Increased weight or increased reps, fast or slow

CherylCalmConfidentCapable

Hello

For fat burning and lengthening of muscles as opposed to building muscle, is it better to use a lower weight and increase reps or visa versa? Also, I tend to make slow precise movements of the exhertion and release but have noticed recently a number of (fit, slim and strong) people in the gym, really going for it and completing their reps at a great speed. I thought that slow was better as it ensured the weight was lifted and controlled by the specific muscle group and assumed that using speed could result in the rep being completed by default on the swing???

Thanks in advance DM

gmallan

Firstly, muscles don't lengthen. They have attachement points and a fixed length. Muscles can either; get bigger, get smaller or stay the same size.

If you are trying to become more lean you either want to; increase muscle and reduce body fat or retain the muscle you have and reduce body fat. Either way the best strategy is to lift heavy (relative) while manipulating your diet for the desired result.

Whether you lift slow or quickly depends on what results you want. The fit looking people who are lifting weights quickly are most likely athletes that are training for a specific sport and looking to increase their speed/power/explosive strength as opposed to increasing strength or size. This should still be controlled and with good form. Also I wouldn't recommend doing this type of work until you have a solid lifting foundation and can execute moves with good form.

UCSMiami

Hello

For fat burning and lengthening of muscles as opposed to building muscle, is it better to use a lower weight and increase reps or visa versa? Also, I tend to make slow precise movements of the exhertion and release but have noticed recently a number of (fit, slim and strong) people in the gym, really going for it and completing their reps at a great speed. I thought that slow was better as it ensured the weight was lifted and controlled by the specific muscle group and assumed that using speed could result in the rep being completed by default on the swing???

Thanks in advance DM

Increased weight vs lesser weight builds strength. However even weight maximizing routines do have intervals where lesser weights are used instead of continuous heavy weights. There are two schools regarding velocity. Slow reps increases time under tension but fast reps increase muscle shock and also T-production.(well in males anyway, presume also in females)
Good form should always be practiced. Yes, plenty of folk at the gym use poor form-Disregard.

You can maintain good form with fast/slow/heavy/lighter until fatigue sets in. Even lighter weights feel heavy after X reps and X sets due to lactic acid buildup.

Fat burning in workouts is due to the increase in metabolic rate post-workout. Do not know if one is more effective than the other. Do know that both increase resting metabolic rate for hours afterwards.