5 minLifting Too Light? 3 Strength Training Mistakes to Fix
With Susan Neibergall
Guest on the show
Susan Neibergall
Susan Neibergall is a longtime lifter who joined Nikkiey on The Macro Hour to talk about getting fit at any age.
Episodes with Susan Neibergall
5 minWhat Susan talks about
Lifting Too Light? 3 Strength Training Mistakes to Fix
If you've been showing up to classes, picking up the same dumbbells every week and wondering why your body isn't changing, this short clip from The WarriorBabe Show is for you. Nikkiey Stott and guest Susan Neibergall walk through three strength training mistakes they see all the time: relying on group classes instead of a structured program, lifting weights that are too light, and staying in a calorie deficit while expecting to build muscle.
Susan explains exactly how she pushes the envelope with weight. If she gets all her reps, she goes heavier on the next set. If she can only get some of the reps with the heavier dumbbell, she drops back down to finish the set, writes it in her notes and aims to get every rep with the heavier weight next time. If your last reps look the same as your first ones, you're leaving results on the table.
They also talk about why putting calories up feels so scary after a lifetime of trying to get the scale to go down, and why you have to eat to support your goals if you want to see definition. The bottom line: get out of your own way, test what you've got each time you train, and expect that you're stronger than you think.
- Classes like F45 or Orangetheory are fine if you're starting from zero and love the community, but the results most women want come from a structured, organized strength training program.
- If rep 10 looks exactly like rep one, the weight is too light and you should move up.
- When you complete all your reps, go heavier on the next set, for example from 20 to 25 pounds, and keep progressing from there.
- If you can only get some reps with the heavier weight, drop to the lighter dumbbell to finish the set, note what you did and aim to get every rep with the heavier weight next time.
- You can't stay in a calorie deficit all the time and expect to see definition in your muscles; you have to eat to support your goals, including at maintenance or in a surplus.
Common questions
Are group fitness classes like F45 or Orangetheory enough to build muscle?
Susan says those classes are great if you're starting from zero and enjoy the community, but their weight segments are very different from a structured strength training program. The results most people want come from a structured, organized program.
How do I know if I'm lifting too light?
If your last reps look just like your first reps and the weight is moving fast, it's too light. Susan and Nikkiey point out that if reps eight, nine and 10 look like reps one, two and three, you're doing yourself a disservice.
What should I do if I can't finish all my reps with a heavier weight?
Susan's approach is to do as many reps as she can with the heavier weight, then pick up the lighter dumbbell to finish the set. She writes it in her notes, for example five reps at 25 and five at 20, and aims to get the full set at the heavier weight next time.
Can I build muscle while always staying in a calorie deficit?
Susan explains that constantly dieting and eating very little while expecting to build a lot of muscle doesn't work. You have to eat to support your goals, and you can't always be in a deficit and expect to see definition in your muscles.
Why is it so scary to eat more when trying to build muscle?
Susan describes it as a dieting mindset validated over decades: when you've fought your whole life to get the scale to go down, it's scary to put calories up and let it go up. She says it's still necessary to eat to support your goals.