Weight Training

jmv7117
jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
I see a lot of recommendations for lifting heavy to help with toning and shaping as well as weight loss. What exactly is considered lifting heavy? I have access to various Nautilus machines that work certain muscle groups with adjustable weight, the lowest setting being 35 lb for most of them. I've been working on a few of them on 50 lb (vertical chest, leg curl, overhead press, abs, hips abduction/adduction, 3 sets of 10 per machine) and so far tolerating well without aggravating my cervical injury. Will this help me achieve the toning and shaping I want? Any recommendations?

edit for spelling

Replies

  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    I believe heavy lifting is when your max rep is between 4-6? So if you can only do 5 repetitions of a movement with a set weight then that would be considered heavy lifting. I've only started lifting recently though so a more experienced member may have to correct me on this.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    You don't have to lift heavy, you have to lift to muscle fatigue. Actually mixing up lifting from heavy weight/low rep to lighter weight/high rep works both types of muscle fibers better and helps prevent adaptability. Lighter weight also helps maintain form, ensures full range of motion, and biomechanics, especially for those new to lifting or if working around injuries. You might consider working with a physical therapist to get organize a lifting plan.
  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
    Lifting heavy is defined by a percentage of your 1 rep max (the most you can lift one time). Obviously, doing 50% of your 1 RM isn't really heavy for you. Heavy would be 70% or higher. At this point lots of other benefits kick in that don't happen at lower weights, such as improved bone density, etc.

    If you can do 20 reps straight at a given weight, you aren't doing anything serious. Generally you should be lifting between 3 and 12 reps per set, depending on your goals.
  • thatonegirlwiththestuff
    thatonegirlwiththestuff Posts: 1,171 Member
    ''Heavy'' is subjective; it's typically whatever is heavy to you/lifting to failure, usually somewhere between 6-8 reps. That is what I aim for.
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    You don't have to lift heavy, you have to lift to muscle fatigue. Actually mixing up lifting from heavy weight/low rep to lighter weight/high rep works both types of muscle fibers better and helps prevent adaptability. Lighter weight also helps maintain form, ensures full range of motion, and biomechanics, especially for those new to lifting or if working around injuries. You might consider working with a physical therapist to get organize a lifting plan.

    Sounds good. I'll call my PT for an appointment.
  • bonjalandoni
    bonjalandoni Posts: 136 Member
    You don't have to lift heavy, you have to lift to muscle fatigue. Actually mixing up lifting from heavy weight/low rep to lighter weight/high rep works both types of muscle fibers better and helps prevent adaptability. Lighter weight also helps maintain form, ensures full range of motion, and biomechanics, especially for those new to lifting or if working around injuries. You might consider working with a physical therapist to get organize a lifting plan.

    Sounds good. I'll call my PT for an appointment.

    Yep, good idea. :-)