The personal trainer explains the difference between lifting more weight or doing more repetitions in the gym. Find out which one is best
If you do bodybuilding, you probably already know that the more weight you lift, the fewer repetitions you’ll be able to do. In other words, if with 10 kg you can do a set of 15, with 20 kg this number will probably decrease. But ultimately, is it better to increase the load or the number of repetitions?
Many believe that heavier weight is associated with increased muscle mass, while performing more repetitions helps burn fat. However, this is not exactly correct.
“For definition to happen, hypertrophy is needed. In other words, a person who wants to define himself, who wants to increase his muscles, will train for hypertrophy all year round,” explains coach and sports consultant Leandro Twin . This means that even if you want to lose fat, the goal of bodybuilding should be hypertrophy.
However, there are other goals in bodybuilding, so the recommendation between increasing load or number of repetitions may vary. Therefore, the expert highlighted the three most common goals in the gym and recommended the most appropriate one for each of them. Watch:
More weight or more repetitions? It depends on the objective
Hypertrophy (definition and increase in muscle mass) – “We need to take our sets to failure in about 6-12 moves, with as much weight as possible,” says Twin.
Localized muscular resistance – “I would also train to failure, though, with 20-30 reps and the highest load within that number,” indicates the pro.
Force – “The ideal is to work from 1 to 5 repetitions until failure and with the maximum possible load”, concludes the trainer.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
