Kilogram by kilogram: where to start weight training?

Kilogram by kilogram: where to start training with weights?

Do not overdo it at the initial stage, especially if you are practicing alone.

Many beginners find kettlebells, barbells and other types of weights incomprehensible and intimidating. What weight should you start with, when and how should you increase it, is it necessary to train with heavy weights at all? It is not so easy to figure out. World Class trainer Alexander Karpov will help to answer these questions.

How and why to use additional weights?

The expert believes that additional weight can be used in almost all types of exercises, including those that do not initially suggest it. It depends on the purpose of the exercise, because with weights the intensity increases, and hence the effectiveness.

Alexander: If an athlete’s goal is to build muscle mass, weights will help in its realization.

How to choose the right weight?

The trainer emphasizes three important factors that should be taken into account when selecting the weight.

Training goals. To maintain physical fitness, to try to intensively pump up muscles or to prepare for competitions – the weight in each case will be different.

Training level. If you have just started adding weights to your exercises, you should start small.
Health features. Before you start training with weight, you need to consult a doctor about whether there are no individual contraindications to this type of exercise.

When is it necessary to increase the weight?

For progress in training, explains the trainer, the weight must be increased. But when? The indicator can be considered the way you perform a given number of repetitions. If the last repetition is already at the limit, it’s too early to add more weight. But if you perform the reps with the current weight with a reserve of strength, you can increase the weight.

What weights should I start with?

Of course, you should start by choosing the lowest possible weight and only then determine the most suitable weight for you. If you decide to follow a training program to build muscle mass, the weight of the weight should be selected for about 12 repetitions, in which the 12th repetition is the limit. But not the maximum physical capacity, but the position at which you are still able to perform the exercise correctly from a technical point of view.

It is important to consider whether you are training alone or not. If you do not have a partner or a trainer to help you perform a particular exercise, you should calculate your strength and weight with a reserve of 1-2 repetitions to avoid injuries and damage.