Lifting weights is HARD

[snyderman3000]

The hard things never get easy, you just get better at doing hard things.

This is such a good quote, especially as it applies to lifting.

[Kyle Aaron]

I mentioned to her that I'd quoted her. She tells me I'd said,

"it doesn't get easy, you just get stronger."

I don't remember saying that, but it's good so I'll claim it.

[Callador]

It is always going to be hard (e.g. pushing new maxes), but you guys don't find that the weight which was once a PR becomes easier over time? For some of my lifts, early PR's are now warmup sets. And they really do feel like warmup sets. I agree that pushing ever higher does become more challenging, but I also think that weights that were once almost impossible can become pretty easy.

[mrflibble]

It is always going to be hard (e.g. pushing new maxes), but you guys don't find that the weight which was once a PR becomes easier over time? For some of my lifts, early PR's are now warmup sets. And they really do feel like warmup sets. I agree that pushing ever higher does become more challenging, but I also think that weights that were once almost impossible can become pretty easy.

Definitely this. Old PRs become easy warm ups, but the perceived effort on new PRs is higher than it was on PRs earlier in training. Kyle's quote sums that up perfectly.

[gjsuicide]

Rep speed will improve when and only when these weights are a lower % of your 1rm. They may still feel crushingly heavy, but you will be able to lift them quickly, and lift heavier weights at a slow grind. I have squatted 400+ for a double, but 225 is still heavy when I take it out of the rack

This! I once did 300x6 and I tell you 225 still isnt a walk in the park. When you're squatting 300, 150 will be easy. Maybe when you're squatting 500, 225 might feel "easy". I'm guessing its not a linear relationship, ie when you squat 90 lbs the bar might alone might feel light, but if you squat 1,000, 500lbs wont be as easy comparatively. My guess is also that this effect is greater when your not doing high reps.

[gjsuicide]

I'm working on that. I was 150 lbs a month ago
I can usually grind out the rep if I get to the sticking point, but most of my fails are at the bottom of the movement. I think me being redheaded, ie pale, just makes me turn red easier and look much more intense than the average lifter.

Why are you so concerned with how you look? Are you squatting in front of a mirror?!

[Daniel Wood]

Why are you so concerned with how you look? Are you squatting in front of a mirror?!

Sadly yes; the gym I go to has mirrors on every wall. I usually look down-ish, but sometimes I can't help it; its not really a concern, but more of something that I find amusing.