Explain why heavy lifting is superior to light lifting?

MrBiggiesworth
MrBiggiesworth Posts: 846 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Can someone explain to me in terms of anatomy and physiology what makes heavy lifting more effective than lighter lifting?

Or is it all just assumed because of observed results?

Replies

  • Bun_Ya
    Bun_Ya Posts: 174
    The short answer is neither is superior. By this I mean improving your one rep max will also improve your ten rep max and visa versa. As long as there is progressive overload your strength/performance will improve.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
    It's only superior if it's what you want to do. I want to increase my strength. I couldn't do that with 10 - 20 lb weights but I can do it with an Olympic bar, some plates and some adjustable dumb bells.

    If you want endurance, then lighter weights at higher reps is the way to go. It all depends on your end goals.
  • honsi
    honsi Posts: 210 Member
    Yes I don't think it is superior either. It depends on why you are lifting, different types of lifting will give you different results. But its all good at the end of the day, the main thing is that its always a challenge.
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    Yes I don't think it is superior either. It depends on why you are lifting, different types of lifting will give you different results. But its all good at the end of the day, the main thing is that its always a challenge.

    What if one just wants to be lean (I just want a flat tummy lol)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Heavy and light are very relative terms.

    Goals matter.

    One thing is for certain though, if there is no progressive tension overload then it is a moot point as both will be simply maintenance training.

    There was a study a while back that showed one set at 30% 1rm had similar hypertrophy to one set at 90%. Researchers said that the 30% set would not increase total strength at the same rate though. And in saying that, doing one set at 30% of 1rm can take bloody ages so total volume is unlikely to be the same.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Heavier lifting generally recruits more muscle fiber and increases overall strength. However, what you do is very goal dependent and "heavy vs light" requires context.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    Well it might both women that doing many reps of light weights has a tendency to trigger hypertrophy which means bulkier muscles heavy weights tend to make your muscles denser rather than necessarily bulkier. Of course bulk will happen. But not as fast as if you go for hypertrophy.
  • honsi
    honsi Posts: 210 Member
    Yes I don't think it is superior either. It depends on why you are lifting, different types of lifting will give you different results. But its all good at the end of the day, the main thing is that its always a challenge.

    What if one just wants to be lean (I just want a flat tummy lol)
    You just need to loose body fat and lifting weights will strengthen your core.
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
    Light lifting suggests either using weight that is less than what a person handles on a daily basis (ie hand bag, shopping bags, everyday objects around the house) or not increasing weight for progressive overload, or both.
    If you use a weight that is less than what a person most likely uses every day then the exercise is merely cardiovascular and will have no significant muscular benefits. Eventually a person will 'feel the burn' but that's just lactic acid.
    There will be no increase in bone density or increased strength. Doing hundreds of reps with a light weight is also a good way of developing tendinitis or a repetitive strain injury.
  • WVprankster
    WVprankster Posts: 430 Member
    It's the foundation of "resistance" training. If there's no resistance, there's no training. No training=no growth.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    I'd say it depends on your goals.

    typically the lighter lifting is probably only going to support sports specific endurance goals.

    for the usually goal of losing weight and looking better, there is a chance that you might be lifting weight that is too light to stimulate your body to maintain its present muscle mass. but if you failing at 15 or less your still good. even if you hitting 20 and still honestly can't do anymore your probably still fine.

    sorry i don't really have the knowledge to explain it scientifically, but im pretty sure its true lol
  • Platform_Heels
    Platform_Heels Posts: 388 Member
    Well it might both women that doing many reps of light weights has a tendency to trigger hypertrophy which means bulkier muscles heavy weights tend to make your muscles denser rather than necessarily bulkier. Of course bulk will happen. But not as fast as if you go for hypertrophy.

    Unless a woman is taking steroids she will NOT bulk no matter WHAT kind of lifting she does.
  • dwm2112
    dwm2112 Posts: 77 Member
    Increased bone density, increased strength, greater muscle hypertrophy, increased "after burn" effect.
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
    Change your question and replace Heavy Lifting with Sprinting and Light Lifting with Long Distance Running and youll find the answer is the same.

    Neither is superior. Although they are both running activities, they require different training methods and techniques in order to reach both completely different goals.
  • jonlfischer
    jonlfischer Posts: 171 Member
    I think it depends on your goals and your body.

    Just find out what your body responds to the best.
  • maab_connor
    maab_connor Posts: 3,927 Member
    your profile says: That guy at the gym who is always there but doesn't look very buff for how much time he spends working out.

    so for you - you DO want to lift heavy. guys can't "get buff" unless they're lifting heavy things. endurance training is great, but it will never make you look like that sentence makes it sound like you want to look.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,085 Member
    Well it's not superior if one's goal is muscular endurance. For that goal, repetitions are more important and they will mean usually less weight that one's 1RM or even 85% of it.

    Totally will depend on what the individual is trying to achieve.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Heavy resistance training has been shown to be superior in peer reviewed literature for both strength and body composition. There really is no reason for an average person to do resistance training with light weights.

    If you want endurance then do cardio. Heavy resistance training won't inhibit endurance if you're already performing plenty of cardio, as demonstrated by some professional cardio athletes who incorporate heavy resistance training into their training regimens.
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    Yes I don't think it is superior either. It depends on why you are lifting, different types of lifting will give you different results. But its all good at the end of the day, the main thing is that its always a challenge.

    What if one just wants to be lean (I just want a flat tummy lol)
    You just need to loose body fat and lifting weights will strengthen your core.

    Thank you

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