- How many reps do I do? Like with most workouts, variety is the name of the game. “Switch it up!” says Giovinazzo. “Sometimes, do five sets of five reps, other times, three sets of ten. For the purposes of general exercise, it’s not really so important to figure out what your “one rep max” is (the heaviest weight you can lift).”
- When do I add more weight? “The last set that you should do shouldn’t be easy,” says Giovinazzo. “If it’s easy, then the next time you do that lift, increase the weight by five to ten pounds. If you complete your sets and reps, then increase the weight next time. One of my favorite quotes is, ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.’ If you increase the weight by five pounds every week, you will see some big gains in strength.” But don’t forget technique — if you’re struggling so much that you lose your form, take the weight down a notch.
- How long should I lift for? “A typical lifting session will last about 30 minutes for general fitness,” suggests Giovinazzo. “Pick one or two lifts — bicep curls or dead lifts or whatever — to focus on per training session.” Add that to your cardio, and you’ve got a solid workout plan.
- Should I lift every time I’m at the gym? No matter what you’re doing to work out, it’s important to take time off to let your body recover. “One of my coach’s quotes is, ‘Train hard. Recover harder.’ It’s important to work hard in the gym. But when you do that, the muscles get broken down. When you sleep and take a rest day, it allows the muscles a chance to rebuild themselves, which is what makes them stronger,” explains Giovinazzo. “If we constantly beat our muscles up, it’s possible to get injured, to not get the results you want, and to feel like your energy is depleted.” And that defeats the whole purpose of working hard — so here’s your free pass for a cheat day. Five more pounds tomorrow!
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