Answers
How much weight should a beginner lift?
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
Short answer
Pick a weight you can lift for your target reps, usually 8 to 12 for beginners, with good form and two or three reps still in the tank. Start lighter than you think, often just the bar or light dumbbells, and add a little weight once you reach the top of the rep range on every set.
01 / The guidance
What the guidelines say
The American College of Sports Medicine’s position stand suggests that novices train with loads they can lift for about 8 to 12 reps (roughly 60 to 70% of their one-rep max), for one to three sets, and increase the load by about 2 to 10% once they can do one or two reps more than the target.
You don’t need to test your one-rep max to start. The rep target does the work: a weight you can lift 10 times with two or three reps left is in the right zone.
02 / Find your weight
Finding your weight in the first session
| After a set of 10 you could do… | Next set |
|---|---|
| 5 or more extra reps | Go up a clear step (for example 5 kg on a barbell lift, or the next dumbbell or two) |
| 3 or 4 extra reps | Go up a small step |
| 1 or 2 extra reps | Stay here: this is your working weight |
| None, or your form broke down | Go down a step |
Judging reps left is hard at first and gets easier with experience; when unsure, stay lighter.
03 / Adding weight
When to add weight
Use a rep range, such as 8 to 12. When you hit 12 on every set, add the smallest step you can and work back up from 8. This is double progression; see progressive overload for more.
Beginners often add weight most weeks at first. When that slows, see how to break a plateau.
04 / How Spot helps
How Spot helps
Spot suggests your next weights from what you lifted last time in GymStreak, so after your first few logged sessions you can ask what to put on the bar. It also builds workouts for the equipment you have and adjusts the plan around any injuries you tell it about.
05 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Should a beginner lift heavy or light?
Moderate: a weight you can lift 8 to 12 times with good form and two or three reps to spare. Heavy, low-rep training can come later.
Is the empty bar too light?
Not for a first session. Start with the bar to learn the movement, then add weight set by set until you find your working weight.
How fast should a beginner add weight?
When you can do one or two more reps than your target on every set, add a small step (about 2 to 10%, often the smallest plates or the next dumbbell).
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
- Haff GG, Triplett NT, eds. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (NSCA). 4th ed. Human Kinetics; 2016.
- Helms ER, Cronin J, Storey A, Zourdos MC. Application of the repetitions in reserve-based rating of perceived exertion scale for resistance training. Strength Cond J. 2016;38(4):42-49.
- Steele J, Endres A, Fisher J, Gentil P, Giessing J. Ability to predict repetitions to momentary failure is not perfectly accurate, though improves with resistance training experience. PeerJ. 2017;5:e4105.
General training and nutrition information, not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor or physiotherapist.
Put it into practice
Exercises to try
- Goblet SquatsBeginner compound kettlebell exercise for the quadriceps, also working the glutes.
- Dumbbell Bench PressBeginner compound dumbbell exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
- Lat PulldownBeginner isolation lat pulldown machine exercise for the lats, also working the forearms and biceps.
- Machine Leg PressBeginner compound leg press machine exercise for the quadriceps, also working the glutes.
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