Weights and when to go higher

wolveslovemee
wolveslovemee Posts: 156 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone!

Just curious if there was a "rule" or something concerning when to go up higher in your weights.
For example, right now Im doing 30 Day Shred, Im on day 21, I went from 1 lb to 3 lb. I am still at 3 lb. Wondering if and when and how I can tell when to go to 5 lb?

I couldnt find any 5lb weights when I went out this weekend so Im stuck for a couple more days at 3 lbs. Will this effect my work out regime at all? Certainly its not going to halt my fitness and weight loss by not using 5 lb is it?

Replies

  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    Go as heavy as you can!!! 1,3, and even 5 pound weights aren't doing much if anything at all for you. I think my purse weighs at least 5 pounds.

    When you get done with 30 DS. Buy the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women.
  • ajohn252
    ajohn252 Posts: 158
    I've heard that when you are lifting heavier you should use the weight
    that you can only lift around 8 times with correct form before it becomes too much
    for you. I'd say that in 30DS that isn't so practical because there are lots of reps
    for each move and without proper form it won't give you the results you want
    even with heavier weights added. I'm no expert but this made sense to me at least.
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    30 DS (or really most any JM workout) is circuit training and not weight lifting/strength training. There are benefits to it fitness wise. You are pushing your body hard and working on endurance. However, you won't see significant muscle/strength gain. BUT you will see fat loss, fitness progress, lost inches, etc. :D Lots of benefits. Going up in weight will increase your effort, and most likely your calorie burns. At the end of the program, you will most likely see more muscle definition, but that is more from revealing what is underneath than building any new (if that makes sense).

    However, there isn't a whole lot of difference (muscle gain wise) between a 3lb weight and a 5lb weight. You are going to have to really lift heavy to see that stuff.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    If I can do more than 10, I move up. My goal is 8. But, if I push through it and do 11, it's time to up the weight. I've been upping consistently on every exercise. I'm outgrowing what I have. It's amaziing. And, I've been tracking it. It's fun to go back and look at how little I could do on curls and that kind of thing and to see where I am now.

    It's OK to do more reps if that's all you have. For some of my back exercises, I just don't have enough weight. So, I just do more reps. Not ideal, but it is what it is. You want your last three to hurt bad without impacting your form at all.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    I've heard that when you are lifting heavier you should use the weight
    that you can only lift around 8 times with correct form before it becomes too much
    for you. I'd say that in 30DS that isn't so practical because there are lots of reps
    for each move and without proper form it won't give you the results you want
    even with heavier weights added. I'm no expert but this made sense to me at least.

    ding ding ding...we have a winner! :drinker:
  • jlcl119
    jlcl119 Posts: 51
    I have no experience with 30DS, but you want to lift as heavy as you can. Personally, if I can do 8-10 easily then I go up in weight.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    I'd say immediately.

    And go A LOT heavier. You might want to look into New Rules of Lifting for Women, Starting Strength, or Stronglifts 5x5 if you are really interested in getting benefits of weightlifting. No offense, but 5 lb. weights are kind of useless.

    I'm doing stronglifts, using free weights. The goal is to add 5# each workout, and 10# on the deadlifts.

    blessings.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    I have no experience with 30DS, but you want to lift as heavy as you can. Personally, if I can do 8-10 easily then I go up in weight.
    this is exactly what i do. so i end up going up in weight for an exercise at least once week. especially if it's something i can use a barbell for since i can increase the weight by as little as 2.5 pounds.
  • wolveslovemee
    wolveslovemee Posts: 156 Member
    Thanks guys!

    Ok i got my answer. Im going to Target to buy some 8 lbs right now.
  • Nicolelodeon13
    Nicolelodeon13 Posts: 4
    8-10 reps to build muscle, if you don't feel the burn during rep 8, 9, or 10...it's time to up your weight.
    To keep lean, 11-15 reps, and if you don't feel the burn between 13-15...it's time to up your weight.
  • wolveslovemee
    wolveslovemee Posts: 156 Member
    I bought the 8 lb weights last night and did my 30 Day Shred and other things and it didnt kill me as much as I thought, so I am happy with the purchase. Still tough and dripping sweat but not totally unable to do it.

    Can I expect to lose slightly more calories by using heavier weights? Is this a true statement?

    Thanks guys for the help also!
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    8-10 reps to build muscle, if you don't feel the burn during rep 8, 9, or 10...it's time to up your weight.
    To keep lean, 11-15 reps, and if you don't feel the burn between 13-15...it's time to up your weight.

    nooooooooo. there is no "keeping lean" with barbie weights; sorry.

    If you want to lift, and be "lean", you MUST build muscle, and you must shed fat. Build muscle by lifting REAL weight, not barbie weights, compound lifting moves; for example start squats with an empty olympic barbell - 45 lbs. and move up 5# each workout.

    Shed fat by eating an appropriate diet with macros: 30+ pct protein, 40 or fewer carbs, 30+ fat. If you are the type who can/wants to limit carbs, try Primal or Paleo, go for 30 protein, 20 carb, 50 fat.

    Eat your BMR plus exercise.

    For a real example on the difference between skinny and weak (silly barbie weights), and strong and lean, check out Staci's success story on nerdfitness:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Seriously, you need to read NROL4W.
  • Nicolelodeon13
    Nicolelodeon13 Posts: 4
    Sleepytexan: You obviously didn't understand what I was saying. I do P90X and beachbody stuff, I'm going off of what they say. "Lean" doesn't mean that you aren't building muscle. You ARE building muscle. Plus, I never said anything about "barbie weights" so don't put words in my mouth. 8-10 and 11-15 were rep counts, not weight. I lift 8-10 between 30-50 lbs. If you don't feel the burn there, you go 11-15 reps with the same weight. If you aren't feeling any burn on your last three reps, you need to up your weight.
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    Can I expect to lose slightly more calories by using heavier weights? Is this a true statement?

    Thanks guys for the help also!

    Yes.

    The harder your body is working, the more you'll burn, and the longer it'll take to repair and recover.


    Keep bein awesome.
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    I'm doing 30DS and just went up in weights. I didn't use any specific rule to decide, I just noticed that after each strength circuit my arms weren't that sore, so I figured it was time to bump up.

    I agree with the poster who said you don't want to go too heavy because of the number of reps and risking proper form.
  • xipow
    xipow Posts: 58
    I go up when I can do more than 12-14 reps on any set. I expect this many on my first set, as I like to pyramid up in weight and use a lighter weight on the first set to warm up. My second set is 5 to 10 pounds heavier, and I expect to only be able to do 10 reps. To see progress, I believe, you must work each set to exhaustion. It should be difficult to keep your form and do another rep. I see a lot of people going higher in weight and cheating on form. For example, doing standing bicep curls without fully extending the arm or with a slight swing to get the dumbbell started. I feel like I am on the right weight when on the third set I can only get eight reps without cheating on form.

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