Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 379, Messages: 54577

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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How much weight should i lift?

codymanley
codymanley
Posts: 3
Joined: 2008/12/30
United States
2009/06/24, 10:25 AM
Im new to lifting weights and when my program says 16, 12, 10, 8 reps i dont know if i should find my max on every excersise...divide it in half and use that weight for all sets or, just figure out what weight i can barely reach my reps with and use that for every set until i get strong enough to increase the weight for the next time i do that excersise. i hope this isnt confusing, im just ready to get serious and i need some guidance.
returnofplex
returnofplex
Posts: 801
Joined: 2007/10/26
United States
2009/06/24, 11:08 AM
"just figure out what weight i can barely reach my reps with and use that for every set until i get strong enough to increase the weight for the next time i do that excersise."


There ya go!
codymanley
codymanley
Posts: 3
Joined: 2008/12/30
United States
2009/06/24, 05:19 PM

well say i do dumbell curls and i can just barely get through to 16 reps with 25's in hand, should i continue using the 25's for the next three sets?
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Quoting from returnofplex:

"just figure out what weight i can barely reach my reps with and use that for every set until i get strong enough to increase the weight for the next time i do that excersise."


There ya go!
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jspiked
jspiked
Posts: 47
Joined: 2009/06/14
United States
2009/06/24, 05:25 PM
if you think you can do 12 with 30lb than move to 30lbs if you think you can only do like 10 reps than do 25lbs for the next set and move up to 30lbs for the 10 reps.
you dont have to increase weight every time, its only when you feel like you can. it all just depends on how much you are willing to push yourself.

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When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot, and hang on.
~pres. Roosevelt
codymanley
codymanley
Posts: 3
Joined: 2008/12/30
United States
2009/06/24, 07:48 PM
Good advise thanks to the both of you
Sidume
Sidume
Posts: 70
Joined: 2004/01/28
United States
2009/07/15, 03:41 PM
Do whatever amount that you can do 70-80% of what is recommended without a problem. If you don't feel challenged by the last 20-30% of the reps, increase the weight.