How much is too much weight?

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Merkavar
Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
For a beginner/noob weight lifter, how much do you consider too much weight.

My brother bought like a barbell and a few other things and 100kg worth of weight.

I was talking to my dad about it, like mentioning the bar is rated to 1600 pounds and that he got 100kg worth of weights etc, every time i said something my dad would make noises or whinge like i was saying my brother bought 100kg of steroids and was going to start smoking shark testosterone.

Is he just being a cry baby? Is buying 100kg of weight extreme?

Its not like its a single weight, its multiple weights so he can work his way up.

Just wondering what your opinion is.
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Replies

  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Uhhh 220 lbs of weights is not a lot.
  • oilphins
    oilphins Posts: 240 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Everyone has a limit to what they can and can't lift. I've seen guys at the gym deadlift 400 lbs, but they're not going to do a shoulder press, tricep extention, bicep curl etc.. with that much weight. now with leg workouts, he might need more weight. 220 lbs is more than enough for a beginner, but if he's a big guy who can bench press or do squats with that much or even more weight, then he can always get more. Especially if he's a beginner, he doesn't want to overdo it and end up injuring himself. Do what's comfortable and take it from there.
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
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    My first olympic barbell set was 320kg...my dumbbell set is like 160kg...
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Lol @ shark testosterone.

    I agree with you OP. It's not one fixed barbell, it's a bar and plates. Sounds completely reasonable to me.
  • samhennings
    samhennings Posts: 441 Member
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    I started stronglifts in March, currently my Deadlift is 85kg and my squat 70kg.

    Ive never lifted before, started with the bar and have been to the gym 20 times for SL workouts.

    I think if I were to try and set up at home Id go with 100kg to start, and likely pick up some more in the not to distant future.
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,476 Member
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    100kg isn't that much weight. It's great for a beginner but I suspect he'll need to buy more in a month or two if he's squatting and deadlifting.
    I'm a novice lifter and I'll be deadlifting 102kg for reps next week.
  • HamsterManV2
    HamsterManV2 Posts: 449 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Lets take a standard beginner barbell program, Starting Strength or Strong Lifts. The main exercise is the squat (3x a week) with bench press and overhead press and the deadlift (which uses the MOST weight).

    You start with the bar, and every session (3x a week) you increase the weights by 5 lbs. In 1 week its +15lbs to your squat. In 1 month that's 60lbs (total of 105lbs / 50kg on the bar). In 2 to 3 months, they will hit their first stall period where they can no longer increase the weight, usually at 1.2 to 1.5x bodyweight (say 200lbs/90kg, I got to 230lbs/105kg), reset by 10%, and continue climbing with the weight.

    Now keep in mind this is a barbell beginner strength program. You can get to this in under a year of training if you are young and male (and plenty of strong females too). Most people's deadlifts should be more than the squat. Mine is 40lbs/18kg higher currently. I would say having 250 to 300lbs (115 to 140kg) in plates is a good place to start.

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    I bought about 200kg of weights because I found a good deal on rogue hi temp plates on Craigslist. I just tell myself I'm using them to weigh my power rack down so it doesn't move around.

    dns4479ln3l9.jpg


  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    IMHO, too much weight is more than one could lift with good form. What he purchased is definitely not a problem if he can mix the weights up and work his way higher as he progresses.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    As much as you can for 3-10 reps with good form.
  • kickassbarbie
    kickassbarbie Posts: 286 Member
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    If its a bar and plates then it's not too much! He can add and take off what he needs, start off only using the bar or what he can safely lift, then add. I would think eventually he will need to buy more plates anyway. I started with 100kg for my home gym and had to buy more and more plates.

    Its only too much if you cant lift it safely or you cant financally afford it... Your dad's probably more upset about how much money your brother spent on something he feels is not needed, people not into lifting do not understand why people spend so much on it. My mother cringes when she hears how much my gym equipment is worth and I bought alot second hand. Weights are not cheap!
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
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    I have carried 285lbs and currently 190lbs My bench, squat has gone up or down 110-130lbs plus body weight religiously over decades. example 200lbs of body weight I lift 310-330 I don't know why its just what it seems to always be.
  • hardcorex
    hardcorex Posts: 5 Member
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    galgenstrick wrote: »
    I bought about 200kg of weights because I found a good deal on rogue hi temp plates on Craigslist. I just tell myself I'm using them to weigh my power rack down so it doesn't move around.

    dns4479ln3l9.jpg


    That is sexy.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Do you have a source for this shark testosterone? I'd like to try it. Is it on Amazon? I have a Prime membership, that'd be handy.

    Having said that, 220lbs is nothing. He'll probably need more weights within 6 months if he's a reasonably healthy male.

    Crap, I think I have over 1500lbs of plates myself. They are really dangerous, sitting there on that plate tree.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    Yeah I figured 100kg wasn't too much.

    Not sure about other weights but he was doing like 190kg leg presses so he isn't completely unfit.

    I suspect he will need more weight sooner than he thinks.

    Hopefully I can catch up to him soon. We do kick boxing together. Him and his 190kg leg presses etc vs me and my 140kg leg presses.

    I blame it on my calorie deficit.
  • cfp1981
    cfp1981 Posts: 29 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    I suspect he will need more weight sooner than he thinks.

    I suspect you will be correct.
  • thegrimmycrew
    thegrimmycrew Posts: 46 Member
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    when you lose proper form...you have too much weight..never sacrifice form.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    It's all relative....
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
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    I am a 123 lb 5'0" woman, and I can deadlift 175 lbs (approx 80 kilos) after 3 months of lifting, so, yeah, not too much.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Merkavar wrote: »
    For a beginner/noob weight lifter, how much do you consider too much weight.

    My brother bought like a barbell and a few other things and 100kg worth of weight.

    I was talking to my dad about it, like mentioning the bar is rated to 1600 pounds and that he got 100kg worth of weights etc, every time i said something my dad would make noises or whinge like i was saying my brother bought 100kg of steroids and was going to start smoking shark testosterone.

    Is he just being a cry baby? Is buying 100kg of weight extreme?

    Its not like its a single weight, its multiple weights so he can work his way up.

    Just wondering what your opinion is.

    Tell your Dad to grow a pair.

    There. I said it.

    Tell your brother to lift what he can with good form and follow a good structured program to sensibly increase his strength while staying injury free.

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