what place has low weight/high reps? Is it good for anything?

[mex0050]

I lift weights heavy. I haven't done a whole lot of research on what does what....(how many reps you should get in, whether or not to push to failure, etc) I just do my 3 sets of 12, and lift heavy enough that I can't barely finish my set, rest enough to get into the next set....if I can't finish all 12 on my last set, I count that as success because I'm pushing myself.

I hear it is a myth that to keep your muscles sleek, you should lift light with high reps. But in my experience, anything fitness-wise has a place where it does do good. High intensity cardio/low intensity/high weights with low reps has a place...you just have to check it with your goals and make sure you aren't shooting yourself in the foot for whatever goal you are reaching by doing the wrong type of working out....so what exactly would lifting low weights with high reps DO to your muscles?

Does it just kinda equate to a cardio workout while maintaining muscles? Would this be a smarter form of cardio during a fat loss period because you could get the extra calories burned and the heart rate up while you are doing something that, while it might not grow muscles, can at least maintain them?

[Tiffany_P]

Originally Posted by mex0050

so what exactly would lifting low weights with high reps DO to your muscles?

It would deplete them of glycogen. When trying to lean out, I imagine that it could help with nutrient partitioning. Keeping your glycogen stores empty will give the carbs somewhere to go, allowing more fat to be used for energy.

Unfortunately, if you've built up some good size by lifting heavy, then you're going to have to continue lifting heavy to keep it up. Your body will only keep muscle that it needs. You can decrease the volume and frequency, but keep the same weight on the bar. You can certainly incorporate some low weight/high rep work into your routine though.

[endomonkey]

light weight/lots of reps=endurance
mederate/heavy weight/12 reps=hypertrophy
heavy/low reps=strenght

[Kataz]

your body uses glycogen before fat.

Originally Posted by Tiffany_P

It would deplete them of glycogen. When trying to lean out, I imagine that it could help with nutrient partitioning. Keeping your glycogen stores empty will give the carbs somewhere to go, allowing more fat to be used for energy.

Unfortunately, if you've built up some good size by lifting heavy, then you're going to have to continue lifting heavy to keep it up. Your body will only keep muscle that it needs. You can decrease the volume and frequency, but keep the same weight on the bar. You can certainly incorporate some low weight/high rep work into your routine though.

[Tiffany_P]

Originally Posted by Kataz

your body uses glycogen before fat.

It's not that simplistic. You will always be burning a combination of fat and glycogen. Your glycogen stores don't have to be completely exhausted before your fat cells will release fat.

[Donica]

Originally Posted by mex0050

so what exactly would lifting low weights with high reps DO to your muscles?

Very high reps and lower poundages allow for a forced "pump" to be imparted to the working muscles, and more enhanced circulation and the carrying away of waste products. Extremely high reps (40+ per set) are used most often during periods of training for Recovery, which is the oft-overlooked little brother to the Mass-building and Strength-building microcycles. But it is no less important.

A serious athlete should especially be training for all three on a regular basis: if you train for mass for three weeks, let's say, then you follow that with two weeks of training for limit strength, and then one week for Recovery. These three work in tandem to allow for even hypertrophy, strength-gains, and a healthy muscular and circulatory system. But do not substitute Recovery training for your cardio--they are two very different things.