Weight training can be an excellent form of exercise.  It can help you to lose weight, build strength, increase flexibility, increase bone strength (especially in women), and provide you with an overall great, toned appearance.  Now that you have decided to give this type of workout a shot, how do you know how much weight you should be training with?

If you are trying to lose weight, and build some lean muscle you should be lifting between sixty and eighty percent of your one rep maximum.  This will help you burn fat, and gain some good muscle tone. 

The problem with using this formula to figure the weight level is that most of us do not have any idea what our maximum is, and we do not really care to try to think about it.  What ends up happening is we use the same weights over and over, and while we still get some exercise, the results will not change.  This is a great way to go about keeping your body from changing, but it is not terribly efficient if you are trying to lose weight or build more muscle.

So, how should you go about determining the proper amount of weight to train with?  A good basic rule of thumb is to figure this without having to think about it too much, or break out the calculator is to train with weights that are heavy enough that you can cannot do more than fifteen repetitions, but not too heavy that you cannot complete eight repetitions. 

You should be able to hold the weight properly and use good form while performing these repetitions.  By the time you get to the end of your set, within the last two to three reps, you should feel a bit tired, and have a bit of difficulty continuing.  You should literally feel the burn.  If you find that you cannot maintain proper form by the end of your set, then you need to switch to a lighter weight.  If you find that you have reached rep fifteen and can still keep going, you need to increase your weight.

The important thing to remember when it comes to weight training is that you must push yourself just a little, and give you your muscles more weight than they can handle.  Muscles will not be able to grow or gain strength if you do not gradually increase the weight. 

The challenge of lifting weights becomes as much a mental process as it is a physical process.  If you are unable to push your mind as well as your entire body, you will not get the best possible results.  When you are able to commit fully to your new workout routine you will be better able to build upon a solid program, which will encourage you to keep lifting and strive for the next level. 

You will know your limits, and be able to reach your goals.  Keep in mind weight training is a process that cannot and should not be rushed.  Follow these guidelines, use physical and mental control, and you will be amazed with the results.