you can continue to proceed as part of the training program to gradually increase the challenge. The principle of progressive overload is still applying, you just adjust the starting point to what is now capable. 💪

🧪 Do you want to test your strength safely?

Another way to check if you work hard enough?

Try what I call Lakmus set.

Here's how it works:

1. Choose exercise You did consistently-as a bodies, pumps, rows of dumbbells or machine press.
2. Make a solid warm -up. Move your body and the joints feel good.
3. Then go out: Make as much high quality repetitions as possible with good form. Stop when you know you can't finish another pure representative.

This is the easiest (and safest) with:

• Machines (you are already "noticed")
• Body weight movements (you can simply stop without risk)

Less perfect:

• Free weight movements, such as squies at the back of the barbell or heavy press on the bench (unless you have an observer and lots of experience)

What are we looking for?

Compare your set of lakmus with ordinary working sets.

Example:

• If you usually do it 3 sets 10 repetitions And your Lakmus set 12-13 repetitionsYou are right in this sweet place in several repetitions of failure.
• If you've come to Over 20 repetitionsOn the other hand, you leave over 10 repetitions in the tank during normal training. This means that it's time to increase weight or representatives to continue progress.

Most muscle building happens when you're inside ​1-4 repetitions of the failure​ on a working collection. But if you don't know what failure feelings For example, it's easy to stop.

The Lakmus set helps calibration of effort again and builds the certainty that you can harder (safely) when it makes sense.

💡 The most important

You don't have to crush yourself to become stronger. But you Down You want your trainings to be deliberate and sufficient to demand from the body.

To look for:

• Muscle tension (during the set)
• Muscle fatigue (after training)
• Mild pain (especially at the beginning of the new training program)
• Progress in time (repetition, weight, technique)
• ... and sporadic lakmusy set to clarity

What if you can't see them? Correct the approach and let's help find this sweet place.

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

You have it.

- Coach Matt PS needs help in finding the next step to achieve training? Write to me e -mail and I will see how I can help! 💪