Less weight/more reps vs. More weight/less reps??

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gailygail99
gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all. I am totally new to this world of strength training. About two weeks ago I started to lift some dumbbells. I also walk on the treadmill about 20-25mins every day. I use the weights about every other day. Since this is my first time with weights, I wanted to get some light weights, so I got 2lb and 3lb dumbbells. I really have low upper body strength so I wanted to work on my arms and build muscle. I do standing bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, lateral side lifts and a few others. I am doing 3 sets with 10 reps per set with the 2lb weights. I know that is a little weight, and that is what I have a question about. When should I move up with the weight? When I can easily do the 3 sets of 10 reps? Or should I try to increase the amount of reps per set? Should I have just started with a 5lb, and are these little weights wasting my time? After those reps, my arms are actually pretty tired. Should I be doing less sets and reps with a heavier weight? My goal is obviously to lose fat and get tone at the same time. So any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you. :huh:
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Replies

  • punkrawkcutie
    punkrawkcutie Posts: 439 Member
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    bump
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    I usually move up on the weight once I get to 8 reps, 10 for certain things like bicep curls and shoulders. If you can easily do 1 set of 10 I'd say the weight is too little.
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
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    From what I've heard - less weight & more reps will give you fat burning & muscle toning. More weight & less reps will give you muscle bulk. Aim for 12-15 for muscle toning, or 8-10 for muscle bulk. :smile:
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    It largely depends what you're trying to achieve.

    If you actually want to make a discernible difference to your proportion of lean mass you will need to lift HARD. No ways around that.

    If all you want to do is build a little bit of muscle endurance, get a little bit stronger, then the "Body Pump" type of endurance strength training can be helpful.

    Just depends what your goals are.

    If you want muscle you can actually see (i.e. "tone"), then you need to lift hard.
  • bradrockell
    bradrockell Posts: 9
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    It depends on your goals. If you want to increase stamina then increase reps, if you want to increase size/ strength then increase the weight.

    In either case, the last rep of the 3rd set should be very difficult, and it's not really benefitting you to repeat an easy exercise.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    More weight & less reps will give you muscle bulk.

    Unless she's on the juice she won't bulk.

    I wish people realised how hard it is for women to "bulk" even when they want to, before they throw around statements like this.

    http://www.stumptuous.com/lies-in-the-gym
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    First up I dont think there's a definitive right answer! But here's what my nutritionist/ coach had me doing.

    2 sets of 20 reps each - chest press, lat pull, shoulder press, biceps curl(row).

    Choose a weight that will really have you struggling by the time you get to the last few reps. And increase it once you can do those 20 and not be out of breath.

    Also do 2 sets of 20 press-ups and squats each day.
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
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    I've just started lifting weights on my home gym and I do less reps with more weights. I am lifting as much as I can to just finish 3 sets x 10 reps. By the last rep I'm pretty much knackered.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    My advice is to always lift as heavy as you can without hurting yourself so you can do the 10 reps safely. If you can get to 10 reps and you feel like you can do more, then your weights are too light. If you can't get to 10 reps, then your weights are too heavy.

    This allows you to progress faster...and by progress, you will not only see the amount you lift increase, but you will also be doing your body a favor. The stronger you are, the more lean muscle you have. More lean muscle means you burn more fat at rest since it takes more energy for lean muscle to even exist, let alone be used.

    Congrats on starting lifting weights! Sooo many women don't want to do it, but it is totally important for your body and can make weight loss easier. Be sure you are eating enough protein to repair your muscles from your workouts and get plenty of rest...which it seems as though you are by taking a day off in between weight workouts.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    From what I've heard - less weight & more reps will give you fat burning & muscle toning. More weight & less reps will give you muscle bulk. Aim for 12-15 for muscle toning, or 8-10 for muscle bulk. :smile:

    This isn't true at all, it may be for men but women cannot build that much muscle bulk without a serious training programme, years of the right foods and probably a little help elsewhere too. I've been training with heavy weights and lower reps for over 2 years now and have no bulk at all. All this does is help you get stronger faster, and create a lean toned look.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    More weight & less reps will give you muscle bulk.

    Unless she's on the juice she won't bulk.

    I wish people realised how hard it is for women to "bulk" even when they want to, before they throw around statements like this.

    AMEN!!!

    I lift as much as 20 pounds per arm doing biceps and triceps workouts...not to mention shoulders, back, and chest exercises...but look at my little arms in the picture. No bulk there!

    Women DO NOT bulk up lifting heavy weights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • mideon_696
    mideon_696 Posts: 770 Member
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    not going to go into it. there have been a few good threads on MFP with that information.
    stick with your 3 set. go with 8's though for everything bar leg stuff. use 10 here. remeber its a weight you can only lift 8-10 times. if you can do more than 10, its too easy/light. If you can manage 15 or more, double the weight, lol.

    so 3 x 8. if you can do that, go heavier next time. go up every workout....when you find you cant complete all 3 sets of 8, stick with that weight until you can. Also, on the last set, go until you think you only have 1 rep left, then stop. Some weeks, go until you cant, but not all the time.

    Forget the word tone. build some muscle, it will help burn fat, :)
    work hard, and you'll get your "tone" (****y word who's use was put forth no doubt, by the "fitness" industry).
    its like cellulite, but lets not get me started there either, lol.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    I've been lifting for a while now. It all depends on your goal. If you want to gain muscle and strength, its best to use high weights, low reps. If you want to gain muscle endurance for say...rowing, biking, running etc..you'd do high reps lowER weights. I often hear that if you can do more than 12 reps at a weight, the weight is too low. If you want to gain muscle size you need to eat calories. You can, so its said, gain strength over time by eating lower calories, but it'll be small and slow and your muscles wont grow and you can only get so strong this way.
    As you get more advanced, you should be increasing your weight every few weeks. OF course if your goal is to gain muscle then you can not lose fat and gain muscle at the same time..its phisologically impossible. If you want strength training, best to join a gym so you can increase the weights often as you gain strength..other wise you'll be buying new weights all the time, and the old ones will be obsolete.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    More weight & less reps will give you muscle bulk.

    Unless she's on the juice she won't bulk.

    I wish people realised how hard it is for women to "bulk" even when they want to, before they throw around statements like this.

    AMEN!!!

    I lift as much as 20 pounds per arm doing biceps and triceps workouts...not to mention shoulders, back, and chest exercises...but look at my little arms in the picture. No bulk there!

    Women DO NOT bulk up lifting heavy weights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Women DO and CAN bulk up lifting heavy weights..our gains are just not as dramatic or fast as men, because of testosterone. Even at that, we tend to gain at about the same rate to begin with. Most men you see who are really bulky are using roids anyways. Look at your average gym guy, they are fit muscular but not huge. It takes a lot of work and minute attention to every nutritional detail to put on big gains. In the last month I've put on a lb of muscle. Lifting and getting muscles isnt an impossible task for women, and no other woman should discourage another from doing this with half truths, or down right ignorant statements.

    ps..if you say you've lifted and not bulked up..its because you havent tried. its takes a proper diet and nutrition to build mass. I can lift 20 lbs too with no problem and my arms arent huge either, 20 lbs is nothing.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    Lifting and getting muscles isnt an impossible task for women, and no other woman should discourage another from doing this with half truths, or down right ignorant statements.

    Of course some women are naturally more gifted than others, accounting for very natural difference in people's testosterone balance etc.

    By saying "women won't bulk" it's simply saying that by picking up more than 3lb pink dumbells you won't turn into a female impersonation of Arnold Schwarzenegger!
  • McBody
    McBody Posts: 1,703 Member
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    More weight & less reps will give you muscle bulk.

    Unless she's on the juice she won't bulk.

    I wish people realised how hard it is for women to "bulk" even when they want to, before they throw around statements like this.

    http://www.stumptuous.com/lies-in-the-gym

    It takes testosterone to bulk!

    I take a protein supplement to help replenish muscles after lifting. I usually lift hard 2x. week and then do cross-fit workouts 3-4x/week. And I have no bulk.

    If you are lifting arms 3x/ week I say do two days of hard lifting (heavier weight for as many reps as you can, 3 sets), and one day of light weights with max reps in 30 seconds to help with muscle endurance/ fat burn.
  • glfprncs2
    glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
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    I can say, from personal experience, that lifting and trying to truly FAIL (and by fail, I mean I couldn't lift that dumbbell one more time) at 12 reps is what's doing it for me. I'm lifting 20-30 pound dumbbells (for upper body work--heavier for lower body) and am getting smaller and tighter. Yes, I have more distinct muscle mass, but I'm definitely not bulky and my arms are now smaller (even with the increase in lean muscle) because I've rid myself of the layer of fat that used to sit on top of them.

    I think it's the layer of fat that makes many women think they look 'bulkier.' You build the lean muscle and lower the total body fat percentage, you may be very, very surprised.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I can lift 20 lbs too with no problem and my arms arent huge either, 20 lbs is nothing.

    Well good for you. I started with very light weights and happen to be happy with my progress thus far. It would be nice if you wouldn't make belittling comments such as this. I lift what I can to failure within 12 reps and if I get that far I increase my weight. Telling me that my max is nothing is contrary to the spirit of these boards in that we are here to SUPPORT each other.

    In summary...

    GEE THANKS.
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    I can lift 20 lbs too with no problem and my arms arent huge either, 20 lbs is nothing.

    Well good for you. I started with very light weights and happen to be happy with my progress thus far. It would be nice if you wouldn't make belittling comments such as this. I lift what I can to failure within 12 reps and if I get that far I increase my weight. Telling me that my max is nothing is contrary to the spirit of these boards in that we are here to SUPPORT each other.

    In summary...

    GEE THANKS.

    I agree with you wholeheartedly and think that post was well "off". You do what you're doing cos judging by the pics you have a lovely shape on you.

    Plus I think a lot of people would probably think that purposeful and controlled 6-8 rep sets may get you further than always lifting to failure every time you lift.

    A few forumites on here who really know their strength training like Stroutman from the "lean peeps getting leaner" thread and white star, certainly haven't advocated that when I spoke to them off forum on lifting advice.
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
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    Wow! Thank u all so much for the replies!! I'm going to go up in the weights on my next workout for sure! I can't wait!!! Again, thank you all so much for all the informative replies and opinions!!

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