Aleenta guide to selecting weights for Barre.Strong

May 30, 2022 2 min read

Weight Selection Guideline

Aleenta guide to selecting weights for Barre.Strong
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:
2 x light dumbbells	2 x 1kg	2 x 1-2kg	2 x 1-3kg
	You should be able to hold your arms out straight with these for 30 sec or so, and easily lift them above your head.
2 x medium dumbbells	2 x 2-4kg	2 x 3-5kg	2 x 3-8kg
	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.
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
		These are for your deadlifts and lunges.

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.