How to choose a starting weight for a lift

Teach: How to choose a starting weight for a lift

What to say

Choose a starting weight by beginning lighter than you think: bodyweight, an empty bar or the lightest dumbbell. Do a few slow reps and watch your form. If every rep looks and feels the same and nothing hurts, try the next weight up on your next set, and stop there once the reps slow down or your form changes. Stay at that weight until every rep looks the same, and ask a qualified coach how to progress.

What to show, in order

1. Decide how many reps you plan to do, or ask a qualified coach, before you choose a weight.
2. Do your first set with bodyweight, an empty bar or the lightest dumbbell.
3. Try the next weight up for the next set only if every rep looked and felt the same.
4. Stop at the weight where the reps start to slow down or your form starts to change.
5. Use that weight for the rest of the session and write it down.
6. Stay at that weight until every rep of every set looks the same.
7. Drop the weight back at once if form breaks, pain appears or you have to hold your breath to grind a rep.

When to stop and call a professional

• You have a heart condition, high blood pressure, a recent injury or surgery, or you are unsure whether exercise is safe for you: ask a clinician before you start.
• You feel chest pain, pressure, faintness or unusual breathlessness: stop and call your local emergency number, 911 in the US.
• A new lift causes pain, not just effort, at any weight: stop and ask a clinician or physical therapist, or book a session with a qualified coach.

The check question

Ask: How should the reps at a good starting weight look? Answer: The same from the first rep to the last

From EveryManKnows. General information, not professional advice.