Question about lifting lighter weights

dcarter1020
dcarter1020 Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all! I currently workout at home and have been doing cardio for the last 10 months along with light strength training. I have a barbell set that goes up to 40lbs but that's it. I want to start lifting more, but I feel limited with the weight set I have. Gym membership is currently not an option. My question is 2 parts:

1. Can I achieve more strength and tone with only 40lbs in weights, or will I be limited until I can add more weight?

2. Since it's lighter weight, should I be doing more reps? I currently do 3 sets of 10. I can feel the muscles burning while I'm working out but I have no soreness the day after. I've always thought lifting and soreness go hand in hand.

I would really appreciate your feedback. I'm trying to be more committed to a strength training routine. Thanks!

Replies

  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    Maybe try posting this in the Gaining Weight section as well as there's a lot of lifters in there, I use a gym and I'm afraid don't know if increasing the reps would achieve what you want.
    What about gumtree (or local equivalent) to see if anyone is getting rid of weights??
  • fitzman84
    fitzman84 Posts: 40 Member
    Your body will get less sore the more often you do the same exercises, this is normal.

    Eventually you'll need to add weight, but for now you can just use lifting tempo and reps to accomplish your goal.

    Try this for about 4-6 weeks.
    Go for 15-20reps with a 4/2/1 tempo.
    Example: Squats - Lower your body for a 4 count - hold the bottom for a 2 count, then stand up with a 1 count.

    You can do this with all exercises and you will definitely feel the difference the day after.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    dcarter1020 wrote: »
    Hello all! I currently workout at home and have been doing cardio for the last 10 months along with light strength training. I have a barbell set that goes up to 40lbs but that's it. I want to start lifting more, but I feel limited with the weight set I have. Gym membership is currently not an option. My question is 2 parts:

    1. Can I achieve more strength and tone with only 40lbs in weights, or will I be limited until I can add more weight?

    2. Since it's lighter weight, should I be doing more reps? I currently do 3 sets of 10. I can feel the muscles burning while I'm working out but I have no soreness the day after. I've always thought lifting and soreness go hand in hand.

    I would really appreciate your feedback. I'm trying to be more committed to a strength training routine. Thanks!
    1. Yes.
    2. Increase the reps, try 5 sets of 25. Soreness also isn't an indicator of efficacy.
  • aaroncottingham3
    aaroncottingham3 Posts: 2
    Body builders use lighter weights and higher reps- better for aesthetics, for gaining strength heavy weight and lower reps. But for what you Have try 8-10 sets 10-15 reps on the last couple sets do as many reps until you burn out. You may notice more of a gain in size but will need to get heavier weights eventually to really gain strength. Just my thoughts.
  • pknjhh
    pknjhh Posts: 117 Member
    aaroncottingham3 wrote: »
    Body builders use lighter weights and higher reps- better for aesthetics, for gaining strength heavy weight and lower reps. But for what you Have try 8-10 sets 10-15 reps on the last couple sets do as many reps until you burn out. You may notice more of a gain in size but will need to get heavier weights eventually to really gain strength. Just my thoughts.

    that's not always the case with bodybuilders. High weight lower reps developes thickness in muscles which most bodybuilders want. The guys who high reps lower weight use gear to compensate otherwise they would be burning muscle which is bad. As far as your question the slow reps would help. I prefer 5 seconds down, 5 seconds hold at bottom, 5 seconds up then repeat for slow reps. You need more weight though so you can keep getting the results you want. Don't know your situation but getting weights off craigslist is really cheap. Plus you can negotiate the price down.

  • alereck
    alereck Posts: 343 Member
    If you want to build muscle 8-12 reps would be best. I've had problems with increasing weight also since the only squat rack at the gym is always occupied, so I'm stuck doing squats with a 70 lb barbell since it's the heaviest I can get over my head.

    To keep progressing I rotate what kind of exercises I do. For example squats I will do rotate between 4 different types of squats and I will stick to that one type for 2 weeks, so by the time I go back to the first type I haven't worked those specific muscles in a little while. All forms of squats will work the same main muscles but just changing your feet position will change what part of the muscle and which stabilizing muscles you are using.

    I'm not sure if this is very efficient but my quads / glutes are progressing, so I figure that if I'm seeing the results then I'm doing ok.

    I’m not sure what kind of barbell you have but if the weights are on plates you can use the plates to do isolation exercises. If you have dumbbells that go heavier you can do pretty much the same exercises you use the barbell for but with higher weight. Or keep switching from dbs to barbells to keep a progression.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    pknjhh wrote: »
    aaroncottingham3 wrote: »
    Body builders use lighter weights and higher reps- better for aesthetics, for gaining strength heavy weight and lower reps. But for what you Have try 8-10 sets 10-15 reps on the last couple sets do as many reps until you burn out. You may notice more of a gain in size but will need to get heavier weights eventually to really gain strength. Just my thoughts.

    that's not always the case with bodybuilders. High weight lower reps developes thickness in muscles which most bodybuilders want. The guys who high reps lower weight use gear to compensate otherwise they would be burning muscle which is bad. As far as your question the slow reps would help. I prefer 5 seconds down, 5 seconds hold at bottom, 5 seconds up then repeat for slow reps. You need more weight though so you can keep getting the results you want. Don't know your situation but getting weights off craigslist is really cheap. Plus you can negotiate the price down.

    what?
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    pknjhh wrote: »
    aaroncottingham3 wrote: »
    Body builders use lighter weights and higher reps- better for aesthetics, for gaining strength heavy weight and lower reps. But for what you Have try 8-10 sets 10-15 reps on the last couple sets do as many reps until you burn out. You may notice more of a gain in size but will need to get heavier weights eventually to really gain strength. Just my thoughts.

    that's not always the case with bodybuilders. High weight lower reps developes thickness in muscles which most bodybuilders want. The guys who high reps lower weight use gear to compensate otherwise they would be burning muscle which is bad. As far as your question the slow reps would help. I prefer 5 seconds down, 5 seconds hold at bottom, 5 seconds up then repeat for slow reps. You need more weight though so you can keep getting the results you want. Don't know your situation but getting weights off craigslist is really cheap. Plus you can negotiate the price down.

    what?
    ^^^ My thought exactly. :|

    You broscience too hard, brah.

    If a bodybuilder is using higher weights and lower reps, he wants strength too. If he's using moderate weights and repping 8-12, then he wants muscle. 'Being on gear' has nothing to do reps. People 'burn muscle' when they're losing weight while not lifting.

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