If low weights/high reps is pointless...

FitFabFlirty92

...Then why do people who do Jillian Michaels' videos get such great results?

I'm not just talking about overweight people. People who are in relatively good shape and felt they were still "skinny fat" did and reviewed videos like Ripped in 30 and 30 Day Shred and toned up considerably. They're not super muscular and they're hardly body builders, but they got the body type a lot of ladies on here say they want, myself included. They also lose inches rather than just pounds, a sure sign of gaining or at least maintaining muscle as well as burning fat.

Not saying there's anything wrong with lifting heavy and I know it does great things for people, but light weights can't be all that bad considering the kind of results people who use them get.

letjog

in body pump class we use relatively low weights with high reps, and if i work hard i can ache for days after and my muscle definition has improved so much from it!

FitFabFlirty92

in body pump class we use relatively low weights with high reps, and if i work hard i can ache for days after and my muscle definition has improved so much from it!

That's great! I get sore after doing Jillian's videos as well.

SpringFever19

The problem with lighter weights (and higher reps) can be people not actually using their muscles to lift the lighter weights, relying on momentum or just not giving a good squeeze on each lift/lower. This is not an option with heavier weights. As long as you are focused, lighter weights/higher reps should be fine.

lesita75

Light weights at high reps does not build strength. Here is a good article to read:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/girls-get-your-guns-why-women-should-lift-weights.html

nancycaregiver

I always heard low weight + higher reps = shrinking. Higher weights + lower reps = enlarging muscles. Is that right? Like the difference in the legs of a sprinter (huge calves and thigh muscles) and a long distant runner ( leaner legs all the way).

gmallan

Stereotyping a bit here but it may be that the people who do this are going from not lifting at all to lifting something. Low weight high reps can still be effective for building muscle if you work to failure. You can just get much better results in less time from lifting heavy with low reps. Anything is better than nothing though

BigBigBertha

I've always been told low weight high reps by staff at my gym and I still go by it. Personally I don't want to be visibly muscular or look like I've spent time in in the gym, and (I fell off the wagon a few years ago) but before that the strategy helped me tone up to where I wanted to be. Sometimes I think advocators of heavy lifting forget that not everyone has the same goals for their appearance.

WendyTerry420

...Then why do people who do Jillian Michaels' videos get such great results?

I'm not just talking about overweight people. People who are in relatively good shape and felt they were still "skinny fat" did and reviewed videos like Ripped in 30 and 30 Day Shred and toned up considerably. They're not super muscular and they're hardly body builders, but they got the body type a lot of ladies on here say they want, myself included. They also lose inches rather than just pounds, a sure sign of gaining or at least maintaining muscle as well as burning fat.

Not saying there's anything wrong with lifting heavy and I know it does great things for people, but light weights can't be all that bad considering the kind of results people who use them get.

It isn't pointless at all. It's good exercise. It's only pointless if you are trying to gain muscles. Low weight and high reps is good for endurance muscles. High weight and low reps is good for strength muscles. They are two different types of exercise. The same people who claim low weight/high rep is pointless are the same people who call cardio pointless. It's all about your goals.

Yanicka1

HigHrep low weight is better than sitting on the couch eating nachos . That being said , it will build endurance without doing anything else. If you want your body to change shape, lift heavy. It will give you the best results for your efforts. I suggest you read the book, the new rules of lifting for women, even if you do not do the workout, it will help understand why it is an efficient workout.

WendyTerry420

I always heard low weight + higher reps = shrinking. Higher weights + lower reps = enlarging muscles. Is that right? Like the difference in the legs of a sprinter (huge calves and thigh muscles) and a long distant runner ( leaner legs all the way).

the second part is true. The first part is bunk. Your muscles will only shrink if you don't use them at all and avoid protein.

WendyTerry420

HigHrep low weight is better than sitting on the couch eating nachos . That being said , it will build endurance without doing anything else. If you want your body to change shape, lift heavy. It will give you the best results for your efforts. I suggest you read the book, the new rules of lifting for women, even if you do not do the workout, it will help understand why it is an efficient workout.

It's efficient if gaining strength, and looking like a goddess, is your goal. Women need to read it!

LiftAllThePizzas

I don't know if low weights to exhaustion has any effect on the connective tissues and bones. In order to be able to lift more, you pretty much have to improve those, too.

Others have mentioned, for a woman to get "muscular" takes a lot more effort than you'd think. Strength training isn't going to make you look like you go to the gym.

renkomm

7 days into Jillian's 30 day shred. Very sore the first few days I thought the soreness would never go away but it has. Not seeing much of a difference yet, but feeling better. :happy:

Jozie_

...Then why do people who do Jillian Michaels' videos get such great results?

I'm not just talking about overweight people. People who are in relatively good shape and felt they were still "skinny fat" did and reviewed videos like Ripped in 30 and 30 Day Shred and toned up considerably. They're not super muscular and they're hardly body builders, but they got the body type a lot of ladies on here say they want, myself included. They also lose inches rather than just pounds, a sure sign of gaining or at least maintaining muscle as well as burning fat.

Not saying there's anything wrong with lifting heavy and I know it does great things for people, but light weights can't be all that bad considering the kind of results people who use them get.

It isn't pointless at all. It's good exercise. It's only pointless if you are trying to gain muscles. Low weight and high reps is good for endurance muscles. High weight and low reps is good for strength muscles. They are two different types of exercise. The same people who claim low weight/high rep is pointless are the same people who call cardio pointless. It's all about your goals.

Great answer, I'm often feeling confused about what sort of exercise I ''Should'' be doing, particulary reading the MFP forums where a lot of people seem to be a bit lift heavy or go home. Cardio migth not get me ripped, but I like it and it makes me feel good, I find Jillian Michaels DVD's quite fun so I'm more likely to do them and give them my all! Any excercise is better than no exercise and the kind you're most likely to do is the one you enjoy!

etoiles_argentees

low weights to exhaustion works, but it takes more time..

2April

Jillian also adds moves like pushups which many women struggle with so if you move from knee to toe pushups you have increased strength. As strength increases the pushup will become an endurance exercise but for many people it is a maximal strength exercise.

__RANDY__

Just a form cardio to me.

aproc

Those types of programs are basically forms of cardio so of course people are going to lose weight. Heavy weight is needed if you want to build more muscle or get stronger.

DavPul

...Then why do people who do Jillian Michaels' videos get such great results?

Your entire argument is based on a false premise. Who are these people of which you speak? Can you put hand upon them? Do you actually know people that actually got ripped in 30 days?

If that's what you want to do, I'm not here to stop you. But I'm not sure why you continually post threads like this when you know you're going to get the same answers. Answers from real people, posting real results, from really lifting heavy.

Feel free to do it your way. I sincerely hope you succeed. When you reach your goal, please come back and post a success thread with pictures. I'll be the first one in there to congratulate you on doing it your way.

S_U_M_M_E_R

You need both. Low weights and high reps. You also need big weights with low reps. Both serve a different purpose.
At body pump class at the gym (the same type of work that Jillian Michaels does) it was told to us that we need to lift with heavy weights and low reps out side of class.\

What about P90X? Don't they claim you get ripped, but don't use heavy weights. It's been proven.

p.s. to one person above, Jillian never said "you'd get ripped in 30 days." She claims you will lose up to 20 lbs and shred fat in 30 days."

FitFabFlirty92

Your entire argument is based on a false premise. Who are these people of which you speak? Can you put hand upon them? Do you actually know people that actually got ripped in 30 days?

If that's what you want to do, I'm not here to stop you. But I'm not sure why you continually post threads like this when you know you're going to get the same answers. Answers from real people, posting real results, from really lifting heavy.

Feel free to do it your way. I sincerely hope you succeed. When you reach your goal, please come back and post a success thread with pictures. I'll be the first one in there to congratulate you on doing it your way.

Honestly, my information comes from Google. I have no scientific studies backing this up, nor do I claim to. But if you look up reviews on Jillian Michaels' videos from real people on their own unbiased blogs, those are the results you see.

This forum is for getting and giving information. If you have no help to give, I don't see why you insist on criticizing me or the topics I choose, when you could simply keep scrolling. I'm tired of seeing people advocating lifting heavy as if that's the ONLY way to gain strength and fitness. I'm trying to get a different perspective.

DavPul

Honestly, my information comes from Google. I have no scientific studies backing this up, nor do I claim to. But if you look up reviews on Jillian Michaels' videos from real people on their own unbiased blogs, those are the results you see.

This forum is for getting and giving information. If you have no help to give, I don't see why you insist on criticizing me or the topics I choose, when you could simply keep scrolling. I'm tired of seeing people advocating lifting heavy as if that's the ONLY way to gain strength and fitness. I'm trying to get a different perspective.

To your first point:

I hope you realize that marketing firms are paid to put fake reviews in places that search engines will find them. Amazon is rife with fake reviews as well. Any search for a beachbody review will bring up numerous beachbody owned sites with different names.

To your second point:

This IS what help looks like. Someone disagreeing with you while trying to point you in the right direction is help. At least in my world it is. But whatever. Do what you do. Other people are drifting into this thread, and perhaps they are actually willing to listen to someone with actual experience getting actual results

mitch4881

That really depends on what you mean by "high reps."
Do you mean 6-8, 8-10, 10-12, 12-16?
I generally think of 3-5 as low reps, 6-10 as medium, and above 10 as high reps.
I've always worked in the 7-10 range for gaining muscle, and it has worked so far. Below 6 is what people normally use for strength gains. You apparently can also gain muscle from going lower reps, but I've never used low reps.
The term "low weight" is relative as well. I can do 5 reps with a certain weight, but I may not be able to do 10 with it. I would use a lower weight to get 10 reps. So it should be the max possible weight you can do x number of reps with using good form.
I'm not familiar with this video series. If the weight is extremely light and the reps are above 12, it is probably more of a cardio exercise.

FitFabFlirty92

To your first point:

I hope you realize that marketing firms are paid to put fake reviews in places that search engines will find them. Amazon is rife with fake reviews as well. Any search for a beachbody review will bring up numerous beachbody owned sites with different names.

I don't just mean anonymous Amazon reviews. I'm talking about weight loss and fitness blogs where people post photos of their results. And I speak from personal experience because I've always seen positive results and lost inches when doing these videos consistently. So yes, I will do what I'm doing, because it gets the results I want. I just hope other people read this thread and realize that your way is not the only way.

mlb929

I'm boat a JM fan, but I do both at different seasons for different reasons. I lower my reps and use higher weights on the off season from long distance running to rebuild strength, give my body a different approach,and to not overdo the cardio. During my race training I use lower weights and higher reps for muscle endurance instead of strength.

jeffsweightloss

switchin up your reps is always a great idea. keeps your muscles guessing. low weight and high resp is great for stamina and burns calories. heavier weights and lower reps builds muscle and strenght...not that lighter weights and higher reps dont. you have to continuously challenge your body so it doesn't get used to a set routine. besides, it's all personal choice.

FullOfWin

I can tell you why
people go insane
I can tell you how
you could do the same

Oh, and really low weight really high reps is pointless

vanguardfitness

glycogen depletion!

AnvilHead

Losing inches and getting "toned" doesn't = building muscle. What most women call getting "toned" simply means losing the bodyfat covering what muscles you have. They don't get bigger, they just become more visible and "sculpted" (to use another catch phrase) because the lowered body fat reveals contours that were shrouded/hidden by it before.

Getting "ripped" doesn't have anything to do with muscle hypertrophy (growth) either. "Ripped" is usually used to denote extreme muscular definition through very low levels of bodyfat, where vascularity and muscular separations/striations are visible. This is more a function of diet than anything else. One can be "ripped" with very little muscle mass - but this is sometimes also referred to as being "stringy".

Also, "feeling the burn" has nothing to do with muscular development. Hold your arm directly out in front of you for about 5 minutes - you'll feel the burn, but you're not going to get hyooge from doing it.

tuffytuffy1

Low weight/=high reps will still give you a good cardio workout and make your muscles work. You won' t gain any actual muscle mass, but it is a good workout nevertheless.