peeperjj's Journal, 18 May 19

This makes me feel better: If you're a beginner 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of lean muscle mass is the maximum amount of muscle you can build each month without steroids. As you make progress, your gains slow down to one pound per month and slow to a trickle as you get advanced; gaining as little as .2 to .5 pounds a month, max. How Much Muscle Can You Gain In A Month? | Eric Bach Blog 

Great numbers, I normally gain water weight when I am exercising hard.  

Great numbers, and great job! Unfortunately when we bulk or try to put on muscle we put on fat with it. Unless your new (at resistance training) and then you can recomp your body and somewhat lose weight (fat) and generate muscle too. But that newbie stage doesn't last that long. So great job! 

Ty Keilin. I’ve had to lower weights on the bench and chest press machines because they hurt my shoulder but the rest I’m holding steady or slightly raised. I’m thinking some might be water retention. Even after my hysterectomy I still track my cycle because of moods. Well it seems that this weekend and the end of last week is when I’d be retaining water so... I’m really hoping that’s why my weight is 1-1.5# higher than I expected at this point.  

Ty Kenny. I am new. I did a 12 week program last summer where we lifted one day a week and took a class another day. We ended up pushing some back so it was more like 15 weeks with some breaks in there. I started lifting with the machines 2-3x a week mid way through and then at home with free weights (5-8#) occasionally. Just getting back into it again with 3x/week starting April 4th I believe. I’m impatient lol.  

Oh Chris. I have issues ‘accepting’ things lol. Why can’t I make my body do what I want it to?!? I just wish I knew what to expect. For mother’s day I received two dexa scans. I think if I can find my body comp now and again in 3-6 months then it would help me understand how my body gains muscle and fat. I’ll just have to be very careful and keep calories to 10% under or over my burn the whole time to make it as accurate as possible. Those perfectionist tendencies coming out lol.  

I got it thanks! Yes I’m impulsive lol. Kids will be out of school soon then harvesting wheat, planting wheat, harvesting sesame, planting those acres back to wheat, spraying, fertilizing... hubby does those but I take out meals, follow equipment and take him back and forth so I’ll probably be too busy until at least the end of July to make the 4 hour round trip to get the scans. I’ll do my best to have patience lol. Plus they have to be paid for when we go and our insurance company screwed us, used also our escrow and now out payments went from 1k to $1,800 a month. Refinancing but it’ll be tight for the next month or two while we settle all that. It would be best financially if I waited ;).  

Thanks for the shoulder advice too! My scar pulls so I know I don’t have correct form. I had thought by slowly stretching it that it would release and be easier but so far it hasn’t worked. It’s either the scar pulling or the shoulder hurting lol. I’ll try it with a lower weight on the machine and see if that helps. If not I’ll see if I can build a bench at home and start with my 5# dumbbells. It’s harder on me to work with the 8# weights at home than 30# total on the gym machine. Probably because it’s working those extra muscles you mention. Stability muscles I think they are called? I feel like an idiot at the gym learning form for dumbbells. I always hit the boob, lose my balance a bit etc. I should really hire a trainer but the trainers last year insisted we stick to the machines in the newbie stage as they are supposed to teach good posture and good form. Biceps, triceps and a few places on my back are the only places I can see muscle building up. Pretty sure it’s the row machines. I LOVE those now. Whenever I have time I to both. One midway and the other at the end. Hubbys gone next week for two gym days so I get to go during the day alone or play around at home.  

Oh yeah!! I’ve avoided my pull up bar for weeks now. Hubby dared me to do one pull up and I couldn’t do it. I have two bands and decided to try with them and it was easy. Used just the thin one and was able to do 3-4 before I felt shakey. So I’m making progress. Not as fast as I want but I think it’s decent. I’ll probably start doing those when he’s gone. I’ll need to build a bench for home though to do any bench work. Thanks again!  

Yes!!! Sweet action peeper! You’re doing fantastic!!