How to Choose the Proper Weight for an Exercise
If you are new to weight training or are used to taking classes like pilates where you don’t use standard weights like dumbbells or barbells, knowing what weight to use for the type of exercise you are doing can be a bit challenging. There are no specific rules to follow, it’s all based on the individuals strength and fitness level. Here are some guidelines you can follow to take some of the guess work away.
1. Challenging But Doable
It’s all by trial and error. I still, to this day, have to switch my weight around as I go into an exercise. Whether it is a new move I’m doing or I haven’t worked on that part of my body recently and so it’s gotten a bit weaker. I’ll do one round, and if it’s not the right fit I adjust for the next set. So the key here is you want the weight to feel challenging to a point where the last few 3-4 reps feel almost impossible to do without sacrificing form. If you are moving along through an exercise and you don’t get out of breath, or you can easily have a conversation with someone, or you don’t feel the muscle being challenged and “burning”, then your weight is too light. The most important thing to keep in mind is to not compromise form for the challenge. It is ok to go lighter in weight if that is the case, even if you don’t feel that much of a challenge. You can do more harm than good if your form is off.
2. What Muscle Are You Working On?
The bigger the muscle that is being worked, the heavier the weight should be. If you are working on a glute exercise versus the triceps, you would pick a heavier weight because its a much bigger and stronger muscle group. Again, as long as form is not compromised, use the heaviest weight you can. With a heavy weight, make sure you are doing the exercise slowly and don’t forget to breath with the exercise.
3. The Type of Weight Matters too
Different types of weight bring on different challenges, whether its dumbbells, barbell, sandbags etc. Doing an exercise with dumbbells will feel different when using the same weight with a barbell. That is because the weight is distributed differently. Dumbbells are a more stable piece of equipment, therefore it might feel easier to do an exercise compared to a barbell.
No matter what piece of equipment it is, the most important thing is to listen to your body. If it doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it. What heavy feels to you might be light for someone else. Always feel challenged with weight training, it’s the only way you will grow and get stronger. And it is a complete myth that women will get super muscular and bulky if they train with heavy weight. We don’t have the same amount of male hormones such as testosterone as men do, so it is nearly impossible to get bulky.
