Choosing the Right Weight for the Job
Weights are a pretty heavy topic. (See what I did there?) When you are getting ready to work out, or even doing the next exercise, you may not know how heavy to lift on your first try. The truth is, there is some guesswork involved when you’re getting started. Below are some things to consider as you approach the weight rack:
1) What is your goal for this exercise in terms of reps and sets? If you’re new to exercise, you’re probably going to be working on muscular endurance, which means you’ll do a lot more reps in a set (typically 12-20). Since the rep count is high, you’ll be sticking with lower weights. If your goal is muscle building, your sets will be smaller (typically 6-12 range), and you’ll want to up your weight. (I’ll save finding your one rep max for a separate discussion.)
2) Different muscles in your body have different strengths, so you’ll probably be using a wide range of weights for a full body workout. For example, you will tend to use heavier weights for lower body exercises (squat, deadlift) than you will for upper body exercises (row, bench press). You may also have other “imbalanced”; for me, as an aerialist I’m much better at pull-ups and pulling exercises and can lift a lot more than I can for pushing exercises. So, I need to plan accordingly.
The above can help you get into the general ballpark of weight you need. But what about honing in on a weight for a particular exercise? In conjunction with the above points, the other consideration is that you want to finish your set 1) with good form, and 2) with the last few reps being a challenge. If you can crank out 20 reps with a 10 lb dumbbell and not break a sweat, you need to up your weight. If you are barely able to press 20 lb dumbbells overhead, or scrunch your shoulders near your ears to do so, STOP and lower your weight.
Writing things down is always a good idea. When you keep track of your sets, reps and weights, be sure to note whether the set was easy, was it a struggle, etc. This is crucial to progressing from workout to workout.
Finally, it doesn’t hurt to do a “test rep” before you start. If I know that I need to do 12 reps of an exercise and the first one feels too tough, that’s a good time to stop, reset, and pick a lower weight.
Gauging your performance through a set you haven’t done is a challenge, but it’s something you get used to as you get adjusted to weight training and as you learn your body better. But, I kinda think that’s one of the cool things about strength training. It’s not just about being able to lift heavier each week, it’s about learning your body and how to interpret what your body tells you. Mastering your internal feedback cues ultimately helps you work out more safely and prevent injury, and that’s just as important as knowing whether to pick up the 20s or the 15s.
Want to see more? Check out my YouTube video below!