Am I using the right weights?

[KayM]

I was hoping to get some input from someone more educated with strength training than I am. I recently got the Slow and Heavy series and am using it for a three-week rotation, as Cathe suggested.

However, I've never really done heavy strength training before. So now I'm wondering, how do I know if I'm using a heavy enough weight?

Take biceps. I used ten pound dumbbells for the biceps portion, and while I was tired when I was done, I wasn't shaking all that much. But I did notice that because I was using pretty heavy weights (for me anyway), I had to grip the dumbbell pretty hard in order to hold it. I thought maybe that detrimental?

And then during the chest exercises, pretty early on my muscles started shaking. Should I even pay attention to that? I managed to get through my chest exercises with the 10 lb dumbells (for most of it anyway). My chest is nice and sore today so I assume I must have done good there, right?

I guess I was just wondering, how do you know if you're using the right weight? How do you feel near the end of each set when you're using the right heavy weight?

any advice/info?

Thanks in advance!! I love Cathe strength so far, I don't want to badmouth the Firm because I like them, but Cathe seems so much more balanced and she really does hit every muscle! For quality she is the best!

 

[Debra]

Hi Kay!

In general, you're using the right weight if the last rep is difficult but you can maintain good form. But keep in mind that you usually have 3 sets so the first set might be a little easy. You do have to pace yourself. Notice in S&H that Cathe starts chest press w/ 25#'s & then drops down. She admits she's fried by the time she gets to the incline work. It's easy to get too ambitous when you start.

There's some Amazons here that can lift very heavy. Use them for inspiration but don't feel you have to match them or Cathe. Lots of us lift lighter & still look good in tank tops!

Going light and focusing on form is a great way to learn a new workout. It's also helpful if you're unused to working a muscle to exhaustion.

Debra

 

[getnfit@39]

Hi Kay,

One of my favorite expressions is, "explain it to me like I was 5 years old!" So keeping that thought (not that I think you need it watered down, just want to make sure you can "feel" what I'm saying), as Debra said, there are 3 sets, and you don't want to go so heavy that you're jerking the weights to get them lifted or straining to the point that you lose good form. You want to be able to feel the muscle working (not frying) the first set, then second set it should still be do-able, but tougher and you should be able to feel the muscle a bit more intensely (still not frying, warm and toasty maybe, but not burning out), and by that 3rd set, it should not only be more difficult, but you should be really feeling the muscle you're working and pretty much looking forward to rep #8 and setting the weight down!

As you progress, you'll begin to learn what weight feels right and what's too light. If you're breezing through any set, you're too light! But if you're shaking and straining and generally feeling like you could risk dropping the weight, then you're too heavy and there's no shame in lowering the weight. But it usually takes me a time or 2 through a workout to nail down what weights are going to be appropriate, and once I get it right, I write it down so I know what weights I'm using for each exercise. I also date it so I know how long I've been using a particular weight for an exercise.

Donna

Fitness~It's a journey, not a race!

 

[KayM]

Hey thanks guys. I re-did Legs/Shoulders last night, actually using weights for the Legs (oooooouuuuuuuccccchhhhh! My legs are still shaky) and I definitely feel I hit my limit there with a 20 lb barbell. I did shoulders with 5 lb dumbbells and didn't feel it was as challenging so I will increase that to maybe 6-8 lbs.

Thanks for your advice! Hopefully I will be Wonder Woman before long.