Picking out the "right" weight
Weight selection can be tricky & easily feel overwhelming in the middle of a workout in your unsure of which weight to select.
These feelings of overwhelm can quickly lead us to using the same weights month after month or…
dare I say…
year after year!
Which translates to months (hopefully not years) going by with you just spinning your wheels and getting no real return (aka strength/hypertrophy gains).
The goal of this post is to share some knowledge with you so that doesn’t happen, or stops happening!
2 tips to help ensure you’re using a purposeful weight:
If you can get 10+ reps in a row without pausing between reps, then you may need to increase the weight you’re using.
If that’s the case for you, try adding 5-10# to upper body lifts or 10-20# for lower body lifts! You can also look at the weight you’re currently using and aim to increase it by ~10% for your next set/workout.
With that being said, it is important to note that some programs/lifts will purposefully have you complete more than 10 reps in a set. If the program/workout is designed/asking you to do so, that’s not a bad thing! And the load you’re using may be perfect for that particular purpose/lift.
I always recommend talking to your coach/trainer or reaching out to one you trust to chat more about your specific situation.
Start incorporating RPE and RIR into your lifts.
RPE stands for “rating of perceived exertion” and is (typically) a scale of 1-10 where each number value represents a different intensity. As the number increases on the scale, the intensity of the lift goes up.
Similarly, RIR stands for “reps in reserve” and is a number representing the amount of reps you should have leftover (or would be able to complete if you continued) at the end of each programmed set.
Generally, aiming for RPE 7-9 or RIR 1-3 is most useful for strength or hypertrophy goals.
Those are just a couple of ways you might gauge your weight selection for lifts. Other methods might include:
% 1 rep max (%1RM)
1,3,5 rep max or estimated 1RM testing (something I use with my clients)
Recording your lifts & self-reflecting on difficulty
Getting feedback from a coach or other experienced lifter