In this study, 49 men that lifted weights regularly performed 12 weeks of resistance training. The men were randomly allocated to one of two training groups; the first group used very heavy weights (75-90% of 1 rep max) for 8-12 repetitions per set, the second group used much lighter weights (30-50% of 1 rep max) for 20-25 repetitions per set. Each group lifted weights 4 times per week. At the end of follow-up, there were significant increases in muscle mass in both groups with no difference between groups. Journal of Applied Physiology 2016; 121:129-138.
Take Home Message
This study shows
that you don’t have to lift very heavy weights in order to build muscle. You
can get similar increases in muscle mass with lighter weights and higher
repetitions. I use lighter loads with most of my clients, for a bunch of
reasons: 1) I find there is a lower risk of injury. 2) It is my opinion that it
is safer (lower spikes in blood pressure and heart rate) than using much
heavier weights. 3) I find there is a lower risk of overtraining with lighter
weights. 4) Generally, it is more enjoyable. Experienced weight lifters
actually enjoy the fatigue and “burn” that comes with lifting heavy weights. Most
people that are new to weight lifting and that are deconditioned do not.
This study shows
us that you can build muscle quite well with lighter loads, as long as you
increase your repetitions.
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