Help me settle a debate with my fiance please!

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  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    Every once in a while I will mention to my fiance how sore I am from my latest workout with my trainer. Each time he says that I'm just out of shape because I shouldn't still be sore after working out with him for the last three months. So I tell him that I wouldn't be sore if we continued to do the same workouts but because he is constantly pushing me we consistenly increase the weight/intensity of my workouts. Which is why I'm getting results, because I am challenging my muscles. He goes on to tell me that he increases reps and never weight because he just wants to be cut because more reps equals more definition. I tell him that if he's doing 20 plus reps with the same weight then he needs to increase the weight and do less reps but he says thats only he you want to increase bulk. Says if he can get 20 resps in he will go until he can get 50-100. And lastly, he says heavy lifting is to make bigger muscles which he does not want. Can you guys help me settle this?
    Flat out, he's WRONG. Higher reps have nothing to do with getting cut up. That builds muscle endurance not definition. If he wants to get more cut, then reducing body fat through nutrition and raising your resting metabolic rate will do it.
    Bodybuilders who compete want very little fat for a competition. So they diet hard and clean and lift heavy as they can with lower reps to retain what muscle they have ALREADY developed.
    To increase bulk you have to be in calorie surplus so if he isn't eating more, then it's very unlikely he'll gain any muscle.

    You can still be sore even if you lift and stay in condition if muscle is challenged differently. You can jog everyday, but if you did full sprints for 30 minutes, it's not uncommon to have major leg soreness because sprinting hits the muscle much differently.

    Yes, THIS. ^^^
  • judkinsjenny
    judkinsjenny Posts: 220
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    I read a bunch of these answers and it looks like im wrong. ") im woman enough to admit it! thats what i learned anyway. less body fat equals a cut look i know that. but if you arenot lifting much weight you can tbulk up im sure of that...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    lean muscles are formed from lighter weight and more reps (burning/toning mode)
    bulkier muscles are formed with heavier weight and less reps (increasing strength mode)

    I know for men it works this way, it could be different for women though.
    Untrue. The whole "light weights for cuts and tone" and "heavy weights for bulk" has been dispelled for a long time now.
    Higher reps build muscle endurance. Low reps (3-6) build strength(myofibillar). Muscle hypertrophy (sarcoplasmic) is usually achieved in reps of 8-12.
  • kimberleylorna
    kimberleylorna Posts: 5
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    Are you right: yes. Will he admit it: not likely :)

    DITTO!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    I think in a way you are both a little right. If you do not want to increase muscle size, just want to be more defined you should stick to lighter weights and do more reps. if you constantly increase the weight to the point that 8 or so reps makes it so difficult to lift you can't continue, that rips the muscle and makes you sore. As you heal you body heals the micro tears in the muscle by building more muscle on top which is how you gain the muscle mass.

    What your trainer is doing is called muscle confusion. if you stick to the same routine over and over even though you are getting a good workout your results will start to decline. You will still be going in the right direction it just takes longer and longer to get there. You muscles get used to the motion and are no longer challenged to continue the forward progress.
    You get "defined" through having less body fat. Higher reps don't achieve this. Higher reps achieve muscle endurance.
  • tracy337
    tracy337 Posts: 199 Member
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    lean muscles are formed from lighter weight and more reps (burning/toning mode)
    bulkier muscles are formed with heavier weight and less reps (increasing strength mode)

    I know for men it works this way, it could be different for women though.

    Works the same for women :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    Bulk comes from fewer reps and heavier weights (8-10), Lean muscle comes from more reps (12-15) but going to 50 or 100.... he's definitly not gonna get the results he wants... 15 should still be a struggle.
    Again, not true. This is an ongoing myth.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    lean muscles are formed from lighter weight and more reps (burning/toning mode)
    bulkier muscles are formed with heavier weight and less reps (increasing strength mode)

    I know for men it works this way, it could be different for women though.

    Works the same for women :)
    It's untrue for both.
  • StrengthIsBeautiful
    StrengthIsBeautiful Posts: 309 Member
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    ninerbuff, it's always nice to see you chime in. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. :smile:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    ninerbuff, it's always nice to see you chime in. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. :smile:
    It's my hope to dispell ongoing myths with studies that are proven by science.
  • marzahl68
    marzahl68 Posts: 201
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    I find the best way to deal with males that "have to be" right all the time is to just nod. Been married for over 16 years and it has worked so far.

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