How much weight should you lift to gain muscle?
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NadNight
Posts: 794 Member
Obviously the answer will vary from person to person, but if you're looking to build muscle is there a way of knowing roughly how much you should lift (like a % of your weight)? I'm particularly interested in deadlifts and squats here. Is it just as heavy as you can, even if that's not very much? Or do I need to build up enough strength to be able to lift heavier things before I can build?
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I would say if you are just starting and you are interested in the compound lifts, look up the 5x5 strongman workout. That will give you a good basis as it calculates off your 1rm to make a 9 week program that's challenging but manageable. If you need any help with it or want some different programs let me know. Always happy to help.1
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Whatever weight is challenging for you. Look for a program (there's a whole list in the stickies) that appeals to you and fits your level of lifting experience. Make sure you're progressively over loading and keep going.3
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You can build muscle with a variety of different weight and rep ranges as long as you provide sufficient stimulation for the muscle fibres. However, we don't tend to look at these things in terms of % of bodyweight so much as percentage of your maximum lift capability, which is called a one rep max (1RM). A normal 1RM% and rep range for a beginner might be 75% of 1RM for 8 reps and 3 sets of those as an example, but this depends on the program and your goals.
Deadlifts and squats are among the best exercises you can do for building muscle and strength fast. I would suggest you find a good beginner program and as mentioned by @Rob_181, you could try strong lifts 5x5, and @Davidsdottir already mentioned the sticky at the top of this forum.
Good luck to you, and remember, it's more about the effort you put in than any formula or program.5 -
I agree with the above posters, make sure to hit your compound lifts Squats for quads, Deadlifts for the legs and lower back (I prefer Romanian Deadlift although they will hit more your hamstrings and a little less on other areas vs regular deadlift), BB Bench Press for the chest and OHP for your shoulders. For those compound lifts, I suggest you lift somewhere in the 4-6 rep range. You can then add a few isolation exercises and the rep range can vary between 8 to 12, you choose the rep range that your comftorble at. You can start one like this one if you want ( https://aworkoutroutine.com/the-beginner-weight-training-workout-routine/ ) I have acheived great results with the aworkoutroutine workout programs, but just remember, there isn't one best workout program out there, there are many good workout programs, you choose one where your body responds well to and make sure your diet is on point. Many people believe workout alone will give you a great body, but that's false, diet is equally or actually even more important than the lifting. Don't be a type of woman who cuts forever either, I see too many women who are on an eternal cutting, you won't build your muscles to it's potential. You can't be affraid of lean bulking.2
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I also agree with the above posters. I found this article helpful in explaining it all
https://bretcontreras.com/training-for-maximum-muscle-growth-explained/
I will add, my deadlift and squat are pretty poor considering how long I've been lifting. It has not hindered my ability to gain muscle in my lower body at all.3 -
If you are new to lifting, there is no reason to start with anything other than an empty bar to learn proper form.
I started squats and bench with the bar (45lbs) and started with 65lbs for dls (bar + two 10lbs bumper plates).
If you are new to lifting, you can likely build some muscle while in a calorie deficit (newb gains).
I built appreciable strength in a deficit then in maintenance. I didn't really put on appreciable mass until I started to eat at a surplus. I started at 100 calories and added or reduced as necessary.2 -
Obviously the answer will vary from person to person, but if you're looking to build muscle is there a way of knowing roughly how much you should lift (like a % of your weight)? I'm particularly interested in deadlifts and squats here. Is it just as heavy as you can, even if that's not very much? Or do I need to build up enough strength to be able to lift heavier things before I can build?
Start where you are with a good quality program as recommended above.
You'll know that you've really arrived when you get to around 2x BW for Squat/DL and BW+ on Bench press.2 -
Don’t worry about the weight you are lifting. You will build muscles if you cause damage on the muscle fibers. Weight is only one of many ways you can use as variance to tear your muscle and when they repair with rest and food it will grow. And many time add weight can be dangerous. Before add weight try do rest pauses, drop sets, slow reps, isometric seconds follow by reps15
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Don’t worry about the weight you are lifting. You will build muscles if you cause damage on the muscle fibers. Weight is only one of many ways you can use as variance to tear your muscle and when they repair with rest and food it will grow. And many time add weight can be dangerous. Before add weight try do rest pauses, drop sets, slow reps, isometric seconds follow by reps
Actually, no, and I'm curious are you saying this as general advice you would give anyone or because she is a woman that adding weight is somehow dangerous? Adding weight is not dangerous, doing things beyond your capabilities, doing exercises incorrectly, or doing certain exercises known to be dangerous are issues, not mere progressive overload training.
A proper progressive weight training program doesn't need to do what you suggest and beginners should follow a straight forward progression scheme and not try to add in the extras you suggest. Those are for more advanced lifters who have certain goals in mind.
As for the idea of damaging muscle fibres, not exactly, yes weight training is one of many ways to do this and others, like bodyweight exercises, also provide necessary stimulation, but it's not damage so much as proper stimulation. There is some micro tearing, but the most important mechanism for building muscle is actually the release of metabolites such as MGF and not the micro tearing itself.8 -
I also agree with the above posters. I found this article helpful in explaining it all
https://bretcontreras.com/training-for-maximum-muscle-growth-explained/
I will add, my deadlift and squat are pretty poor considering how long I've been lifting. It has not hindered my ability to gain muscle in my lower body at all.
This is a great article. Thanks. I really should add some higher volume stuff onto my big lifts.1 -
Define 'gain muscle'? As in gain a 1/2 pound? Continuosly gaining?
To continue gaining muscle, you need to continue adding weight to your exercises in the medium rep range.5 -
Muscle hypertrophy is more of a factor related to total volume than it is pure intensity / weight-lifted. There's already some references in this thread for you to read, Dr. Brad Schoenfeld is another that I would suggest looking at.4
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I follow my own take on German volume training. You find your one rep max for that body part and take a percentage of it to rep out ten sets of ten. You never want to make your last rep on your last set our you are too light. I also switch it up a little after a few weeks I will lift 5 sets of 5 with heavier weights to increase strength too. For me volume training has been he beat way to get mass4
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Don't know how it would work for women but for men there are some arbitary lifting objectives that are commonly accepted as evidence of "basic" strength.
Generally these are being able to do a 1RM:
DL 2x BW
SQT 1.75X BW
BP 1.25x BW
OHP . 75x BW
These would be considered MINIMUMS and most men would strive to lift more.
If you are a woman and can lift this much, I think that you can assume that you also gained some muscle in the process.
How much can only be estimated by the measurement of LBM and BF by DXA, hydro or sone other method of BF measurement.
Just realIze that muscle only comprises a part of LBM (estimated at 42% for men and 35% for women) and there is no exact way to measure muscle apart from an autopsy.4 -
Don't know how it would work for women but for men there are some arbitary lifting objectives that are commonly accepted as evidence of "basic" strength.
Generally these are being able to do a 1RM:
DL 2x BW
SQT 1.75X BW
BP 1.25x BW
OHP . 75x BW
These would be considered MINIMUMS and most men would strive to lift more.
If you are a woman and can lift this much, I think that you can assume that you also gained some muscle in the process.
How much can only be estimated by the measurement of LBM and BF by DXA, hydro or sone other method of BF measurement.
Just realIze that muscle only comprises a part of LBM (estimated at 42% for men and 35% for women) and there is no exact way to measure muscle apart from an autopsy.
Those numbers(for an average man) will also get him within blinking range of the "1000 pound club" Which is another generally accepted lifting goal.2 -
Don't know how it would work for women but for men there are some arbitary lifting objectives that are commonly accepted as evidence of "basic" strength.
Generally these are being able to do a 1RM:
DL 2x BW
SQT 1.75X BW
BP 1.25x BW
OHP . 75x BW
These would be considered MINIMUMS and most men would strive to lift more.
If you are a woman and can lift this much, I think that you can assume that you also gained some muscle in the process.
How much can only be estimated by the measurement of LBM and BF by DXA, hydro or sone other method of BF measurement.
Just realIze that muscle only comprises a part of LBM (estimated at 42% for men and 35% for women) and there is no exact way to measure muscle apart from an autopsy.
Yea I believe the numbers are different for women. There is no way I am coming close to DL'ing 280lbs without years of very focused powerlifting training (which is not my goal at all) and to be honest, I think I have built way more muscle not training for strength only which is consistent with the article I posted.
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Don't know how it would work for women but for men there are some arbitary lifting objectives that are commonly accepted as evidence of "basic" strength.
Generally these are being able to do a 1RM:
DL 2x BW
SQT 1.75X BW
BP 1.25x BW
OHP . 75x BW
These would be considered MINIMUMS and most men would strive to lift more.
If you are a woman and can lift this much, I think that you can assume that you also gained some muscle in the process.
How much can only be estimated by the measurement of LBM and BF by DXA, hydro or sone other method of BF measurement.
Just realIze that muscle only comprises a part of LBM (estimated at 42% for men and 35% for women) and there is no exact way to measure muscle apart from an autopsy.
Yea I believe the numbers are different for women. There is no way I am coming close to DL'ing 280lbs without years of very focused powerlifting training (which is not my goal at all) and to be honest, I think I have built way more muscle not training for strength only which is consistent with the article I posted.
The numbers listed are not really minimums but rather someone's opinion by the looks of it. Here are the actual strength standards based on experience for both men and women based on lifting experience.
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.htm
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »Don't know how it would work for women but for men there are some arbitary lifting objectives that are commonly accepted as evidence of "basic" strength.
Generally these are being able to do a 1RM:
DL 2x BW
SQT 1.75X BW
BP 1.25x BW
OHP . 75x BW
These would be considered MINIMUMS and most men would strive to lift more.
If you are a woman and can lift this much, I think that you can assume that you also gained some muscle in the process.
How much can only be estimated by the measurement of LBM and BF by DXA, hydro or sone other method of BF measurement.
Just realIze that muscle only comprises a part of LBM (estimated at 42% for men and 35% for women) and there is no exact way to measure muscle apart from an autopsy.
Yea I believe the numbers are different for women. There is no way I am coming close to DL'ing 280lbs without years of very focused powerlifting training (which is not my goal at all) and to be honest, I think I have built way more muscle not training for strength only which is consistent with the article I posted.
The numbers listed are not really minimums but rather someone's opinion by the looks of it. Here are the actual strength standards based on experience for both men and women based on lifting experience.
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.htm
If we're talking about relative strength (rather than how much "should" one lift to gain muscle"), I think that the Strength Level website and the Killustrated charts, which rate strength based on gender, bodyweight and age are better than the exrx charts which only rate strength based on gender and bodyweight.
You can find those sites here:
http://lonkilgore.com/freebies/freebies.html
https://strengthlevel.com0 -
I like this one, it's age adjustable, that way I don't feel a whimp
https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/female/lb
I don't even dream of hitting the 1Rm posted above, for any lifts.
Cheers, h.
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Don't know how it would work for women but for men there are some arbitary lifting objectives that are commonly accepted as evidence of "basic" strength.
Generally these are being able to do a 1RM:
DL 2x BW
SQT 1.75X BW
BP 1.25x BW
OHP . 75x BW
These would be considered MINIMUMS and most men would strive to lift more.
If you are a woman and can lift this much, I think that you can assume that you also gained some muscle in the process.
How much can only be estimated by the measurement of LBM and BF by DXA, hydro or sone other method of BF measurement.
Just realIze that muscle only comprises a part of LBM (estimated at 42% for men and 35% for women) and there is no exact way to measure muscle apart from an autopsy.
Yea I believe the numbers are different for women. There is no way I am coming close to DL'ing 280lbs without years of very focused powerlifting training (which is not my goal at all) and to be honest, I think I have built way more muscle not training for strength only which is consistent with the article I posted.
When I was lifting on a regular basis, I was super close to a 280 DL in a matter of 6 months...but I'm weird.
ETA: I wasn't quite 140 but 280 was close to 2xbw2
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