Lifting Too Light? 3 Strength Training Mistakes to Fix

Susan: One common mistake is people don't follow a program. They're going to an F45 or an Orangetheory and thinking their little weight segment is enough. And I will say this: if you're starting from zero and you like being in that community, do it, do it, do it. But that kind of weight training versus a strength training program that's structured and organized are two very different things. And the results that most people want are going to come from a structured strength training program, which a lot of people don't have.

So that is one mistake: doing all classes and getting frustrated that you're not making the progress you want to see. You're just not doing quite the right kind of training. And so a structured strength training program is where I think everybody needs to be. And I also think that people aren't lifting enough weight.

Nikkiey: Yes. Say it louder.

Susan: I mean, you're stronger than you think. I guarantee it. It's so funny. I see somebody pick up a 20-pound dumbbell. I'm using this just as an example.

Nikkiey: Yeah.

Susan: Not for anybody to gauge your weight or anything like this, but a 20-pound dumbbell, and they're doing a dumbbell row and those rows are moving. They're going fast. Rep number one looks exactly like rep number 10. And they keep using that weight.

Nikkiey: Yes.

Susan: And I'm like, uh-uh.

Nikkiey: You're speaking my language here. Let's go. Keep going.

Susan: I know, right? It's so frustrating.

Nikkiey: Yeah.

Susan: You don't stick with that weight. If this is me and I use that 20 and I've got 10 reps, okay, that next set, I'm going to 25. And if I can get 25, that next set, I'm going to 30. I am pushing the envelope.

And then I always get asked, but what if I can't get all of the reps with 25? Okay. So let's say you got five out of 10 with 25. This is what I do. Not everyone has to do this, but okay, I got five out of 10. I'll put down the heavier weight, I'll go get that lighter weight, the 20, and I'm going to finish the reps.

Nikkiey: Heck yeah.

Susan: I'll do five more.

Nikkiey: I agree.

Susan: So I need to end at 10.

Nikkiey: Yes.

Susan: It says 10. I want to end at 10. I write in my notes: I did five at 25, five at 20. Now my goal moving forward is to get that whole next set at 25 pounds. So I'm constantly pushing the envelope with weight. And I feel like people don't do that enough. And that's why most people are not seeing the results they want to see. They're just not pushing themselves enough.

And then the last big mistake is you're constantly dieting, constantly dieting, trying to lose weight in a calorie deficit, eating virtually nothing, expecting that you're going to be able to build a crap ton of muscle, and you're afraid to eat in maintenance, much less a surplus. And I think that's a dieting mindset that was probably validated over decades. It is something that's going to be hard to combat. It's scary putting up calories when you fought your whole life to get the scale to go down. Now you're trying to get it to go up.

It's a scary thing, but I feel like you have to eat to support your goals too. You can't always be in a calorie deficit and expect to see definition in your muscles.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Love it. Everything that you just said there is 110%. I love, especially, the part about working out and not pushing yourself enough. It's like you're just going through the motions. And I tell people, if you just want to go through the motions, then just expect the same type of results that you're getting right now, because ain't nothing going to happen from that. Do you make ugly faces when you work out, Susan?

Susan: All the time. And I make noises too, a lot of the time.

Nikkiey: It's so funny, because on one of the posts I just put up, that was one of the criteria. Are you lifting enough weight? Are you making funny faces? That's not scientific, but...

Susan: I'll tell you, there's a lot of truth behind that actually. Because as I said at the beginning, if reps eight, nine and 10 look very similar to reps one, two and three, you are doing yourself a disservice. There's no rules police here. There's no one that's going to say, well, if you can't do all three sets with 25 pounds, you better not even try. There's nobody there that's saying that. You need to get out of your own way and go pick up that heavier dumbbell. I'm constantly testing the waters.

Every time I go to the gym: let me see what I've got today. Because sometimes I surprise myself. Most of the time I can tell what kind of day it's going to be, because I've done this long enough now. I understand if I don't have the energy, if I'm not feeling it, whatever. But there are some times where, okay, I did this the other day: I tried 50-pound dumbbells on a bench press and I got a couple reps. I was completely shocked. I haven't done that in a long time. I've been working my way back to that. So you never know, right? You never know. I think we are all stronger than we think.