How much is heavy lifting?

JNick77

heavy is failing(not being able to do another rep) anything equal to or below 12 reps.

No, not even close.

Not strictly true, 1-3 reps really exhausts you and impairs recovery, 4-6 would be a better safer range for the average person and still comes with the same gains.

Partially true, partially false... Doing max effort work (1 - 5) everyweek with the same exercise can be very exhausting to your CNS, which is why you should rotate the exercise every 1 - 2 weeks if you train that way. Max effort training is fine but you have to be careful with it. Max effort training can generically be defined as a training session in which you set a rep max, let's say 3, and you increase weight each set until you reach a weight that you cannot lift for 3 reps, you fail at 1 or 2. Something like StrongLifts 5x5 for instance isn't max effort training, just for reference.

Optimally strength training
This is not directly to you, it's to you and others who say heavy lifting is really low reps. IF this is true, then ronnie coleman benching hundreds of pounds for 12 reps must be light lifting.

The term is "Maximal strength training" not optimal strength training; I've seen Westsiders also refer to it as Absolute Strength but never Optimal.

Maximal strength (aka "heavy") is a weight realitve to your individual 1RM. Regardless of how strong he is, if Ronnie was doing sets of 12 reps then he wasn't doing Maximal Strength training. Is strength is superior to some advanced lifters but that doesn't make it maximal strength training.

Lifting "heavy" is just a reference to maximal strength training or some coaches have even referenced it as "neuro-muscular" strength training because of the training stimulus applied to the nervouse system. What is considered heavy is relative to the individual but this type of training has a very clear definition and that definition is 85% to 100% of your 1RM which is weight typically done between 1 and 5 reps.

Here's an example of how it's applied and how it's relative to the individual:
<insert pro powerlifter>
- Deadlift @ 1RM = 1,000lbs
- @ 90% of 1RM = 900lbs

<insert advanced lifters name here>
- Deadlift @ 1RM = 600lbs
- @ 90% of 1RM = 540lbs

<insert beginning lifter>
- Deadlift @ 1RM = 200lbs
- @ 90% of 1RM = 180lbs

The lifters are training at 90% which is within range of maximal strength training but the training weight is far different. What is heavy for one lifter isn't heavy for another.

JNick77

heavy is failing(not being able to do another rep) anything equal to or below 12 reps
.

No, not even close.
.

What is heavy lifting? What is the "purpose" of it? Gain strength or gain size?. Pick one. You can achieve those with the rep ranges I listed.

A lot of people say "i lift heavy" so you're saying all of them are close to 1 rep max ranges? If that's the case it's pretty idiotic to even recommend "heavy lifting"

You're also confusing "intensity" and "heavy" intensity is defined by a % of 1RM.

"Heavy" lifting is an ill-coined term for maximal strength training. Maximal strength training is for the most pure strength benefits. Because of how it engages the muscles and motor-neurons it is also has the most carryover to everyday life and athleticism.

Again, most people misconstrue the term "heavy". And no, I'm not confusing intensity. I think you are the one that is confused here. Anybody that implies 12 reps or less for this form of lifting is inexperienced and needs to read more. I'd recommend starting with,

Louie Simmons
Zatsiorsky
Charles Poliquin

chrisdavey

The "undefined" term "heavy lifting" is to get women away from te pink dumbbells that's about it. Please reference a page that in any of the books you mentioned that define "heavy lifting" don't worry I'll wait...

I agree with this.

More than 12ish is muscular endurance.

10reps may not be optimal for strength just as 5 reps may not be optimal for hypertrophy but there is a definite crossover.

Also, you're never going to gain size with adequate cals, macros & to a certain extent micronutrients also.

meshashesha2012

heavy is failing(not being able to do another rep) anything equal to or below 12 reps
.

No, not even close.
.

What is heavy lifting? What is the "purpose" of it? Gain strength or gain size?. Pick one. You can achieve those with the rep ranges I listed.

A lot of people say "i lift heavy" so you're saying all of them are close to 1 rep max ranges? If that's the case it's pretty idiotic to even recommend "heavy lifting"

You're also confusing "intensity" and "heavy" intensity is defined by a % of 1RM.

"Heavy" lifting is an ill-coined term for maximal strength training. Maximal strength training is for the most pure strength benefits. Because of how it engages the muscles and motor-neurons it is also has the most carryover to everyday life and athleticism.

Again, most people misconstrue the term "heavy". And no, I'm not confusing intensity. I think you are the one that is confused here. Anybody that implies 12 reps or less for this form of lifting is inexperienced and needs to read more. I'd recommend starting with,

Louie Simmons
Zatsiorsky
Charles Poliquin

The "undefined" term "heavy lifting" is to get women away from te pink dumbbells that's about it. Please reference a page that in any of the books you mentioned that define "heavy lifting" don't worry I'll wait...

i think this is a good point. i have to describe my weight lifting routine routine differently to my female friends and family than i do to my male friends and family. the dudes just assume that when i say i'm lifting weight i'm doing some she-hulk *kitten* with compound lifts. my female friends on the other thing thought i meant 5011 tricep kickbacks with a 3 pound DB until one of them joined me at the gym for a lifting session

JNick77

The "undefined" term "heavy lifting" is to get women away from te pink dumbbells that's about it. Please reference a page that in any of the books you mentioned that define "heavy lifting" don't worry I'll wait...

You have them books? So then pick up your copy of Modern Trends in Strength Training and reference the force curve. There is nothing referenced as "heavy" lifting. It's not defined, it's a made up term. But if you're going to apply some guidance to it then the most relative reference on the force curve is maximal strength training.

Cr01502

85+% of your 1 rep max

This. "Heavy" lifting you should really only be able to do 1-3 reps maximum.

This is not directly to you, it's to you and others who say heavy lifting is really low reps. IF this is true, then ronnie coleman benching hundreds of pounds for 12 reps must be light lifting.

For Ronnie Coleman it's light lifting.

chrisdavey

my female friends on the other thing thought i meant 5011 tricep kickbacks with a 3 pound DB until one of them joined me at the gym for a lifting session

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

kuntry_navy

heavy lifting is for increasing strength, going for one rep max

Hendrix7

Everything ronnie coleman lifted was LIGHT WEIGHT BABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!