Benefits of lifting low weight / high reps

1246

Replies

  • khagador
    khagador Posts: 175 Member
    Nope...Then its just me... let me try a different browser

    ETA: Nope, maybe my work is blocking them

    I can't see the first pic either.
  • Quiing
    Quiing Posts: 261 Member
    From what I've read, low weights with high reps increases muscle endurance, but does not increase muscle. I'm no expert though and could be wrong :)


    Edited for spelling :)

    I agree!
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
    simply it is tone vs. bulk

    sigh...

    Yes sigh
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    First pic working now?

    If not, Google stacy alexander and look at the difference in her competition pics and modeling pics.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    I'm no expert.

    But when I was a college swimmer the sprinters (like myself) lifted heavy weights at low reps while the long distance swimmers lifted LIGHTER weights (notice I didn't say *light*) at high reps. The sprinters were aiming for powerful, explosive muscles, where the distance swimmers were aiming for endurance.

    edit for spelling.
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
    There is a lot of good info in this thread, if you can sift through it all. So let me make a personal observation, if you will be so kind.

    It is anecdotal, however,

    I have never known anyone to lift heavy, with proper form, and regret it. Men or women. And I know quite a few of both.
  • khagador
    khagador Posts: 175 Member
    I started heavy lifting at the rack 3 weeks ago, and I'll never go back. In three weeks, I feel stronger, my workout shorts are getting very loose (losing inches obviously), and my mental health is at it's peak. Endorphins are freaking awesome.

    I had been doing lots of squats and lunges, etc before heading to the bars, but since i've been lifting HEAVY with the bars I feel like a new person. I'm not kidding you. I love going to the gym like never before.

    Women, if you go to the gym, you MUST TRY IT. You will NOT bulk, and you'll notice your stomach trimming out just by using that freaking bar! You work your core with every exercise. JUST DO IT!

    I'm a cardio freak and have been recovering from an injury, so I turned to weight lifting. I agree that you feel like a brand new woman after doing some barbell squats and lunges. I also love the looks I get being the only girl in that section of the gym.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    I don't even know if I have the energy for this, but I shall try.

    Women can not bulk up unless they are supplementing, we lack the testosterone to get swole.

    If you have back problems or something like that, then that is really the only time I would recommend lifting lighter and doing more reps. BUT, I can not promote lifting heavy and doing low reps enough.

    Doing 5lb dumbbell curls for an hour isn't going to get you very far. But doing compound moves with heavier weights, 3 sets of 6-8 reps (that make your arms wanna fall off) IS going to strengthen that muscle! Since switching from light weight/high reps to heavy weight/low reps, not only have I lost 2 pants sizes in a relatively short amount of time, but I've noticed more muscle definition than I've ever had in my life. And I'm not "bulky" nor will I ever be.

    Please ladies, please please please, put down the Barbie weights and REALLY challenge yourselves!!

    Edited to also say that before when I was doing low weight/high reps I was in the gym for freaking ever...now I'm done in about half the time and I've worked even harder, getting better results. This is, of course, anecdotal, but I think the results speak for themselves.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    First pic working now?

    If not, Google stacy alexander and look at her competition pics.

    Yes it's working now.

    Women afraid of looking like the first picture have no idea of the amount of hard work it takes to get to look like that, just for one competition. They think these girls look like that all the time.
  • G30Grrl
    G30Grrl Posts: 377 Member
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    I must respectfully disagree with this. Women do not "bulk." This is a total myth. We don't have the hormones for it (unless we add steroids). Heavy weights with low reps (they are only low because we lift so heavy that we *can't* do high reps) are the only way to build strength and increase muscle. No, they won't be bulky scary muscles. The will be lovely lean toned muscles. And they will be strong. Why? because we PUSH ourselves to lift a little more each time, which is the only motivation for our muscles to get stronger.

    Light weights with high reps are for endurance. They won't make you stronger, nor will they build new muscle tissue. This myth has been around for ages. I succumbed to it for a long time. But the only time I have ever gotten truly STRONGER and actually built lovely womanly muscles is when I have pushed myself to lift as much as I can.
  • angied80
    angied80 Posts: 713 Member
    I don't even know if I have the energy for this, but I shall try.

    Women can not bulk up unless they are supplementing, we lack the testosterone to get swole.

    If you have back problems or something like that, then that is really the only time I would recommend lifting lighter and doing more reps. BUT, I can not promote lifting heavy and doing low reps enough.

    Doing 5lb dumbbell curls for an hour isn't going to get you very far. But doing compound moves with heavier weights, 3 sets of 6-8 reps (that make your arms wanna fall off) IS going to strengthen that muscle! Since switching from light weight/high reps to heavy weight/low reps, not only have I lost 2 pants sizes in a relatively short amount of time, but I've noticed more muscle definition than I've ever had in my life. And I'm not "bulky" nor will I ever be.

    Please ladies, please please please, put down the Barbie weights and REALLY challenge yourselves!!

    ^^^ This, Go Mer!
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    great thread! bump
  • Fitwam
    Fitwam Posts: 275 Member
    For all you who do lift heavy....what are your thoughts about using Cybex machines for weights? My gym has very limited free weights (yes, dumbells, universal bar, etc.) but no squat rack, pulley system to do rows etc.
    I have had 5 knee surgeries and I am nervous about squatting without a spot...and there is hardly anyone in there to do so! (it least when I am in there)

    doing the c25k program so after my run I complete a curcuit with the machines. I use the leg press machine, leg extension etc. (about 5 machines focusing on legs and 4 on upper body) I will do 3 sets of 10..increasing weight in each set (sometimes can't finish to 10 on that last set).

    I've just started out....will I still see results?
    May be a dumb questions...but I don't want to do all this work for naught.
  • Lizzy_Sunflower
    Lizzy_Sunflower Posts: 1,510 Member
    In this thread: female broscience
    femscience?

    hoscience??...no wait...lol

    Exactly.

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hoscience
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I just wish the bulking myth would just go away...urgh

    I don't think it is a myth, often it's just a difference of opinion in what "bulk" means.

    I've posted that I don''t want to be bulky (I am female) before only be slammed with posts from the body builders about how I won't get bulky. Many of them are accompanied by pics of women who lift heavy in an attempt to prove their point. Many of the pics look bulky to me.

    They probably mean that don't want that much definition.

    Those fitness models are very lean and work hard to achieve that. . Increase the percentage of body fat on them and most likely you wouldn't feel that they were "too bulky". No average women is going to get like that without some serious work (multiple cycles of eating at surplus then cutting). Lifting heavy will help maintain the lean mass you have while dieting.

    Also... the pics that are taken during competition are often of the person being intentionally dehydrated for the competition. They don't look like that during the off season. I saw a pic recently (not sure the thread... "hot women with muscles" or "this is what a competitor is supposed to look like" maybe?) that posted 2 pics of the same person... one during a competition (ripped) and the other during the off-season. Totally different looks.

    I wasn't talking about pics of competitive lifters. I've seen many before and after pics of MFP members showing off their bodies after lifting where I thought their before pic was better because they are now bulky. I think it's awesome that they wanted that look and achieved it, but to me it is still "bulky" and not what I'd like for me.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I just wish the bulking myth would just go away...urgh

    I don't think it is a myth, often it's just a difference of opinion in what "bulk" means.

    I've posted that I don''t want to be bulky (I am female) before only be slammed with posts from the body builders about how I won't get bulky. Many of them are accompanied by pics of women who lift heavy in an attempt to prove their point. Many of the pics look bulky to me.

    They probably mean that don't want that much definition.

    Those fitness models are very lean and work hard to achieve that. . Increase the percentage of body fat on them and most likely you wouldn't feel that they were "too bulky". No average women is going to get like that without some serious work (multiple cycles of eating at surplus then cutting). Lifting heavy will help maintain the lean mass you have while dieting.

    Also... the pics that are taken during competition are often of the person being intentionally dehydrated for the competition. They don't look like that during the off season. I saw a pic recently (not sure the thread... "hot women with muscles" or "this is what a competitor is supposed to look like" maybe?) that posted 2 pics of the same person... one during a competition (ripped) and the other during the off-season. Totally different looks.

    I wasn't talking about pics of competitive lifters. I've seen many before and after pics of MFP members showing off their bodies after lifting where I thought their before pic was better because they are now bulky. I think it's awesome that they wanted that look and achieved it, but to me it is still "bulky" and not what I'd like for me.

    Then it's a terminology thing. I've never seen anyone on here that I would consider bulky, and I've only seen a few people who I can even imagine someone else might consider bulky.

    Clearly you and I have different ideas of what bulky is.
  • suavequeen
    suavequeen Posts: 273 Member
    Bump
  • Lizzy_Sunflower
    Lizzy_Sunflower Posts: 1,510 Member
    For all you who do lift heavy....what are your thoughts about using Cybex machines for weights? My gym has very limited free weights (yes, dumbells, universal bar, etc.) but no squat rack, pulley system to do rows etc.
    I have had 5 knee surgeries and I am nervous about squatting without a spot...and there is hardly anyone in there to do so! (it least when I am in there)

    doing the c25k program so after my run I complete a curcuit with the machines. I use the leg press machine, leg extension etc. (about 5 machines focusing on legs and 4 on upper body) I will do 3 sets of 10..increasing weight in each set (sometimes can't finish to 10 on that last set).

    I've just started out....will I still see results?
    May be a dumb questions...but I don't want to do all this work for naught.

    If that is all you have, it is better than nothing. You will see results, and I agree that strength training has improved my running. Read some of the books mentioned here New Rules of Lifting for women and Starting strength. Many of the exercises can certainly be done with dumbbells. Some of my friends prefer them to barbells
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I just wish the bulking myth would just go away...urgh

    I don't think it is a myth, often it's just a difference of opinion in what "bulk" means.

    I've posted that I don''t want to be bulky (I am female) before only be slammed with posts from the body builders about how I won't get bulky. Many of them are accompanied by pics of women who lift heavy in an attempt to prove their point. Many of the pics look bulky to me.

    They probably mean that don't want that much definition.

    Those fitness models are very lean and work hard to achieve that. . Increase the percentage of body fat on them and most likely you wouldn't feel that they were "too bulky". No average women is going to get like that without some serious work (multiple cycles of eating at surplus then cutting). Lifting heavy will help maintain the lean mass you have while dieting.

    Also... the pics that are taken during competition are often of the person being intentionally dehydrated for the competition. They don't look like that during the off season. I saw a pic recently (not sure the thread... "hot women with muscles" or "this is what a competitor is supposed to look like" maybe?) that posted 2 pics of the same person... one during a competition (ripped) and the other during the off-season. Totally different looks.

    I wasn't talking about pics of competitive lifters. I've seen many before and after pics of MFP members showing off their bodies after lifting where I thought their before pic was better because they are now bulky. I think it's awesome that they wanted that look and achieved it, but to me it is still "bulky" and not what I'd like for me.

    Then it's a terminology thing. I've never seen anyone on here that I would consider bulky, and I've only seen a few people who I can even imagine someone else might consider bulky.

    Clearly you and I have different ideas of what bulky is.

    Yep, that was my point. People get all bent out of shape when a woman says she doesn't want to get bulky but often it's just that they have different definitions for "bulky". I doubt many women think they'll bulk up like a man.
  • 70davis
    70davis Posts: 348 Member
    bump
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
    the benefit is that you get really, really good at lifting low weight.
  • Lizzy_Sunflower
    Lizzy_Sunflower Posts: 1,510 Member
    ok new research shows that you can do either but you should hit the point of fatigue within 90 seconds.....

    this will build strength


    http://www.acefitness.org/blog/965/high-reps-and-light-weights-vs-low-reps-and-heavy

    watch this video

    Oh and... :tongue:

    Thank you dear.

    :flowerforyou:
  • clariangel
    clariangel Posts: 156 Member
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    ditto
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    ditto

    *sigh*

    Did you read any of this thread?
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    In this thread: female broscience
    femscience?

    hoscience??...no wait...lol
    Hah! Love it!
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    the benefit is that you get really, really good at lifting low weight.

    Haha! Funny but true.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    I must respectfully disagree with this. Women do not "bulk." This is a total myth. We don't have the hormones for it (unless we add steroids). Heavy weights with low reps (they are only low because we lift so heavy that we *can't* do high reps) are the only way to build strength and increase muscle. No, they won't be bulky scary muscles. The will be lovely lean toned muscles. And they will be strong. Why? because we PUSH ourselves to lift a little more each time, which is the only motivation for our muscles to get stronger.

    Light weights with high reps are for endurance. They won't make you stronger, nor will they build new muscle tissue. This myth has been around for ages. I succumbed to it for a long time. But the only time I have ever gotten truly STRONGER and actually built lovely womanly muscles is when I have pushed myself to lift as much as I can.

    well I have had great results from using low weight high reps. And yes-I continue to increase my weight once the movement become easy for me-but I am still talking fairly low weight and my muscles now show-so how would you explain that if using low weights and high reps don't build muscle.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    ditto

    *sigh*

    Did you read any of this thread?

    yes I did-and everyone has an opinion. Doesn't make it right.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    ditto

    *sigh*

    Did you read any of this thread?

    yes I did-and everyone has an opinion. Doesn't make it right.

    Most people are not posting opinion they are posting facts. You posted an opinion that doesn't mean that is what others did.

    And that is great you have some results with low weight high reps. Now imagine what you could have accomplished in that time doing a heavy lifting routine. Mind = Blown
  • tabi26
    tabi26 Posts: 535 Member
    Here are the pics I was referring too.

    Competition pic. Bulky? I wouldn't say so, but I can see how this might be too lean for some people.

    index-12.jpeg


    But this is what she looks like typically (i.e. not during competition)

    staceyAlexander.jpg


    I have a hard time believing there are very many people who wouldn't be happy looking like that.


    Furthermore, to look like this, you have to have years and years of REAL dedication and a perfect diet. There are about 2 people on this site that have that and you aren't one of them. You won't get bulky. Now be quiet and go lift.

    I suddenly feel the need to look like an "off season fitness model" Quick question? Do I need to lift like an "in season fitness model"? To achieve that goal....in two to three years? Lol.
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