Fitness is at the center of what we do.
To Tilla Fit, fitness isn’t optional.
It’s something that every person needs.
Over the past year, we shared 52 reasons WHY people need fitness.
Now we shift to the next question.
HOW do you start?
HOW do you stay consistent?
HOW do you build a lifestyle that lasts?
HOW do you get results?
Over the next 52 weeks, we’ll answer those questions.
Here is week 17 of 52 on HOW to approach fitness.
“How to Choose the Right Weight”
A few weeks ago, we talked about sets, reps, and rest.
Remember our example?
Goblet Squat
4 Sets x 8 Reps
1:00 Rest
You perform eight reps, rest one minute, and repeat until you’ve completed four sets.
Over time, maybe eight reps becomes 10.
Then 12.
Eventually 15.
Then you increase the weight, return to eight reps, and start climbing again.
Simple progressive overload.
But there’s one question we haven’t answered yet:
What weight should you actually use?
The answer depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
The right weight isn’t necessarily light or heavy.
It’s the weight that creates the response you’re looking for.
If You’re Learning Technique
The weight should feel easy enough that you can think.
This is probably the simplest way to describe it.
You should be able to think about your feet.
Your breathing.
Your positioning.
Your range of motion.
Your tempo.
If the weight is so heavy that your only thought is, “GET THIS THING UP,” you’re probably not working on technique anymore.
Start light.
If You’re Trying To Build Muscle
The weight should feel comfortable at first and challenging by the end.
Let’s say you’re performing 10 reps.
Reps 1–5 might feel pretty manageable.
Around 6–8, you should start noticing the fatigue.
By reps 9 and 10, you should have to work.
You don’t necessarily need to reach complete failure, but you also shouldn’t finish your set knowing you could have easily done another 10 reps.
A simple question to ask yourself:
“Could I have done another 1–3 good reps?”
If the answer is yes, you’re probably in a productive place.
If you could do 15 more, go heavier.
If You’re Training For Longevity
The weight should feel challenging, controlled, and repeatable.
We’re trying to build and maintain muscle.
Maintain strong bones.
Preserve strength.
Keep getting off the floor.
Carry groceries.
Travel.
Play with your kids and grandkids.
Continue doing the things you love.
You absolutely need resistance challenging enough to make your body adapt.
But you don’t need to prove how strong you are every workout.
Think:
“Could I confidently perform this movement again next week?”
Train hard enough to create progress without turning every session into a test.
If You’re Trying To Lose Weight
Don’t automatically grab the lightest dumbbells and perform 30 reps because you think that’s “fat-burning.”
Your strength training still has an important job:
Build or maintain muscle while you lose weight.
Use weights that challenge your muscles.
Then use your Bootcamp, walking, running, biking, rowing, and other activities to increase your overall movement and cardiovascular work.
And remember, nutrition plays the biggest role in creating the calorie deficit required for weight loss.
Losing weight doesn’t mean you stop training for strength.
Simple Trick
When you’re unsure, start lighter than you think.
Do your first set.
Then ask:
Too easy? Add weight.
Challenging but controlled? Stay there.
Technique breaking down? Take weight off.
Your first set doesn’t have to be perfect.
Use it to gather information.
Training is a constant conversation with your body.
Some days the 40-pound dumbbell feels great.
Other days, the 30-pound dumbbell might be exactly what you need.
That’s not failure.
That’s good training.
Need Ideas?
This is also why we’re continuing to build the Tilla Fit Movement Library on YouTube.
We’ve organized exercises into movement categories so you can find different ways to squat, hinge, press, pull, lunge, and more.
If you’re tired of doing the same exercises or simply don’t know what movements to put into your workout, use the library for inspiration.
Find a movement.
Watch the demonstration.
Start light.
Learn it.
Then gradually challenge yourself.