You Asked: How Much Weight Should I Lift?

Strength training may not be rocket science, but for the average person, figuring out the best, safest, and most effective ways to lift weights is no small task. There's no shortage of workout videos, toning classes and fitness plans you could follow to reach your goals of toning up, building strength, and reshaping your body. But even if you're following a great plan designed by a knowledgeable trainer, one big question still remains: How much weight should you be lifting?

This is by far the most common question I receive. While there is no easy answer, I'm going to break it down for you as simply as possible so that you are getting the results you're looking for from your strength training program while staying safe at the same time.

How much weight should you lift during strength training? Drum roll please…

It depends. I know, I know, not a straight answer, but an accurate one! Let me explain.

We are all at different strength levels and the muscles throughout your body vary in strength, too. So while 10 pounds might be the ideal weight for you to lift during biceps curls, you could struggle with that weight during lateral raises, or leg press it all day as if it were a bag of feathers. So keep in mind that the amount of weight you lift during one exercise could be too light or too heavy for another. That said, you'll probably need to experiment with a variety of weights to find the appropriate level for each exercise you do. Working out at a gym makes that easy, but doing so at home will take a little more space and investment. I think it's a good idea to have at least two, and ideally three sets of dumbbells at home: a light, medium and heavier set, which is defined by your own fitness level. That could be 2, 5, and 7 pounds for one person, or 5, 10 and 15 pounds for another. Personally, I keep 6, 10 and 20 pound weights at home, which allow me to do a variety of workouts and exercises safely and effectively.

So how much should you lift? Here are the 5 guidelines you need to follow to select the proper weight for strength training.

Aim low. The safest and most effective thing to do if you are a beginner is to master your exercises with little to no added weight. This allows you to focus intensely on proper form, which is essential before you're going to increase the weight (and therefore your risk of injury, should you be doing things incorrectly). There is no shame in doing body weight squats, crunches, modified pushups or even "mock" bench presses or triceps extensions without added weight. Many workout DVDs modify the workout for beginners by doing the same exact moves without any added weight. It's a great way to start if you are new to strength training OR trying a new workout DVD/class/exercise for the first time! Slowly begin to incorporate weights, starting with your lightest weights, only after you have mastered the moves without weight.
Go slow. If you have to move at jackrabbit speed or harness momentum to lift the weight, it is too heavy. Period. The proper weight will allow you to move in a slow, controlled manner.
Never sacrifice form for function. You might want to fast track your results by picking a heavy weight, but lifting more weight should never trump doing it correctly. If you can't do the exercise properly, then the added weight is not doing you any favors and may actually increase your risk for serious injury.
Count your reps. In general, you are lifting the right amount of weight when you can perform 8-15 repetitions in good form. Once you get strong enough to do more than 15 repetitions more easily, it's probably time to increase the weight again.
Work to fatigue. This is the #1 key to selecting the proper weight. The weight you lift should not only meet the guidelines for form above, but should also challenge your muscles! The only way strength training is really going to benefit you is for you to overload your muscles—that means working them to fatigue. The weight you select should be challenging enough to fatigue your muscles within 8-15 repetitions.

When you put this all together, the proper weight:

Is moderately challenging (not so heavy that you can't lift it with proper form and control, and not so light that you could lift it forever).
Fatigues your muscles within 8-15 reps (which means you couldn’t possibly lift another repetition in good form beyond that).
Varies depending on the exercise and muscle group you are working since some muscles are stronger than others, just as certain exercise are inherently more complex or challenging than others.
Will continue to change as you get stronger, and this continual progression is what improves your strength over time and boosts your fitness level.

Do you feel confident in selecting the proper weight for strength training? Was this explanation helpful to you? Share any other pressing fitness questions you have, and I could answer yours in a future blog post!

Comments

EVIE4NOW 7/21/2020

Thanks Report

GRANNYOF05 6/18/2020

thanks Report

CECTARR 1/29/2020

Thanks Report

DIROB57 11/7/2019

Good information...thanks! Report

CECELW 9/18/2019

something new to learn everyday Report

BLHEALTH

Nice to know theses facts. Tks Report

BILLTHOMSON

Helpful information Report

PLCHAPPELL

Good article Report

REYNAJUST4KIX

Great info, thank you. Report

DRAGONFLY631

Helpful. Thanks Report

FISHGUT3

thanks Report

JOHNMARTINMILES

Great article Report

KHALIA2

Thank you for this great info! Report

EMGERBER

A good list of things to consider when weight lifting. Report

GABY1948

Thanks Report

FRABBIT

Good article but was a bit confused about 8-15 reps should make you fatigued because often the exercise say to do 2 to 3 sets. Report

CHERIRIDDELL

thank you Report

97MONTY

Thanks Report

MISSY_0117

I guess I will have to add a little more weight at the gym. Report

EMGERBER

Good information! Report

ALEPEQUIJADA

Thanks Report

RAZZOOZLE

thank you Report

JOHNMARTINMILES

Great info and useful Report

JOHNMARTINMILES

The age old question is how much should I lift. These are good pointers om determining the answer and being aware that it is ever changing! Report

IWANNABE_ALICE

I was just thinking last night I needed to figure out guidelines for weights! Report

KHALIA2

Great article, Coach Nicole! Report

TWEETYKC00

Thanks for the article. Report

TWEETYKC00

Thanks for the article. Report

WEBLIZARD

Thanks coach Nicole, excellent advice. Your information helped me get a better picture of the weight I should use. Report

ILOVEROSES

Good information Report

J38850

Thanks for information it was really helpful. Report

DJ4HEALTH

Good info Report

MSROZZIE

Excellent article. Good need-to-know information, thanks! Report

_CYNDY55_

Great to know! Report

MNABOY

Good to know Report

KATHYJO56

I wish I had known this information before I tore my rotor cuff doing the hand weights incorrectly. Report

SPINECCO

This blog was very helpful because it was a great reminder of how much weight I should be lifting during strength training. Thanks. Report

4LMHJCR

very helpful information! Report

DJ4HEALTH

Great information! Report

SALSETH1

How timely. I was just told that I should begin using slightly heavier weights. This article has helped me to clearly understand when my weights are heavy enough to be productive. Thanks!
Report

LOULOUWLG403

Thanks I'm a beginner. I thought I would use 16 oz. canned veggies. to start
with. Then get dumbbells of 3 lbs. to certain exercises. Then gradually add
on. Have a Marvelous & Blessed Monday! Report

MLD1983

Good piece...a cheat rep is okay every now and then though (a little momentum on that bicep curl or shoulder press). Report

-A-NEW-ME

This was a very informative blog. I especially found the idea of thinking of form first by doing the "curls" without weights. I believe I will start there. yes. I will start my weight training without weights for the first week, then re-evaluate from there. If my form is "acceptable or satisfactory" I will add 3-pound dumbbells. Thank you for this blog. It took the "intimidation" away. Report

CYBRARYCARD

Would be nice if tracking was more user friendly to the working to fatigue concept. Seems like having to log most strength training exercises twice just to create a separate set with fewer reps for each could somehow be alleviated. Report

PHIX95

I've been lifting for a while and do 3 sets of 10 reps usually. Should I, instead, do ONE set and add more weight? Because when I do 3 sets, I have to make sure I'll be able to lift 2 more sets so I can't go to fatigue on the first set.
Also, I may be gaining muscle (I think in my legs at least) but I have this thin-ish layer of fat I guess so i can't see any of my progress. It's very discouraging. Especially when in highschool my arms look so sculpted w/only doing some push-ups or nothing at all. Report

BEVERLY-L

Thanks for the reassurance on the different weights for different exercises. Joined a gym last week and met with a personal trainer this week for upper body exercises; while I could usually use the 3 lb dumbbells, for the lateral raises I had to use 2 lbs. And there were even one or two exercises that I needed to use the 5 lb, which amazed me! Report

SUE-Z-QUE

I had been doing strength training at a gym for a number of years. I had to quit and at that time my right arm was kind of bothering me. (I was lifting about 20# on bicep curl and was close to 70 at the time.) After I quit, the arm got better. Then went back to lifting at home and think I did what I knew NOT to do -- lifted too much too soon. And the shoulder began hurting again. After a year of physical therapy, I had a right shoulder replacement. Now I am doing PT 3 times a day. When I can go back to regular lifting, I had a nurse friend tell me to not go above 8#. That used to be so easy, but will I have to continually up the weight?? Do not want another shoulder replacement because I went too high. Report

GOOSE6510

I think this is great advice! I am going to the gym to lift on Tuesday and have every intention of following your advice. =) Report

RDAKZOOM

Nicole,
I truly Thank You for this blog. It is informative and does motivate me to give it a try. It explains what happen to me years ago; then, I quit. (I was a bull dozer.) I will start without the weights to get the form correct and then move up to weights. Thanks for taking the time to clarify it all.
God Bless You in all You do to keep 'SparkPeople' motivated & healthy! Report

OKIE_NANA

Very good article.
I've had some training and a lot of physical therapy. I know what feels good when I start and then says NO MORE after about 13-15 reps. If I'm not going to drop the weights on myself, I try one more rep.

Be very careful with bench press. That has to be where I broke my clavicle. That seriously limited what I could do. I had to get one of the guys to lock the machine after squats. Report

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You Asked: How Much Weight Should I Lift?

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