When to increase weight

[skully]

So I have a question. When should a person increase weight (of any kind).

After doing 8-10 reps becomes easy?

For example, while bench pressing i've increased weight from 20 to 22.5 in 2-3 weeks time, and with 22.5 I can do 4 perfect reps, and the 5th, and 6th are a suffer, in fact I reach failure.

I also can't pull 10 perfect reps with 20kgs yet.

Same with biceps, with 6kgs I can do 8 full perfect reps, but with 7kgs I can do 4-6 reps.

So when to increase weight, and what considerations should I take in?

[Fygle]

I believe you need to actually lift a heavier weight, on a particular rep setup that you currently can, than you are capable of in order to improve your lifting capabilities. By doing this your muscles will adapt and grow stronger. I try to go back and forth a little between reps/weight, and I have seen improvements. Like one session I might lift 5x5 55kg bench press, then next go down a little on weight and up on reps and do, say, 3x8 53kg. Next time I do 5x5 I might add 0.5 or 1kg, if you know what I mean? Someone go ahead and correct me if I got this all wrong. Adding too much each time has not worked for me, I try to increase very gradually and take time.

[skully]

I'm doing something similar.

With a 5x5 and a 10x3

Actually last week 10x3 was 22.5....

I actually was able to do 25kgs with 2 reps, and the last BARELY! so Ill be making that the weight for 10x3...and go back and forth between the two weights.

So it doesn't matter if I can do 8-10 perfect reps with a weight, because it's considered "easy"?

[BillyG]

the best answer, short and to the point

Every god damn work out increase the weight!!


if its 2.5lbs to 10lbs increase it,
make sure you hit the reps you are suposed to

[billchubbuck]

Billy G is correct!

[PandorasVise]

If goal was 8-10, when I get to 10, the next time I do that exercise I increase the weight.

[Boss Man]

Personally I heed with a Caveat.

Don't increase the weight on the next session immediately. Give it a set. You need to know you have progressed and that you're not having one of those days, where your energy is a bit off or something else takes the edge off some of your lifts.

You might also have hit a plateau, so assuming your lifts have gone up is risky, especially if you add a bit more to something like Bench Presses, Squats, Military Press, Arnolds as examples, where weight is balanced or lifted above the chest or above and around the head / Neck, because if you add a little more when you're on an "off day", and you just can't handle it for whatever reason, you could come unstuck, if you're not mentally ready for a premature end to your set.

If you're able to tackle your usual weight on the first set, with a bit of energy to spare, then increase by all means. If not, then don't increase, if it felt almost too hard, or close to failing.

This safeguard helps reduce possible risks to you, as getting progress is good, but if you overestimate it and try to progress to levels you're not ready for, you could be in a sticky situation.

I've used this method many times before. Even on occasions where I did progress, I still sometimes dropped back to the old weight next time, just for one set, to make sure it wasn't a flash in the pan, or some kind of unusually good day the previous time.

Once I'd confirmed on the next session what I needed to know, I.E. that the increase I'd made that previous time, was for keeps, then i'd keep lifting that much until the next time I felt ready to progess.

[healthways001]

If you want to increase weight then start with heavy weight with the help of your Gym coach. If you do this regular basis then I sure you gain your weight soon..Mine Gym coach also says that...

[LozTaylor]

When I get to a new weight, I usually go for 4x8-10 reps on that weight. If the first 2 sets are good and the last 2 are between 8-10 or so, the next week I'll up the weight for the first 2 sets and then go back to previous weight for the last 2 sets. I usually have to do this for a couple weeks until the first 2 sets are good and then put the weight up on the last 2 sets. Then repeat the process again. It's probably not the quickest way to move up the weight, but it's the most consistent method I've found. I only do "safe" exercises now (and for bench and skullcrushes I have a spotter just in case, you never know) as I've put shoulder out in scenarios Boss described above.

[david4pointpt]

What is your goal? How long have you been lifting? I need to know this before shooting a straight answer.

If you are training for hypertrophy then your weight has to be 65%- 85% of your 1RM. Also you need to stay under tension for at least 30 seconds. You can control more weight on the negative portion of an exercise so slow that movement down to 3-5 seconds. Your rest periods will be no longer than 1 minute. This training is at the cellular level. Muscle will grow if nutrition follows. So if you can control the resistance for 40 seconds for that exercise then you can increase the weight slightly.

If you are looking to only gain strength then your resistance needs to stay between 85%- 100% of your 1RM. Don't try and move the weight slow. This training is depending on the nervous system not so much cell level so muscle will not develop as much. Always use a spotter and increase the weight if you can perform 1 rep by yourself.

Undulating periodization is the only way to keep what you already have plus gain.

Free training logs to keep track of workouts can be found here along with instructions. http://gymsinsanantonio.com/training-logs/