True or not?

Schann7
Schann7 Posts: 218
in Fitness and Exercise
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/light-weights-build-muscle-effectively-heavy-weights

What do you think of this article? True or load of crap?

Interested in the responses! :)

Replies

  • JamesDanek
    JamesDanek Posts: 95 Member
    Its true I am sure but here is the kicker...

    Lifting at 30% of my 1 rep max to fail for 3 sets would likely be around 90 to 120 reps. Maybe more

    Lifting at 80% is going to be around 15 to 20 reps.

    which means that by doing the lighter weights i have to spend 6 time the amount of time, most of it wiggling very light weights around til i am fatigued (or bored)

    the heavy weight route gets you down to the meat and potato of what lifting is all about.

    Go heavy, says I.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    Not just the time factor, but the fact you don't develop strength either.
  • Schann7
    Schann7 Posts: 218
    Great responses :) Thanks!
  • Schann7
    Schann7 Posts: 218
    bump :)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    RW is notorious for putting up filler bs like that. You really have to look at what they cite, when and IF they do.
  • Schann7
    Schann7 Posts: 218
    Do you think, in the long run, it would give the same results, though? Or near enough? Even though it will take much longer and won't make you necessarily stronger?
  • TwoPointZero
    TwoPointZero Posts: 187 Member
    Do you think, in the long run, it would give the same results, though? Or near enough? Even though it will take much longer and won't make you necessarily stronger?
    Clarification: In this context, I am assuming that "Build Muscle"=increased strength. (The only context in which "Build Muscle" is not necessarily equal to increased strength is bodybuilding.)

    So, no, if it doesn't make you stronger, it does not give the same results. Semantics notwithstanding, studies like this are typically somewhat simplistic, and are probably missing various subtleties that exist in reality . . .
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Muscle growth requires activation of fast twitch muscle fibers which only occurs during high intensity activity such as Heavy weight lifting to failure at low reps, or high intensity cardio like all out sprints. No amount of endurance/ high rep lifting or endurance cardio is going to grow muscle in the same way because even if you work the muscle to failure, you are not activating fast twitch muscle fibers, and thus you are not going to cause the same muscle growth. Low intensity cardio actually causes muscle loss if anything because you are sending the message to your body that calorie conservation is more important than muscle mass, and maintaining muscle mass is calorically expensive.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    How much weight training did the subjects have? If they were beginners, any amount of weight training would produce results. In addition they were training legs. Legs often grow best with higher rep ranges. In the late 70s early 80s there was a bodybuilder named Tom Platz, who arguably had the best set of legs. He was known to squat 225 LBS for 10 min.

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