How much weight is the right weight for You?

How do I Determine How Much Weight to Lift?

When choosing the amount of weight to use, the main goal is to lift a weight that is heavy enough so that you reach "failure" (or very close to it) at the end of each set. Failure simply means that you should be struggling by the last one or two repetitions.


Typically, for resistance training you want to incorporate a weight that is between 70-85% of your 1RM (1 repetition maximum weight). By using this calculation you should get a weight that can only be lifted between 8-10 repetitions, which is considered the ideal range for building muscle.

Here a step by step example of how you can estimate how much weight should be lifted for each weight training exercise:

Step 1:
Determine your 1RM for each exercises. This is the maximum amount of weight you can lift, using proper form.

Step 2:
Use your 1RM to plug in to the formula below.
(1RM) X (.70 - .85) = Estimated weight

Step 3
Using the estimated weights you calculated using the formula above, perform one set to failure, for each exercise. Keep track of the number of repetitions you were able to complete then add or decrease weight until you are able to perform the number of repetitions that your program specifies.

*Remember, using weight that is too light will primarily increase your muscular endurance, but won't stress the muscle fibers enough to stimulate significant growth. Using weight that is too heavy on the other hand will stimulate your nervous system and in turn increase your strength, but won't incorporate the optimal number of repetitions required to build muscle.