Your Workout Forgot to Tell You Something - like how to choose the right dumbbell weight
You walk over to the dumbbell rack and there are approximately 700 choices. Now what?
If you're like most people, you probably do one of three things:
Grab the same dumbbells you always use because they haven't killed you yet.
Look around and see what everyone else is lifting.
Pick a weight that just feels appropriately fitness-y and hope for the best.
And listen, I get it. Nobody really teaches you this stuff. You find a workout online and it says, “3 sets of 10 dumbbell squats.” Cool. Ten reps with WHAT, Susan?
The workout tells you the exercise. It tells you how many sets to do. It tells you how many reps to complete. Then it sends you out into the world with absolutely no explanation of what weight you're supposed to pick up. So, you grab the 8-pound dumbbells. Why? Because those are your dumbbells now. You've formed a bond. You've been through things together.
But before you can answer the question, “How much weight should I use?” you actually need a little more information.
What Exercise Are You Doing?
You probably shouldn't use the same weight for a bicep curl that you use for a squat.
Your body isn't equally strong in every movement. A squat uses some of the largest muscles in your body. A bicep curl does not. This is one of the reasons I don't love giving someone a blanket statement like, “Start with 5-pound dumbbells.” For what? You may need 5 pounds for one exercise, 15 pounds for another, and 25 pounds for something else. The exercise matters.
How Many Reps Are You Trying to Do?
The weight you choose for 8 reps may be very different from the weight you choose for 20 reps. Think about carrying grocery bags into your house. You might be able to carry every bag at once from the car to the kitchen because you're only doing it for 30 seconds. Would you want to carry those same bags around your neighborhood for 20 minutes? Absolutely not.
The amount of work you're asking your muscles to do matters when choosing your weight. If your workout says 8–10 reps, you need a weight that challenges you within that range. If you're doing 20 reps, you may need something lighter so you can maintain control and good form throughout the set. The number of reps matters.
What's the Goal of the Set?
Not every set has the same purpose. Maybe you're warming up. Maybe you're learning a new exercise and focusing on technique. Maybe you're recovering from an injury and following guidance from a healthcare professional. Or maybe the goal is to actually challenge your muscles and get stronger.
Those situations may require completely different weights. This is why blindly grabbing a dumbbell based on what someone else is using—or what you've always used—doesn't make much sense.
There Is No Magic Dumbbell Weight
I wish I could tell you, “If you're new to lifting, use 10-pound dumbbells.” That would be easy. It would also be terrible advice.
Your strength, experience, the exercise you're performing, your rep range, and the goal of the set all matter. So, the better question isn't just: “How much weight should I use?” It's: “How do I know if the weight I'm using is right for THIS exercise and THIS set?”
And that is a skill you can learn.
You don't have to stand in front of the dumbbell rack waiting for divine intervention. You don't have to copy the person beside you. And you definitely don't have to stay loyal to the same pair of 8-pound dumbbells for the rest of your natural life.
So, How Do You Actually Know What Weight to Use?
That's the part that takes a little practice. Choosing the right weight isn't about memorizing a chart or being told that beginners should use 5-pound dumbbells. It's about learning how to pay attention to your reps, recognize when your muscles are being appropriately challenged, and know when it's time to make an adjustment.
And honestly, this is why having some guidance can be so helpful when you're learning to lift.
You might benefit from joining a wellness community like Lift & Be Uplifted, where you're not just handed a workout and expected to figure the rest out on your own. You can learn the why behind what you're doing, ask questions, and start building the confidence to make these decisions for yourself.
Or maybe you need a personal trainer who can work with you one-on-one, watch your form, help you choose appropriate weights, and teach you how to progress safely.
Either way, you don't have to spend the rest of your life standing in front of the dumbbell rack waiting for one of them to speak to you.
Learning how to lift is a skill. And skills can be taught.
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