Starting weight for lifting?

Carlyannabelle

I have recently started adding lifting into my workout routine and love it and I really want to start lifting heavy. I have no idea where to start as far as how much weight to lift, more specifically dead lifts. I want to lift enough to give me a workout but, not where I am doing too much. If I could just get some pointers on where to start I should be able to build up on my own. I don’t need a specific amount, but a generalization would be great. I have researched some sites and nothing really gives me a weight to start with. I am not new to fitness, just lifting, and most of those sites seem to either have all beginner workouts or advanced ones. I just need something in the middle.
I don’t know if my specs make a difference or not but I am 5’8” and 154lbs with a few more lbs I would like to shed.
Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Vipecap

Just start trying with a weight you think you can do with proper form. Say you want to do 10 reps of deadlift, pick a weight you think you can hit 10 of. If you can't do 10 then knock the weight down a tad, if 10 was a breeze then up the weight.Lifting heavy is going to be different from everyone. The kind of general rule I use is I pick a weight that I know I can use proper form with for the reps where the very last rep or two is a struggle but not to the point where I need to cheat or cut the range of motion out.

Capt_Apollo

unfortunatly this is where you are going to have to go to the gym for a few days and experiment. take the barbell and or dumbells and just try things. for some exercises you'll find that the barbell, which weighs about 45lbs, is about right (say overhead press and chest press). for others, such as dead lift and squat, the bar bell will be too light.


now for some goals this is what we can aim for: 35 push ups in a row, 5 pull ups in a row, Bench press .75 your body weight 10 times, Press 75% of your body weight overhead 5 times, Deadlift 1.5 times your body weight 5 times, and Squat yor body weight 10 times.

MonkRocker

Just start trying with a weight you think you can do with proper form. Say you want to do 10 reps of deadlift, pick a weight you think you can hit 10 of. If you can't do 10 then knock the weight down a tad, if 10 was a breeze then up the weight.Lifting heavy is going to be different from everyone. The kind of general rule I use is I pick a weight that I know I can use proper form with for the reps where the very last rep or two is a struggle but not to the point where I need to cheat or cut the range of motion out.

This, kinda.

I'd say it's better to start with a really LIGHT weight that you KNOW you can lift, while concentrating a LOT on proper form. Keep increasing in 10lb increments until you're struggling with the last rep or so. That will give you a decent baseline to start from.

LPS1986

Ask a trainer or someone who seems to know what they are doing to help you identify the olympic bar. Start there. It is 40 pounds. It would help to use a book like New Rules, too.

I have recently started adding lifting into my workout routine and love it and I really want to start lifting heavy. I have no idea where to start as far as how much weight to lift, more specifically dead lifts. I want to lift enough to give me a workout but, not where I am doing too much. If I could just get some pointers on where to start I should be able to build up on my own. I don’t need a specific amount, but a generalization would be great. I have researched some sites and nothing really gives me a weight to start with. I am not new to fitness, just lifting, and most of those sites seem to either have all beginner workouts or advanced ones. I just need something in the middle.
I don’t know if my specs make a difference or not but I am 5’8” and 154lbs with a few more lbs I would like to shed.
Any and all advice would be appreciated. Thank you for reading!

yo_andi

unfortunatly this is where you are going to have to go to the gym for a few days and experiment. take the barbell and or dumbells and just try things. for some exercises you'll find that the barbell, which weighs about 45lbs, is about right (say overhead press and chest press). for others, such as dead lift and squat, the bar bell will be too light.


now for some goals this is what we can aim for: 35 push ups in a row, 5 pull ups in a row, Bench press .75 your body weight 10 times, Press 75% of your body weight overhead 5 times, Deadlift 1.5 times your body weight 5 times, and Squat yor body weight 10 times.

This is very good advice.

tcpowell25

Just start trying with a weight you think you can do with proper form. Say you want to do 10 reps of deadlift, pick a weight you think you can hit 10 of. If you can't do 10 then knock the weight down a tad, if 10 was a breeze then up the weight.Lifting heavy is going to be different from everyone. The kind of general rule I use is I pick a weight that I know I can use proper form with for the reps where the very last rep or two is a struggle but not to the point where I need to cheat or cut the range of motion out.

I agree with this. I was gonna say the same thing. When I started lifting I was so weak that I started with 8 pounds for about two weeks. Then I went up to 10 a few weeks and so on. Now I deadlift with 25 but I use between 15 to 20 pounds for everything else. Just play around with the weights until you find the right one for you. Also, when I started I got help for proper form from my hubby. I would suggest going to a gym and asking the staff. Or if you know someone who lifts ask for help with form. Good luck.

zaph0d

Start with 10 lb bumpers on either end (65 lbs total). Do a set of 5. Add 10-20 lbs and repeat. Continue until 5 reps feels like a challenge, but you maintain good form. Do 2 more sets at this weight. That is your first deadlift workout.

For squat, do the same, but start with the empty (45 lb) bar.

This is how to dial in to find your starting weight.

mfpcopine

Depends on the person. I'm not that big and I started out with 5 pound dumbbells for some upper body exercises. But for certain shoulder exercises, such as the upward row, which is done with the arms extended, I had to use 2 pound weights because of a previous injury. I could hear a clicking noise in one of my shoulders. If I'd used 5 pound weights I'd have had to use my body,not my arms and shoulders to lift the weight, defeating the purpose of the exercise.

When I did squats, I probably started out with 10 pound dumbbells.

Remember, using the proper form is more important than the amount of the weight at the start. You need to practice doing things like tensing your abdominals to protect your back, not locking your knees, and using the proper breathing now in order to work with heavier weights. It's not hard to learn, but it's not intuitive.

mfpcopine

Start with 10 lb bumpers on either end (65 lbs total). Do a set of 5. Add 10-20 lbs and repeat. Continue until 5 reps feels like a challenge, but you maintain good form. Do 2 more sets at this weight. That is your first deadlift workout.

For squat, do the same, but start with the empty (45 lb) bar.

This is how to dial in to find your starting weight.

She should check that she doesn't have a back problem before doing a deadlift or a good morning.

Determinednoob

Start with 10 lb bumpers on either end (65 lbs total). Do a set of 5. Add 10-20 lbs and repeat. Continue until 5 reps feels like a challenge, but you maintain good form. Do 2 more sets at this weight. That is your first deadlift workout.

For squat, do the same, but start with the empty (45 lb) bar.

This is how to dial in to find your starting weight.

This pretty much. The verbage from Starting Strength says add weight "until bar speed slows"

Carlyannabelle

Wow!! Thanks everyone..So much information that I can use. I can't wait to get started!!