How do you know when your making gains?

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imported_davie2k0

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trhis might seem like an easy and stupid question, but considering you are never really pushing yourself to failure durring any of these workouts except the last one of each 2 week set, how do you know if your making any gains until you hit that last workout to see if your max has increased?
 
Because the numbers on the scale and the tape measure increase. That's the point of HST, not necessarily strength gains, although those will happen as well.
 
You will not be able to tell...what will happen is you will work out for about 3 year and then one day you will wake up and bam!!! you look in the mirro and you ar 275 pounds ripped at 3% bodyfat...lol...just kidding I couldnt resist. I am at work and board.

Actually the best way to check your gain are bodyfat calipers, tape measure, and scale...also the good ol mirror does wonders, I know that sometimes some of my numbers have never changed yet I look in the mirror and the weight appears that i has redistributed in other areas not sure if this is true just looks that way!

good luck

Joe :D
 
i want to make strength gains too, as well as look better. I hope i at least add to my main exercises, biceps, squats, bench, SLDL.
 
Biceps, squats, bench and SLDLs aren't exercises. Also, biceps are NOT a main muscle group. Uch, focus on increasing your benching, rowing, squatting, deadlifting, chinup and dip weights. You'll grow, assuming you're eating properly. You don't need to do much else, until you're ready for some specialization, which you shouldn't need until you're at your desired size.
 
I step on the scale and if I got heavier and don't look that much fatter im making gains LOL. (im not kidding).

Joe G
 
I go by the scale and how my clothes are fitting. It's pretty cool when you start stretching out the arms on your t-shirts.
thumbs-up.gif
 
Yeah, my wife likes to buy me close fitting shirts and I've had to toss a bunch of them because the shoulders have gotten too small...

But seriously, I go by the tape measure and the scale, rather than by strength. Strength is a poor judge of hypertrophy compared to the tape measure, in my opinion.
 
I have to go to big and tall stores for shirts now, a new predicament.  At some time in the past XXL quit fitting, and now XXXL.  My traps got so freakin big my 'arm length' measurement (where they measure from the base of your neck to your wrist) is now 37", and my neck is now 19".  That translates to XXXXL-Tall shirt size.  So I look like I'm in a nightgown when I'm in something that "fits".  I'm barely 6' tall.  
I'm considering getting the shirts made, but at $80 to $100 a pop...sheesh.  I might have to deal with a yard of fabric tucked into my pants.
People I haven't seen in long time are like 'holy ####......are you on roids?', I tell by that too.
 
I've got a considerable amount of body fat (that's coming off slowly) and I shy away from the tape measure for that reason. I watch my stength, in particular my triple and single max's on the big lifts, to judge my gains.
 
did you make good strength gains? I want ot be strong and get much more fit looking (ripped)
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (davie2k0 @ Aug. 19 2005,8:01)]trhis might seem like an easy and stupid question, but considering you are never really pushing yourself to failure durring any of these workouts except the last one of each 2 week set, how do you know if your making any gains until you hit that last workout to see if your max has increased?
Click to expand...
Failure is unimportant, strength gains are unimportant in hte big picture. The only thing that matters is if the hypertrophy is happening.
 
If you want to gain strength, why not do a strength specific cycle between every few HST cycles? That's what I plan to start doing soon. Of course my "strength specific" cycle will likely incorporate some HST principles still, but I think it's a good idea if you want a nice gain in strength. Also, you could reason that having more strength would help you make better gains on your next HST cycle.
 
My mistake: SLDLs are exercises. I guess I wasn't paying attention when I made the earlier post. Also, you know when you're making gains when you see the scale moving steadily upward over time, when clothes are fitting tighter, when you look bigger in the mirror, and when people tell you that you look thicker.

If you're following most programs properly, so long as they incorporate HST principles (frequent loading, and progressive loading, be it submaxial or regular maximal load progression), you're eating enough, and haven't been immensely conditioned to the loads you're using from constant bouts of exercise with the same weight, you will be growing, like it or not.

Well, that's a bit cut-and-dry, but you get the idea.
 
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