How much weight?

I get asked this question and several variations of this question from clients, friends and my students alike and there are no straight forward answers.

I’m going to break down this question into three sub-questions starting with; how do I select a weight to use for an exercise I’ve never done before?

Men have the tendency to try and lift weight they have no business using. Lifting weights in this manner will eventually lead to injury - whether in the near future or 30 years later. Guys you will build muscle by consistently following the right routine and progressively increasing the weight you use (in small intervals) but it will take time.

Women on the other hand tend to pick the lightest or prettiest (which happen to be the lightest) weights they can find. This as I had mentioned in previous posts will do nothing to “shape” and “tone” you. Lifting weights should always feel like lifting weights.

So, where do you start?

I always have my clients start light and take it from there. Pick a weight you know you can easily lift then make the appropriate increases from there. With exercises like the squat and stability ball crunches where nothing but your body weight is an option, start there.

If you pick a weight that is too easy, increase the weight by the next smallest increment for your next set and continue to keep increasing it from there.

Start with the easiest and work your way towards the hardest.

Check out tomorrow’s blog for whether or not you should use the same weight for every set of an exercise or use slightly more each set.