How “hard” should I work out?

As I have discussed elsewhere, you should aim for maximal effort on EVERY set of EVERY lift EVERY time. While it may be true that you can gain some strength and size working out at submaximal effort, why would you leave any gains on the table???

If you want to run faster, do you think taking a light jog every day will help? Maybe, but not likely. To increase your top speed, you need to run at your top speed regularly to push your limits. Ideally, you would mix in longer runs, plyometrics, and stretching into your routine, but to gain speed, you will need to push yourself at maximal effort often.

Weightlifting is no different. You should push yourself to your limit nearly every set. Of course, some sets may be lighter weight, so your reps will be higher, but don’t stop at 20 or 25 or some predetermined number. Push yourself to finish as many reps as possible whether the goal for the set was 5, 10, 15, or 50.

This is often referred to as “failure,” and it is true that, at some point, your muscles just won’t be able to lift the weight any longer. In truth, that is “mechanical failure” when your muscles can’t contract enough to move the weight. Most lifters never truly get to mechanical failure because it’s embarrassing to drop the weight on your chest, but more so because it’s painful and takes a lot of concentration and effort to withstand the burning and fatigue.

Most of us only reach a mental stopping point, often at that predetermined rep number of 10! Your muscles can’t count, though. Your muscles will continue to contract as long as your brain is sending them signals. While, I’m not advocating for you to drop weights on your chest or on the floor of the gym, I am saying that you should push yourself to your rep limit every time you pick up a weight.

Don’t think, “How hard should I work out today?” Instead think, “How hard can I work out, today?”

Especially as a new lifter, go find your mental and mechanical limits on all your sets. Usually, what we think is our “last rep” is really 2 or 3 reps before we actually fail. Again, don’t go around the gym dropping weights and screaming on every set, but also, don’t cut your set short stopping at the number of reps you think you can do. Perform each set until you can’t safely get one more rep.