It's non unusual to experience confused and overwhelmed when you step into the weight room if it's been awhile — or if you lot're completely new to it. One question that commonly crops up is: How do I know how much weight to lift?

If you've plant yourself asking this question, balance assured the answer isn't too complex. Only before we can become into the specifics, you need to identify your strength-training goal, as it will determine how many reps you'll perform, which will then dictate how lite or heavy to get with the weights.

Here'southward a breakdown of the most common forcefulness-training goals:

This is a dandy goal to start with if you're a beginner or returning to exercise after a long hiatus. If you lot're working toward general fitness, stick to 3 sets of viii–12 reps, says transmission therapist Johnny Tea, certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of JT Force Therapy in Pasadena, California.

When chasing pure strength, your best bet is to lift heavier loads for 1–six reps. It's important to build a strong foundation and know how to elevator with proper course earlier you go heavy, and then brand sure you've been lifting consistently 2–3 times per week for at least 6 months before working within this rep range.

If you're hoping to increase muscle size, your available rep range is a lot wider than previously thought. In the by, the standard recommendation for packing on muscle was to elevator moderately heavy loads for 6–12 reps. At present, a review in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research suggests you can build musculus just as effectively past lifting a heavier load (greater than sixty% of your i-rep maximum or the most weight you can lift for a unmarried rep) equally lifting a lighter load (less than or equal to sixty% of your 1-rep max). The key is to take your sets within a rep or two of muscular failure or the point where your class begins to pause downwards.

To improve the ability of your muscles to contract repeatedly over longer periods of time, you'll want to perform sets of 12–20 reps with a lighter weight. You tin can also try exercise classes like barre and yoga, where yous agree poses for longer periods of time (typically 60 seconds) using but your bodyweight, says Ashley Walter , a personal trainer and healthy living expert in Chicago.

One time you've ID'd your strength-training goal and target rep range, you can and so set out to determine how much weight to lift.

For simplicity's sake, Tea recommends using a 1-to-10 rating of perceived exertion (RPE) calibration. When rating your perceived exertion level, or how difficult you feel like your body is working, recall of 1 as no effort and 10 equally maximum effort. Inside this range, Tea suggests aiming for a weight that feels similar an eight. When you lift a load at a perceived exertion level of eight, you end your set feeling like you could have performed two more reps.

If you can perform one or ii reps over your desired number, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends increasing weight by 2–ten% . So, if you can squat 135 pounds for one or two reps over the target number, increase the weight to 137.vii–148.5 pounds. On the other hand, if you're struggling to consummate your set, go lighter.

Intermediate-to-advanced lifters may periodically examination their one-rep maximum for bigger lifts similar squats, bench presses and deadlifts to gauge forcefulness progress and aid make up one's mind how much weight to lift. For example, if you know you can squat 135 pounds for a single rep, chances are you could elevator a "low-cal" load (equal to or less than 60% of your i-rep max) of lxxx pounds for roughly 12 reps.

Withal, Tea prefers to use the RPE scale over percentages, as there are many factors — similar sleep, nutrition, stress and overall recovery — that determine how much you tin can lift on whatever given day. "Let's say someone did a goblet squat with a 35-pound dumbbell," he says, "that might typically be an 8 for that person, simply if they got a really bad night of sleep, that 35 pounds might actually feel like an 11."

Whether you're lifting for a one-rep max or banging out reps of bodyweight exercises, you lot need to focus on doing it with proper form.

If you're not certain what correct class looks or feels like, seek professional help — specially if you're a beginner. "I firmly believe that, in gild to exist every bit rubber as possible, people should start with someone who tin can help them with course and breathing and so send them away with a plan that they can exercise on their own after they feel comfortable enough," Walter says. She recommends coming together with a trainer at least 3–iv times to boom proper lifting form.

What'southward more than, your form needs to be on-bespeak before you add more weight. While lifting any weight with good form is critical for injury prevention, it becomes even more important the heavier yous go. "If your course is inadequate, your torso starts to compensate, and that might not mean yous go injured right off the bat, merely somewhen your body will outset to break down every bit you put on more than weight or move on to more challenging exercises," Tea says.

Even as you lot become more advanced, it's a good idea to work with a partner whenever possible, specially when you try heavy lifts. "Spotters are key to holding you lot accountable and keeping you rubber every bit you push your weight," Walter says.