How hard should I be trying when I’m lifting?
I love strength training. I’d happily do it just for fun!
But why are you strength training? Or why do you want to start? To get stronger? To change your shape? To support weight loss? To protect your bones?
In any case, our objective is to build the muscles up stronger, not just to move them. Stronger muscles mean stronger bones, that ‘more toned’ look, getting to (and maintaining) a healthy weight more easily.
This will only happen if we challenge the muscles enough. Otherwise, your body won’t bother. From an internal resources point of view, building muscle is expensive!
So, how do you make sure you lift heavy enough, to make a difference. For it to be worth your time?
Well, it’s all about the ‘reps’…
‘Reps’ (repetitions) are the number of times you lift the weight, before you take a rest.
There is such enthusiastic debate these days about the number of reps you should choose. Some swear by 6 reps or less; others, 20 or more. And each one will tell you that if you follow the advice of the other, it simply will not work. They can’t all be right!
If you’re overwhelmed, and it’s stopping you even starting, let me help you get unstuck.
Research supports an approach called reps in reserve - the number of additional repetitions an individual believes they could complete before reaching muscular failure. Or, in plain English….
Reps in reserve = how many more reps you could do, without doing them badly.
Our aim is to get to 1 or 2 reps in reserve. Keeping 1 or 2 left ‘in the tank’.
It’s definitely subjective. After all, it’s about what you think you can do, on that exercise, in that session, on that day. And when you’re a beginner, how do you know if you’re doing it ‘well’ or ‘badly’ anyway?
But the more you train, the better you get at judging it, and at your technique. It’s also flexible for day-to-day variations in energy, mobility, mood, focus and motivation.
So, following the reps in reserve system ensures you lift heavy enough to build the muscle. Which, don’t forget, it what changes your shape, gets you stronger, supports weight management and bone density. And, makes you feel pretty darn proud of yourself!
Reps in reserve also keeps you safe by ensuring you don’t lift too heavy - you don’t try to do a rep that you can’t do well - because that’s where the injury risk lies.
So, if the workout you’re doing is asking for 10 reps, choose a weight that allows you to do the movement well and safely for all 10 reps, such that you believe you could do 11-12. But no more.
Of course, you have to initially guess. And that feels weird. But I promise, those guesses get much better, very quickly, until you just know.
In 30+ years of strength training, the main issue I see with beginners is that they don’t choose a weight that’s heavy enough to have the desired outcome. So, yes, you must be careful, of course. But also - be brave! You might just be surprised what you’re capable of.
Let’s make healthy simple
Every time you lift, choose a weight at which you can do the required reps with good technique
If technique is slipping – go lighter
If you could do a few more reps well – go heavier
And if you’d like to chat about how to strength train with confidence, wherever you’re starting from, just hit reply