We’ve all been at the beginning of our strength training journeys, even if we started a long time ago! At some point we all stood and stared at a set of dumbbells, unsure which one to pick up. Do you go heavy? But what’s too heavy? Do you start really light so you can do more reps? 

When you don’t have a training plan in mind and you haven’t considered the goals you want to achieve with your strength training, you’re going to struggle to know where to begin. So, that’s where we’re going to start. 

Think about why you want to start lifting weights. Is it to build strength in a particular part of your body? Are you looking to tone up? Are you training for a specific sport or event? 

This is important information to know because it will help you work out whether you want to build serious muscle (in which case go for heavier dumbbells) or to stabilise specific muscles, as well as tendons in your joints (which means you want to go lighter). The key: take the guesswork out of your training regime. 

What dumbbells should I use for my first session?

Ideally you’ll have a range of dumbbells available to you that vary in weight – it’s why a 24kg adjustable dumbbell set is a good option for your home gym. This piece of kit is very compact and allows you to adjust the weight of your dumbbells.

You can go as low as 2.5kg in weight, all the way up to (you guessed it) 24kg of weight, which means you can change your dumbbell weights between exercises and sets. 

However, the first time you train with weights the general advice is to start with a lighter set of dumbbells and then build up. The main reason being that you’re less likely to injure yourself with lighter weights. 

If you find that the exercise you’re performing feels easy with the lightest weight, gradually increase it in small increments until you find a weight that makes you feel like you’re working without taking you to the point of failure. 

What exercises should I do on my first session?

If you’re new to weight and strength training, the key is to keep it simple when you’re starting out. You can get a huge amount of benefit from performing simple exercises well, so make sure you get the movement right and keep your form before you attempt anything more advanced or significantly increase your weights. 

At the beginning of your training journey, you’ll likely want a full-body workout, so you want to include a range of exercises that work the muscles in both your upper and lower body. For instance, weighted squats are an excellent choice to help build up strength in your legs. 

You can also perform weighted lunges while holding dumbbells in each hand for added resistance. 

Everyone is likely familiar with bicep curls, but don’t forget to work your triceps and shoulder muscles too. You may also want to include a chest press into your routine to work your pectoral muscles – this is straightforward to do lying on your back, you don’t need a bench if you are at home and using dumbbells for this exercise. 

How will I know when it’s time to increase the weight of my dumbbells? 

As you build strength, you’ll need to increase the weight you’re lifting to ensure you keep progressing. The general rule is that if it feels easy then you’re probably not lifting heavy enough. 

A good rule of thumb to use is whether it feels moderately to intensely hard to complete a set of 15 repetitions (reps). If, after your 15 reps, you feel you’ve still got more in the tank, consider increasing the weight you’re using for that exercise. Add weight gradually until you’re back to finding 15 reps hard work, but achievable. 

Also remember that there is more than one way to train different muscles in our bodies. Therefore it’s important to mix up your training so that you build balanced strength throughout your body. 

How can I tell if I’m keeping the correct form for my exercises?

There’s a reason that most gyms have floor to ceiling mirrors – it’s so that you can keep an eye on your form while you’re working out. When you’re new to weight lifting this is particularly important, as you will likely find it harder to identify when you’re not lifting correctly.

Working with a personal trainer is a good idea if you can afford it and want to have someone there to advise you on body position and the correct way to move. This will help you understand how the exercises feel in your body, which will enable you to self-correct as you gain experience. That said, there is a lot of useful information online these days so use it. 

Exercise in front of a mirror, whether you’re in the gym or at home, so that you can see your body position and adjust it as necessary. If you feel any pain, stop what you’re doing. Pushing through could cause an injury and you certainly don’t want that!