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2009/06/19, 12:17 AM
So I'm fairly new to weight training and have no idea how to gauge how much I'm supposed to try and lift. I filled out the profile thing for a fitness plan with my goals/experience and such on this site and it gave me a plan to follow. I'm pretty new so I've got quite a few questions. Hopefully someone has the patience to bear with me and help me out here!
My problem is that I don't know how much weight to use. For example: the plan says to do 3 sets of 12, 10, and 8 leg presses, respectively. How do I know how much weight to do? A friend told me to figure out what my absolute max is for the 12 reps is (i.e. the 12th rep is JUST possible), and then do 80% of that. Is this correct?
My second question is that I noticed virtually all of the exercises the plan suggests I do involve a few sets with a sequentially decreasing # of reps.... what's the rationale for this?
My last question (for now, I promise =)) is: the suggested plan is given as Monday, Thurs, Sat. Does it really matter if I switch around from week to week between Mon/Thur/Sat and Mon/Wed/Fri or Mon/Wed/Sat? Since I work both a full time and a part time job that has a variable schedule, it's almost impossible for me to keep the exact same 3 days every week.
Thank you very much to whoever has the patience to read all this!
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2009/06/19, 08:39 AM
It may take you a little while to find out what weights to use. Do not worry about any formulas. Start light and learn proper form, it may sen easy but that is ok in the beginning. Once you learn form start adding weight to where you can complete the given number of reps while maintaing the form. When you decrease the number of reps you are usually increasing the weight. As long as you are getting enough rest it does not matter what days you do it. I hope this helps and good luck.
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2009/06/19, 09:40 AM
If you are new to weight training the first week or so you should just do weights that you are absolutely positive you can complete the reps to try and figure out were you are, and slowly increase the weights until you are barely completing the target reps.
As for your last question, I actually had the same problem. If you are switching up muscle groups from day to day then you should be getting plenty of rest on those muscles. you should at least have 1 complete day of rest before training the same muscle group. As long as that is completed than it shouldn't matter which days you complete you training on!
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When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot, and hang on.
~pres. Roosevelt
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