high weight/low rep vs high rep/low weight

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Schwiggity
Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've gotten conflicting stories from several sources about which types of strength exercises to do. I'm losing weight, but want to maintain as much muscle mass as I can for the rest of my weight loss. I also want to increase my strength to help me run faster and go further.

I was told my by pain management doctor to avoid high weights, so I'll probably have to stay away from it until my injury heals, but besides him, I've had a lot of conflicting advice. I assume both are good for something, but I'm unclear as to which helps with what.

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  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    well if you are injured definitely let it heal!

    but after it is healed lift HEAVY at low reps... that is what will build and maintain muscle mass :]

    low weight at high reps is a huge waste of time IMHO

    many people think this will help you "tone" a muscle :p
  • donnamariemoon
    donnamariemoon Posts: 51
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    I think high weight/low reps (8-10) is for building muscle, whereas lower weights higher reps (12 -15) are for toning. This is what I remember from my P90X dvds with Tony Horton. There are also different views on how many sets you should do.

    I read in a book called "Fat to Firm at Any Age" something like this: you find the weight where you could fairly easily do 8 reps with good form but couldn't do more than 15 reps. That is the weight to use, according to that book (if I am remembering correctly).

    I have been back and forth with my BF about sets. I do one set following those guidelines above. He can do as many as 5 sets. I don't see the point - I am a woman and am toning/stregnthening. I think a happy medium is 3 sets.

    If you do internet searches on all this from reps to sets and what weight you get some really good results.

    One more thing - be sure you heal first! Same BF suffering extreme sciatica b/c he kept lifting 220 before his injury healed. Now he's been unable to lift or exercise at all for 3 weeks!

    Good luck!
    Donna
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Generally speaking, when people say low reps, it's around 4-6, and when they say high reps it's about 12-15. They say more weight/less reps is better for building mass and less weight/more reps is better for building strength. Hopefully within your doc's parameters you can lift enough weight that around 12 reps is the most you can do. If the load is light enough that you can keep on going and going, then you're really getting more of a cardio benefit than strength training benefit.
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    well if you are injured definitely let it heal!

    but after it is healed lift HEAVY at low reps... that is what will build and maintain muscle mass :]

    low weight at high reps is a huge waste of time IMHO

    many people think this will help you "tone" a muscle :p

    Oh I know the whole selective toning of a specific body part is a bunch of BS. I've heard that low weight/high rep can help for endurance activities though, and I'm training for a half marathon, so that's why I was wondering if it does have any merit.
    Generally speaking, when people say low reps, it's around 4-6, and when they say high reps it's about 12-15. They say more weight/less reps is better for building mass and less weight/more reps is better for building strength. Hopefully within your doc's parameters you can lift enough weight that around 12 reps is the most you can do. If the load is light enough that you can keep on going and going, then you're really getting more of a cardio benefit than strength training benefit.

    Right now I'm doing 2-3 sets of 12 reps for the exercises I'm doing and I'd consider it lower weights, but I'd be hard pressed to do more reps at the specific weights.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    High weight low reps for strength.
    Low weight high reps for stamina.

    Low weight- what ever weight which you max at 12+ reps.
    High weight- what ever weight which you max at 5+ reps.

    My bench press, for example;
    Set #1, 10 reps 160lbs warm up.
    #2 8 reps 180lbs
    #3-8 5 reps progressing 200lbs adding 10lbs per set until max.

    But, though this works fine for me, it may not for you. Try each method for a few weeks each... see which works best for you.

    Good luck.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    High weight low reps for strength.
    Low weight high reps for stamina.

    Low weight- what ever weight which you max at 12+ reps.
    High weight- what ever weight which you max at 5+ reps.

    My bench press, for example;
    Set #1, 10 reps 160lbs warm up.
    #2 8 reps 180lbs
    #3-8 5 reps progressing 200lbs adding 10lbs per set until max.

    But, though this works fine for me, it may not for you. Try each method for a few weeks each... see which works best for you.

    Good luck.

    I do something kind of similar. My reps are 12-10-8-6, increasing weight for each set, then drop the weight slightly and do a 12-12 superset. This is the body-for-life program. I assume it's designed this way to sort of get the best of both worlds. ...and to make me cry for mercy during those supersets.
  • aeneadelacroix
    aeneadelacroix Posts: 22
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    I used to do low weight/high reps when I was trying it on my own. I've been doing personal training for a few months now, and have seen much better results by doing higher weights with lower reps. Now I do 3 x 8-12 reps, and choose a weight so that I'm okay for the first set but am really struggling by the third.

    That being said, if you have an injury then low weight/high rep would be good to keep you going and maintain function without straining anything. You can gradually work your way back up to the higher weights without worrying about doing any damage.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    High weight low reps for strength.
    Low weight high reps for stamina.

    Low weight- what ever weight which you max at 12+ reps.
    High weight- what ever weight which you max at 5+ reps.

    My bench press, for example;
    Set #1, 10 reps 160lbs warm up.
    #2 8 reps 180lbs
    #3-8 5 reps progressing 200lbs adding 10lbs per set until max.

    But, though this works fine for me, it may not for you. Try each method for a few weeks each... see which works best for you.

    Good luck.

    I do something kind of similar. My reps are 12-10-8-6, increasing weight for each set, then drop the weight slightly and do a 12-12 superset. This is the body-for-life program. I assume it's designed this way to sort of get the best of both worlds. ...and to make me cry for mercy during those supersets.

    Yup. That's kinda like the Arnold work out. It is a very good one.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    Bumping for reference later.
  • antipholous
    antipholous Posts: 116
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    High weight/low reps are a good way to bulk up your muscles quickly, look very large, and be sure to skip over most of the important stabilizer muscles so that whenever you're trying to actually lift something in real life you look like a 5 year old girl having problems with the mayonnaise jar, versus the Hulk you appear to be.

    Working exercises that work on your core, focus on light to medium heavy weight, and use motions that incorporate multiple muscles at the same time. Exercises like these increase your strength to a degree, and your muscular endurance to a dramatic level, meaning you can work harder and longer than any of those He-Mans in the gym.

    I attend a class called "Art of Strength," 3-4 times a week. We lift with kettlebells, smaller bar bells, dumb bells, and a lot of body weight exercises like lunges, etc. We supplement with exercises on the bandit loops (looped ropes hanging from the ceiling) and "the ropes," (attached to the wall and intended to be moved around quickly in various motions).

    I was in this class the other day and one of the guys I *cough* used *cough* to envy came up. His arms are the size of watermelons, but I was lifting more than he was, and could last longer. Why? Almost all traditional body building exercises (with the exception of the squat) almost completely focus on a few major muscle groups. In the end, all you're really proving is how much you can benchpress, or how much you can bicep curl. These motions don't exist in real day-to-day activities. So in the end, these guys are doing the equivalent of going to the salon. Aesthetic only. When it comes time to really perform, their muscles are oversized, clunky, and in-proportionate, making them more-or-less useless.

    I'm exaggerating to prove a point, but in the end if you're lifting to actually increase your overall strength, focus on activities that have high reps, medium and challenging weight, and incorporate your core, stabilizer muscle groups, and major muscle groups. Good luck!

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