How heavy should I lift?

Keep it simple, Silly! - How heavy should I lift?

The weight should feel heavy but doable.

Why does this matter? Risk vs reward

There's a huge physiological and psychological reward from lifting "heavy."

Reward: STRENGTH, MUSCLE, and CONFIDENCE

We must exert ourselves against loads that are heavy in order to build strength and muscle mass. Doing dozens of reps with light weights might feel good, and it does burn some calories, but it won't help us get stronger or build lean muscle mass, both of which are critical to maximizing our healthspan.

Doing this is exhilarating and empowering! You ought to see my 50-something "soccer moms" deadlifting on a Saturday morning. They are totally frickin AWESOME and practically glow when they finish a heavy set or hit a new PR.

Now, "heavy" is a relative term. What feels heavy for me will be different for you. And this can vary day by day.

Some days, I am Captain America strong and feel like I can rip trees out of the ground. On other days, I feel as weak as a little wet kitten. We've got to listen to our bodies.

Risk: If we stay within the realm of what we perceive as "doable" we minimize the risk of injury.

We discourage our members from attempting "forced reps." These are reps in which the spotter assists in the completion of the reps after failure.

Yes, for safety, we should always lift with a spotter when we are moving closer to the high end of what's "doable". But we finish a set on any rep that the spotter needs to provide any assistance.

Take action:

Be cautious at first.

Experiment a little when you have a spotter available.

Perfect your form - this is a lifelong endeavor. I've been working on my form for over 40 years.

Seek expert coaching from somebody you trust and like. 

DM on Instagram @oldgradstrong if you'd like to explore doing that with us.

We are stronger than our excuses.