Heavy weights low reps, or light weight high reps?

Question

So I worked out all summer using heavy weights about 10-12 reps. The last rep felt like my last rep. I was really hoping for some more definition or SOMETHING..... but what I got was what I didn't want. My jeans just fit tighter. My arms looked bigger. I am a woman,28 years old, 5-2, 125 lbs. Medium boned, Average body type, I gain weight all over. The reason I started the heavy weight thing is because people told me it was the best. But I don't think it was the best for me. So is there something to the light weight, high reps for weight loss and tone, or is it just a waste of time. I don't want to be ripped, I just want to be healthy, and strong! I should add that I ride bike and run for cardio. Also, I am a little bit of a health nut when it comes to what I eat. So give me your advise...............!

Answer 1

High weights, 6-8 reps, are used for building muscle mass. Lower weight and more reps (15 to 25) are used for endurance and fitness. What you are doing is someplace in between, but geared more towards the strength and muscle mass than the endurance.

Having been in both a female and a male body, I can tell you that it's very hard for a woman to get definition, because fit women have about 25% bodyfat. This makes muscle definition virtually impossible. You don't even begin to get definition until you drop to 15% BF and the good definition comes at under 10%.

If you want definition, it can be done, but you will probably need to drop at least 10 lbs of fat and maybe 15. It's not easy for a woman to drop fat without losing muscle. You don't say how much cycling and running you do.

To maintain my 8%BF, I cycle 25 to 50 miles per week and workout hard 3x per week, using a mix of lower weight high reps sets (up to 35 reps on some) and higher weight 12 rep sets. For ab definition, I do ab work every day, using the SynerAbs program: http://www.home-gym.com/synerabsii.html

BTW, what that consultant below says, "light weights with high reps is low intensity which does not cause a measurable increase in the resting metabolic rate after exercise nor does it deplete muscle glycogen stores", is total BS. If high rep exercise didn't delete glycogen stores, then why do marathon runners hit the wall at 20 miles? That what cardio is: it's light weight high rep exercise, and it most certainly does deplete glycogen and elevate resting metabolic rate.

Answer 2

first it is physiologically impossible to tone muscle, it is always that way. subcutaneous fat covers the true shape of skeletal muscle.


light weights with high reps is low intensity which does not cause a measurable increase in the resting metabolic rate after exercise nor does it deplete muscle glycogen stores. low intensity resistance training has been proven time and time again to be far less than optimum for increasing the metabolic rate and decreasing body fat.

your problem lies in your diet like the majority of the masses that resistance train but do not achieve the results that they desire. you need to start counting cals, consume mainly whole foods and monitor your body fat.

Answer 3

When you want to tone,you want to start feeling the strain at the end of your weight training. For example, say you're lifting free weights at 10lbs. If your goal is to tone, and you're doing 3 sets of 8, you want to start feeling the strain at #5 during the 2nd set. However, if you want to start building muscle, you want to start feeling the strain immediately because this is what is going to have you build muscle and have that bulky look (something I feel like you didn't want). Personally, my advice is for you to stop the weights so that those muscles can go down, and do some cardio that would definitely help you tone. As far as eating, high protein diets and lots of water is the way to keep your system going full throttle. It will have you regular and the water will clean out your system. Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 4

absolutely do both. You work the smaller muscles with higher reps and low weights and work the larger muscles with lower reps and more weight. But don't alternate one week for each. Depending on your fitness level it takes 4 - 6 weeks for your body to adapt.

Answer 5

start a compost pile in your yard

Answer 6

Eat grapefruit before each meal

Answer 7

cool down with 20 minutes of white water rafting in the nearby tongariro river

Answer 8

tired of eating your salad on a plate fill a whole wheat pita with salad and a splash of lemon for a twist

Answer 9

cut your lawn with a push mower for 17 minutes

Answer 10

Try to know the calorie counts before ordering dishes on restaurant