How do you know what weight you need to lift?
Figuring out what loads your muscles can handle is often a process of trial and error. Of course, you don't want to choose too little weight without getting the muscle tension you need to build muscle. But you also don't really want to take such a weight that when you lift it, your teeth creak all over the room.
There is a strategy that can help determine your ideal weight and find out when it's time to lift heavier weights. It all starts with three simple things:
· Correct technique
* Listen to your body
* Take a break, do not rush between exercises, but do not rest too long
Correct technique
One of the things that people don't understand when lifting weights is that the body will now move strongly when doing so. Unfortunately, this can undermine the very purpose of the exercise.
When you lift a weight, you always need to focus on certain muscles during the movement. You can accidentally use inertia to make it easier to lift the weight. By doing this, you distribute the energy intended for one muscle to many muscles.
This is why people who grunt, arch their backs, or throw weight are doing themselves a disservice (and probably annoying others in the process). Just by reducing their weight to a reasonable level, they can achieve much more with much less cost.
Recommendations
Here's a trick that might help: instead of lifting weight while standing without support, try pressing your back against a wall or counter while doing the exercise. Try flexing your biceps to see what we mean. You'll be surprised how much harder it will be to lift the weight if the back muscles and cortex can't help.
Focus on your technique when performing any weightlifting exercises. Keep your back and shoulders straight, your hips level, your stomach tight, and your head and neck relaxed but elevated. This will not only help you keep fit, but it will also help you determine what weight is appropriate for the exercise you are doing.
Choose the right weight
Let's say you're doing a 10-exercise training program that includes three sets of 10 reps for each exercise. This is a good starting point for a general fitness plan.
To determine the ideal weight for a particular exercise:
1. Choose a weight that will allow you to do the first 10 reps with moderate difficulty. By the end of the tenth rep, you should have difficulty lifting the exercises, but not enough to strain, hold your breath, or shake excessively. If this happens, lower the bar.
2. Rest for at least 30 seconds and no more than 60 seconds between sets.
3. By the tenth exercise of the third approach, you should be struggling to complete the exercise, but be able to do it without grunting and breaking the form. This is exactly the kind of intensity that you will want to maintain, whether you are new to strength training or already an experienced athlete.
4. If you find that you can do the last lift without much effort, then it's time to increase the weight. Progressive overload (weight gain over time)is a fundamental principle of strength training. If you don't constantly challenge your body by increasing your weight, you will eventually stop getting benefits, even if you increase the amount of exercise you do.
If your current weight is insufficient and the next one is too heavy, you have two options for achieving the right tired state:
* Use a heavier weight and do eight or nine reps.
* Stay at your current weight and increase to 12-15 reps.
Result
If in doubt, work for a few weeks with a personal trainer to learn the correct form and technique. Exercises are not always intuitive. It is always better to learn good habits first than to correct mistakes later.
