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Knowing when to notch up...

ElDiablo Posts: 3 Joined: 2003/10/16	2003/10/25, 07:27 PM Right now, I'm 16, 165 lbs, and about 5'10... All I have available are free weights as I don't have a membership to Gold Gym yet (long story). Right now I am doing 25 on each free weight. I am wondering when you know how much weight to add on. 20 feels too light, and 30 feels kinda heavy, too heavy for me to even do 5 reps. Right now I do about 3 sets, 15 reps each with 25 lbs.
ElDiablo Posts: 3 Joined: 2003/10/16	2003/10/25, 07:29 PM Sorry, I don't know how to edit my current post. I wanted to add that I am working my abs, chest, and arms.
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/10/25, 10:26 PM You add up when you feel ready, usually 5lb at a minimum. Don't force yourself and be patient. Remember form and timing is more important than the actual weight. -------------- "A will finds a way" Ivan Montreal Canada
yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2003/10/26, 07:59 PM Further to this question... when you do your sets and say 20 pounds starts to get too heavy for a curl, can you/should you drop five pounds, or just not do the next set? Tim -------------- \"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self.\" Aristotle
ElDiablo Posts: 3 Joined: 2003/10/16	2003/10/26, 10:58 PM Alright thank you. I will continue with my current setup, and when the 25 lbs seem lighter, I'll add some more 21/2's. Thanks again!
azredhead57 Posts: 1,651 Joined: 2003/04/11	2003/10/27, 03:08 PM When you add weight it is ok if you can't get all your reps, keep doing it a few times and you will probably get more reps each week. As soon as I can get all my reps for all my sets, I move the weights up, even if I can only do 2-3 on my last set. The next time it will be 4-5 and so on. Staying at the same weight for more than a couple weeks is really impeding your progress. -------------- ~Victoria~ ...There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.--Beverly Sills
bluestreak Posts: 11 Joined: 2003/10/30	2003/11/04, 02:37 PM For different exercises, you will want to use different weights, correct? I've only done one day of workout and am having trouble finding where to begin. My very first bench presses I did 90 lbs for 21 reps. The target reps was 20 so I figured that was great. Then even though I knew I shouldn't, I dropped the weight down but couldn't get to the next rep target. After that the whole workout went downhill. Did I burn myself out too fast? If I had started at 60 lbs I might be putting on too many reps. It says to go untill you can't anymore even if you have exceeded the target reps. anyway, for the rest of the evening I tried 50-60lbs and that was better but I didn't recover much on my rests between sets. I feel very out of shape.