I am a little confused about the different effect of higher reps with lighter weight and few reps with higher weigh.
Is "few reps higher weight" routine better for gaining weight or bulking up?
What about "high rep lighter weight" routine? What's the benefit to that?
Which one burns more calories?
I am a girl so I don't necessarily want to gain, I just want to be toned and burn as many calories as I can. Which routine is better for goal?
thanks
Hi reps vs. low reps
Moderators: Boss Man, cassiegose
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FastAndTheFurious
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You should still do Low Rep High Weight anyway.
Unless you're seriously consuming a lot of calories, and a high proportion are Proteins, you wouldn't gain a lot even if you did.
You can't produce as much Testosterone as Men, so your physical limits are a lot lower.
Doing LowRep, High Weight will benefit you better, by hopefully creating better muscle stimulus, and increasing Thermogenic and Metabolic effects, allowing better results, and potential Fat reductions.
Unless you're seriously consuming a lot of calories, and a high proportion are Proteins, you wouldn't gain a lot even if you did.
You can't produce as much Testosterone as Men, so your physical limits are a lot lower.
Doing LowRep, High Weight will benefit you better, by hopefully creating better muscle stimulus, and increasing Thermogenic and Metabolic effects, allowing better results, and potential Fat reductions.
I have to ask you Bossman, why should a girl, wo specifically wants to tone, benefit better from high weight/low rep training.
As a female who had the same goal 6 months ago, the high rep is what got encouraging results.
I agree using heavier weights with lower reps will better your form and will give you gains in strength, and that everyone should have variety in their workout. But high rep intervals using 5-25 lbs (depending on the exercise performed) are killer fat burners.
I'd say start with some high rep/low weight intervals (take a class, buy a DVD), stick with the program for 8 weeks and then start integrating "heavy days" into your program. Sweat a lot.
Just 2 cents.
As a female who had the same goal 6 months ago, the high rep is what got encouraging results.
I agree using heavier weights with lower reps will better your form and will give you gains in strength, and that everyone should have variety in their workout. But high rep intervals using 5-25 lbs (depending on the exercise performed) are killer fat burners.
I'd say start with some high rep/low weight intervals (take a class, buy a DVD), stick with the program for 8 weeks and then start integrating "heavy days" into your program. Sweat a lot.
Just 2 cents.
I've seen people I know doing low weight high rep before, in the gym, or people mention their training characteristics Online. It's the usual thing, why am I not losing weight, I eat Salads?
The more you work the body I.E. put it under pressure from high weight low rep training, the greater possibility of Metabolic inceases, higher Thermogenic reactions and better fat burn.
You could potentially use up more calories as well, as you're putting the muscles under more stress.
Providing your Caloric intake isn't geared up for large muscle building, such techniques wouldn't do anything much, to bulk up someone anyway.
The more you work the body I.E. put it under pressure from high weight low rep training, the greater possibility of Metabolic inceases, higher Thermogenic reactions and better fat burn.
You could potentially use up more calories as well, as you're putting the muscles under more stress.
Providing your Caloric intake isn't geared up for large muscle building, such techniques wouldn't do anything much, to bulk up someone anyway.
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FastAndTheFurious
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Thanks for the input everybody. Since I have been doing high rep low weight for a while now I am going to swich to high weight low rep and eventually maybe alternate the two methods.
Should I increase the weight gradually? For instance if I do 3 sets of 8 reps should I increase the weight for each set or should I keep it the same for all sets (for each excercise)?
thanks
Should I increase the weight gradually? For instance if I do 3 sets of 8 reps should I increase the weight for each set or should I keep it the same for all sets (for each excercise)?
thanks
i'll answer from 1st post down...
- few reps with higher wt should always comprise 805 of your program no matter the goal as muscle not stimulated with progressivly heavier wts will start to "degrad"...rememebr your either increasing muscle or losing muscle, simple as that
- highr eps will build muscular endurance which will doing bugger all for body composition (look at marathin runners)
- the harder you can do somrthing the more cal's you'll burn so the heavier the better
- there is no such thing as "toning"...a better word is to define which is done by building muscle than stripping the body fat from on top of it so wuithout muscle what are you actually "toning"??
- high and low reps are the same for both sexes...instead of thinking reps think wt..heavy wt and light wt..reps don't really matter
- sweat doesn't mean your burning fat, just wasting fluid for cooling
- heavy and light days are a good idea as you do need some of both for optimal results...i'm a big fan of using the same wt for all sets then increasing once set and rep goal is reached but wt wil change for each exercise
- what exercises will you be doing??
- few reps with higher wt should always comprise 805 of your program no matter the goal as muscle not stimulated with progressivly heavier wts will start to "degrad"...rememebr your either increasing muscle or losing muscle, simple as that
- highr eps will build muscular endurance which will doing bugger all for body composition (look at marathin runners)
- the harder you can do somrthing the more cal's you'll burn so the heavier the better
- there is no such thing as "toning"...a better word is to define which is done by building muscle than stripping the body fat from on top of it so wuithout muscle what are you actually "toning"??
- high and low reps are the same for both sexes...instead of thinking reps think wt..heavy wt and light wt..reps don't really matter
- sweat doesn't mean your burning fat, just wasting fluid for cooling
- heavy and light days are a good idea as you do need some of both for optimal results...i'm a big fan of using the same wt for all sets then increasing once set and rep goal is reached but wt wil change for each exercise
- what exercises will you be doing??
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FastAndTheFurious
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Thanks Swanso5,
I belong to a gym so I do a variety of excercises. Today I did legs and I increased the weight by 5 pounds for each leg (if the excercise involves working both legs simultaneously, i increased the total weight by 10 pounds and I reduced the number of reps by approximately half (that was mostly due to lack of time today).
When you say you need both heavy and light days, is it 50/50 or should it be mostly heavy days and occasionally light days?
thanks
I belong to a gym so I do a variety of excercises. Today I did legs and I increased the weight by 5 pounds for each leg (if the excercise involves working both legs simultaneously, i increased the total weight by 10 pounds and I reduced the number of reps by approximately half (that was mostly due to lack of time today).
When you say you need both heavy and light days, is it 50/50 or should it be mostly heavy days and occasionally light days?
thanks
hey swanso5
When I say "sweat a lot", it means to work hard.
In no way am I claiming that sweating means you are burning fat.
From reading this forum, the impression that I get is that if one does not lift "heavy weights", they are doing something wrong and are losing out on the excercise performed.
There are benefits from ANY exercise. Just getting your butt off the couch helps. I've done share of aerobics, intervals, heavy weights and every other trend and fashion in the fitness industry over the past 20 years.
Of course reps are the same for both genders. In this case, we are talking about a female. From what I see, most women want to "tone-up" (sorry, it's a word that most people understand). Muscle can be built in more ways than the typical 4-6 reps, 3 sets and move on. High rep compound exercises will build muscle as well. Lets say you perform a bicep curl, and add a wide squat the highest contraction. You will triple your caloric expenditure from the bicep curl performed alone. You will also increase bloodflow and oxygen consumption (by adding in a large muscle group), raising your heart rate. Lets say you do 20 reps/3 sets with 10 lbs. When it's too easy, increase to 15lbs, and so on. Following a routine with this kind of example is a great place to start for women who may not have a lot of strength to start with. I honestly believe that intensity and progression are much more important than "heavy weight".
All I am saying is that there is more than one way to skin a cat.
When I say "sweat a lot", it means to work hard.
In no way am I claiming that sweating means you are burning fat.
From reading this forum, the impression that I get is that if one does not lift "heavy weights", they are doing something wrong and are losing out on the excercise performed.
There are benefits from ANY exercise. Just getting your butt off the couch helps. I've done share of aerobics, intervals, heavy weights and every other trend and fashion in the fitness industry over the past 20 years.
Of course reps are the same for both genders. In this case, we are talking about a female. From what I see, most women want to "tone-up" (sorry, it's a word that most people understand). Muscle can be built in more ways than the typical 4-6 reps, 3 sets and move on. High rep compound exercises will build muscle as well. Lets say you perform a bicep curl, and add a wide squat the highest contraction. You will triple your caloric expenditure from the bicep curl performed alone. You will also increase bloodflow and oxygen consumption (by adding in a large muscle group), raising your heart rate. Lets say you do 20 reps/3 sets with 10 lbs. When it's too easy, increase to 15lbs, and so on. Following a routine with this kind of example is a great place to start for women who may not have a lot of strength to start with. I honestly believe that intensity and progression are much more important than "heavy weight".
All I am saying is that there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Seems there's more than one way to dissect a point too 
.
Thanks for sharing your point Diana. as always, an alternative point of view like yours, put in a non-aggressive or non-people bashing manner, is always valued here, and has much merit, so I don't feel anybody would take your comments as a kick in the groin.
Obviously you're new-ish, and haven't had much time to impact, but it's good see someone new, with a grounded understanding of things around here.
I hope you stick around. I see no reason why your views wouldn't be appreciated and valued.
.Thanks for sharing your point Diana. as always, an alternative point of view like yours, put in a non-aggressive or non-people bashing manner, is always valued here, and has much merit, so I don't feel anybody would take your comments as a kick in the groin.
Obviously you're new-ish, and haven't had much time to impact, but it's good see someone new, with a grounded understanding of things around here
.I hope you stick around. I see no reason why your views wouldn't be appreciated and valued
.- just debunking a myth w/ the swaet thing you'd be suprises how many people look at sweat levels to how hard there training...personally i get sweatier walking than doing wts
- "relative" heavy wts should be used almost always...if people looking to burn fat, which is 90% of trainer's, than building / maintaining muscle is what you NEED to do...this is done with HEAVY wts...if your trying to maintain muscle with less wt than you built it with, than you won't
- high rep compound exercises are great if technique is kept close to perfect but unfortunatley most don't even do compounds exercises anyway, let as high rep conditioners which is the best way to go for fat loss i think along with sprints
- as stated above, releative heavy wts are what you need and obviuosly what's heavy for you won't be heavy for me but on a rate of percieved effort scale, both should be over an 8 out of 10
- no one loves progression more than i either through rest, load or volume and it is the thing i stress the most to client's...any old program will work if progressed somehow...the best program in the world won't work if you don't...i evens start client's on bodyweight so as you can see it's not all huffing, puffing and heavy wts
- yes there is more than one way to skin a cat, your 100% correct
- "relative" heavy wts should be used almost always...if people looking to burn fat, which is 90% of trainer's, than building / maintaining muscle is what you NEED to do...this is done with HEAVY wts...if your trying to maintain muscle with less wt than you built it with, than you won't
- high rep compound exercises are great if technique is kept close to perfect but unfortunatley most don't even do compounds exercises anyway, let as high rep conditioners which is the best way to go for fat loss i think along with sprints
- as stated above, releative heavy wts are what you need and obviuosly what's heavy for you won't be heavy for me but on a rate of percieved effort scale, both should be over an 8 out of 10
- no one loves progression more than i either through rest, load or volume and it is the thing i stress the most to client's...any old program will work if progressed somehow...the best program in the world won't work if you don't...i evens start client's on bodyweight so as you can see it's not all huffing, puffing and heavy wts
- yes there is more than one way to skin a cat, your 100% correct
Hi
I'm absolutely ignorant about fitness...is only been a couple of months since I'm taking an interest on the matter.
From lowly position of a newbie i just want to add to the compound movements and reps discussion.
For 4 weeks I followed an all body workout that Swansow5 gave me (3 days a week, day 1 and day 2 alternated, 5 big compund movements each day) ...I did 2 sets 10 reps of each with heavy weight (really pushed myself) , I didnt find the time to do cardio and yet I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks!
Not only that but the compound movements helped me realise a lot of weaknesses that i was unaware of due to previous isolation exercises routine.
I also feel much stronger now and I have stoped loosing weight (only needed to loose 2 kilos) and now I'm aiming at building muscle.
That was experience and in as much as I'm clueless about fitness I can say the heavier weight aproach and full range of compound movement did the trcik for me
I'm absolutely ignorant about fitness...is only been a couple of months since I'm taking an interest on the matter.
From lowly position of a newbie i just want to add to the compound movements and reps discussion.
For 4 weeks I followed an all body workout that Swansow5 gave me (3 days a week, day 1 and day 2 alternated, 5 big compund movements each day) ...I did 2 sets 10 reps of each with heavy weight (really pushed myself) , I didnt find the time to do cardio and yet I lost 2 kilos in 4 weeks!
Not only that but the compound movements helped me realise a lot of weaknesses that i was unaware of due to previous isolation exercises routine.
I also feel much stronger now and I have stoped loosing weight (only needed to loose 2 kilos) and now I'm aiming at building muscle.
That was experience and in as much as I'm clueless about fitness I can say the heavier weight aproach and full range of compound movement did the trcik for me