Resistance training, also known as weight training, is a great way to burn fat, enhance your strength, and improve posture and muscle tone. 

Whether you’re new to resistance training or have been throwing iron around for years, the same basic principles apply for getting the most out of your time in the weights room.

The ‘60 per cent’ theory is a good rule of thumb when deciding which dumbbell to select, or applying a setting to a machine. 

Here’s how it works: carefully explore the maximum weight you can manage for one repetition of any given exercise (known as the ‘repetition maximum’, or RM). Then calculate 60 per cent of that maximum weight, and lift that amount between six and 12 times.

“If you want to build strength, or use weights to change your body shape or composition, it’s important to lift enough weight to elicit that particular response from your body,” says Fernwood National Fitness Manager, Freddy Warren.

“If you’re lifting less than approximately 60 per cent of one RM then you’re probably conducting some sort of cardio or endurance training with weights, but not effective resistance training.”

So, if you can arm curl 10kg once, in an all-out effort, your ideal weight for six to 12 arm curl repetitions would be 60 per cent of 10kg, which is 6kg. For pure strength training, Freddy suggests slightly fewer repetitions at a higher weight: around 80 per cent of your RM.

Don’t forget to engage your core – the area around the abdomen, lower back and gluteus muscles (butt) – to stabilise peripheral muscles, helping to prevent injury and lift with more power.

1. Be tall

Make sure your back is flat or slightly arched – this applies when sitting, lifting, walking or stretching. “You can’t slump or lean forward outside your centre of gravity and expect to lift safely or perform well,” Freddy says.

2. Spread chest

Relax your shoulders, hold your chest up and push your shoulder blades together to protect your lower back, increase power, align your spine and work the muscles of your lower back, rather than the ligaments.

3. Knees aligned

Keep your knees aligned by positioning them over your toes. Allowing them to drift inwards or outwards while lifting can cause injury by transferring force laterally into your knees – force they’re not designed to handle.

4. Toes aligned

Positioning your toes straight ahead when lifting allows your muscles to work in proper alignment, and helps avoid engaging the wrong muscles.

5. Eyes on target

Choose something in front of you, at your natural eye level, to focus on. This keeps your head upright and in line with your spine, helping to avoid serious injury by ensuring your back remains flat or slightly arched, and your chest spread.

6. Stance

Balance your body weight between the middle and balls of your feet, and keep heels in contact with the floor. Feet can either be shoulder width apart (athletic stance) for slower or heavier movements, or hip width apart (jump stance) for dynamic lifts or rapid movement.