How to Choose the Right Weight in the Gym
When it comes to working out, choosing the right weight can make all the difference in your fitness journey. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gym-goer, it's important to select a weight that challenges you without putting you at risk of injury. If you're unsure of how to choose the right weight, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Start with light weights
If you're new to weightlifting or haven't been to the gym in a while, start with light weights. This will help you build up your strength and technique without putting too much strain on your muscles. It's better to start with lighter weights and gradually work your way up than to jump into heavy weights right away and risk injury.
2. Know your limits
It's important to know your limits when it comes to weightlifting. While pushing yourself is important, you don't want to push yourself too hard and risk injuring yourself. Make sure you're choosing a weight that challenges you but still allows you to maintain proper form throughout your workout.
If you begin to complete a rep and notice some aspect of your form slipping, it is never a bad idea to put the weight down and reassess with a slightly lighter load.
If you’re unsure, it’s also always a valuable tool to have a spotter work with you to ensure that you’re safe.
3. Use the 10-rep rule
A good rule of thumb when choosing a weight is to use the 10-rep rule. This means that you should choose a weight that allows you to perform 10 reps of an exercise with proper form. If you're able to easily do more than 10 reps, the weight is too light. If you're struggling to complete 10 reps, the weight is too heavy.
This is an excellent rule for beginners - but becomes more complex as you begin to challenge yourself further in the gym. Once you are experimenting with strength and power (1-6 rep range) or challenging yourself further with hypertrophy (12-15+ reps), this rule will become less and less relevant.
However, any time you are learning a new exercise, it’s a great place to start. Choose a weight that you can complete ten reps with good form, but struggle on the last few.
4. Gradually increase the weight
Once you've found a weight that works for you, gradually increase the weight as your strength improves. This will help you continue to challenge yourself without overdoing it.
You can increase weight based on the rep and set schemes that are scheduled into your program. If you have a week where you’re looking at doing 8-12 reps, ensure that you’re choosing a challenging weight where you can actually complete that many reps. On the other hand, if you have a week where you’re looking to train in the 1-5 rep range, you’ll want to choose a much more challenging weight to ensure that the last rep is just as challenging as when you used lighter weights to 12 reps.
5. Listen to your body
Above all, it's important to listen to your body when it comes to weightlifting. If something doesn't feel right or if you're experiencing pain, take a step back and reevaluate your weight selection. It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to working out.
Choosing the right weight in the gym can be a daunting task, but with these tips in mind, you'll be able to find a weight that challenges you without putting you at risk of injury.
