Does light exercise count?

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neverstray
neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Everyone talks about lifting heavy, bulking, cutting, and whatever else. What if you need to just do light to moderate exercise due to injuries or something. Does that count? If I don't max out and tear it up, but I still work hard and fatigue my muscle, but I use much lighter weight and more reps, say 15 to 20 reps, instead of my 4 to 6 old school style. Is that ok? Or is that lame? Will I still get results using alternative resistance techniques other than heavy weight? What will the results be? Lean and defining rather than bulk?

What is your opinion on this?

Any examples of people that are more high rep lower weight?

Thanks.
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Replies

  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
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    I would say anything over 15 reps will do little to nothing for muscle hypertrophy. Stick with 10 - 15 reps, that's enough to avoid re-aggravating your injuries.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    I would say anything over 15 reps will do little to nothing for muscle hypertrophy. Stick with 10 - 15 reps, that's enough to avoid re-aggravating your injuries.

    Why?

    What about swimmers, bikers, surfers, volleyball players, people that do constant repetitive training. I can't really think of a better example than swimming or running.
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
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    Light weight is still exercise but hypertrophy (the process of building muscle) is best stimulated through resistance training to a fail point. Fail point being where you physically cannot perform the last rep. With that being said, a 10-15 rep range is sufficient to avoid injury but feel it out on what you can manage. 4-6 is pretty low, you could potentially swing 8-10 which is a good level of resistance. Lighter weight requires more reps to get the same, if not less, effect.

    I'm in a 12-15 rep range for mostly everything right now but then again I'm only carrying essential body fat and can't handle much. I'd much rather be in my 6-8 rep range pushing heavy.

    You can either build muscle or burn fat. Not both at the same time. Sorry, welcome to being human.
  • blakejohn
    blakejohn Posts: 1,129 Member
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    incandescent or fluorecent
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Light weight is still exercise but hypertrophy (the process of building muscle) is best stimulated through resistance training to a fail point. Fail point being where you physically cannot perform the last rep. With that being said, a 10-15 rep range is sufficient to avoid injury but feel it out on what you can manage. 4-6 is pretty low, you could potentially swing 8-10 which is a good level of resistance. Lighter weight requires more reps to get the same, if not less, effect.

    I'm in a 12-15 rep range for mostly everything right now but then again I'm only carrying essential body fat and can't handle much. I'd much rather be in my 6-8 rep range pushing heavy.

    You can either build muscle or burn fat. Not both at the same time. Sorry, welcome to being human.

    Ah. I think I understand. Thanks. So, if I'm not really trying to build muscle, but just want to move and do resistance, I may not build muscle, but might burn fat instead? I'm cool with that.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    incandescent or fluorecent

    I don't know what this means.
  • Livingdeadgirl44
    Livingdeadgirl44 Posts: 264 Member
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    incandescent or fluorecent

    Oh dear, I actually laughed at this, its been a long day already...
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
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    Ah. I think I understand. Thanks. So, if I'm not really trying to build muscle, but just want to move and do resistance, I may not build muscle, but might burn fat instead? I'm cool with that.

    Ultimately that depends on diet. Hypocaloric = weight loss, hypercaloric = weight gain. So as long as your diet is tailored to a fat loss process then your exercise will promote utilization of stored energy on a deficit. That's fine, just be sure your macros are in check.

    Not sure about that fluorescent or incandescent comment.
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    incandescent or fluorecent

    LOL! This took me a second and then literally, the light bulb went on over my head! :tongue:
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
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    I would say anything over 15 reps will do little to nothing for muscle hypertrophy. Stick with 10 - 15 reps, that's enough to avoid re-aggravating your injuries.

    Why?

    What about swimmers, bikers, surfers, volleyball players, people that do constant repetitive training. I can't really think of a better example than swimming or running.

    Yeah they're not going for hypertrophy. And if they are, theyre picking up weights. Runners and bikers are skinny as twigs. Most cardio activity, especially that long of duration, is catabolic.
  • PJ64
    PJ64 Posts: 866 Member
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    If it is not part of your natural daily calorie burn, then yes :)
  • blakejohn
    blakejohn Posts: 1,129 Member
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    incandescent or fluorecent

    I don't know what this means.


    I try to look on the lighter side of life
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
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    Of course it counts. Light excerise is NEAT.

    Or perhaps it's EAT. Either way, your body counts it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    incandescent or fluorecent

    I don't know what this means.

    That makes it even funnier. Sorry, OP. :laugh:
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Of course it counts. Light excerise is NEAT.

    Or perhaps it's EAT. Either way, your body counts it.

    Well, it's definitely more than NEAT. I'm not just walking a dog around the block. I'm working hard, I'm just no longer doing the body building kill myself type exercise.

    I'm glad people are making fun of this, but it's a serious question.

    I am finding that the hard strenuous workouts I was doing were probably doing more damage than good. For instance, I constantly had slight problems with my shoulders. Lightening up has made a huge difference in my energy levels (I no longer feel worn out all day long). And, I no longer feel all these aches and pains I used to feel. I just feel better over all. I'm just wondering about the activity itself and how it works. There seems to be this idea that unless you are working to complete fatigue with heavy weight, you aren't really doing much. But, I'm wondering if that's mostly bunk. But, since this has turned silly, I probably won't get a real response at this point.
  • Marmitegeoff
    Marmitegeoff Posts: 373 Member
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    Yes it does.

    I am an endurance cyclist and do NOT want big muscles as they will use to much energy so the 12 - 14 hours on the bike would not be possible I would run out of energy. I want strong muscles that will power me for the whole day.

    I was doing up to 3 X 40 curls with 5kg, as an example, and need to get back into doing it as the nights are now drawing in.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Yes it does.

    I am an endurance cyclist and do NOT want big muscles as they will use to much energy so the 12 - 14 hours on the bike would not be possible I would run out of energy. I want strong muscles that will power me for the whole day.

    I was doing up to 3 X 40 curls with 5kg, as an example, and need to get back into doing it as the nights are now drawing in.

    Thanks that makes sense.

    I'm in maintenance mode. Not building, not trying to lose weight. I don't know if that matters. I want to be strong and fit, but more all around athletic, not for any particular sport. Just generally fit. So I'm trying a combo of lighter workouts and endurance training.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
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    Of course it counts. Light excerise is NEAT.

    Or perhaps it's EAT. Either way, your body counts it.

    Well, it's definitely more than NEAT. I'm not just walking a dog around the block. I'm working hard, I'm just no longer doing the body building kill myself type exercise.

    I'm glad people are making fun of this, but it's a serious question.

    I am finding that the hard strenuous workouts I was doing were probably doing more damage than good. For instance, I constantly had slight problems with my shoulders. Lightening up has made a huge difference in my energy levels (I no longer feel worn out all day long). And, I no longer feel all these aches and pains I used to feel. I just feel better over all. I'm just wondering about the activity itself and how it works. There seems to be this idea that unless you are working to complete fatigue with heavy weight, you aren't really doing much. But, I'm wondering if that's mostly bunk. But, since this has turned silly, I probably won't get a real response at this point.


    Aw, NS, I wasn't trying to make fun. I meant it, it really does count. Any moving at all is better for your health than not moving, balanced with necessary rest. Also, lower weight, higher rep resistance training is very good for the rather underrated concept of endurance.

    More importantly than that, what you've just stated above, that you are feeling an improvement in your energy levels (related to endurance) and just feeling better overall means that it is working for you. It doesn't really matter if others think you're working "hard enough" if you are seeing such positive results.
  • trigger2354
    trigger2354 Posts: 25 Member
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    The latest published study on this question, published this past April, strongly suggests that both protocols result in hypertrophy IF the reps are taken to muscle failure. Here's a excellent summary of the research and its implications: http://cbass.com/LightWeights2.htm

    I personally use both protocols. The choice as to which to use on any given day is driven in large measure, by the amount of time I have for a workout. If time is short, I go heavy weight/low reps, 1 set. If I have more time, I go lighter weight, more reps, three sets. As the study points out, each protocol has a unique impact on muscle tissue. Heavy lifting increases size and strength; higher volume increases size and endurance.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Thanks Y'all.

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