The basis of any workout in the gym is the working weight and the number of approaches. These are two inseparable concepts, so we will consider them within the same topic. Below we will analyze the principles and rules for selecting weights for different categories of exercisers.
For those who are in the hall for the first time
If this is your first time coming to the gym, you need to take into account your preparation. Often there is none at all. How to determine the working weight in this case? So far, no way.
People go to swing because they “already have the urge.” Therefore, the first training is very important point. If you get a bad impression from (or after) her, you won’t come here a second time.
Usually the number of approaches and weight are selected by the trainer. Wait! Does the trainer have the necessary education and courses? Or is he just a home-grown muscleman who has achieved rapid progression through bad means? They are the ones to be afraid of.
The first training session should be an introductory one. We recommend not selecting weights yet, but taking what suits you at the moment is not heavy. That is, if it’s a barbell, then it’s one that you can easily lift. After all, you will be lifting the barbell repeatedly, so even the weight that seems too light to you for one concept will put a noticeable load on the muscles. This is important not only for beginners, but also for guys weakened by a long break.
So, why is it important to work with minimal weights in the first workout:
- Your muscles don't know what hardware is.
- You don't have enough stamina yet.
- You don't know the technique of doing the exercises.
Simply put, you will easily get a sprain, or your muscles will be sore for a week after training. Believe me, after this the second time you are unlikely to want to come to the gym.
Correct selection of weights at the first visit - an empty bar for bench presses, dumbbells 2-5 kg for other exercises. If you want to squat, use an empty bar. Learn technique! And if the trainer tells you that the weight is light and you need to add more, don’t listen to him. This is the first training session.
There have been many cases when, after such training, a person has a fever for a week, and he cannot bend or straighten his arms. Why do you need this?
The first workout is a minimum of weights. The same goes for the number of approaches. We recommend doing 2 approaches. But you can get the program from the trainer. Or have a trainer show you what to do that day.
Example for beginners
The trainer told you to do 3 sets of all exercises. Reps: 10-15. Your task is to do 2 sets with the same number of repetitions. For bench press/squat/deadlift, it is better to take an empty bar or add 10 kg. Arm flexion-extension, dumbbell press – 5-6 kg. A isolated exercises It is better to do it on the shoulders with 3-4 kg. You will understand why.
If everything comes very easily, most likely you are doing it wrong. In the case of, for example, if it’s easy for you, then most likely you are bending your arms too much, or have not turned your elbows up. Incorrect technique is easier to do. Remember!
After a long break
After a forced break in training, we recommend doing 2 sets instead of 3 or 4. And taking the weights 50% of those you used when you were still training. Yes, after training your muscles will ache. Strongly. But not so much that you fall behind schedule for a week.
In the future, you will gradually return to your working weights and begin to progress.
Start small and increase the weight in each approach: for a barbell - by 10 kg, for dumbbells - by 2. You definitely won’t miss!
Bench press example
Warm up: empty bar, 20 reps. We weigh 10 kg and do a set. We hang another 10 and work. And so we reach 60 kg. If it becomes difficult in some approach, then there is no need to increase the weight in this workout. In the future, when it becomes difficult, add 1-2 kg and look at the result.
Weight selection during training
Now you know where to start training for the first time or after a long break.
What to do next? And then we will learn to listen to our body and predict the desired weight.
The principle of any progress is to work at your maximum, “to failure.” The state of “failure” is a special feeling when you can no longer do a single repetition. Failure may occur earlier than planned if you chose too heavy weight. And later, if you made a smaller mistake.
For muscle growth, failure should occur within 6-12 repetitions. If less, you work on strength, if more, on endurance. Therefore, the weight is selected so that you can do at least 6 repetitions with it, but cannot do more than 12. How to guess this weight? By trial and error.
The first approach to any exercise is a warm-up. For example, before a bench press, you take an empty bar and do 15-20 repetitions with it. At this moment you can already feel how easy it is for you. You can compare this feeling to last training session and roughly calculate the weight for this one.
When you start working with light weights and gradually increase them, at a certain point you will get that precious number of kg with which you will work “to failure”. We need to come to this.
This weight will increase from workout to workout. Slowly, but it will happen, believe me. Thus, when the required number of repetitions (6-12) and this weight comes easy to you, it’s a good sign to add 1-2 kg to the barbell. Or increase the number of repetitions if you do them less than 12. And then increase the working weight anyway, returning to the previous number of repetitions.
Finding the right weight right away, especially during the first workouts, is an impossible mission. That's why we start small. And the body itself decides what is enough for it and what is just right.
Dependence of weights on training goals
When selecting weight, you can focus on the following criteria:
- If your goal is muscle and mass growth, failure should occur at 6-12 repetitions, as mentioned earlier. If it happened, let's say on the eighth repetition - next workout try to do 9. Then 10, 11, 12. After you complete 12 sets, add weight to the bar.
- If your goal is to increase strength, the weights taken are more significant. Failure should occur before 6 repetitions. And you need to do few repetitions in the approaches.
- If you're doing endurance work, the weight used is reduced so you can do more reps. Failure should occur not at the 12th repetition, but at the 30th. In general, it’s better to go jogging. In your case, it is important to choose the type of sport, not the number of kg.
- Recovering from sprains requires light weights. You need to exercise for a very long time (months) with light weights, strengthening the healed ligaments. Haste is dangerous and inadvisable.
What to do for girls
It doesn't matter what gender you are. The mechanism of muscle progress is the same for everyone. The weights will just be different. A man squats with a weight of 100 kg, and a woman - 30-50, for example. The feeling is the same, the refusal is the same. The principles are the same, so feel free to use the above recommendations.
A separate article on our website is devoted to choosing dumbbell weights for women.
What to do during a plateau
When you don’t feel a surge of strength for a long time, and your results barely stay at the same level, this means one thing - you have reached a plateau in your capabilities. Strength is not growing, there is no progress. And a bad mood and weak self-confidence often lead to a “kickback” of the security forces.
Now we need to be patient and work hard in the gym. Let the weights be the same. Try to increase them by 0.5 kg, at a minimum. Reconsider your lifestyle. Maybe it's not the training at all?
There is an opinion that to overcome a plateau during training you need to lose weight. As a rule, this option is good for those who take pharmacology, that is, for professional bodybuilders. So just be patient and maintain the level you have achieved. In 90% of cases, progress will come.
- Keep a training diary. It should contain the date of the lesson, the name of the exercise, the number of approaches and repetitions done, and the weights. You can choose the right working weight based on your own records. Your diary is the best adviser on what weight to start training with after a break, or where to start the next workout.
- Don't increase your weight suddenly. Many beginners do this: in the first workout they pressed an empty bar (20 kg), in the second it was 50 kg. This is stress for the muscles. Not every person will survive this easily. It is optimal to take steps of 10 kg. And if you have already exercised, you can raise the working weight by 40 kg in 4 approaches. At the same time, you will find out what your muscles are now capable of.
- When you immediately take the weight you think you need, you may make a mistake. That is, choose a heavy barbell weight. This will cause you to get tired before your work sets are completed. There is no need for any persistence here - remove a couple of weights from the barbell.
- Working “to failure” in the first workout is very dangerous. Just like the second one. The body should get used to the stress within a month. During this period, your task is not to chase the scales, but to practice your technique. If you can do more, that's good (that's what happens most often). Work on your movements, strengthen your ligaments.
In this article we will talk about such a problem and an eternal question among novice athletes - “How to choose a weight for training?” This is perhaps the first problem that a beginner who comes to the gym has to face. Correct selection weight for each exercise is enough difficult task for a beginner.
To choose the right weight, you first need to decide on the goals you are pursuing. For example, if you need to type muscle mass, then you need to perform exercises for a minimum number of repetitions with heavy weight. If you want to lose weight, then you need to use lighter weights. large number repetitions, plus cardio exercises, which need to be included in any workout in order to pump not only the muscles of the body, but also expand the volume of the heart.
Let's figure it out. If you just came to the gym and are not at all aware of everything that is happening around you, are not familiar with exercise techniques, do not know how certain machines work and which muscle groups are pumped, in this case you should take the minimum weights and learn the technique of each exercises, and then gradually increase the load. First, you must familiarize yourself with each exercise, understand what you can do and what you shouldn’t do so as not to injure yourself. If you are one of the novice athletes, I advise you to familiarize yourself with the technique of each exercise in more detail in this section -.
So, let's say you've read correct execution exercises. How to choose the right weight for a barbell or dumbbell? First of all, you should choose such a weight so that the last repetition is truly the last. You should not be able to do 13 repetitions if there are only 12 repetitions. At the same time, if you are aiming to do 10-12 repetitions, but somehow manage to complete 6-8 repetitions. In the first case, if you perform more reps than intended, the weight is too light. In the second option, the weight of the barbell or dumbbell was chosen too large.
How to solve this problem and choose a working weight? Here's how! Take a load that you think you can handle and start moving from starting position, bringing the weight to its extreme position. At the top point, you should hold the dumbbell or barbell for 1-2 seconds, then start moving in reverse order. If you were unable to hold the weight at the top point, where your muscles are maximally contracted, this means that you need to lift a few kilograms less.
Now start a full lesson consisting of, say, 10. If you feel that you cannot hold the weight after the 5th repetition, reduce it. Well, if everything is good and you can continue up to 13 repetitions, the weight should be increased. Again, it all depends on the goals you are pursuing and the training method. For example, there are workouts that involve performing several exercises in one approach. There are also workouts that involve performing exercises with light weights for a large number of repetitions. This method allows you to increase blood flow to a certain muscle group. If you expect to do 12 reps and feel you can do more, you should go heavier. If you are doing basic exercise for a minimum number of repetitions, say 4-6. The situation is the same here, you feel that you can do more repetitions, the movements are easy for you, lift the weight.
You should also consider what kind of exercise you are doing. If you intend to perform an isolation exercise with a short range of motion, you need to take a weight where you can do 12-20 repetitions. For example, take “ ” or “ “.
This is exactly how the scheme for selecting the right weight for a barbell or dumbbell works. I recommend everyone not to chase kilograms, because in many cases, the pursuit of greater strength leads to a violation of technique, and consequently to injury.
Lord of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >>
Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. CMS in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.
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Date: 2014-04-17 Views: 32 929 Grade: 4.9
Nobody can answer this question for you. Only 2 people in the whole world can answer this question: 1.
Your coach who trains you personally. 2.
You yourself. Obviously, since you are asking this question, you don’t have a coach. Therefore, only you yourself can use trial and error to select the weight you need in a particular exercise. No one will answer this question for you in absentia. This is unrealistic. Even if you take beginners of the same gender, weight and age, their strength indicators may differ by 2–3 times. How then can you choose your own weight?
But this is a more intelligible question. 1. Obviously, the weight should be such that you can do the required number of repetitions in a particular exercise. 2. At the same time, you must do this number of repetitions with difficulty. So that the last few reps are hard for you. 3. But you should have a reserve for another 2–4 repetitions. Since beginners do not need to do back-to-back approaches at first. This is unnecessary and dangerous. This only applies to beginners. 4. And you must do the required number of repetitions in all working sets. Obviously, if you succeed, it means you have a reserve and you have completed step 3. Using these four principles, you can quickly choose the weight for yourself.
What if I don't know how many reps I need to do?
In general, all programs on this site indicate the number of repetitions. But since you are asking this question, two things are obvious:
- The program was not taken from this site.
- The program does not indicate the number of repetitions.
- not less than 8;
- no more than 20.
Asking on the Internet what weights to use in training is absolutely pointless!
By the way, you can order yourself from Timko Ilya - the author of this article and this site.
Found an error in the article? Select it with the mouse and click Ctrl + Enter. And we will fix it!
Every girl wants to have firm buttocks and toned thighs. After all, it is these parts of the body that attract male attention like a magnet. As is known, very good result can be achieved by squatting with a barbell. This exercise is very dangerous, as doing it can cause injury. How to avoid this trouble, today we will talk about it and solve this problem. Let's go!
Benefits of squats
Squats are the most effective exercise for working out the hips and buttocks. These muscles are very important for girls, since much more attention is paid to the legs and butt than to the chest.
Squatting at home without weight is, of course, very good. However, this is not very effective. There are many cases where girls performed several hundred squats every day. At the same time, their legs remained just as thin. This means that you need to exercise with additional weight. There are several options for practicing at home:
- Squats with dumbbells or other weights.
- Single leg squats.
- You can ask your younger brother or sister to sit on your shoulders. After which, start squatting with them.
Of course, these exercises will give you positive effect. However, to implement them you need to be sophisticated and constantly come up with something. All in all, deal with that, which the fair sex doesn’t really like. Therefore, it is better to go to the gym.
Rules and errors
Barbell squats are undoubtedly best exercise for legs and buttocks. However, in order for it to bring results and not injure you, you must follow the technique of its implementation:
During squats, you need to breathe correctly: exhale as you force, and inhale as you relax. . Don't forget about the arch in the lower back. Firstly, it will make her stronger. Secondly, it will prevent you from getting injured.
The following mistakes should be avoided:
To avoid injury, you must follow the rules of squats. Girls need to pay special attention to their thoughts while performing half a move. Quite often they are distracting and contribute to technical violations.
Execution options
In addition to the classic squat, there are many other options:
Selecting a working weight is a very important process. Of course, it may seem boring and uninteresting to you, but without it there is no point in moving on. So what is working weight? This is a weight with which you can perform no more than 15 repetitions in one set.
For progress and muscle growth, it must be constantly increased. Increase the number of repetitions each workout. When you feel you can do more than 12 reps, feel free to increase the weight.
Before working with this weight, you need to do a few warm-up approaches. For example, your working weight is 50 kilograms. After performing the warm-up exercises, you need to do the first warm-up approach - with an empty bar. You should get about 20 repetitions. After this, add 10 kilograms at a time until you reach your working weight.
If your working weight is very high, the steps between warm-up sets should be more than ten kilograms. The ideal number of warm-up approaches is from three to five.
How many kilograms should you lift in squats with a barbell? For girls, the weight should not be too heavy. First of all, it should not cause discomfort. You should be comfortable doing the approach.
So, you came to the hall for the first time. Now you need to warm up your joints and ligaments well. To do this, you can perform 20-30 squats with own weight and run for 5-7 minutes on a treadmill. Next, follow these steps:
You need to remember this weight. That's all for today with squats. If you want to work on your thighs more, go to cable machines.
After a week, try performing a set with the weight you recorded in the previous workout. You'll probably struggle to complete 12 reps. Great - you have chosen the weight you will work with.
Now your goal is growth in every workout. Increasing weight and number of repetitions. Just don't overdo it! Weight gain should not be an end in itself, but side effect your proper workouts.
Certainly, in a few months Training on squats alone will not be enough for you. To maximize the development of your hips and buttocks, you can combine squats with the following exercises:
In conclusion, I would like to give you a few recommendations that will increase the effectiveness of your training and make you a more attractive girl:
In between approaches and squats with a barbell, walk around the hall. The blood in your legs should not stagnate.
The number of repetitions in the approach must be chosen based on your goal. If you want to increase muscle mass in your thighs and buttocks, do no more than 12 repetitions. And to work out the relief, perform 20 repetitions. Optimal time for rest between approaches - 2-3 minutes.
Don't neglect your workout calf muscles, because they also play a role in giving a sexy shape to your legs . To work them out, perform lifts on your toes with dumbbells or in a machine.
Leg training is a big test for your respiratory system. Have you ever noticed that it is after squats that you run out of energy? Run or cycle twice a week to avoid this. Firstly, this is also a load on the legs. Secondly, barbell squats will be easier for you, and therefore you will grow much faster.
After strength training your legs, you need to do a cool-down. Most best option- stretching exercises. Believe me, if you spend 15-20 minutes after training to develop the elasticity of your hips and buttocks, they will grow faster. Moreover, plastic women look very beautiful.
Figure is the basis of female attractiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to develop your body evenly and not neglect other muscle groups.
Now you know everything about barbell squats. In just a week you will see the first results, and in 4-5 months you will become the happy owner of chiseled legs and firm buttocks. Every man, looking at you, will think: “Surely she plays sports, a cool girl.” Do you want everything to be exactly like this?? Take action! Good luck to you!
Attention, TODAY only!
Greetings, my dear readers, subscribers and other passing individuals! Today we have a small, but no less valuable note. And its value lies in the fact that it is practical and directly related to the results of training. Its topic is the following - ? After reading, you will learn based on what considerations you need to select the weight of the weight and compare whether you are lifting a feasible load each time you train.
Let's not put things off, let's go.
How to choose the right dumbbell weight: basic principles
Well, I would like to start with the fact that the magic kick-off for writing this article was one extraordinary situation that occurred within the walls of my birthplace. If you don’t know, then summer is just around the corner, which means that it is during the spring period that gyms/fitness rooms begin to simply burst with an influx of visitors who want to quickly get their bodies in order. The idea is undoubtedly good, but sometimes in such an arms race for a sculpted body, many fundamental components suffer, such as the duration of classes, the frequency of training and, of course, right choice projectile weight (including dumbbells).
So, early Saturday morning the pioneers visited our rocking chair (at once) about 10 newcomers of different genders and religions :). Everyone had their own goals, but for some reason they all huddled around the racks with dumbbells and tormented only these shells. It is worth saying that the choice is quite good, especially for a beginner, who is all a wonder to him, his eyes run all over the place, and the same question is constantly spinning in his head: “what is this one for?”
Note:
Your humble servant always tries to be involved, or at least curious, in order to notice for himself what difficulties each particular newcomer faces. Many people think that all trainee mistakes are similar and identical, for the most part this is true, but there are also many non-trivial situations that require separate analysis.
I monitored our company for a few minutes and realized that the main reason for all their mistakes was the incorrectly selected weight of the apparatus in each specific exercise. Some took too much and tried to do a large number of repetitions, while others, on the contrary, tried too few (most often girls) and nothing good came out of this either. And then it dawned on me, but the question is not so simple, especially for a beginner. It has its own technologies and schemes that few people know about. This is what I decided to talk about, in full, in this article.
My guess is that most visitors gym select the weight of the projectile for themselves using the scientific method, i.e. guessed right or wrong. Of course, at first it takes place, but it is better to adhere to some general scheme or set of rules regarding the choice of a feasible burden. We will get acquainted with them further, but let’s first remember such a phenomenon in bodybuilding (and not only) as muscle failure.
Note:
All further narration will proceed in parts, in the form of answers to questions.
What is muscle failure
If you think that the question of how to choose the right weight for dumbbells and the topic of muscle failure are not related, you are deeply mistaken. Those who don’t know what it is and want to learn in full about this phenomenon, then read the corresponding article:. In a nutshell, failure is a critical point that is characterized by a muscle's inability to perform the next repetition with proper form. (With correct technique) . In other words, performing the subsequent repetition with correct technique without assistance becomes impossible. Therefore, if you feel that the “muscle has died” (has become clogged), do not try to start a new repetition - just finish the exercise.
For example, if you are doing dumbbell bicep curls with 15 kg dumbbell and have already done 12 repetitions, but you feel that you cannot do another repeat, this means that you have reached muscle failure of the biceps brachii muscle in 12 -ty repetitions.
How to choose the right dumbbell weight for a specific exercise
Your choice of exercise weight will be based on the number of repetitions required. If your standard training program for assumes 10-12 repetitions, then you need to select a weight that will allow you to achieve muscle failure in a given repetition range. Moreover, the latter 1-2 repits must be critically difficult, but with the correct technique and independently.
If you are still tormented by doubts about how many approaches and repetitions you need to do, then read the relevant notes: , .
In general, when choosing a weight, adhere to the following: 5 steps:
- outline the required number of repetitions (for example, let's take 10-12 ) ;
- choose a weight that you think will allow you to perform 10-12 repetitions to failure with correct technique;
- if you have completed everything 10-12 reps, save the weight and use it in the next set;
- if you have not reached the lower limit in 10 repetitions (only completed 8 ) , then reduce the weight of the projectile;
- if you ran away 12 reps, then increase the weight a little.
For a beginner (especially at first) It is critical to keep a log of the weights used for each exercise in a given rep range.
When can you increase the weight of dumbbells?
We have solved the question of how to choose the right weight for dumbbells. Now you need to decide when you can increase their weight. The weight of the resistance can only be increased if it will consistently cause muscle failure to occur above the rep range that is recommended (you have determined) for the exercise. For example, your typical arm workout consists of dumbbell bicep curls. 3 sets 10-12 repetitions.
The log (diary) shows that you are using a dumbbell weight 15 kg and for the entire time we did the maximum 12 repetitions. Begins new workout, and you feel (after the milestone in 12 repeats) what else can you do in a controlled manner? 1-2 times. This is a signal that the weight needs to be slightly increased.
The practical question is how to add it lightly? Often dumbbells are not collapsible, but beaker weights 0,5/0,25 There is no way to add kg to them (the size range of cast dumbbells simply does not allow for such an increase). Personally, in such cases I use handy means in the form of rubber bands (black/red) or strings. With them I secure free weight(in the form of small disks) With different sides dumbbells, thereby increasing its tonnage :). Simply place the disk on one side and secure it crosswise with an elastic band. The result is a non-separable dumbbell 15 , A 15,5 kg, the goal has been achieved, but the means to achieve it do not matter.
Note:
Few people know, but Victor Martinez (professional bodybuilder) I started my journey in bodybuilding with regular dumbbells and simple home exercises. He knew how to handle them and what weights were best to work with.
In conclusion (yes, just imagine, the conclusion is already unusual, right?) I will give a number of general recommendations that must be followed when working with any weight. They are as follows:
- don’t try to surprise anyone - don’t worry that everyone is lifting large pieces of iron while you lift 5 kilogram dumbbells, everything will come with time;
- work with light weights until you master the correct technique;
- warm up the muscles and ligaments that will work in the exercise;
- you should be able to maintain the same (except for the last 1-2 repetitions) lifting tempo of dumbbells throughout the entire set;
- when lifting dumbbells while standing, pay attention to the position of the body and shoulder blades - they should be turned out and the back should be straight;
- subsequently you can lift heavier weights, sacrificing technique, but you must understand why this is being done and whether it is necessary at all;
- when getting ready for training, you must clearly know how much weight you will be working with and in what number of repetitions;
- when choosing a weight for an exercise, remember that the larger the muscle group, the more weight she can lift. Use small and medium dumbbells (by weight) to work your biceps/triceps/deltoids and medium and large dumbbells to work your chest and back muscles;
- Often the increment in weight is 5-10% , i.e. if you did bicep curls 10 kg, then the next one weight category 10,5 – 11 kg.
- the dumbbell should fit snugly in your hand (handle/neck should not be wide), otherwise your attention will switch to holding it, and not to lifting it;
- There are exercises, for example, dumbbell swings in a tilted position on the rear deltoids, in which the weight of the projectile must be selected very small. Otherwise rear delta will work at a minimum, because All the load will be taken by other muscles (trapezius).
- do not increase the weight of the projectile until you are able to perform at least 3 set.
Afterword
Another note went into the archive, in it we talked about... I’m sure now you know which dumbbell to grab and when.
That's all, I was glad to write for you, good luck in the gym, see you in touch!
PS. Let's get active in the comments and ask our questions, let's start.
P.P.S. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points towards karma, guaranteed.
With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.
