Weight Training: What Size Dumbbells to Start Out With?

Weight training can benefit adults, young and old. Resistance training helps prevent muscle atrophy, or loss of muscle; improves symptoms of arthritis; builds stronger bones; aids in lowering body fat; and increases lean muscle mass. One of the toughest hurdles in getting started with a basic weight-training program is knowing how much weight to use for each exercise. There are two easy methods for figuring out the right amount of weight.

  1. One-Rep Max Technique

    • This method requires some trial and error. It works for any dumbbell exercise as well as each exercise you plan to perform in your weight training program. Have a spotter help you out with this technique, such as a personal trainer or gym buddy. Grab dumbbells that feel moderately heavy and try to do one repetition of your exercise. If you can more than one rep, rest for a few minutes and then try a slightly heavier weight. Do this until your find your one-rep max, or the maximum weight you can do in one repetition. Next, multiply your one-rep max by 60 percent and then by 80 percent to find your ideal workout weight range for that exercise. For example, if your one-rep max for biceps curls is 50 pounds, the ideal dumbbell weight to start out with for your workouts is 30 to 40 pounds.

    Muscle Fatigue Method

    • In weight training, an effective set of any dumbbell exercise will have you struggling to complete the final rep of the set. So, you can use this method to find the optimal dumbbell size for each exercise. It just takes some testing on your part. Determine how many reps you plan to do per set – 10 to 12 reps per set is optimal for general strength and fitness purposes. Next, choose a dumbbell you can handle relatively easily and do a set of 10 or 12 reps, or however many reps you plan to use in your workouts. If you can easily complete the final rep of the set, the weight is too light and you should try again with a heavier dumbbell. It may take several workout sessions before you find the ideal dumbbell weight for each exercise because you may end up doing several sets of each exercise, which can fatigue your muscles significantly. Once you’ve found a dumbbell weight that causes you to struggle on the final rep of the set, you’ve found the right weight to start out with.

    Progression

    • The weight you start out with should increase as your strength increases over the next six to eight weeks of doing your exercise. Monitor your one-rep max, or use the muscle fatigue method, every month or two and increase the dumbbell weight accordingly. You may find that you don’t progress as much in some exercises as you do others, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You can use this information to focus more effort on particular muscle groups that you may be neglecting a bit more than others.

    Tips

    • Because you’ll be determining the right dumbbell weight for sometimes 10 or more different exercises, it is easy to forget which dumbbell size goes with which exercise. Solve this problem by writing down all of your dumbbell weights right from the start. As you progress and get stronger, be sure to write down your weight increases and possibly even some decreases. Avoid working out the same muscle group two days in a row. This is counterproductive; muscles need rest to recover and grow. Use variety in your workouts – new exercises, more reps or changing the order of your exercise routine – to help avoid fitness plateaus that can halt your results.