How to Increase Weights + make progress at the Gym (Without Getting Injured.)

Written By Della Rayner

Starting strength training is one of the best things you can do for your body — but it can also feel intimidating. You’re doing your workouts, following your plan, and then it happens: you reach a point where the weights you’ve been lifting start to feel too easy… but the next jump up feels way too heavy.

Sound familiar?

This is one of the most common challenges for beginners in the gym — and one of the top reasons people lose motivation or get injured early on. So if you’re feeling stuck between weight sizes, know this: you’re not alone, and there’s a better way to progress.

Why Does the Jump Feel So Big?

Most commercial gyms are set up with fixed dumbbells that increase in large steps — usually 2.5kg or even 5kg at a time. That’s a huge leap, especially when you’re working with smaller muscle groups or just getting started.

Let’s say you’ve been comfortably doing dumbbell shoulder presses with 7.5kg. The next option is 10kg — a 33% jump. That’s like going from a gentle jog to a sprint without warming up.

If your body isn’t quite ready, you might:

  • Lose form

  • Strain muscles or joints

  • Feel frustrated or discouraged

These big jumps aren’t about you not being strong enough — they’re about a system that isn’t built for gradual, safe progress.

How Should You Increase Weights Safely?

Here are a few tips for beginners:

  1. Focus on form, not ego. If your form starts breaking down with a new weight, scale back. Good technique always wins.

  2. Increase reps first. If 3 sets of 10 feels easy, go for 12 or 15 before jumping up in weight.

  3. Track your workouts. Keep a notebook or app to log sets, reps, and how each lift felt. It’ll help you know when you’re ready to level up.

  4. Make smaller jumps — even if your gym doesn’t offer them.

Wait… what if your gym only has those big dumbbell jumps?

That’s where micro-weights come in.

Meet Micro-Weights: The Safe Way to Level Up

Micro-weights are small, clip-on weights you can add to dumbbells, kettlebells, and cable machines. They let you increase the weight by 250g to 1kg at a time — giving your body the stepping stones it needs to keep getting stronger without the leap.

Instead of going from 7.5kg to 10kg, you could add a 0.5kg micro-weight to each side and work your way up gradually. Your joints stay happy, your confidence grows, and your training stays on track.

They’re especially great for:

  • Beginners learning the ropes

  • Anyone returning from injury

  • Smaller muscle group exercises (like shoulders or arms)

  • Building consistent progress without burnout

Ready to Train Smarter?

Strength training shouldn’t be a guessing game — and it definitely shouldn’t feel like an all-or-nothing leap.

With micro-weights, you can train smarter, protect your body, and finally take control of your progress — one small step at a time.

👉 Shop now and get your own set of micro-weights — perfect for dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells and cable machines.

Della Rayner