Picking the appropriate weight (intensity) for an exercise as a beginner can feel a little bit like being lost in the ocean. You're trying to guesstimate what you're capable of vs. how many reps and then associating with which exercise; this alone is enough for people to seek out a trainer just to take care of this aspect whether it be in-person training or written programming. So how do they know what weight to pick? Let's go down the hierarchy of needs and go from there.
1. Have I done this exercise before?
If this is your first time loading an exercise you should view this step as practice and be conservative (also, are you able to perform the exercise without weight first?). We can always take additional sets and reducing the likelihood of injury is a priority. In other words, if it's your first time; Start lower than you think.
2. How many repetitions are you performing for the exercise(volume)?
As repetitions (volume) increase, weight (intensity) will need to decrease and vice versa. Volume and intensity are what makes picking the appropriate weight difficult but if you know these are the two variables we are balancing then hitting the next variable is far easier.
3. How much effort do I need to put in to grow but keep form?
The goal is to pick a weight that allows you to maintain proper form for adequate growth over time. The scale that we use to measure this is Rated Perceived Exertion or RPE. Modified RPE is a scale from one to ten that allows a person to say how much effort they perceive to be exerting. Because we're dealing with individual perception and not a direct measurement it can be hard to tell if someone is doing adequate work to grow but most professionals agree that someone in the 6-8 range will generally grow.
If you're looking for additional resources on understanding RPE and modified RPE you can find them: Here
4. Use your previous workouts as a guide
So by using all the information above I should be able to at least pick a conservative weight to try an exercise for the first time with an RPE that might be in the 3-5 range. Then as confidence is built we may jump it up to a 5-7 RPE in that same workout; however, the beauty of having an actual program is when we return next week to perform the same exercise we'll be able to carry on where we left off. Using historical data to assist in picking a weight for the future is learning how to take your programming to the next level and it builds confidence in the gym.
All right! Hopefully, that removes the anxiety of figuring out how to properly load an exercise correctly with longevity in mind. Next couple of blog posts we'll discuss whether or not the exercise you're performing is right for you and what does the newest research say on rep ranges for certain results? Till next time!
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