When to Lift More

joshuakcaron
joshuakcaron Posts: 343 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been lifting for about 5 weeks now, getting back into it. I never really knew what I was doing (still don't) before but when do you start lifting more? Do you just know based off your body or?

Replies

  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Generally whenever your programming says to increase. If you're not following a program, get on one...otherwise you're pretty much wasting your time. What are your goals? Strength? A bodybuilder look? Sports-specific training?
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Step 1: Choose a desired rep range based on your goals 1-7 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle size), 13+ reps for muscular endurance.

    Step 2: Choose a weight that has you failing in your desired rep range. For example, if you choose hypertrophy, and you pick a weight and you're able to do 14 reps, the weight is too light. If you're only able to do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.
  • joshuakcaron
    joshuakcaron Posts: 343 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Step 1: Choose a desired rep range based on your goals 1-7 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle size), 13+ reps for muscular endurance.

    Step 2: Choose a weight that has you failing in your desired rep range. For example, if you choose hypertrophy, and you pick a weight and you're able to do 14 reps, the weight is too light. If you're only able to do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.

    So what does endurance do? Like you won't get stronger you'll just be able to lift more?

    I'm doing 3 sets of 20 right now following a circuit. I think the goal is for weight loss because that's what my I signed up for the program.
  • joshuakcaron
    joshuakcaron Posts: 343 Member
    joshuakcaron wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Step 1: Choose a desired rep range based on your goals 1-7 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle size), 13+ reps for muscular endurance.

    Step 2: Choose a weight that has you failing in your desired rep range. For example, if you choose hypertrophy, and you pick a weight and you're able to do 14 reps, the weight is too light. If you're only able to do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.

    So what does endurance do? Like you won't get stronger you'll just be able to lift more?

    I'm doing 3 sets of 20 right now following a circuit. I think the goal is for weight loss because that's what my I signed up for the program.

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    joshuakcaron wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Step 1: Choose a desired rep range based on your goals 1-7 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle size), 13+ reps for muscular endurance.

    Step 2: Choose a weight that has you failing in your desired rep range. For example, if you choose hypertrophy, and you pick a weight and you're able to do 14 reps, the weight is too light. If you're only able to do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.

    So what does endurance do? Like you won't get stronger you'll just be able to lift more?

    I'm doing 3 sets of 20 right now following a circuit. I think the goal is for weight loss because that's what my I signed up for the program.

    Muscular endurance is really only meant for performance athletes like runners and swimmers and those that need their muscles to keep pumping for high repetition activities. You will absolutely get stronger doing endurance than not lifting at all, but it's far from the most efficient and effective way to get stronger. If you're the average person trying to get in shape, you basically just need to decide between strength and hypertrophy. It comes down to deciding whether you'd like to be as strong as you can, or whether you'd like to look as good as you can as in aesthetics, muscle size, muscle definition, etc. Once you decide that, choose an appropriate program.
  • joshuakcaron
    joshuakcaron Posts: 343 Member
    AJ_G wrote: »
    joshuakcaron wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Step 1: Choose a desired rep range based on your goals 1-7 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle size), 13+ reps for muscular endurance.

    Step 2: Choose a weight that has you failing in your desired rep range. For example, if you choose hypertrophy, and you pick a weight and you're able to do 14 reps, the weight is too light. If you're only able to do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.

    So what does endurance do? Like you won't get stronger you'll just be able to lift more?

    I'm doing 3 sets of 20 right now following a circuit. I think the goal is for weight loss because that's what my I signed up for the program.

    Muscular endurance is really only meant for performance athletes like runners and swimmers and those that need their muscles to keep pumping for high repetition activities. You will absolutely get stronger doing endurance than not lifting at all, but it's far from the most efficient and effective way to get stronger. If you're the average person trying to get in shape, you basically just need to decide between strength and hypertrophy. It comes down to deciding whether you'd like to be as strong as you can, or whether you'd like to look as good as you can as in aesthetics, muscle size, muscle definition, etc. Once you decide that, choose an appropriate program.

    I definitely want better definition but I want my upper body to match my lower body. I can nearly max out the leg press machine at the gym and I think a lot of that has to do with me being a tender for hockey for many years. My legs are huge compared to my upper body.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    joshuakcaron wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    joshuakcaron wrote: »
    AJ_G wrote: »
    Step 1: Choose a desired rep range based on your goals 1-7 reps for strength, 8-12 reps for hypertrophy (muscle size), 13+ reps for muscular endurance.

    Step 2: Choose a weight that has you failing in your desired rep range. For example, if you choose hypertrophy, and you pick a weight and you're able to do 14 reps, the weight is too light. If you're only able to do 6 reps, the weight is too heavy.

    So what does endurance do? Like you won't get stronger you'll just be able to lift more?

    I'm doing 3 sets of 20 right now following a circuit. I think the goal is for weight loss because that's what my I signed up for the program.

    Muscular endurance is really only meant for performance athletes like runners and swimmers and those that need their muscles to keep pumping for high repetition activities. You will absolutely get stronger doing endurance than not lifting at all, but it's far from the most efficient and effective way to get stronger. If you're the average person trying to get in shape, you basically just need to decide between strength and hypertrophy. It comes down to deciding whether you'd like to be as strong as you can, or whether you'd like to look as good as you can as in aesthetics, muscle size, muscle definition, etc. Once you decide that, choose an appropriate program.

    I definitely want better definition but I want my upper body to match my lower body. I can nearly max out the leg press machine at the gym and I think a lot of that has to do with me being a tender for hockey for many years. My legs are huge compared to my upper body.

    Just takes work, time, and commitment. Make sure you're using free weights and not just machines. For example you mentioned that you use the leg press, make sure you're doing barbell squats too.
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    Just keep in mind that your upper body muscles are a lot smaller than your lower body muscles. Your back and leg muscles are always going to be able to do more than, say, your biceps. Your bicep muscles are comparatively very small. So if you can squat 300 lbs, obviously you can't curl 300 lbs. For looks though, you can use a good hypertropy (muscle growth) program. However, also keep in mind that if you're in a calorie deficit, you can gain some strength and some muscle, but not a lot. In order for muscles to really grow, you need to at least be eating at maintenance, but better to be in a surplus. This is why weightlifters having "bulking" and "cutting" phases. You're probably not there yet. So what you really want to do right now (I assume) is really keep the muscle you have while building some strength. For that, you're fine to be in the higher rep range, say 10-15. I think 20 is a bit high. I would think if you can do 20 reps it's not really doing much for your muscle. You do have to have a good amount of resistance. You'll know when to increase the weights when you can do, say, 3 sets of 12. Then add in increments of 5 or 10 lbs.

    If you're really new to lifting, I suggest finding a program to follow, so that you can easily determine what you should do. Read lots and eventually you can make your own program. There's Strong Lifts 5x5, ICF 5x5, New Rules of Lifting, to name a few. The 5x5 programs could be modified so that you're doing 3x10 to start with, but the concepts will be the same.

    Best of luck to you :smiley:
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