In the world of exercise, variety abounds.

you could lift light weights, or heavy weights, or no weights at all.

If you dont exercise at all right now, it doesnt matter much where you start.

But that doesnt mean that all of these options are equivalent.

Or that, it doesnt matter whether the weights are heavy or light, asthis UPI articleput it.

But you deserve to know the difference.

Because there is definitely a difference.

Theyre especially great for beginners, since theyre easy to handle and not too intimidating.

Thats called lifting to failure.

The problem is, lifting light weights to the point of failure is boring as hell.

Its also easy to stop short of failure, because youre tired and you want to quit.

A bigger muscle does tend to be a stronger one, and vice versa.

Remember how light weights need to be lifted to failure to stimulate muscle growth?

With heavy weights, though, you end up recruiting large numbers of muscle fibers right from the start.

Heres a50 pound dumbbell.

Maybe you want two.

This sandbagcan hold 100 pounds or more (BYOS but thats like $5 worth of sand).

Accessories

Everything else is optional, but may be helpful.

A yoga mat can be a nice touch in your exercise corner.

If youre really into jumping rope, ajump ropecan add to your cardio options.

If you want to challenge yourself with core training, anab wheelmay be up your alley.

Knock yourself out:

Heres anadjustable bench.

An ab wheel doesnt have to be fancy;this onewill do perfectly.

The first time you try a new exercise, it will seem hard.

you better work with heavy weights if you want to learn to move heavy weights.

But my workout for the day might only call for four or five.

I find that alotmore enjoyable than doing 20 goblet squats with a dumbbell.

The dumbbell is lighter, but using a heavy barbell means I get to stop before Im exhausted.

approach is best for most people.

Thats still a solid approach for the average person who just wants to lift for fun or for health.

Its also important to remember the light weights need to get heavier over time, as you get stronger.

This is, in a nutshell,the concept of progressive overload.

Meanwhile, heavy just meansany weight that doesnt take dozens of reps to get results.

If you might only do about 10 pushups, then pushups count as a heavy exercise for you.