How much weight?
- Thread starter debjh
- Start date
I use trial and error.. If your not struggling to do your last rep in your set.. then thats when you know you've outdone your weight and need to increase. Basically a weight that will fit you is when you havta really push that last rep in to finish your set.. Since you have been weight training.. you know where your at right now.. Increase by what fits you.. 5.. 10.. 15 lbs.
How much weight to lift totally depends on you. How much are you lifting now? For how many reps? Does it feel very challenging, or do you feel like you could do more? Try making small increases and see how it feels. Make sure you are maintaining proper form with the increased weight.
Not seeing progress could be many factors. You may just need some changes in your nutrition and exercise program. Sometimes it can seem like you're doing the right things with exercise and nutrtion, but it's just not what your body is needing.
Sarah
Not seeing progress could be many factors. You may just need some changes in your nutrition and exercise program. Sometimes it can seem like you're doing the right things with exercise and nutrtion, but it's just not what your body is needing.
Sarah
The way for you to determine this is to choose a weight that you can safely lift 8-10 times. By the last repetition in each set, you should feel tired!
You want your muscle to be fatigued... otherwise you are not going to progress as fast as you'd like.
If your muscle does not feel tired on the last rep of each set, then go to a higher weight. If you cannot lift the weight 8-10 times safely then drop to a lower weight. Do not be afraid of lifting heavier weights. You will NOT bulk up.
Always have perfect form and always be in control. The moment you sacrifice form to lift one more rep... you should stop that set- you're done
You want your muscle to be fatigued... otherwise you are not going to progress as fast as you'd like.
If your muscle does not feel tired on the last rep of each set, then go to a higher weight. If you cannot lift the weight 8-10 times safely then drop to a lower weight. Do not be afraid of lifting heavier weights. You will NOT bulk up.
Always have perfect form and always be in control. The moment you sacrifice form to lift one more rep... you should stop that set- you're done
all great tips.
I would phrase it like this: lifting weights should be hard. you should perspire at least a little, if not be dripping in sweat. your heart rate should increase, and your breathing should pickup too.
you need to really be exerting yourself to get the benefits of weight training.
You can pick up a 12oz can of soda and do bicep curls all day. you won't feel like you exerted yourself. now pick up a 15lb dumbbell, and curl that. could you even make it to 10? if not, that's the kind of exertion I'm talking about.
Traditional, hardcore strength trainers will use spotters, and increase weight on particular exercises, like bench press, until they find a weight where they can only do 1 rep with proper form. this is their one rep max, or 1RM for short.
They'll then workout at 70-80% of their 1RM weight. Its not a bad way to figure things out, but its just as easy to say "well, I've been doing 10lb dumbbells, and it doesn't seem too hard, so I'll try 15lbs today instead". If that doesn't build up a little burn in the muscles by the final reps of the last set, then its probably still a little too light.
I would phrase it like this: lifting weights should be hard. you should perspire at least a little, if not be dripping in sweat. your heart rate should increase, and your breathing should pickup too.
you need to really be exerting yourself to get the benefits of weight training.
You can pick up a 12oz can of soda and do bicep curls all day. you won't feel like you exerted yourself. now pick up a 15lb dumbbell, and curl that. could you even make it to 10? if not, that's the kind of exertion I'm talking about.
Traditional, hardcore strength trainers will use spotters, and increase weight on particular exercises, like bench press, until they find a weight where they can only do 1 rep with proper form. this is their one rep max, or 1RM for short.
They'll then workout at 70-80% of their 1RM weight. Its not a bad way to figure things out, but its just as easy to say "well, I've been doing 10lb dumbbells, and it doesn't seem too hard, so I'll try 15lbs today instead". If that doesn't build up a little burn in the muscles by the final reps of the last set, then its probably still a little too light.