Weight Machines at Gym

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Kimjanebrooks
Kimjanebrooks Posts: 253 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it better to lift heavier with less repetitions, or vice versa? I normally lift at a lighter weight and do 50 repititions but wondering if it would be better for me to do, say 25 at a higher weight. I want to find my hidden muscles!

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  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
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    Personally, I'd say ditch the machines completely. They do a lot of the work for you and they isolate only the muscle you are working on. If you are working with free weights you target more muscles to complete the exercise. Not really the answer you were looking for I know lol.
  • Lisamar74
    Lisamar74 Posts: 114
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    Better to lift heavier with less Kim. Much much better, more effective.
    Also, for quicker fat burn you should do your weights stuff first before any cardio. (I trained as a fitness instructor last year although you wouldn't think it sometimes).
  • Kimjanebrooks
    Kimjanebrooks Posts: 253 Member
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    Better to lift heavier with less Kim. Much much better, more effective.
    Also, for quicker fat burn you should do your weights stuff first before any cardio. (I trained as a fitness instructor last year although you wouldn't think it sometimes).

    Thanks! I do 30 ds before I go to the gym but will now alternate and do one night cardio and one night weights and see how I get on. Will do heavier weights and less of them.
  • kinmad4it
    kinmad4it Posts: 185 Member
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    To build your muscles you really need to be doing no more than 3 sets of 12 reps. Any more reps and you're really only toning the muscles not building them.
  • iamnotjerry
    iamnotjerry Posts: 17 Member
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    Better to lift heavier with less Kim. Much much better, more effective.
    Also, for quicker fat burn you should do your weights stuff first before any cardio. (I trained as a fitness instructor last year although you wouldn't think it sometimes).

    Thanks! I do 30 ds before I go to the gym but will now alternate and do one night cardio and one night weights and see how I get on. Will do heavier weights and less of them.

    I worked with 3 trainers. The last trainer I had firmly believed (for me) that less weight with more reps was better. He taught me to lift slow, holding the weights as to feel the burn. Worked with bands a lot and just the bar without weights. Also taught me to keep my body/back erect. I usually do cardio 1st, but will try some weights after my warm up.
  • RzRzRzR
    RzRzRzR Posts: 72 Member
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    3 sets of 12-15 but SLOW controlled movements! Doing fast reps is less effective than slow controlled (focused) effort.
  • ClairBears84
    ClairBears84 Posts: 531 Member
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    3 sets of 12-15 but SLOW controlled movements! Doing fast reps is less effective than slow controlled (focused) effort.

    I have also found this!
  • iamnotjerry
    iamnotjerry Posts: 17 Member
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    3 sets of 12-15 but SLOW controlled movements! Doing fast reps is less effective than slow controlled (focused) effort.
    I work next to numerous people at the gym who do not adhere to this way of lifting. I notice that they jerk and their body is not aligned. For me doing more sets of 10 slow with lighter weights burns and is paying off. I am working my way back to lifting after a heart attack Fast reps would surely serve to stop me from lifting.
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Firstly - free weights are better than machines.

    That aside - you should be aiming for a weight where you can physically not do more than around 12 reps. Once you can do 12 of a certain weight, up the weight so that you can only do around 8 and work back up to 12 again.

    As mentioned above - form is crucial. If you don't maintain proper form, you might as well not bother.

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