DO I NEED TO LIFT HEAVY?

How your body responds to strength training has a lot to do with your genetics and hormones and you may be surprised to discover that you don’t hulk up the way you thought you would, even lifting heavy weights. But if you’re still wary of heavy metal, here’s some good news: You can get great results, with lower injury risk, especially if you’re just starting out, using light weights – it just depends on how you use them.

Light means light: “I’m talking 2-5kg,” says Angelique. “If you’re training this way, I wouldn’t go heavier than that or it defeats the purpose.”

High reps: If you’re going light on the weights, up your repetitions (a.k.a. reps – the number of times you do the movement before resting). “High reps meaning sweat dripping on the floor,” says Angelique. “I wouldn’t even put a number to that, I would say ‘to exhaustion’. So do the move until you physically can’t lift your arm anymore and then you can move on to the next exercise.”

Head in the game: If you’re fully present and focusing on the muscle intensely, you’re going to see better results, even if the weight is light, says Angelique. “Whereas training with machines, people tend to think about all their problems and troubles because the machine will just do the work – and then it doesn’t really work that well at all.”

Your muscles need to struggle if they’re going to get stronger. Very basically, if your body realises that it’s struggling to perform what’s being required of it, it’s going to adapt so that next time, it can handle the load. It does this by building more muscle fibres. That’s why you’ll find the weight you used when you first started out is beginning to feel lighter.

YOUR MOVE: When an exercise starts feeling easy, increase your weight or increase the number of reps.

In order to fatigue your muscles, they need to have a chance to feel that they’re working hard.

YOUR MOVE: Slow down. You’ll be surprised how much harder it feels when you perform the move slowly, forcing your muscles to work harder for longer. Plus, moving slowly makes it easier to perform the move with control, lowering your risk of injury.

This refers to how well you’re doing the exercise. If you’re moving in a sloppy way, you’re way more likely to hurt yourself than if you’re moving carefully, with control. What’s more, if you’re not doing the move correctly, you’re not going to recruit the muscles correctly and you’re not going to get the results you want.

YOUR MOVE: Use superlight weights until you’re comfortable with the movement. Hire a personal trainer for a few sessions and ask them to teach you the correct technique. If you can’t afford a trainer even for a few sessions, taking a class at the gym is a good alternative. Training at home? Look for online video demos by certified personal trainers.

That’s the force your muscles are working against during the exercise. Loading your muscles forces them to work harder.

YOUR MOVE: Choose a move that is light enough so that you can do all the reps required, but heavy enough that the last few are harder to perform.

Err on the side of lightness to start and then increase the weight if it’s too easy. If you can’t perform the move with good form (at the start or the end), then your weight is too heavy. Never push through with a too-heavy weight. Rather go lighter. Remember that your strength may be different on different days, depending on hormones, how well you slept and other factors. Listen to your body.

There are many different ways to structure a strength workout, but the most basic way is to divide it into reps and sets. Reps is short for repetitions – how many times you do the move before you rest. A set is a collection of reps. So, for example, if the workout says two sets of 10 reps, you would do the move 10 times, then rest. Then do the move ten times again. That’s two sets.

YOUR MOVE: If you’re using very light weights, do many reps. If you’re using heavier weights, keep your reps low (think 6-10). If you’re new to weight training and you’re struggling to do six reps, your weight is too heavy.

SPOT IT: A long metal rod, often positioned on a rack in the gym. It has space to attach round weight plates on either end, but you can also train with the empty bar.

Good for lifts, arm curls, chest presses and adding weight to moves like squats.

USE IT: “I would start with the basics of powerlifting before moving onto the Olympic lifts,” says Thamar. “Powerlifting is based on the squat, bench press and deadlift. Olympic weightlifting is based on the snatch and the clean and jerk, which are more technical lifts. If you are just wanting to get stronger, then powerlifting is most likely your best bet, whereas Olympic lifting is more for those who want to master the barbell.” If you’ve never picked up a barbell before, she recommends getting some coaching. “It’s probably best to start with an expert

– either a personal trainer or join a basics class at a gym that does weightlifting. Once you have learnt to move correctly with proper form, you can always train on your own after that, but it’s really important to have the right foundation.”

SPOT THEM: Short metal bars with bulbous ends, small enough to be lifted with one hand. Usually stacked together in the gym, arranged from smallest to biggest. The smallest ones may be bright colours. Super versatile, they’re good for lifting and adding weight to a variety of movements, from squats and lunges to punches.

USE THEM: “Using a dumbbell in each hand helps with balance,” says Angelique. “When you use a weight in just one hand when you’re just starting out, little injuries can creep up. So,

I would start out using both arms until you’re comfortable with the movement.” Be sure to check that the dumbbells you’re using are two of the same weight – they may be sitting next to each other, but not everyone is conscientious about putting their weights back in the right place!

SPOT THEM: A bulbous lump of metal with a flat bottom and a handle on the top. Good for dynamic and functional movements, such as swings and twists, as well as adding weight to exercises like squats and lunges. USE THEM: “It is best to start with a lighter weight and fewer reps and work your way gradually to heavier weights and more reps. It is a process and one should not be hard on oneself,” says certified kettlebell instructor Siobion Cameron (@siobion_cameron on IG). “Start by getting the posture right. Correct posture is very important to avoid injuries. Your back must be properly positioned. And the movement is all in the hips. Always use your hips and not your back to absorb the force of the kettlebell. Your back should be in a neutral spine position, keeping the neck and head neutral. Remember to always be patient with yourself.”

THE PERKS OF KETTLEBELLS

The weight of a kettlebell is not evenly distributed like, say, a dumbbell, making it harder to keep stable and therefore good for training your small stabiliser muscles. “I love working with kettlebells because it is one of the most versatile workout tools that you can use to engage multiple muscle groups and burn loads of calories in a short time,” says Siobion. She shares some other perks.