When do you increase weights?
I went to the gym after work yesterday and did 40 min on the elliptical and circuit weights. I was aiming for three days a week with this routine, but it just seemed like too much, so now I'm doing this 2 days a week and also at least 1 1/2 hrs lap swim and 1 hr water aerobics in a week. So 4 days a week at the gym minimum.
I just checked my Fitlinx account to compare stats on my weight lifting.
Oct. 1: 11 different exercises for a total of 312 reps lifting 17,330 lbs.
Dec. 1: 13 different exercises for a total 472 reps lifting 28,378 lbs.
I am quite encouraged by my progress! I kind of felt like I wasn't doing enough or not lifting heavy enough weights, but I don't have a lot of experience lifting so I'm not sure. I know you're supposed to lift until the muscle is fatigued, but how fatigued? You know there's "wow, this is really hard, feel the burn" and then there's "oh my god I couldn't possibly move this weight one more time even if you paid me a million dollars". I think the intensity I'm doing is on the more bearable side, but I do kind of a lot of reps, 3 sets of 12 for each exercise. I guess I’m wondering how I’ll know when I need to up the weight. Should I add weight and then start doing fewer reps? Like 8 in a set?
Thoughts, suggestions, experiences? Thanks for your help!
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