When you first start lifting weights, your strength will increase nearly every single workout. After a month of consistent progress, it is very easy to get caught up in the mindset that your strength will improve every time you return to that exercise.
Unfortunately, the stronger you get, the harder it gets to increase that strength. It's just like losing weight! If you're on a weight loss program, you don't expect to lose weight every time you step on the scale. Same thing with strength!! With your strength training, you can't expect to bump up the weight every time you go to the gym.
**Here's where we need to capitalize**
Weighing yourself on the scale is not the only way to judge your fat loss, you also have: measurements going down, body fat percentage going down, clothes fitting better, increase in energy, looking better in the mirror- all these things factor in. In the same way the scale is not the only representation of fat loss, increasing your dumbbell weights or the weight on the barbell is not the only way to measure your strength!
You can:
1. Improve your technique- use better form with the same weight. Using better technique with the exercise will your neuromuscular strength and control.
2. Increase Time Under Tension- Slow your tempo and control the movement. A slow and controlled movement allowing NO momentum will enable you to target the correct muscle throughout the entire exercise.
3. Increase Range Of Motion- Increasing your range of motion of the exercise to complete the movement will recruit more muscle fibers to do the job.
4. Increase Explosive Power- Start doing the exercise at a higher pace. Generating force rapidly will increase your maximum strength, ONLY if we ensure proper technique, TUT, and ROM..... put all these things together and watch your strength in that particular workout grow.
Remember the gym is supposed to be a fun time, you do this because you love it!..... or at the very least love the results. So if you're not increasing your strength like you want, don't stress, just incorporate these additions to your exercise and you will move up your lifting weight over time!
