Choosing appropriate loads is key for success if we want to get stronger and build muscles in a safe way. Not enough load won’t promote adaptations, too heavy of a load will increase the risk of injuries.
A traditional approach in the strength and conditioning world is to measure your one rep max (the max load you can lift in a determined exercise) and then work with percentages of that, according to the number of reps prescribed. This method has become less popular since it’s time consuming and the percentages.
A more common approach, which we use with most of our clients, is to adjust load based on the client’s perception of effort and form. This method is a lot easier to do but involves perception, body awareness and will power.
To understand more about what happens when people self-select loads, a group of researchers led by James Steele conducted a meta-analysis last year (1), investigating how much weight people generally lift, as a percentage of their 1RM.
The results were somewhat surprising. The participants were using, on average, loads corresponding to 53% of their 1RM. That’s light, really light, considering they were ding sets of around 10 reps on most studies. Such light loads can be useful when someone is starting their fitness journey and the focus is on learning proper form, but they are not sufficient to promote gains in strength and hypertrophy.
If you choose to test your 1 RM and work with percentages of it, the ACSM recommends 60-70% (moderate to hard) for beginners and 80% or more (hard to very hard) for experienced lifters (2). For most of us, considering we have limited time to go to the gym and want to make the most of our time there, we recommend sticking to self-selected loads, but studies like the above mentioned highlight the importance of being honest with ourselves when lifting. Resistance training brings many benefits: builds muscles, strengthens bones and accelerates our metabolisms, but only if we work hard enough.
Next time you come to the gym, try to lift a bit heavier. As long as you can keep your form, of course. If that ends up being too much and you can’t finish your set, then you’ll know it’s too much and can adjust. But make sure you keep challenging yourself, don’t be someone who’s lifting only 53% of their capacity.
Good training guys!
1- PMID: 35790622
2- PMID: 21694556
Great advice!