How Often Do I Exercise and How Hard Do I Work?

To start resistance training, figure out the amount of weight for each exercise. Start with a weight (or colour of exercise band) that feels comfortable to do 10 repetitions.

How Much Weight Should I Lift?  

To find out if you are using the correct weight or exercise band, answer these questions.

1. After doing the last repetition, do you feel that you can do 5 to 10 more repetitions?
   • If you answer yes, the weight or exercise band is too light or too easy
2. Are you struggling to do the last repetition?
   • If you answer yes, the weight or exercise band is too heavy or too hard
3. After the last repetition, do you feel as if you could do 2 to 3 more repetitions and no more?
   • If you answer yes, this is a good starting weight or exercise band to use

Keep your RPE between 11 (fairly light effort, strain and/ or discomfort) and 16 (a solid hard effort, strain and/ or discomfort).

Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions for each exercise. For example, perform the bicep curl 10 times. Start with 1 circuit of the exercise routine. For example, a circuit includes all the exercises in your program. Complete each exercise in the entire routine once before doing a second set.

How Often Do I Exercise?

​Do resistance training 2 times per week. This is the lowest number of times needed for you to gain benefit.  

If you enjoy resistance training, you can do it every other day, which is 3 times per week.

Leave at least one day of rest between each resistance training session. This allows your body time to rest and repair your muscles between each exercise session.

How Hard Do I Work?

The intensity of resistance training differs for everyone.

There are three factors that impact the intensity of your resistance training program:

1. The amount of weight you lift or the amount of resistance from an exercise band. The heavier the dumbbell or more resistance from the band, the higher the intensity.
2. The number of times you perform an exercise. The number of times you perform an exercise is called repetitions. The more repetitions you do, the higher the intensity. For example:
   • 1 bicep curl = 1 repetition
   • 2 bicep curls = 2 repetitions
   • 3 bicep curls = 3 repetitions
   Start with doing an exercise 10 times or 10 repetitions.
3. The number of times you repeat 10 repetitions. The number of times you repeat your repetitions is called a set. A set of repetitions is done with a break in between. The more sets you do, the higher the intensity. For example, do 2 sets of 10 bicep curls with a break in between.