How to increase weights/strength when lifting?

I've been weight training with free-weights now for about 4 months, and while I've seen some improvements, I'm not having much luck increasing the weight of most of my exercises. I've been stalled out for at least two months! If I try adding weight, the extra 5 pounds on the dumbbells is too much, or the extra ten on the barbells or whatever. With the extra weight, I cannot complete my sets, or even do all of my sets, and I worry about injuring myself because my movements lose so much control. I don't have anyone to spot me, so I have to be careful.

I usually do 3 sets of 8 reps (to fatigue). My form is good, and I try to lift three times a week on alternate days (Mon, Thurs, Sat). How can I break past this weight-lifting plateau?

If you are going to lift 3 days you are probably better off doing Chest, Back on  Mon., Legs & Abs on Thurs & Triceps & Biceps on Sat. Work all muscle groups to failure, but with the following reps:

Muscle Group A:

1st set: warmup: something that is easy to do: set of 10

2nd set: heavier - 6 to 8 reps

3rd & 4th sets: heavy sets - 4 to 6 reps

If you do 6 reps w/o a problem in both sets the weight is to light. Always take the muscle to failure. If using the same muscle for the next exercise the warmup set is not needed.

Nutrition: Remember muscles need protein to build. Having said that your diet should be 50% protein and 40% Carbs. The 10 % fat will take care of itself, but try not to eat fatty foods.

I hope this helps, but if you need anymore help email me at bandit_max@yahoo.com. 

 

 

a 5 pound jump is pretty big for some muscles. try a 2.5 pound increase. if there are no in between bells or weights... try wrist weights. there are platemates which i sometimes wish i had! perhaps looking through a childrens science section you can find a similar magnet that weighs roughly the same.

What I do is start at 3 sets of 8 reps.  I increase up to 3 sets of 12 reps, then I increase the weight and drop back down to 3 sets of 8 reps.  Sometimes I can go straight from 3x8 to 3x12 at a given weight, other times I have an intermediary step of 12-12-8 or something similar.  The main thing is to increase either rep count or weights every time so I'm on an upwards trend.

Negative lifting has gotten me over some humps.  Back when I use to do isolation exercises I used negative lifting to break my curl stall out.   Negative lifting is getting the heaviest weight you can handle and then start at the top of your movement.  Ex, start at the top of your bicep curl.  Then very very slowly lower the weight down.  I would do a 2 extra sets of negative lifts at the end of my usual sets.  I would only be able to complete 3 or 4 reps but it was enough to get me over the hump.   I was struggling moving from 15 lbs to 20 lbs.  I did negative lifts with 25lbs and it helped a lot.