low weight & high reps vs. high weight low reps

ninerbuff

What's the difference?

Is there one?

In the most basic sense:
High weight with low to medium reps (3-12) work on the muscle fibers for hypertrophy
Low weight high reps (12 and higher) work on muscle fibers for endurance.

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sittingontopoftheworld

High weight (~65%+ 1RM) and low reps (1-7) builds strength

Medium weight (~40-60% 1RM) and medium reps (8-12) builds muscle (it's more complex when we get into progressive overload, but this is the general weight/reps needed)

Low weight (<40% 1RM) and high reps (15+) is pretty much pointless. You'll gain some muscle endurance but that's it. You'll still be DYEL and look DYEL. You might as well not even lift.

Not true, according to research.

"...a lower load lifted to failure resulted in similar hypertrophy as a heavy load lifted to failure."

I realize lifting to failure is the big point in that statement, but in the study I am citing there was no significant difference in hypertrophy between lifting 3 sets at 30% and 3 sets at 80%, as long as they lifted to failure. Obviously there were differences in strength gains between those two groups, because one is lifting a heavier weight than the other, but to say that there is no hypertrophy at lower weight and higher reps is just false.

From this study: http://jap.physiology.org/content/early/2012/04/12/japplphysiol.00307.2012.abstract

Joehenny

Low weight high reps is body building style training. Hypertrophy.,

Low reps high weight is strength training.

Sarauk2sf

The lower rep range (1 – 5) causes neurological adaptations, which is your body developing its ability to activate muscle fibers by increasing the frequency of neural impulses sent to the brain as well as improving intra- and inter-muscle coordination. Basically it makes you stronger but does has a lesser impact to your muscle mass. [Myofibril hypertrophy]

The mid rep range (6 – 12) the impact is more on the metabolic and cellular level where you gain muscle mass but strength gains are not as significant as you would get in the lower rep ranges. This is the general rep range for hypertrophy, or mass gains. [Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy]

The higher rep ranges (13+) stimulate muscle endurance primarily with only a small amount of hypertrophy and very little strength and as such is not considered strength training in the strict sense of the word.

Note, that there is no hard and fast line between the effects of the above, but rather a continuum. Also, the number of sets plays into how much is strength v hypertrophy v endurance. For example, you can do 5 sets of 6 reps for a total of 30 lifts, or you can do 10 sets of 3 lifts for a total of 30 lifts. If you do them to an equivalent level of failure, the time under tension will be the same. The number of sets does not automatically turn it from strength to hypertrophy due to the rest periods between sets, but it does have a bearing on where in the continuum the routine lies.

So, in summary (and slightly oversimplified):
1 – 5 reps = strength
6 – 12 reps = hypertrophy
13+ = endurance

Raven2evil

When I took my body sculpting class we did low weight high reps. It tones and firms muscle. High weight low reps helps build the muscle. The difference is toning vs building.

ninerbuff

When I took my body sculpting class we did low weight high reps. It tones and firms muscle. High weight low reps helps build the muscle. The difference is toning vs building.

There is no such thing as "toning". It's a made up term by the fitness industry from long ago to get females to think lifting weights this way wasn't lifting weights.
And no lifting for multiple reps doesn't "tone", it builds muscle endurance.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

emergencytennis

Would running be considered a low weight high rep leg exercise then? Building muscle endurance without growing new muscle?

Sarauk2sf

Would running be considered a low weight high rep leg exercise then? Building muscle endurance without growing new muscle?

No. Running is not considered strength training.

MorgueBabe

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kms1320

Super high rep exercises are certainly not pointless though.. back in the army if you wanted to do more pushups, you did lots of pushups. If you wanted to do more pullups, you did lots of pullups. If you wanted to do more situps, you did lots of situps. If you wanted a faster 2 mile time, you ran a lot.

Example, I wanted to do 75+ pushups in 2 minutes when I was barely doing 50. I would rep til failure for 4 sets in a row, every night before lights out. In a couple months, I did hit my goal. I didn't change anything else.

n3ver3nder

Low reps @ high weight is more for building strength whereas the opposite helps more at building muscle.

How would you build strength without building muscle?

Most 'noob' gains when people start lifting come from neural adaptations rather than hypertrophy. It's why for a time people can make gains on a calorie deficit. Up to a point, your body gets stronger by learning to use what it's already got, more efficiently. When that comes to an end, you generally only make gains by increasing calories.

renwicker

I would suggest doing some research on your own. Just google. This site and its users can sometimes be of great help, but it can also steer you in a terrible direction. Dont get me wrong, I have learned a LOT from the people on here. The problem with asking a general question like this to a bunch of people that are probably telling you what they've only heard from some other unknowlegable source is you are going to get a lot of back and forth and incorrect info mixed in with the good stuff. It makes it hard sometimes to decipher what is good and bad.

I mostly lift pretty heavy because I like it, and I am trying to get stonger along with improving my physique, but I also still do cardio and lower weight training. Circuit training with lighter weights is a great strength/cardio workout, and I like to mix those in every once in a while too. I sweat more during because of the fast pace, but I burn just as many calories lifting heavy and taking longer breaks.

I think it's good to mix it up. Try them all see what you like best. You can find an infinite number of programs and routines online for free. Just be careful with lifting if you are just starting out. Be sure to learn proper form on the lifts.

Regardless of what you choose to do with your lifting endevours....if you are working hard at it, mixing in cardio a couple times a week, and eating at a defecit....your body will transform. My overall point is to lift weights for sure. It's good for you. Also to read reliable sources about the differences and lifts before you start. The peope that lift heavy will tell you that its the gospel, and the people that don't will say it's not. The truth is that they both work. It's science and balance of each is key in my opinion.

Mrsallypants

This article addresses a few studies on the issue. http://www.danogborn.com/training/30/

sittingontopoftheworld

This article addresses a few studies on the issue. http://www.danogborn.com/training/30/

This is a REALLY great read!