Lighter weights. Higher Reps?

[Andrew578]

Hi, I recently went to the physio and found out I had a minor tear in my lat. He told me to keep doing weights but lighter weights around 60% of total working weight. I was wondering if I could still build good muscle with lighter weights and higher reps 12-15 reps? I am also 16 (nearly 17) and 5'4 at 112lbs. Thanks

[FatBallz]

The lighter weights would still have to be heavy enough to be challenging in that rep range, basically meaning going close to failure to build muscle. You probably have to wait until you fully recover before you can continue to make any real progress.

You should follow your doctor's advice so you don't make things worse.

Best of luck

[PurmaBulker1984]

Hi, I recently went to the physio and found out I had a minor tear in my lat. He told me to keep doing weights but lighter weights around 60% of total working weight. I was wondering if I could still build good muscle with lighter weights and higher reps 12-15 reps? I am also 16 (nearly 17) and 5'4 at 112lbs. Thanks

No you can't and neither should you. You are 16, you need to recover so you don't hurt yourself longterm. 60% of working weight is about 40% 1rm. At 112 lbs that's nothing.

My recommendation is stay active, if you want to lift weights do 1/2 your normal weight for the same reps. So if 100lbs was your 10 rm, do the bar for sets of 10.

[BenMcLeodNZ]

As a trained physio myself, I don't see how he can find a minor tear in the lats, impossible without equipment such as an ultrasound imaging machine, pretty sure he meant a grade 1 strain, which is essentially repeating what you told him when you told him you hurt there. It's all tricks of a dishonest trade.

Either way, use common sense, if it's torn, doing 60% will still aggravate the **** out of the so-called tear.

Just wait like a couple weeks (up to 6 weeks) then get back into it, going as heavy as usual but staying sensible and not working through pain.

[Andrew578]

As a trained physio myself, I don't see how he can find a minor tear in the lats, impossible without equipment such as an ultrasound imaging machine, pretty sure he meant a grade 1 strain, which is essentially repeating what you told him when you told him you hurt there. It's all tricks of a dishonest trade.

Either way, use common sense, if it's torn, doing 60% will still aggravate the **** out of the so-called tear.

Just wait like a couple weeks (up to 6 weeks) then get back into it, going as heavy as usual but staying sensible and not working through pain.

Thanks. So you reckon not to train at all. I am currently doing less than 50% working weight. So I was doing 45kg cable rows. Now I am doing 20kg. Is this ok? Also yeh I like he said a strain. I think he was a good physio. He knew what he was talking about

[WolfRose7]

Thanks. So you reckon not to train at all. I am currently doing less than 50% working weight. So I was doing 45kg cable rows. Now I am doing 20kg. Is this ok? Also yeh I like he said a strain. I think he was a good physio. He knew what he was talking about

Does it hurt? Does it cause any lasting discomfort after doing it?

Load management is pretty common way of avoiding issues while things heal, you're not meant to add reps though.

[pleroma92]

Over 3 reps are useless

[BenMcLeodNZ]

Thanks. So you reckon not to train at all. I am currently doing less than 50% working weight. So I was doing 45kg cable rows. Now I am doing 20kg. Is this ok? Also yeh I like he said a strain. I think he was a good physio. He knew what he was talking about

No, I would say to not do any lat exercises (basically pull-type exercises or deadlifts). But strain is a lot different to a tear, if you just take it easy for a while, a strain is guaranteed to easily heal at your age.

[JaymzJ]

Short answer is no. Light weights won’t do anything for muscle gains.

[Andrew578]

Does it hurt? Does it cause any lasting discomfort after doing it?

Load management is pretty common way of avoiding issues while things heal, you're not meant to add reps though.

While doing the exercises it doesn't really hurt but after it hurt a little bit.

[Andrew578]

No, I would say to not do any lat exercises (basically pull-type exercises or deadlifts). But strain is a lot different to a tear, if you just take it easy for a while, a strain is guaranteed to easily heal at your age.

Ok thanks. Yeh i don't think it is a tear, think just a strain. I am going 3 days a week just to doing lights weights just to maintain till it heals

[TheSweezy]

You can 100 % build muscle with light weights. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.

Hypertrophy (size) is achieved through progressive overload , high volume , Eccentric overload , mechanical tension and metabolic stress.

The only mechanism of size you will
Not be able to implement is mechanical tension which is high load (heavy weight).

If size and gains are your goal and using light weights . Work in the rep ranges of 5 5 sets of 12 , and emphasis the eccentric phase of the lift with control. I’ll give you an example for a hypertrophy program with light weights for your pull muscles since you mentioned lats.

Lat Pull 5 sets 12 60%
Seated cable row 5 sets 12 60 percent
Bent over Row 3 sets 10 bent over Row
Single Arm Row 3 sets 10
Back Fly 3 sets 12-15
EZ Bar Curls 3 sets 12
Hammer curls 3 sets 12
Reverse curls 3 sets 12

You will definitely build size, if you focus on training to fatigue, emphasis eccentric phases on lifts , stay consistent , and implement progressive overload by adding more sets , more reps, or increasing training frequency you can do all of those progressions without even adding weight.
It’s a common misconception that high weight low reps is the best way to increase muscle mass, that is the best way to increase strength, force production and power not for hypertrophy. In order to build muscles you most break down the fibers and eat in a caloric surplus or focus purely on positive nitrogen balance (enough protein while in caloric restriction if you want to do clean bulk while staying lean).

[dmatsinger]

You can 100 % build muscle with light weights. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.

Hypertrophy (size) is achieved through progressive overload , high volume , Eccentric overload , mechanical tension and metabolic stress.

The only mechanism of size you will
Not be able to implement is mechanical tension which is high load (heavy weight).

If size and gains are your goal and using light weights . Work in the rep ranges of 5 5 sets of 12 , and emphasis the eccentric phase of the lift with control. I’ll give you an example for a hypertrophy program with light weights for your pull muscles since you mentioned lats.

Lat Pull 5 sets 12 60%
Seated cable row 5 sets 12 60 percent
Bent over Row 3 sets 10 bent over Row
Single Arm Row 3 sets 10
Back Fly 3 sets 12-15
EZ Bar Curls 3 sets 12
Hammer curls 3 sets 12
Reverse curls 3 sets 12

You will definitely build size, if you focus on training to fatigue, emphasis eccentric phases on lifts , stay consistent , and implement progressive overload by adding more sets , more reps, or increasing training frequency you can do all of those progressions without even adding weight.
It’s a common misconception that high weight low reps is the best way to increase muscle mass, that is the best way to increase strength, force production and power not for hypertrophy. In order to build muscles you most break down the fibers and eat in a caloric surplus or focus purely on positive nitrogen balance (enough protein while in caloric restriction if you want to do clean bulk while staying lean).

Bro, he is asking if he should lift light weights with what he things is a lat tear/strain and that his doctor says he can do light weights and whether he should do more reps. Did you read it?

[GeneralSerpant]

Bro, he is asking if he should lift light weights with what he things is a lat tear/strain and that his doctor says he can do light weights and whether he should do more reps. Did you read it?

bro science^

[Andrew578]

Bro, he is asking if he should lift light weights with what he things is a lat tear/strain and that his doctor says he can do light weights and whether he should do more reps. Did you read it?

hahahahahahaha thanks lol

[Garage Rat]

Follow the advise given.
Did you ask how long to stay with light weights ?
Im not a doctor but suffered a torn lat at the insertion of the arm pit many year ago.
Yes if you can and it doesn't hurt light weights until you recover.
Then you can slowly add weight over a period of time.