Aleenta guide to selecting weights for Barre.Strong |
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Are you… → |
New to lifting? New to fitness? Injured? Unsure? 👇 |
Fit and well, but not used to heavy weights? Want to build your strength? 👇 |
Used to lifting weights >5kg? Wanting to challenge your strength and fitness? 👇 |
Then choose from the following: |
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2 x light dumbbells |
2 x 1kg |
2 x 1-2kg |
2 x 1-3kg |
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You should be able to hold your arms out straight with these for 30 sec or so, and easily lift them above your head. |
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2 x medium dumbbells |
2 x 2-4kg |
2 x 3-5kg |
2 x 3-8kg |
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You should be able to do at least 10 bicep curls in a row with these, and lift these weights above your head with moderate effort. |
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2 x heavy dumbbells |
You won’t need any heavy dumbbells for now. Just use your medium ones. |
Optional 2 x 5-8kg |
2 x 7-10kg |
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These are for your deadlifts and lunges. |
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- These are not firm rules but recommendations. Use your discretion and chat with your tender about different options as required.
- We encourage you to start lighter and increase resistance gradually in 1kg increments. It is absolutely fine to do the whole class with just 1kg dumbbells if you wish!
- To build strength, you should be struggling to keep going for the full set. If you are breezing through, you might consider trying a heavier weight.
- If you would prefer to perform the exercises at a faster pace, we suggest you keep your weights lighter. This will give you toning and cardiovascular fitness results rather than strength.
- Avoid swinging the dumbbells (unless that’s part of the exercise!). Keep movements slower and more controlled.
- Carefully follow the tender’s cues on joint alignment to avoid strain, especially the knees, wrists and spine.
- If you feel any joint pain during the exercises, stop and let your tender know. You may need to reduce your weight, or take a modification option.
Great work! Now you’ve started, aim to gradually build your strength by:
- Progressing to a heavier weight. Increase by only 1kg at a time, every 2-3 weeks.
- Performing muscle contractions at a slightly faster pace, while maintaining control as you release the contraction.
- Coming to class more frequently (but remember to give yourself recovery days in between lifting - we recommend barre strong 3x/week)
- Taking the tougher options suggested by your tender
- Use your full range of movement, ie get deeper into those squats, lunges and pushups, as long as your joints are comfortable.
