lifting light and lifting heavy

Options
hurleycutie142
hurleycutie142 Posts: 480 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i know this is going to start a fight but is it better to lift heavy or lift with more reps? ive heard both...
«1

Replies

  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Options
    I'd imagine individual goals may be a factor.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    Options
    IDK about a fight. I lifted light for many years for speed in kick boxing. I'm now lifting heavy. I'm faster, more agile, stronger, more muscular overall and have an incredibly high metabolism now. I've only been doing it for about 6 months so this is quite the improvement fast!
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Options
    Depends on your goal. If you want strength, lift heavy with fewer reps. If you want muscular endurance, lift lighter weights with more reps.

    Personally, I like to mix it up with some lighter weight, higher rep days and some heavy weight, lower rep days.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    Options
    yes
  • hurleycutie142
    hurleycutie142 Posts: 480 Member
    Options
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    I'd imagine individual goals may be a factor.

    Ding ding ding ding. Better would be a qualifier for what your ultimate goal is. One will be better for one goal and the other will be better for another goal.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    You don't have man arms. You have your arms. Calorie deficit will lean you out through fat loss.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Options
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    Calorie deficit
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Options
    It depends, but I'm going to say in most circumstances, lift more weight for less reps. Then do more total sets for volume.

    If you eat at a deficit, you won't really gain any muscle, but you will lose fat.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    Options
    I lift heavy and do not have "man arms". That is a myth. Women do not bulk without steroids and hard, all-day training.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    i know this is going to start a fight but is it better to lift heavy or lift with more reps? ive heard both...

    they're both effective. heavy lifting (pushing your maximum) at lower reps 1-5 will make your muscles stronger. light lifting (50%-ish of you maximum) at 8-12 reps will build muscular endurance.
  • laurenawolf
    laurenawolf Posts: 262 Member
    Options
    i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    I want to slam my head into my desk. You will not get "man arms" from lifting heavy.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Options
    i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    I want to slam my head into my desk. You will not get "man arms" from lifting heavy.


    Hell, I haven't even managed to get man arms from lifting heavy. And I'm a man.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    well my goal is to be more lean... i have big shoulders so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat... ive played sports all my life so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms

    you will not wake up one morning and find that you've accidentally developed man arms.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Options
    Man arms sound so manly! wish i could get them!
  • FitKit101
    FitKit101 Posts: 63
    Options
    Just lift. Weights....not donuts and you will be just fine.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
    Options
    I lift heavy, doing stronglifts, and in 6 weeks I've decreased my arm measurements by over an inch...so...

    ...yeah. Nix the man arms idea.
  • conqueringsquidlette
    conqueringsquidlette Posts: 383 Member
    Options
    oil-arms.jpg

    I don't know what you guys are talking about. I totally woke up like this after even *thinking* about lifting heavy.

    :|

    ETA: I don't actually know how to upload pics, I see. Ignore me. :P
    ETA2: Nevermind. I fixedificated it.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    well my goal is to be more lean...

    answer: calorie deficit
    i have big shoulders
    that's genetic you can't change broad shoulder structure
    so i dont want them to be muscular i just want to lose fat
    gaining muscle and losing fat are two different processes. It's difficult to both.
    it's also laughably difficult to gain muscle as a woman.
    ... ive played sports all my life
    good- that gives you a head start- least you know how to work hard!
    so i have muscle tone in both my legs and arms
    so- you don't lift- but you already have muscle tone? I'm not sure I get it.
    Secondly muscle tone really isn't a thing.
    You either have low enough body fat to see definition- or you don't.
    i just dont want to lift heavy and have man arms
    well you won't.
    it's laughable hard. I'm a bellydancer- I make money based on the fact I do not look manly... and I lift heavy 3-4 times a week. Actually technically I"m a power lifter. So power lifting bellydancer- still making it rain at my gigs ;)

    you're fine.

    life big
    eat at a calorie deficit- and get fabulous.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    Options
    I don't have time to do 50 reps of something.

    So..I'll lift heavy.

Categories