Less Weight / More Reps - Does This Work??

[boricuaitaliano]

Hey Guys,

I am one who does not like to lift heavy weight because I get tired quickly. I noticed if I lift in between light and heavy doing more reps I feel a burn better then lifting heavy. Can I still get big from this routine?

Just an Example
Bench: 150lbs x 30 reps x 4 -6 sets
Thanks

 

[Trucker111]

Hey Guys,

I am one who does not like to lift heavy weight because I get tired quickly. I noticed if I lift in between light and heavy doing more reps I feel a burn better then lifting heavy. Can I still get big from this routine?

Just an Example
Bench: 150lbs x 30 reps x 4 -6 sets
Thanks

How old are you?

The burn is from lactic acid - means good during cardio - doesn't really mean much lifting.

You're supposed to get tired lifting; thats the point. Tired muscles = muscle exhaustion. Muscle exhaustion + adequate recovery + diet = growth.

 

[Trucker111]

The "how old are you" isn't meant to be rude; serious question.

 

[boricuaitaliano]

I am actually in my early thirties.
I read several books and spoke with bodybuilders who said you can get big from lifting moderate weights meaning not to light or heavy just doing more reps until that body part that is being work becomes weak or burns.
I am not trying to compete in competitions so I am not going for bodybuilder look or am I going for a tone/model look.
I want that in between look..

 

[Trucker111]

I am actually in my early thirties.
I read several books and spoke with bodybuilders who said you can get big from lifting moderate weights meaning not to light or heavy just doing more reps until that body part that is being work becomes weak or burns.
I am not trying to compete in competitions so I am not going for bodybuilder look or am I going for a tone/model look.
I want that in between look..

When they say moderate weight I think they're meaning more along the lines of 8-12 reps; like where you couldn't get 13. 30 is ridic.

 

[boricuaitaliano]

When they say moderate weight I think they're meaning more along the lines of 8-12 reps; like where you couldn't get 13. 30 is ridic.

I don’t know. Everyone has their opinion on what works best and what doesn’t so this is why people run in circles and never accomplish anything.
I am finding using this technique is working out pretty good, not only am I seeing definition but I am also getting stronger. I was told by the doctor I will never get big because I had a virus called Guillain-Barre which paralysis your muscles. I am not buying what the doctor tells me about not being able to achieve my goal. In some ways the doct is right because I cant lift heavy so this is my only option. Soon I will start to take enhancements..

 

[B bOy CrAyOn]

30 reps sounds rediculous as someone stated above...for most average people at least from my experience in the gym high reps is anywhere from 8-15 and even then i think 15 is too many, but heavy would be 3-6 reps i guess...your probably seeing defenition because your just burning fat but i dont ever see how you could get big off your routine...try to at least put on enough weight to be able to only lift it at least 12 to 15 if very very light is what your mind is set on...

 

[outlawtas]

There is a lot of over-emphasis on "heavy weight low reps" imo...people respond differently to different types of training. I have a study about this somewhere.

Either way, 30 is far too high. I would call 12-15 high reps, 3-6 low reps. If you feel like 14 reps (close to or at failure) makes you grow better then that's what you should do. But you really have to experiement with your training in order to find what works. Try either one for at least 6-8 weeks and watch your gains.

 

[jcp2]

The only thing i would take up to 30 reps is legs, and that is not on an every week basis. I don't get the fact that you ask a question first, and then when you get the answers you don't like you you say everyone is different and it is working for you. Depending on your level anything may work. Depending on your genetics anything may work, their are quite a bit of people who make gains in spite of their training, not because of it.

 

[rjx]

Well if you are trying this work out and you see results you are happy with, especially if thats the only way to get results you like, by all means, keep doing it!

But, what you are doing more than anything is working your muscles endurance and probably on the road to over training.

30 reps x 4 -6 sets = 120/180 reps. And thats just for one movement, not including warm ups. IMO not good at all.

When you say you get tiered to fast, do you mean you get weak and can't lift the heavier weight for higher reps? Or do you mean that you just get tiered as in no over-all energy and that you need to stop working out and lay down or something?

I am familiar with GBS, but have no input on how to recommend a routine.

 

[eastarr69]

5X5

I'll swear by it until I die.

E

 

[luquillo78]

If you want to grow you need to squat and deadlift heavy.

 

[boricuaitaliano]

Well if you are trying this work out and you see results you are happy with, especially if thats the only way to get results you like, by all means, keep doing it!

But, what you are doing more than anything is working your muscles endurance and probably on the road to over training.

30 reps x 4 -6 sets = 120/180 reps. And thats just for one movement, not including warm ups. IMO not good at all.

When you say you get tiered to fast, do you mean you get weak and can't lift the heavier weight for higher reps? Or do you mean that you just get tiered as in no over-all energy and that you need to stop working out and lay down or something?

I am familiar with GBS, but have no input on how to recommend a routine.

Yes I mean I get tired and sore real quick.
I guess our bodies respond different because I am seeing results lifting moderate weights. When I go heavy I dont feel as sore as lifting less heavy and I noticed I get beef up pretty quick anyways. I dont think it has anything to do with genetics honestly, I think when I workout then stop for a while, lose my gains then start up again maybe 6 months later or so I get my gains back real quick. I am not a strong person but I get cut up quick for some reason. Now I need to take my body to the next level

 

[Mudge]

Perhaps you just have to adapt and train differently because of your condition, but for the most part I'd say 30 reps is very high and might cause joint issues at some point because of the very high volume.

Have you tried 12-15 as noted above? How has it worked?

 

[boricuaitaliano]

Hi,
I have tried 12-15 and I dont feel as much accomplishment as doing more. I think what I will do is try 12-15 maybe twice a week and see how that goes. If I feel sore or pulled something then I will cut down to once a week and go heavy once in my sets. Its all trial and error and we all work in different ways so what might work for some may not work for others which was stated before here.
Thanks

 

[170nGROWING]

my 2 cents...

okay i've been away from this forum for awhile (though any of you wouldnt know, i use this site for information, most questions i have are answered before i can post, lol)

anywho, this is my routine for chest, bench press only (only an example)

1.Warmup, possibly just the bar, if you know you have bad form and cannot keep the bar steady then do this, this will pump your muscles just enough for you to prepare yourself, once again you shouldnt do any more than 15-20

2.Warmup, 135 x 12, focusing on the muscle is important, if your benching make sure you chest is becoming pumped if not then, widen your grip (unless its all ready correct)

3.Medium weight, 180 x 10, this is where you decide how much your going to lift for you heavy, you should be doing a moderate weight for this set, something you could probably max out at 12-15 reps, up until your max set, you should never really max out.

4.Heavy weight, 225 x 8, this is where the madness starts, this is where you max out, get absolutely every rep you can get out, if you get more than 8 reps then you know to go a lil heavier next time (ie, i did 225 x 10 so i will do 235 next time)

5.Cool down, 115 x 15, i know i know many people dont like this or they think its for pussies, now i only do this because, One - i still have energy left in my chest, Two - my bench has gone up over 100 lbs. doing this, so it works for me. Oh and doing this also helps on cutting down on lactic acid on leg day, different topic though (Sorta.)

Well, thats what i pretty much do when it comes to benching, if it doesnt work try coming up with your own routine, or combining others, and yes 30 reps is too much, even though ive gone over 100 on leg day its a bit much...

 

[diddydidit]

Yes I mean I get tired and sore real quick.
I guess our bodies respond different because I am seeing results lifting moderate weights. When I go heavy I dont feel as sore as lifting less heavy and I noticed I get beef up pretty quick anyways. I dont think it has anything to do with genetics honestly, I think when I workout then stop for a while, lose my gains then start up again maybe 6 months later or so I get my gains back real quick. I am not a strong person but I get cut up quick for some reason. Now I need to take my body to the next level

when you lift near your max limit 80-100%1rm you are using your ATP_CP energy system,lactic acid is NOT a byproduct of this so its unlikly that you will feel any soreness lifting moderatly heavy weight will use your glycolytic energy system which does produce lactic acid,this is what makes you sore.this is a good routine for athletes like hockey players or martail artists.if your goals are to get stronger and bigger you should lift higher weight dont worry about getting sore and take a longer rest in between sets, this will allow your ATP-CP stores to replenish (about 2-5 min)

 

[tgejr76]

Try doing this just once...stop adding the weight up in your head to determine whats heavy and whats light. One mans heavy will always be another ones warm up, thats just how it goes....dont concern yourself with how much you are lifting for now, just concentrate on doing a set to failure after about 6 reps, continue to do this week in and week out and you will see yourself putting up more and more weight!Dont forget to REST!!!

 

[getfitdoc]

boricuaitaliano,

What are your 1 rep max for: Bench, Squat, Deadlift?

 

[Jacked!!!]

stop going by how u feel the next day. muscle soreness is not a way of determining if your workout was productive or not. IMO your killing your joints. If you want to do that many reps take up another sport. no offence but i would be laughing my head off if i saw a fully grown man struggling with 5 kg dumbells on bicep curls