Building Muscle/Lowering Body fat - Can this be done without Lifting Heavy?

ExRelaySprinter
ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been seeing a lot of posts re: building Muscle saying you have to "lift heavy" to do this.
Is there any other way of building a good amount of muscle?
Heavy Lifting isn't really my thing.

Replies

  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    Body weight exercises.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Any form of legit strength training will serve the purpose. Doesn't necessarily have to be heavy barbell training. It can be bodyweight, kettlebells, dumbells etc. But you do need to tax the muscle enough no matter which mode you choose
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    "Heavy" is relative to what your body can currently do. In that context, you're going to have to lift "heavy" to build muscle.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    I've been seeing a lot of posts re: building Muscle saying you have to "lift heavy" to do this.
    Is there any other way of building a good amount of muscle?
    Heavy Lifting isn't really my thing.

    Is any kind of lifting your thing? I'm being serious, not snotty. Because you can build muscle lifting a bit lighter. By that I mean that you don't have to go heavy enough to warrant 4-6 reps. You can work in the 8-12 rep range and build muscle. That's actually the hypertrophy range anyway, though there is definitely carry over between the ranges.

  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    I would suggest trying it. Don't be scared by the terminology, heavy is relative as the others have pointed out. If you don't see results or start to enjoy it by the time you need to increase the weights, you won't have really done any harm. You won't start looking butch so don't worry about that if it's bothering you
  • Cave_Goose
    Cave_Goose Posts: 156 Member
    If you want to look "buff," you have to lift. If you just want to tone muscles, try the "30-Day" apps. They have them for back, abs, butt, squats, pushups, & burbees (maybe more).
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    If it's just a matter of not enjoying the activity of lifting weights in a gym, there are other ways to strength train your body. Body weight exercises like calisthenics (check out the book "You are your own Gym"), some forms of pilates yoga, even some barre classes... The key is to find something you enjoy and can see yourself sticking with, that uses progressive overload to build your muscles.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Cave_Goose wrote: »
    If you want to look "buff," you have to lift. If you just want to tone muscles, try the "30-Day" apps. They have them for back, abs, butt, squats, pushups, & burbees (maybe more).
    Can you explain what a "toned" muscle is, other than a bigger muscle?

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Cave_Goose wrote: »
    If you want to look "buff," you have to lift. If you just want to tone muscles, try the "30-Day" apps. They have them for back, abs, butt, squats, pushups, & burbees (maybe more).

    LOL what is this?

  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited April 2015
    jemhh wrote: »
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    I've been seeing a lot of posts re: building Muscle saying you have to "lift heavy" to do this.
    Is there any other way of building a good amount of muscle?
    Heavy Lifting isn't really my thing.

    Is any kind of lifting your thing? I'm being serious, not snotty. Because you can build muscle lifting a bit lighter.
    Well, i did try lighter weights alongside doing my Cardio and that did tone up my arms somewhat.
    But it's my Legs and mid section that i need to work on.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Any form of exercise will build muscle. Weights just do it more quickly.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Any form of exercise will build muscle. Weights just do it more quickly.
    Up to the point where the exercise no longer overloads the muscle.

  • scraver2003
    scraver2003 Posts: 526 Member
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    I've been seeing a lot of posts re: building Muscle saying you have to "lift heavy" to do this.
    Is there any other way of building a good amount of muscle?
    Heavy Lifting isn't really my thing.

    Is any kind of lifting your thing? I'm being serious, not snotty. Because you can build muscle lifting a bit lighter.
    Well, i did try lighter weights alongside doing my Cardio and that did tone up my arms somewhat.
    But it's my Legs and mid section that i need to work on.

    Squats, lunges, burpees, pushups, planks, etc. will all work lower body and mid section.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    I've been seeing a lot of posts re: building Muscle saying you have to "lift heavy" to do this.
    Is there any other way of building a good amount of muscle?
    Heavy Lifting isn't really my thing.

    Is any kind of lifting your thing? I'm being serious, not snotty. Because you can build muscle lifting a bit lighter.
    Well, i did try lighter weights alongside doing my Cardio and that did tone up my arms somewhat.
    But it's my Legs and mid section that i need to work on.

    I have had visible improvement in my legs with lighter squats. I'm talking goblet squats holding 25-35 pounds, dumbbell squats holding 25-30# on each shoulder, front squats 60-75#. With the dumbbells (especially goblet squats) I do 3 sets of 15 or I'll pick a number like 45 and then do that many, pausing when I need to.

    I'd also suggest doing something for your hamstrings. You might try RDLs using dumbbells. I find it kind of awkward so it's not my thing but it's worth a try. And Swiss ball leg curls hit the hamstrings too (you'll feel them) though you're not really going to build a lot of muscle with them.

    Finally, I would suggest adding glute bridges and/or hip thrusts. If you don't want to do them with a barbell you could use bands and look up variations (single leg, elevated, etc.) because those definitely work. High reps work best for these too.

  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited April 2015
    jemhh wrote: »
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    ExRelaySprinter wrote: »
    I've been seeing a lot of posts re: building Muscle saying you have to "lift heavy" to do this.
    Is there any other way of building a good amount of muscle?
    Heavy Lifting isn't really my thing.

    Is any kind of lifting your thing? I'm being serious, not snotty. Because you can build muscle lifting a bit lighter.
    Well, i did try lighter weights alongside doing my Cardio and that did tone up my arms somewhat.
    But it's my Legs and mid section that i need to work on.

    I have had visible improvement in my legs with lighter squats. I'm talking goblet squats holding 25-35 pounds, dumbbell squats holding 25-30# on each shoulder, front squats 60-75#. With the dumbbells (especially goblet squats) I do 3 sets of 15 or I'll pick a number like 45 and then do that many, pausing when I need to.

    I'd also suggest doing something for your hamstrings. You might try RDLs using dumbbells. I find it kind of awkward so it's not my thing but it's worth a try. And Swiss ball leg curls hit the hamstrings too (you'll feel them) though you're not really going to build a lot of muscle with them.

    Finally, I would suggest adding glute bridges and/or hip thrusts. If you don't want to do them with a barbell you could use bands and look up variations (single leg, elevated, etc.) because those definitely work. High reps work best for these too.

    Hmmm, thanks for the info!
    Will definitely look into it.
  • kriegmeister
    kriegmeister Posts: 20 Member
    Progressive overload is more important for women than it is men. Most of my clients are middle aged women and respond very well to strength training. As others have said, anything in the 8-12 range is ideal for muscular development.

    But I think the hang up is the idea of heavy. I believe you just need to workout intensely. That is, a lighter weight lifted with proper form and a nice squeeze at the top of the movement will be perfectly intense enough to stimulate muscle growth, not just the number on the bar.

    However, gaining muscle while simultaneously losing body fat requires keeping insulin levels in check and maintaining a protein dominant macro distribution.
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