less weight more reps

A

AmberJune01

0
Hello all...

I don't know about everyone else... but lifting heavy weight to me... is satisfying! But lately I have really wanted to cut the fat in my legs. I tend to carry all my weight on my lower half and would like to slim it down. So I have been doing heavy weights for my upper body/ less reps...and less weight/more reps for my lower half. Only problem is... I am not sore at all the next day. Does this sound right? I can feel the burn when I get into my 15/20 range of reps. So I think I'm doing enough?? Can anyone comment on this....
 
I'd think lifting heavy and often would give you the results you want, though remember that you can't spot reduce fat.
 
The most effective rep range for muscle building may have some to do with whether you have a preponderance of slow twich or fast twitch muscle fibers in the particular muscles you are working. You also have to be able mentally to push yourself hard enough to cause enough damage to the muscles to create a growth situation and not be being limited by some other factor short of growth enducing muscle fatigue (ie, microtears in the muscle sheaths), like joint or connective tissue weakness, imbalance in a supporting muscle, overall fatigue, etc. Of course, fat reduction is almost all a consquence of diet and hormones, you do not burn much fat during exercise, but you do release hormones which increase your base metabolic rate after exercise which results in more fat burn during the recovery from exercise.

Anyways, on a practical note try picking a weight you can comfortably do 20 reps with and then add the smallest increment of weight you can each session, while forcing yourself to keep getting the full 20 reps every set. If you really force yourself to keep doing the full 20 reps as the weight gradually increases you should eventually reach a place where you get very sore; if not, you are letting your mind hold you back and you need to concentrate and push through the burn.
 
Soreness is not an indicator of a good workout. The burn is not an indicator that you're doing anything particularly correct either. Eventually you will know your body enough to know how far to push it so that you get results without feeling like hell the next day.

Typically varying your rep ranges (6-8) (12-15) etc will yield the best results. We're each programmed to carry more bodyfat in certain areas than others. Your thighs might be teh place that has the most trouble letting go of the fat.
 
I eat very clean and lift weights 5 times a week....and cardio 5 times a week for 30 mins to an hr. It always seems to take awhile to get reduce my overall bodyfat. It comes off the top portion of my body and then finally from my legs/butt. I just hope I don't lose my butt doing less weight. Today is leg day... I always like lifting heavy when I do squats, and dead lifts...ect. I read in this magazine though that if Its better to do less reps so my legs won't get any bigger at first...and burn the fat off before hand. All this stuff is confusing.... I know you can't spot reduce... I am use to lifting heavy... but I want to do whichever is most effective for getting my legs more toned yet slimmer.
 
The magazine is just perpetuating that heavy weights makes one bulky. We know this is not true.

Marion Jones's legs-(an ex-Olympic sprinter...no long steady state cardio)

jones3.jpg


The definition of toning-
Can You Really 'Tone' Your Body?
 
I don't think your understanding me. I'm not afraid to lift heavy weights.... or build muscle... I just want to slim my legs down first as I have been lifting heavy weights for awhile now and i'm not noticing a difference. Just trying to switch things up ... which would be less weight/more reps.
 
What about using a workout that pairs exercises that have nothing to do with one another, like squats and rows?
 
Sorry - I do full body workouts (from the New Rules of Lifting). From p. 212:

"Inefficient exercises causes a stress reaction.

If you do a high enough volume of inefficient exercise, with little recovery between sets, you'll break down more muscle tissue.

Muscle breakdown, followed by protein buildup during recovery, speeds up your metabolism, since those two processes take more energy than would leaving well enough alone."

They also stress total-body workouts to use all muscles every workout. The program I'm doing is Fat Loss I which pairs exercises for unrelated body parts.
 
I think there is some benefit in alternating set/rep ranges. yes-do heavy and light. Incorporate some HIIT type work rather than always doing steady state cardio.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top