You Are Probably Lifting a Lot Less Than You Could.

This won’t be news to longtime readers of Lifehacker , but a recent study confirms that many of us are probably training too light. Trainer and author Greg Nuckols wrote a commentary on this study , sparking a heated discussion on the Internet. My main takeaway from the reaction is that many people worry that lifting weights means they can get hurt.

In the study, which was a meta-analysis of other studies in which people were asked to choose their own weight for at least one exercise, people tended to take on a weight that was about half what they found they could lift. In fact. one representative. Of course, there are good reasons to use lighter weights; for example, if you’re going for 25 reps on the bench press, you should use less weight than if you’re aiming for five reps. But the study showed that even taking this into account, people generally chose too light weights even for what they were asked to do .

This doesn’t mean everyone needs to lift heavier, but probably many should. If you:

• You are no longer a beginner (light weights are good to start with, but you will need more stimulus after a while)
• Feel like you didn’t get stronger
• Feel that you are not gaining as much muscle mass as you would like

What if you fall into one or more of these categories but are still worried about getting injured, or are just intimidated by the idea of ​​lifting weights that you have literally never lifted before?

It is important to understand that heavier weights are not necessarily more dangerous. Injuries in the gym are not very common , and they tend to either creep up on you over time (which can happen with light weights as well as heavy ones), or they come from stupid actions. Adding a few pounds to your weight is not considered stupid.

So, if you’re ready to try heavier weights, how can you get over your fear and prepare for the bigger challenge? Try these tips.

Set up these security

When people talk about their fear of lifting heavy weights, the bench press is often at the center of those fears. You lift the bar above your chest, so you’re worried that if you can’t lift it, you’ll be crushed.

Fortunately, there are many ways to safely bench press. One is to have someone stand behind you and help you lift the bar if you can’t complete the last rep on your own. ( This person is called a “spotter.” ) The other is benching in a squat cage so you can put the bar on the belays and get out from under it.

And if you ever forget to set the fuses and don’t ask for a seat, it’s actually perfectly normal to put the barbell on your chest (with your core secured), roll the barbell up to your hips, and then sit down. It’s not exactly fun or convenient , but you’ll definitely survive to tell this story.

We describe the maneuver described above, sometimes jokingly referred to as the “rolling of shame”, in our complete guide to failing climbs . You can also use this cage for squats, as intended. Take this from a dumbass who has failed many lifts over the years: anything you can do in the gym, you may not do safely.

Try heavy holds and exits

Before we start lifting weights, let’s look at another way to get comfortable: the heavy grip. This is when you take a weight that you can’t bench press yet and just hold it in your hands for a minute and then put it back on the rack. (You’ll need a spotter for this.) Here’s Jen Thompson’s GOAT bench explaining how to use them in training :

You can also do heavy overhead press holds: set the harness above head level, place the bar directly on the harness and load it with plates. Then climb under the bar with straight arms and stand up. You can even march in place for an optional main mission. If you’re having trouble, no problem – the fuses are right there so the bar can’t fall on your head.

The equivalent of a squat is a walk: you put the barbell on your back, take a few steps back as if you were going to squat, but then after standing there for a few seconds, enter again.

These exercises are great for building confidence. 200 pounds will no longer feel like a heavy squat after you load 225 pounds into your back. You also continue to work on your core strength and stabilizer muscles even if you don’t lift at full strength.

Apart from holds, you can also do partial versions of the lift. For example, a quarter squat (just bending your knees slightly) allows you to work with more weight than a full squat. It is both self-confidence and strength. The same can be said for block pulls or rack pulls when you’re only doing the top of the deadlift. (Tip: use straps if your grip starts to slip.)

Complete with AMRAP

AMRAP means “as many repetitions as possible”. Let’s say you’re doing three sets of 10 reps. Do the first two sets of 10 reps as usual, and then do the last set of AMRAP. If you use the right weight, you can only do 10-12 reps for the last one. But if you can go on and gain, say, 20, that’s a sign that you should put on at least a few pounds next time.

It is for this reason that AMRAP is built into some programs. You can train with lighter weights and still be able to test yourself on the last set. Doing AMRAP will also teach you what it’s like to achieve real failure, and thus what it’s really like to be, say, two reps away from failure. With this calibration, it will be easier for you to choose weights in the future, because you will know how close to failure should really feel.