Weight training builds strength, increases metabolism and improves bone health. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults participate in at least two strength-training exercise sessions each week to maintain health. To see all the benefits of strength training, it's important that you progressively increase the amount of resistance used for weight lifting. It's easy to get in the habit of performing the same exercises at the same weight each week, but to reap the rewards, you need to mix up your workouts.
Workout Analysis
Step 1
Perform your regular workout, choosing the weight you normally use for each exercise. Complete the same number of sets and repetitions that you normally perform.
Step 2
Write down each exercise and how difficult each set felt on a scale of 1 to 10--1 being super easy, 10 being muscle fatigue.
Step 3
Analyze your written workout. If you consistently perform several sets of 12 or more repetitions, and you end each set with an exertion rating of eight or less, it's time to increase your weight.
Increase Weight
Step 1
Lift between 8 and 12 repetitions for each set of each exercise. If you currently perform many more than 12 repetitions per set, you will probably find yourself increasing your weight significantly.
Step 2
Increase your weight by 5 to 10 percent for each exercise, or increase weight by the next available increment. For example, if you bench-press 100 pounds, next time you perform the exercise, you want to increase the weight to 105 or 110 pounds. Alternately, if you perform bicep curls with 10-pound dumbbells, you would increase your weight to the next available option: 12.5-pound dumbbells or 15-pound dumbbells, even though that's an amount greater than 10 percent.
Step 3
Perform 8 to 12 repetitions using the new weight, aiming to exhaust your muscles by the last repetition. If you find the new weight doesn't exhaust you, increase the weight further on the next set.
Tips and Warnings
- Because you are aiming to lift weights to muscle failure, ask a friend to spot you as you lift. Consistently increase weight every time 12 repetitions of a given set becomes too easy.
- Do not try to lift too much too soon. Weight-lifting injuries often occur when a person tries to lift too much. Progress slowly by 5 to 10 percent every time you lift.
Things You'll Need
- Dumbbells
- Plate weights
- Exercise machines
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