I’ve been getting this question enough that I’m planning to run some kind of program about choosing and using weights to build stronger muscles and bones in 2022. Adding weight can help you improve balance and proprioception, it can help you prevent or rehab an injury, and getting, and more importantly FEELING, stronger adds to your sense of independence. Until I have that program up and running, here’s a little guide on choosing what type of weights to use and how much weight you need.

There are so many choices for adding weight to a workout but for today’s post I’ll focus on thera bands, circle bands, jumpstretch bands, dumbbells, and kettlebells. (Safety note: Remember when you’re learning to use any of these, bands are like giant rubber bands and can snap back and smack you, and weights are heavy so pay attention to how and where you’re picking them up and putting them down. You will not want heavy weights on a wood floor and they can also be a trip hazard.)

But first: Body weight! I love body weight training because it is so versatile. You always have your body with you and there’s so much you can do to build strength and conditioning using only your own body in gravity. Gravity is free, no purchase required. Especially if you’re just starting out, you don’t need more than your own body and you can learn to tune into what’s happening with your body without the distraction of dealing with props.

Thera bands are easy and versatile. If you get one that is 6-7 feet long, 6 inches wide, and a light to moderate weight you’ll be able to use it for everything from light feedback for stretching to doubling it up for strength training, and it’s long enough to go around both feet and use both hands. Use thera bands for:

  • Adding light resistance to pulling or pushing exercises
  • Giving your body a better sense of where it is in space
  • Travel or very little storage space
  • Flexibility training
  • Adding to a standard Pilates, yoga, or cardio workout

Circle bands are like thera bands that are joined in a circle. They’re not quite as versatile as a standard thera band but when you really want a circle, they are very handy…and a lot easier than tying and untying your standard thera band. They usually come in sets of varying weights. Use circle bands for:

  • Putting around both arms for shoulder strengthening and flexibility training
  • Putting around both legs to add resistance to any side leg work
  • Adding light resistance to pulling or pushing exercises
  • Travel or very little storage space
  • Adding to a standard Pilates, yoga, or cardio workout

Jumpstretch bands are like circle bands on steroids. The circle is bigger and they are much heavier. For most folks, the light and medium are good choices for most exercises and can be doubled up if more resistance is needed. They are long enough to go around both feet and use both hands. The heavier weight bands are better for things like supported pull-ups where your whole body weight is supported by the band. Use jumpstretch bands for:

  • Adding heavy resistance to pushing or pulling exercises
  • Giving your body a better sense of where it is in space
  • Substituting for dumbbells or kettlebells
  • Strength training
  • Supported body weight exercises like pull-ups or hanging leg lifts
  • Travel or very little storage space

Dumbbells or hand weights come in a variety of sizes. They are bulkier than bands and take up more space in storage, but with a good set of these you will have more versatility in a wider range of exercises. They can only be held in the hands but you can still use them for leg exercises if you know what you’re doing. You can use one in each hand, or work with just one weight, and you can hold the center bar or the ends.

Use LIGHT (1-3 pounds) dumbbells for:

  • High reps of arm exercises, or arm exercises combined with leg exercises
  • Adding to a standard Pilates, yoga, or cardio workout
  • Giving your body the feeling of resistance without a lot of weight
  • Wrist exercises

Use MEDIUM (5-20 pounds) dumbbells for:

  • Low to medium reps of arm exercises
  • Strength training for arms
  • Core stabilization

Use HEAVY (15+) dumbbells for:

  • Low reps of arm exercises (1-5)
  • Strength training for legs (squats, lunges, deadlifts)

Kettlebells are shaped like a weighted ball with a curved handle on top, kind of like a tea kettle. They come in a variety of weights but they jump up in funny increments that tend to be larger than with hand weights. They can be held by their handle in one hand or by the handle in both hands, and can be used in a bottoms down or bottoms up position. The handle allows them to be swung which is really nice for doing dynamic strength training. You can get away with just having two kettlebells, one for upper body conditioning and one for lower body conditioning, but they still take up a fair amount of storage space.

Use a LIGHT (9-18 pounds) kettlebell for:

  • Strength training for arms
  • Shoulder and wrist stabilization
  • Strength training for single leg work
  • Core stabilization and strengthening
  • Dynamic strength training

Use a HEAVY (26-36 pounds) kettlebell for:

  • Strength training for legs and lower body
  • Core stabilization and strengthening
  • Dynamic strength training

How do you know how heavy to go with a hand weight or kettlebell for arm strength training? You should be able to push the weight up over head with one hand with a little bit of difficulty. For strength training you want it to be challenging to get that overhead press 3 times when you first start working with a weight. (It will get easier very quickly!)

Remember that in a Pilates class we are often doing high reps of a wide variety of exercises which is why you’ll often want a lighter weight for that type of class setting, but if you want to build more strength in your muscles and your bones eventually you’ll want to go heavier and add a strength training component to your routine.

So the question for you is, what do you want to get from adding weight to your workout? And then how can you best accomplish that? I hope this helps at least start to answer that question!

(Want to hear about it when my strength training program comes up next year? Sign up for my mailing list below!)

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