At Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we’re here to help our gym members with all their fitness questions. One of the most common questions we hear is, “What’s better — lifting fewer reps of heavier weights, or more reps of lighter weights?”

The answer to this question can be a bit confusing and mostly depends on what your fitness goals are at our Thornton gym. Read this blog to learn more!

What Results Are You Looking for at the Gym?

When considering whether to lift heavier weights for less reps, or lighter weights for more reps, you should think about the results you’re hoping for. For example:

1. When you lift heavier weights, your muscles will fatigue faster, which means you won’t be able to do as many reps. However, the heavier you lift, the faster your strength will increase.
2. When you lift lighter weights for more repetitions, you will improve your endurance and build muscle, but your strength will not increase as quickly as when you lift heavier weights.

So, it all depends on your fitness and physique goals. If you’ve started strength training to lose weight, then both lifting heavier and lighter weights can help you build muscle, burn more calories, and lose weight.

As a matter of fact, one study found that lifting lighter weights for more reps could result in building more muscle mass. In the study, 19 men were randomly assigned to either lift heavier weights for 2-4 repetitions per set, or moderate weights for 8-12 reps per set. The group of men trained 3 days per week for 8 weeks. Both groups performed 3 sets of 7 exercises that focused on major muscle groups in their lower and upper bodies.

By the end of the study, those who lifted heavier weights for fewer reps showed greater increases in strength. However, those who lifted lighter weights for more reps showed greater increases in muscle thickness. These findings indicate that heavier lifting is more helpful for gaining strength, while moderate-load training is more helpful for muscle building.

Some women fear that any type of weightlifting will leave them musclebound and masculine looking, but aside from professional bodybuilders who lift for hours in the gym, it’s physiologically and hormonally impossible for women to bulk up the way men do. Women tend to build leaner, stronger muscles, regardless of whether they lift heavy weights for fewer reps or moderate weights for more reps.

Strength Training at the Gym with Heavier Weights

When you pile on the pounds, it only makes sense that you’ll lift a lower number of reps — as few as 1-5 for some of us. That might not sound like much, but by doing so, you will increase your overall maximum strength and greatly improve your ability to lift even heavier weights.

Lifting heavy weights makes you feel awesome, but eventually, you will reach a point where you simply can’t add any more weight. If you keep pushing it, you’ll start using bad form and could put yourself at risk for injury. At that point, it’s better to lower the weight and increase the number of reps you’re performing.

Strength Training at the Gym with Higher Reps

When you lift lighter weights for more reps, you’ll still get stronger and build muscle, just in a different way. This type of workout builds muscular endurance, which means you’re increasing your ability to exert a certain amount of effort before you feel muscle fatigue.

If you start focusing on lifting more reps of lighter weights, watch the number of reps you’re doing. Studies have found that 8-12 reps per set is the sweet spot for maximizing strength.

Another benefit of adding reps instead of lifting more weight is that you’re able to focus on proper form and technique. You’ll end up working each muscle effectively and efficiently, instead of compromising your form and relying on surrounding muscles to compensate and complete the lift.

One potential downside to performing more reps is that they will make your workouts longer, which means more time at the gym.

Mixing Up Your Gym Workouts

To keep your workouts interesting and make long-term progress, try a little of both! Incorporate both heavy-weight, low-rep training with lightweight, high-rep training. You can switch up the weights, sets, and reps on different days or weeks.

For example, if you’ve been doing 5 sets of 5 squats and can’t add any more weight, drop the weight and do 5 sets of 8. Or, add weight and do 3 sets of 5.

While you might not see better results by changing your workout up, it will make your workouts more mentally stimulating which can help you maintain motivation to go to the gym.

Hitting the Dreaded Fitness Plateau at the Gym

Once you’ve been strength training for a while, you’ll eventually hit a fitness plateau — that unfortunate time when your body has adapted to your routine and you realize you’re no longer making progress. It’s totally normal and happens to all of us.

At this point, what should you do? Lift heavier? Do more reps?

To break through that strength training plateau, you’ll need a combination of:

• Muscle tension — the strain on your muscles while lifting something heavy
• Muscle stress — that burn you feel when you know your muscles are really working
• Muscle damage — that feel-good soreness you get after a workout

The good news is, you can check all three of these boxes by heavy-weight or high-repetition training. Either way you go, you can make gains. Simply choose one or the other and stick to it.

Consistency Is Key

You can add weight, add more reps, or do both. As long as you maintain good form, you’re pushing your body to continually improve in fitness and strength. Just make changes in small increments. Focus on doing more of something over time. Be willing to work hard and exert high effort. You will get stronger, build muscle, and achieve your goals. Consistency is key.

How Do I Know When it’s Time to Increase Weight or Reps?

One good piece of advice is to try a workout program consistently for 3 weeks. If you don’t see results after the 21 days, then try something new. So, if you’ve been sticking with lighter weights and higher reps and are disappointed by the lack of progress, give heavier weights and fewer reps a try. You’ll likely notice yourself getting stronger, which is probably your goal!

Your Muscles Should Feel Fatigued When You’re Done

Another effective strategy is to focus on how your muscles feel when you lift. Whether you lift heavy and do fewer reps, or lift lighter and do more reps, your muscles should be fatigued during the last set of reps. When you complete that final lift, it should feel like you probably couldn’t do another lift if you tried. Pushing your muscles to the point of exhaustion will activate the muscle repair and growth you’re seeking.

Lift to Your Heart’s Content at AFAC Gym

Whichever weightlifting approach you take, AFAC gym has all the strength training equipment you need from barbells, trap bars, kettlebells, and dumbbells to plate-loaded, selectorized, landmine, hack squat, leg press, and cable machine equipment. Anytime you have questions or want someone to show you how to use the strength training equipment at AFAC gym, please ask a member of our team. One of our personal trainers will be happy to assist you. We are always here to support you as you focus on your weightlifting goals.

To find out more about AFAC gym and our top-of-the-line strength training equipment, please visit our gym or give our staff a call. We’ll be happy to show you why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.

To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.