I discovered body building when I was 16. Everyone told me to start off slow and gradually increase. But I wouldn't get the pump with smaller weights/lesser reps of comfortable weight. I started with 6KG dumbbells and a 12KG barbell that I bought from Amazon. I used to feel amazingly pumped and would go upto 100 counts of curls. I was really strong as well.
But then I don't know what happened, in a year after attaining my physique goals I gradually left working out. I went from working out atleast a little everyday(1hr basic full body workout to feel active and get a good sleep at night) to binge watching movies and emotional eating junk food and almost anything.
This unhealthy phase lasted for 2-3 years. During the whole COVID thingy, I really got the motivation to workout and get back into shape. I am not obese, I am in the overweight category. So it wasn't as bad. I did a few workouts and gradually pushed myself into doing it regularly. My limbs easily gained a little from muscle memory I guess. Initially, I used to feel the pump and that muscle connection. Now I don't feel that after a few sessions of workouts. I haven't done anything like 100 counts etc. I'm using the same set of equipments though. But I'm not feeling it anymore. My biceps and arms did experience the DOMS for a few days and now it drastically reduced. I might feel just a negligible amount and I hate not feeling it. I feel like I'm not getting enough pump? I can't feel the mind muscle connection. I remember I used to feel something like a strong hold in my bicep while doing curls, but now I use my shoulders instead of biceps. For planks or any abdominal exercises I am trying to hold with my abdominal muscles but my back muscles are working instead. I did figure out to push my back into the floor and make my abdominal muscles hold but my biceps are not feeling the connection. I'm using all other muscles except the bicep I feel. And it's so annoying as because of this my shoulders get so exhausted that I need longer breaks and I waste time. Moreover, I'm not growing. My fat is covering my muscle growth as well. So although I feel my muscles grew gradually a little, they aren't cut enough. Should I do the same 100+ repetitions? That'd be unhealthy I feel? Should I increase weights?
I'm here to ask you'll what to do. Also, I've been having a bad posture (slouched, forward neck). Do you'll think my fat of particular areas won't reduce if my posture is still recovering?
I'm going to summarise my questions into more structured way because I feel it's just a mess above.
- Why don't I feel the mind muscle connection/the hold in my muscle while doing bicep curls?
- Should I increase my reps? But that isn't possible my shoulders are paining if I try that.
- I feel like there's either an issue in my posture or my form?
