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Lifting Lighter Weights Can Be Just as Effective as Heavy Ones

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Posted 7/20/2016 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/20/lifting-lighter-weights-can-be-just-as-effective-as-heavy-ones/

This is an interesting study, Burrascano recommends light weights and high reps as well. I recently bought some resistance bands and ditched my gym membership. It seemed like I could get as effective a workout with them and this study seems like the science backs this up.
Posted 7/20/2016 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
For what though, building muscle, or just.. getting the lymph moving or whatever (sorry to sound ignorant, just mean other benefits of weightlifting)?

I've heard high weight, low reps is for building volume, while low weight high reps is for stamina/endurance.

I do "high" weight (quotations because I'm weak, so high weight is still low), because I need muscle ASAP. lol

Post Edited (NotQuiteAntonio) : 7/20/2016 9:41:29 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/20/2016 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
I do low weights, high reps. I don't want to bulk up but keep parts functioning. This keeps ligaments and tendons working and wards off osteoporosis because it is weight bearing. I do mine for prevention more than anything. Those resistance bands are great and very easily packed for a vacation.
Posted 7/20/2016 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
At the gym, I used to do both high weight / low reps and low weight / high reps for the reason Antonio posted.

Now I work out at home with squats, push-ups and sit-ups, using only body weight. I spread the three exercises out over the day, can't do a long session. What's interesting is that I haven't been to a gym in two years and muscle memory is kicking in, bulking up to what I used to have.
Posted 7/20/2016 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
I've always done low weight, high reps. I'm not looking for bulk.
Posted 7/20/2016 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
For the tldr crowd:

"One group was assigned to follow the standard regimen, in which weights were set at between 75 and 90 percent of the man’s one-repetition maximum and the volunteer lifted until he could not lift again, usually after about 10 repetitions.

The other volunteers began the lighter routine. Their weights were set at between 30 and 50 percent of each man’s one-repetition maximum, and he lifted them as many as 25 times, until the muscles were exhausted.

The results were unequivocal. There were no significant differences between the two groups. All of the men had gained muscle strength and size, and these gains were almost identical, whether they had lifted heavy or light weights."

So the interesting part is that the high weight low rep group wasn't "bulkier" as the conventional gym wisdom would predict. It seems the important thing is to do enough reps to hit the point of muscle fatigue.
Posted 7/20/2016 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, sorry, I totally forgot that I didn't read the article, about 20 minutes later, after I'd already left home. Felt bad. One of those days.

Now that I have taken a look, project, I guess that makes sense. Though, the "to the point of muscle fatigue" part. That seems synonymous with the "lift until failure" mentality that I've been met with, which is more quickly accomplished with more weight.

Still, if that is the case, and there was no difference in muscle growth, I guess low weight, high reps is probably better overall, but.. weightlifting is already such an event for me, and adding more sets/reps would double the time it takes. lol

edit:

This is what I do. I do less sets of the 5 set exercises though. 5 too many.

http://ketogains.com/2015/09/ketogains-novice-strength-training-program-5x5/

I would ultimately like to do a mixture of mass-inducing exercises, as well as things for stamina, but I just don't have the time and/or health for all of that right now. I figure, at least put on some muscle, while you try to get better.

Unlike some of you guys, I actually need the stuff. I've come to realize that I was basically half-starving myself for years, and all my muscle withered away.

Whoever mentioned squats, don't remind me of those darn things.. today is a rest day. I hate squats. Make me wanna cry.

Post Edited (NotQuiteAntonio) : 7/20/2016 2:54:28 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/21/2016 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know if your aware of isometrics. In the 1920's they discovered that just 7 seconds of putting all your strength into a stationary resistance built up muscle.

There is quite a bit of information concerning isometrics on the internet. Also scribd has several books. I use the one with a rope (printed in 1964).

Read about the mighty Samson (Zass). Seems he became a prisoner of war in WW1. Before the war he had been a body builder (weights). After a couple of escape attempts they put him in chains and in a cell.

He began straining against the chains. He got so strong he broke the chains, bent the bars of his cell and made his escape. He went on to sell a isometric course in the civilian world and also put on feats of strength.

The experiments of isometrics was to help disabled veterans of WW1.
Posted 7/22/2016 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
i've lost quite a bit of muscle mass particularly in my bicep/tricep area so i'm going to start lifting again. will go to muscle fatigue but only slightly no reason to push myself.

does weight lifting actually help you combat lyme/co-infections in any way?
Posted 7/22/2016 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
listening - rejoined the gym - but using it for the sauna on my lunch hour - dreaming of energy for weights.
Posted 7/22/2016 6:39 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know.. increased blood flow to certain areas might be beneficial? I have seen some who say it can be a bad thing though, driving the infections deeper. I do not know, either way.

I just do it for the gains, yo. Big muscle boy inbound.. ETA 2018. LOL.. it is a slow process for me. Considering steroids (not). Haha.. I'll get there someday.
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