Benefits of lifting low weight / high reps

Options
123578

Replies

  • fjrandol
    fjrandol Posts: 437 Member
    Options
    Check out the thread ~>
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/518789-the-difference-weight-lifting-makes

    Go to the link and check out the pics ~>
    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Read this ~>
    http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583332944

    Lift heavy, and remember that you're not going to "bulk up" without some sort of additional factor that the vast majority of us aren't looking to add to our workouts.:smile:

    ~> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FGZvFZdVbk <~
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Options
    I just wish the bulking myth would just go away...urgh

    I don't think it is a myth, often it's just a difference of opinion in what "bulk" means.

    I've posted that I don''t want to be bulky (I am female) before only be slammed with posts from the body builders about how I won't get bulky. Many of them are accompanied by pics of women who lift heavy in an attempt to prove their point. Many of the pics look bulky to me.

    They probably mean that don't want that much definition.

    Those fitness models are very lean and work hard to achieve that. . Increase the percentage of body fat on them and most likely you wouldn't feel that they were "too bulky". No average women is going to get like that without some serious work (multiple cycles of eating at surplus then cutting). Lifting heavy will help maintain the lean mass you have while dieting.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    I just wish the bulking myth would just go away...urgh

    I don't think it is a myth, often it's just a difference of opinion in what "bulk" means.

    I've posted that I don''t want to be bulky (I am female) before only be slammed with posts from the body builders about how I won't get bulky. Many of them are accompanied by pics of women who lift heavy in an attempt to prove their point. Many of the pics look bulky to me.

    They probably mean that don't want that much definition.

    Those fitness models are very lean and work hard to achieve that. . Increase the percentage of body fat on them and most likely you wouldn't feel that they were "too bulky". No average women is going to get like that without some serious work (multiple cycles of eating at surplus then cutting). Lifting heavy will help maintain the lean mass you have while dieting.

    Also... the pics that are taken during competition are often of the person being intentionally dehydrated for the competition. They don't look like that during the off season. I saw a pic recently (not sure the thread... "hot women with muscles" or "this is what a competitor is supposed to look like" maybe?) that posted 2 pics of the same person... one during a competition (ripped) and the other during the off-season. Totally different looks.

    I also think some people use it as an excuse... something along the lines of, "I don't love to lift, so rather than lifting like people tell me to, I'm going to go use the elliptical so I don't get bulky" or "I'm uncomfortable in the free weight area around all those grunting guys, so I'm going to stay over here with my 2lb rubber dumbbells... that way I won't get bulky."
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    Here are the pics I was referring too.

    Competition pic. Bulky? I wouldn't say so, but I can see how this might be too lean for some people.

    index-12.jpeg


    But this is what she looks like typically (i.e. not during competition)

    staceyAlexander.jpg


    I have a hard time believing there are very many people who wouldn't be happy looking like that.


    Furthermore, to look like this, you have to have years and years of REAL dedication and a perfect diet. There are about 2 people on this site that have that and you aren't one of them. You won't get bulky. Now be quiet and go lift.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Options
    Here are the pics I was referring too.

    Competition pic. Bulky? I wouldn't say so, but I can see how this might be too lean for some people.

    index-12.jpg


    But this is what she looks like typically (i.e. not during competition)

    staceyAlexander.jpg


    I have a hard time believing there are very many people who wouldn't be happy looking like that.


    Furthermore, to look like this, you have to have years and years of REAL dedication and a perfect diet. There are about 2 people on this site that have that and you aren't one of them. You won't get bulky. Now be quiet and go lift.


    Fix the pic! I wanna see :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    Fix the pic! I wanna see :)

    They are both working for me... is either working for you?
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Options
    Nope...Then its just me... let me try a different browser

    ETA: Nope, maybe my work is blocking them
  • Will_is_the_Power
    Will_is_the_Power Posts: 10
    Options
    ok new research shows that you can do either but you should hit the point of fatigue within 90 seconds.....

    this will build strength


    http://www.acefitness.org/blog/965/high-reps-and-light-weights-vs-low-reps-and-heavy

    watch this video

    Oh and... :tongue:
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Options
    simply it is tone vs. bulk

    sigh...
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Options
    Fix the pic! I wanna see :)

    They are both working for me... is either working for you?

    Bottom one is working fo rme, not top one.
  • khagador
    khagador Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    Nope...Then its just me... let me try a different browser

    ETA: Nope, maybe my work is blocking them

    I can't see the first pic either.
  • Quiing
    Quiing Posts: 261 Member
    Options
    From what I've read, low weights with high reps increases muscle endurance, but does not increase muscle. I'm no expert though and could be wrong :)


    Edited for spelling :)

    I agree!
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
    Options
    simply it is tone vs. bulk

    sigh...

    Yes sigh
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    First pic working now?

    If not, Google stacy alexander and look at the difference in her competition pics and modeling pics.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Options
    I'm no expert.

    But when I was a college swimmer the sprinters (like myself) lifted heavy weights at low reps while the long distance swimmers lifted LIGHTER weights (notice I didn't say *light*) at high reps. The sprinters were aiming for powerful, explosive muscles, where the distance swimmers were aiming for endurance.

    edit for spelling.
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
    Options
    There is a lot of good info in this thread, if you can sift through it all. So let me make a personal observation, if you will be so kind.

    It is anecdotal, however,

    I have never known anyone to lift heavy, with proper form, and regret it. Men or women. And I know quite a few of both.
  • khagador
    khagador Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    I started heavy lifting at the rack 3 weeks ago, and I'll never go back. In three weeks, I feel stronger, my workout shorts are getting very loose (losing inches obviously), and my mental health is at it's peak. Endorphins are freaking awesome.

    I had been doing lots of squats and lunges, etc before heading to the bars, but since i've been lifting HEAVY with the bars I feel like a new person. I'm not kidding you. I love going to the gym like never before.

    Women, if you go to the gym, you MUST TRY IT. You will NOT bulk, and you'll notice your stomach trimming out just by using that freaking bar! You work your core with every exercise. JUST DO IT!

    I'm a cardio freak and have been recovering from an injury, so I turned to weight lifting. I agree that you feel like a brand new woman after doing some barbell squats and lunges. I also love the looks I get being the only girl in that section of the gym.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
    Options
    I don't even know if I have the energy for this, but I shall try.

    Women can not bulk up unless they are supplementing, we lack the testosterone to get swole.

    If you have back problems or something like that, then that is really the only time I would recommend lifting lighter and doing more reps. BUT, I can not promote lifting heavy and doing low reps enough.

    Doing 5lb dumbbell curls for an hour isn't going to get you very far. But doing compound moves with heavier weights, 3 sets of 6-8 reps (that make your arms wanna fall off) IS going to strengthen that muscle! Since switching from light weight/high reps to heavy weight/low reps, not only have I lost 2 pants sizes in a relatively short amount of time, but I've noticed more muscle definition than I've ever had in my life. And I'm not "bulky" nor will I ever be.

    Please ladies, please please please, put down the Barbie weights and REALLY challenge yourselves!!

    Edited to also say that before when I was doing low weight/high reps I was in the gym for freaking ever...now I'm done in about half the time and I've worked even harder, getting better results. This is, of course, anecdotal, but I think the results speak for themselves.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Options
    First pic working now?

    If not, Google stacy alexander and look at her competition pics.

    Yes it's working now.

    Women afraid of looking like the first picture have no idea of the amount of hard work it takes to get to look like that, just for one competition. They think these girls look like that all the time.
  • G30Grrl
    G30Grrl Posts: 377 Member
    Options
    low weight high reps for lean tone muscles
    heavy weight low reps for more bulk

    just depends what you are looking for.

    I must respectfully disagree with this. Women do not "bulk." This is a total myth. We don't have the hormones for it (unless we add steroids). Heavy weights with low reps (they are only low because we lift so heavy that we *can't* do high reps) are the only way to build strength and increase muscle. No, they won't be bulky scary muscles. The will be lovely lean toned muscles. And they will be strong. Why? because we PUSH ourselves to lift a little more each time, which is the only motivation for our muscles to get stronger.

    Light weights with high reps are for endurance. They won't make you stronger, nor will they build new muscle tissue. This myth has been around for ages. I succumbed to it for a long time. But the only time I have ever gotten truly STRONGER and actually built lovely womanly muscles is when I have pushed myself to lift as much as I can.

Categories