Before someone starts their strength training, the first question that pops up in the beginning is: How much should I lift? Most newcomers get tense away from heavy weights for fear of dropping them or failing to finish reps. According to Woman & Home, this reluctance hampered her progress and "took double the time to build half the muscle.”
Start slow and then build up
As reported by Woman & Home in their report, Abbie Watkins, a certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning specialist at Origym, the best way to start is with lighter weights, such as 5kg dumbbells for squats.
The goal is lifting enough that you’re left “one to three reps before failure.” In simple words, the final reps should feel challenging, but they must still maintain good form.
Various muscle groups and exercises require varied loads.
Certified personal trainer Mapule Tagumigwa of Hooke Fitness clarified to Woman & Home that glutes and legs, being larger muscles, can tolerate heavier weights, whereas smaller muscles, such as shoulders and arms, must begin lighter.
Proper weight exercise for muscle and strength
Watkins goes on to comment that compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses are able to employ heavier dumbbells, which are 8kg to 10kg for the lower body, whereas isolation exercises like curls or lateral raises will only need 1–3kg.
For strength building, Watkins suggests four to six reps with heavy weights, and six to twelve reps are best for muscle building. The key factor? Getting close to failure with each set.
Tagumigwa stresses the importance of tracking workouts like weights, reps, and sets, and calls it “a game-changer” for motivation. Once the form feels secure, increasing weight is essential for continued progress. “Form should always come first, but it doesn’t mean you’re limited to lifting lightly forever,” she says.
These tips by the experts can help beginners to safely choose the right weights, avoid any physical pain, and at the same time build both strength and muscle more effectively.
