Added weight lifting but struggling

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shahnavaz786
shahnavaz786 Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all,

A friend of mine recommending a weight lifting regimen to me with dumbbells but I haven't lifted in YEARS. Monday are chest and shoulders, Wednesdays are back and arms and Friday is the dreaded leg day. I'm using dumbbells for most of my workouts. My problem is this: with some, such as bicep curls and chest flies, I'm only able to keep proper form with 15lb dumbbells. I can lift the 20lb ones but my form is messed up after I do about 4-5 reps (this goes for bench press, front and side raises, etc.).

My question is this: is it recommended to continue with 15lb dumbbells doing about 8-10 reps per set and move on to a higher weight later since I'm just starting out? Or should I use the 20lb dumbbells with lower reps? My main goal is fat loss (I'm 5'11, 232 lbs currently, trying to get to 220). Any advice would be helpful.

(FYI, I do cardio after the weight sessions and on TTH as well).

Thanks!

Replies

  • Irenameansbusiness
    Irenameansbusiness Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi, if it's of any help my personal trainer tells me to lift for 12 reps with lifting to failure so if I can only manage 10 I'm doing them right and I have to do 3 sets of everything.
    I'm lifting for fat loss but also lean muscle mass.
    I guess really you want to be lifting a bit lighter so you can achieve between 8-12 with 10 being the sweet spot x
  • GPHX_GEEK
    GPHX_GEEK Posts: 32 Member
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    I am by no means an expert. This is just what I've personally learned and experienced with weight training. I do strength training using Dumbbells 2-3 times per week and I've been doing it for 5 months. I have learned that keeping good form is more effective than lifting heavier weights. I've also learned that the amount of weight you lift is completely personal.

    A good way for me to know that I've lifting enough is when the last 2 reps are incredibly difficult to complete BUT I can still keep good form. If it feels too easy I add weight, if I can't keep a clean form, I drop weight.

    For me it also depends on how many reps I am doing. If I'm going for a mass-building approach, I do 7-8 reps with heavier weights. If I'm going more for toning I'll do 10 reps with a lighter weight.

    As far as actual weight amounts, here's some examples of what I lift: 18-24lbs for deadlifts, 9-12lbs for bicep curls, 12-15lbs for tricep extensions, 9-12lbs for chest flies, 12-15lbs for squats and lunges and 6-9 for ventral/lateral raises. Those are just some examples. As you can see, I am all over the board with the amounts of weight I lift.

    Again, I am not an expert and this is just my opinion from what I've learned in the past 5 months. If I were you, I would stick with the amount of weight that you can control with good form and only increase it in time as your muscles start building up. Lifting heavier than you can control can only lead to an increased chance of injury.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
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    Nail down form before increasing weight, always. If you're not lifting it right, it doesn't matter how much you're swinging around.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,717 Member
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    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    Nail down form before increasing weight, always. If you're not lifting it right, it doesn't matter how much you're swinging around.

    YES, 100%! This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I cringe when walking through the weight room at the gym seeing all the sloppy weight swingers!

    OP, definitely perfect your form first. Then build on your weights. Make sure you do that at each stage and every new lift. Also, I'd change your mindset from "dreaded leg day". I work my legs more than once per week, for sure. There are a multitude of lunges, squats, etc. you can do and it's fairly easy to see progress.

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