Weight Lifters- When do you up your reps/weight????

BlairCottier

Thanks so much guys!! I have been out of the loop so long, I guess I really needed these tips!! I will definitely take all of your advice I will decrease my reps and increase my weight and try to do so every work out. Eventually I will get the nerve to go into the free weight section with all of you hard core lifters And if you would like to friend me to keep me in line, feel free I really need help with the lifting part of my fitness routine. Best of luck to you all in your fitness goals as well!

juliebeannn

Every single workout I up my weight. (unless I can't, then I do it next time)

you're missing squat, deadlift, and bench.

this

BlairCottier

Educate yourself SON! .. Mark Rippetoe - Starting strength:

I would love to read this, is there a link to a website any where? Or is this a book that I would have to buy?

JNick77

I used to lift when I was younger, and I have never had any injuries due to lifting. However, its been a while, and I have started back up within the last 3 weeks. My question is, when should I increase my weight so that I do not get any injuries? Should I do the same weight for a week at a time and then increase? Or should I wait longer? My goal is not to bulk up, I just want some tone and definition. The weights that I am on now are starting to get easier, but I just want to make sure I am doing this right. An example of what I do on a typical day is as follows: (I vary the machines on a weekly basis)

- 30 min cardio
- rotary torso: 3 sets 20 reps, 30 lbs
- upright row: 3 sets, 10 reps, 50 lbs
- Overhead press: 3 sets, 10 reps, 30 lbs
- leg extensions: 3 sets, 10 reps, 70 lbs

Let me know what you guys typically do, any advice would be great!! Thanks!

Bulking, toning/defining (re-comping), and maintenance are all diet driven not exercise driven. Although cardio can help with cutting and maintenance. Bulking requires excessive calories and average to high testosterone in men and extremely high testosterone in women.

When to increase weight really depends on a couple factors, experience level is probably the primary, and the progress you're making. A beginner can theoretically increase the weight in a single lift every workout or every-other workout, intermediaries maybe once a week or bi-weekly, and then advanced lifters have a different approach altogether and they're probably looking at setting individual lift records every 4 to 6 weeks maybe and the record could sometimes be weight reps or maybe even sets.

For you, if you're truly interested in getting stronger I would consider a method set by Mark Rippletoe in Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. You can cut you workout time by at least 15-minutes I'm guess yet considerably increase your exercise productivity. Largely because the exercises used in what I just mentioned are far superior in building strength

JustJennie1

Every single workout I up my weight. (unless I can't, then I do it next time)

Same here.

It also helps to have my husband spot me. He knows what I can do and if he sees me reaching for a lighter weight he'll scoff at me or just load heavier. He has helped me a LOT with my gains in lifting as far as how strong I've gotten and how my body has transformed.

Matt_Wild

OP - Tone and definition doesn't exist. You either lose fat or gaining muscle. No two ways. For muscular hypertrophy, time and time again 8-12 to 12 reps has been shown best for growth.

Again, when losing fat, you need to keep this up to 'tell' the body muscle is needed (since muscle in a calorie starved environment is otherwise an unneeded luxury the body doesn't need).

As for increasing weight, I do it when I can for each set, complete 4-6 sets of 12 reps of a given weight and have not gone to failure (for me is not being able to do a clean rep).

BlairCottier

OP - Tone and definition doesn't exist. You either lose fat or gaining muscle. No two ways. For muscular hypertrophy, time and time again 8-12 to 12 reps has been shown best for growth.

Again, when losing fat, you need to keep this up to 'tell' the body muscle is needed (since muscle in a calorie starved environment is otherwise an unneeded luxury the body doesn't need).

As for increasing weight, I do it when I can for each set, complete 4-6 sets of 12 reps of a given weight and have not gone to failure (for me is not being able to do a clean rep).

This is what I am learning.... I guess there are alot of myths out there. Glad I am finding this out now! I also know that each person is different, and I have to figure out what works for me. I have been doing lots of research and some sites say that 8-12 reps is best and others say that 4 - 6 reps is best. Everyone's responses are mixed also. I guess I will try the low reps and higher weights first and see how that goes. IF that doesn't work, I will switch to higher reps. Or maybe I will do both! How long have you been lifting?? From your pic, it seems like a long time, so you know what you are talking about, lol.

MissMollieD

I have just started and am starting small I will definitely get to the squats, those are awesome. I am mostly doing machine stuff now, haven't really been doing the free weight stuff yet. So every workout you increase weight? Wouldn't that lead to bulking up?? I don't want to put on too much weight with muscle, just trying to tone. How often do you lift? I am starting with 2 - 3 times a week.

Excess calories lead to bulking up, not upping the weight. Upping the weight regularly will get you stronger, faster, but look at female Oly weightlifters and powerlifters (in the lower weight categories) and you will see that they have muscle but far from the amounts of female bodybuilders. Yet they move up in strength all the time as that's their focus, bodybuilders don't as they're more focused on muscle size.


The only time I put on muscle size is when I'm eating to "bulk up" and that involves 3000+ calories a day. Otherwise, I just get leaner, smaller, and stronger!

I lift approx 5x a week.

I'm trying to start as well but can barely do my squats, etc with the 8 lb weights and can't even lift that 40 pd bar, much less do a bench press with one. So how do I get to that stage since there isn't a bar that weighs less than 40? I don't care if I bulk up a little bit. That's not a concern. My wrists and elbows and knees are so weak right now that I"m having trouble getting started, and it's frustrating!! Anyone that can help can friend me, message me, etc. Thanks! (and thanks to the original poster for this question. Those answers will help me as well.) :flowerforyou:

Start with dumbbells. You don't have to use a bar.

BlairCottier

I think you guys have given me the confidence I needed to enter the free weight section at my gym, lol. Thanks again!! :flowerforyou:

nz_deevaa

This video might help you out...

Women Strength Training Myths That Just Won't Die - Lift Like a Girl

http://www.youtube.com/user/NiaShanks?feature=watch

Topsking2010

Bump

wellbert

Start with dumbbells. You don't have to use a bar.

Unless you want to squat or deadlift heavy weight. Or bench press, without a couple of bros standing around handing you dumbbells.

FullOfWin

Educate yourself SON! .. Mark Rippetoe - Starting strength:

Bore quoting.

To add to it the best thing to do would be to run a proven routine that answers these questions for you.

Give this a look http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners

LorinaLynn

I increase whenever I can.

If you have the option to do free weights, do them. It makes a HUGE difference!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/744311-free-weights-vs-machines-holy-crap

I'm currently doing Stronglifts 5x5, and adding weight every week. Here's my results after the first two weeks. I'll be taking more photos this weekend when I finish week 4.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761041-two-weeks-in

Not getting bulky.