More reps, less weight or vice versa?

[verticalx1]

Hey guys,

What is the difference between doing more reps with less weight or doing less reps with more weight? Do you still achieve the same results or?

[Ironlife]

Different muscle fibres are activated for reps at 1-3 , 8-12 and 15+.

[verticalx1]

Can you explain that in noob terms? lol.

[KRILLEN91]

well 1-3 is primarily for strength, i think its like fast twitch muscles. 8-12 is also for strength but more for mass, and 15+ is purely endurance.

[Ironlife]

Can you explain that in noob terms? lol.

Okay i'll try, if you lift a weight that is really heavy like REALLY heavy for 1-3 reps you will gain a lot of strength from it and power but no endurance or muscle growth.

If you lift a medium to heavy weight at say 8-10 reps then you are primarilary using fibres which are type 2, and these will activate hypertrophy(muscle growth).

If you lift a weight for 15 reps or more quite easily then once again you are activating different muscle fibres and will not get hypertrophy from it , nor will you get much power but you will get more stamina or endurance.

Hoped that helped a bit.

[Supertransplant]

Different muscle fibres are activated for reps at 1-3 , 8-12 and 15+.

excellent answer.

Depending on how much weight you use, a certain ratio of motor units is used. You often hear people reffer to Type 1 fibers or Type 2 fibers.

Both types of fibers grow. So regardless of whether you train for strength or endurance, as long as you train hard, you will grow in muscle size.

It's important to train both so that the small muscles around your joints can keep you protected when you do some heavy lifting.

[MegaHold]

Does cardio count as high reps and less weight, in say.. rowing?