How Heavy Should I Lift to See Results?

To those of you who have been lifting the EXACT SAME weights today you were lifting many months ago.. this write-up is for you.

If you want to continuously build muscle and strength, the logic is quite plain and simple.

You need to constantly place more stress (resistance) to your muscles than they are normally used to. The more you stress it, the more your body changes to adapt to this new stress. This change it goes through - is muscle growth and strength.

Sounds simple right?

However, growing muscle is also not about simply trying to lift the heaviest weights you can and end up sacrificing form and proper muscle stimulation. You need to be lifting heavy enough that you can ONLY complete the desired number of repetitions (reps) and no more! Also, your last rep shouldnt be easy, but you should be able to do it with good form (no swinging and jerking to complete that last rep).

Its sad that I see many gym-goers lifting the same weights week after week, month after month - which is a sure way to keep your body from transforming? and after a few months.. they give up altogether, not knowing what went wrong? thinking that weight training just wasnt for them.

So, how heavy should you lift to see results?

They?re nothing new, but my simple guidelines should help those who are just getting started or are just absolutely clueless as to how heavy they should be lifting for continuous muscle growth. For me, determining the amount of weight to use on each lift is done using the following method:

For any exercise,

If you?re aiming for muscle growth, add sufficient weight so that you can ONLY lift within the range of 8-10 repetitions. If you are able to lift 12 reps, you?re lifting too light! Add more weight until you find yourself struggling at 8-10 reps.

With adequate nutrition and rest and as time goes by, you will find yourself being able to push past your previous limits and being able to add more reps to your lifts. Now, when this happens, and you are able to lift up to 12 reps, its time to increase your weights once again to drop your reps back down to 8-10 reps.

Once again, when you?ve grown stronger and better, you will need to drop your reps back down. This ensures that you?re constantly placing sufficient stress to stimulate new muscle growth and prevent your body from adapting to a dull routine.

It?s as simple as that. It also doesnt matter how heavy you are - your size/bodyweight does not determine the weights you should lift. Everybody is unique and different and responds differently to training. Whats important to you is that you need to provide ample stimulation for your muscles. Don?t get upset when Mr Skinny next to you is lifting heavier weights than you are. Personally, I?ve never really compared my strength with others, but it is a fact that many people in my gym lift way heavier weights than me - but it is also a fact, that my muscles are way more developed than theirs. I can see it in their eyes.. the look of disbelief in their faces as they see me hoisting lighter weights? but thats the truth. Believe me. Its not entirely about the weights - but all about providing sufficient stimulation for your muscles.

Then there are some who will tell you about identifying your 1 REP MAX (The heaviest weight with which a person can complete ONE full repetition) and then lifting between 60% to 80% of your 1RM - which is indeed the correct way of doing it, but then again, lets get real. I?m just being realistic to say that most of us average gym goers don?t think too much about how much weight we need, much less going through the process of figuring out our 1 rep max for every exercise we?re doing! My method has always worked fine for me? and I believe it would work fine for you too.

So people, before you hit the gym with a new vengeance today - just remember that you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY do the desired reps. And pay attention to your rest days.. they are just as important as workout days! It is during these rest periods that your muscles grow and change.

Josh Stone, also known as DM, is the author behind the site http://www.dailymuscle.com which offers the author's personal views on real-life fitness, bodybuilding, sports nutrition, cardio, fat loss, training information, and on all things that surrounds fitness.