fat burning with weights

Options
john0804
john0804 Posts: 31
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been told that to get effective fat burning from weights I should aim for low weights and lots of reps. Is this accurate because I know from experience that I can deadlift and bench press a lot more than I'm doing, but because I'm focusing on weight loss at the moment I don't feel like I'm pushing myself as hard as I can. I think it's also the knowledge I have a year to get into shape before my holiday.

Opinions do you aim for high reps/low weight, low reps/high weights or aim for your failure point and don't stop till you hit it
«1

Replies

  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    Options
    My opinion is low reps/high weight. While in a deficit, this will allow your body to maintain your current LBM rather than losing it along with fat. Check out Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. Great places to start.
  • john0804
    john0804 Posts: 31
    Options
    I'm eating at the BMR for the size I want to be rather than the size I am thank you I'll check them out
  • jamielynas
    jamielynas Posts: 366 Member
    Options
    this is an outdated opinion, lift heavy as *kitten*, your body will be like a furnace!
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    Options
    If you want to get an endurance workout by lifting weights, then yes. But even if you like doing that, it shouldn't be your main strategy for losing weight - the theory comes from the same thinking that led to the whole idea of the "fat burning zone" for the poor treadmill lovers.

    Low reps/high weight for all things related to looking good and being strong; a little cardio for heart health and overall fitness.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
    Options
    Heavy weights, low reps for fat loss. If you want to do more reps at a lower weight in a circuit training format (i.e. high intensity), that's fine. But especially with compound lifts, you need to go heavy. Lifting light weights through a big range of motion does not give your body the proper stimulus for adaptation.

    Also, you need to feed the body you have now, not the body you want to have in the future. It is a bad idea to create a huge caloric deficit unless you are morbidly obese.
  • Healthy_4_Life2
    Healthy_4_Life2 Posts: 595 Member
    Options
    Good question. I wanna know too. :)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
    Options
    My opinion is low reps/high weight. While in a deficit, this will allow your body to maintain your current LBM rather than losing it along with fat. Check out Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. Great places to start.

    ^ This

    Also to make sure you are not losing much muscle along with fat while in a caloric deficit make sure you get enough protein, minimum of 0.8 grams per lb of body weight is a good estimate; find a program you like that focuses on rep ranges of 3-12 per set; make sure your deficit is not too large, the larger the deficit the higher % of muscle loss will occur.
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
    Options
    Low weights and more reps.... is Correct!!!:smile: You don't want to injure yourself... so always "build up" to the heavier weights.:wink: You want to train your muscles not "strain" your muscles.:wink: less weights and more reps is nearly equivalent to lifting heavy weights with less reps (without the risk of injury from over doing it). Also, remember to use the proper technique when lifting....:happy: Have Fun!:glasses:
  • MMFernaays
    MMFernaays Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    Bump ~ Great Question!
  • john0804
    john0804 Posts: 31
    Options
    It's only a deficit of 1500 calories and I'm making sure that my protein intake is high. I have 30% body fat at the moment so I think my body can take it
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Options
    this is an outdated opinion, lift heavy as *kitten*, your body will be like a furnace!


    This! Lift heavy!!!
  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
    Options
    I started working with a personal trainer...she has be do what ever weight I can handle but do it slow and it's more effective because your not swinging and using that as a way to lift faster...slow full range movements one machine for 2 min and switch to another part of the body for 2 min (might be one not sure she has the timer never asked but you get the idea)and go back and forth on the two a couple of times.push yourself until your shaking and a good burn...but DO IT SLOW full range of motion.I would say medium weight ....too light feels cheesy to me and heavy is to straining(cant do as many reps)
  • joe7880
    joe7880 Posts: 92 Member
    Options
    Lots of people say low reps/heavy weight. I'm guessing low reps is 8-10 reps, but how would you figure out if the weight your lifting is heavy enough? How do you find the right weight without going to low or hurting yourself?
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    Options
    I'm eating at the BMR for the size I want to be rather than the size I am thank you I'll check them out

    You should not be eating at BMR. You should be eating at TDEE - 10% 15% or 20% - depending on how much you have to lose....as with everyone else I say lift heavy! StrongLifts is something I am trying now.

    PS i am 5'2, a woman and am eating almost 1600 calories a day to lose weight.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
    Options
    It's only a deficit of 1500 calories and I'm making sure that my protein intake is high. I have 30% body fat at the moment so I think my body can take it


    you're doing yourself a great disadvantage by eating at a goal weight BMR.
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    Options
    Lots of people say low reps/heavy weight. I'm guessing low reps is 8-10 reps, but how would you figure out if the weight your lifting is heavy enough? How do you find the right weight without going to low or hurting yourself?

    This is just somethign I picked up over the internet but seen it in multiple places, take that for what its worth....By the 3rd set you should be getting fatigued but not failing. By the 5th set you should be near failure.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    Options
    Lots of people say low reps/heavy weight. I'm guessing low reps is 8-10 reps, but how would you figure out if the weight your lifting is heavy enough? How do you find the right weight without going to low or hurting yourself?

    From what I have read if you can lift the weight more than 8 times it is not heavy enough. For me if I can lift it more than 5 times I up my weight. You need to make sure you know what proper form is before you even attempt to lift heavy. I strongly believe you should either watch some videos of experienced lifters and lift in front of a mirror so you can see that you are using proper form. Or you can go to a trainer and ask them to show you, hopefully he/she will know what they are doing.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Options
    IMO for fat loss, circuit training and complexes beat traditional weightlifting. And when doing PROPER circuit training/complexes, you will be using lighter weight than you would be when doing traditional weightlifting exercises. However, if you're not doing it in the proper FORMAT needed to constitute a true complex or circuit workout, then yes, heavy weight for low reps.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
    Options
    It's only a deficit of 1500 calories and I'm making sure that my protein intake is high. I have 30% body fat at the moment so I think my body can take it

    That's a huge deficit. That's 3 lbs per week, and, judging by your profile photo, you are not anywhere near big enough to be trying to lose weight that quickly. It may work for a few weeks or a month, but then you are going to hit a wall. Two pounds per week is the max that I would recommend to anyone, but for someone your size, I would say 1 to 1.5 lbs per week.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    in my opinion, low weight/high reps has it's place in training. however, by low weight i mean about 50% of your training max, and by high rep i mean 10-20 repetitions.

Categories