What is lifint heavy?

Confuzzled4ever

I hear it mentioned.. but is it a certain weight limit or type of exercise? I do cardio (usually with resistence), resistence training (using my own body weight only) and weights.. 3-6 times a week and all different combinations of those 3.

Kmenczynski88

I assume you're asking what is "Liftin Heavy"?

Confuzzled4ever

yes.. what constitutes lifting heavy.

Kmenczynski88

I would say heavy is relative to the individual... a 315lb deadlift is light for me, but would be very heavy for you. In terms of rep ranges, i would say choosing a weight where you find it somewhat challenging. I would say any lifts around 80% of your 1 rep max would be considered heavy.

In easy to understand terms, choose a weight somewhere in the 6-12 rep range that you can hit with good form. If you're looking to target strength stick to under 5 reps.

LizL217

Loosely defined, "lifting heavy" means resistance/body weight/barbell/dumbbell training that involves doing sets of fewer reps at higher weight. So instead of doing sets of 20 reps of bicep curls with 5 lb weights, you would do sets of 5 reps with 20 lb weights. The idea is to use a higher % of your maximum ability for a shorter amount of time.

It can apply to resistance and body weight training as well as long as whatever you're doing (pull-ups, push-ups, what have you) are exercises where you're maxed out at around 15 reps or fewer. The amount of weight will depend on what you can personally achieve.

Each set should end with you not being able to do even one more rep. If you get to 15 or 20 reps and still have energy left, you need to move up a level on the weight.

Confuzzled4ever

Well.. today I did 50 on the chest press machine (not bench) 15 reps and 35 on the pec dec 15 reps but they were hard to muscle out. So if it's hard then it's heavy?

And yes I know I need to do more then just that.. lol.. My boyfriend and I are both injured so we are taking it slow back into weights.

meshashesha2012

it's based off a percentage of your personal 1 max rep. your 1 rep max is the most weight you can perform of a movement while still keeping form. depending on who you ask "lifting heavy" would mean anywhere from a 75%-95% range of that weight.

that number will be different for everyone