So what size did you start when starting? What size are you using now? just trying to get a ball park figure of what I'm looking at here as time goes by with lifting. I'm not sure exactly where to start, since it's different than body pump. I might try my husbands bar, but not sure if it's too much for first time. he says its 30lbs, not sure if that is 100% true or not.
Only you know what's right for you. Try out a weight. If you easily manage the set, then it's too light. If you can't make it thru, it's too heavy. YOu want a weight that is challenging and you couldn't possibly do a couple more reps at that weight. Everyone is different.
Well, hop on a scale and weigh the bar.
I'm pretty sure if you poll what people started with you'd get a very varied response… some go into this already pretty strong and some have never lifted more than a little pink neoprene dumbbell.
You don't actually say what exercise you're talking about… but let's take something like the squat. Even if you can put on a heavy vest that weighs 30 pounds and do it, it won't be the same as a long bar of 5-7 feet that you're balancing at the top of your body. There's a lot that comes into play, and the only way you'll know is to try.
On the bright side, the worst that's gonna happen is you'll have to dump the weight… whoop de do. It's just a bar, it won't do much to hurt you.
Your strength will go up pretty quickly on things like squats and deadlifts - so if you can barely make the 15 with 20# today you might increase that by 3-5 lbs a week - so in 6 weeks you'd need 45# to make the reps and if you were doing sets of 8 reps instead of 15 reps you might need 80# to be challenging.
thanks for the advise. they had a device at the gym that allows you to do squats. i didnt even put weights on it, as it was pretty heavy by yourself. you sort of step on this peddle and put your head and shoulders in and than you hold on to the grips and squat down (using the weighted bar/machine or weights that you may add)
Oh - maybe I got mixed up - I thought you were working out at home.
If you are at a gym, then just work up to being able to use bar in the power rack and skip the machine. Once you can do a full squat with the bar you can start to add weight.
thanks for the advise. they had a device at the gym that allows you to do squats. i didnt even put weights on it, as it was pretty heavy by yourself. you sort of step on this peddle and put your head and shoulders in and than you hold on to the grips and squat down (using the weighted bar/machine or weights that you may add)
You don't want to use this for your squats. You want to do free weight squats....no machines. No Smith Machine, no Hack Squat Machine, etc.
what size weights?
Linear Mode
