My name is Malek and I have recently purchased a Squat Cage, Barbell, and Weights. I have done weight training before but have not in 7 months.I would truly like to get back into it. I have started a 20-rep-squat program and am wondering what weight should I start at. I am 16 years old and 120lb. My squat 7-months ago was 225lbs. Will I still make good gains with this program if I start at 100lbs for 20 reps? Or is this too low?
Thank you for your consideration,
Malek
Literally nobody knows what weight you should use. You need to find the correct weight for your 20-rep-squats by trial and error. You must balance bravery and confidence (to challenge yourself) with caution and prudence (to avoid failure and injury).
I recommend starting with the bar and adding weight in each set until you find the right "heavy" for the person you happen to be right now. So, do 20 reps with the empty bar, then rest a minute or two, add 10 pound plates on either side, and do another set of 20. These should make you sweat and breathe heavily but the force required should be easy. Keep adding weight in small increments until you find a weight that you almost can't complete the 20 reps with. Stick with that weight or a little more for the next workout.
Weight it's relative to your purpose. You are going to make progress, hypertrophy-wise, as long as you provide a stimulus either mechanical and/or metabolic.
Generally, Resistance Training ( training with weights ) provides both of these stimuli.
Start with a weight you're comfortable with. Then build your way up by periodizating volume and intensity ( a good loading paradigm for beginners its 2:1 - 2 microcycles incrementing volume [total reps of training] and one decreasing ).
You can use this approach or just go with undulating periodization, that according to recent litterature in the field of research is the best for either strenght and fat free mass gain.
Hope it helps.
