Lifting styles

[GenHoth]

I'm curious about the different lifting styles. I want to continue to get stronger, but I would prefer to keep my weight down. I was wondering if any of you knew the best way to achieve something like this. Should I use heavy weights and few reps or lighter weights with more reps? Things like that, continue serious weightlifting or move to resistance training?

 

[bignateyk]

Do you have any weight that you could stand to lose? If so, do alot of cardio till you lose that fat. Then do some lifting to replace that fat with muscle.


If you are already happy with your body and want to just get stronger without adding any muscle mass, then you need to be doing lower weight, higher rep stuff.

 

[GenHoth]

Thanks, my frame doesn't really look good with a bunch of bulk, be it muscle or fat. So I wanted to find out which style would help me stay away from looking ridiculous.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: GenHoth
I'm curious about the different lifting styles. I want to continue to get stronger, but I would prefer to keep my weight down. I was wondering if any of you knew the best way to achieve something like this. Should I use heavy weights and few reps or lighter weights with more reps? Things like that, continue serious weightlifting or move to resistance training?

If I'm not mistaken, your best best for gaining strength with minimal bulk is heavy weights with low volume - think 2-3 days a week, heavy weights, 3-5 reps, 2-3 sets.

I think if you move up to 6-12 reps, you get more of a "fluffy" build - larger size in proportion to strength. 13-25 reps, and you're not gaining much strength or size, but some endurance.

Keep in mind, though - you're not going to to be able to lift heavy weights without bulking up some.

 

[GenHoth]

:laugh: well I now have two opposite answers to the question I was asking! I don't mind bulking up some, but I know that there is a way to lift without becoming massive. I play soccer, basketball and WR, so bulk isn't what I'm looking for! Hopefully we can get some more answers.

 

[FearoftheNight]

"anything more than 8 reps but less than 20 is just bodybuilding"

 

[Whisper]

The numbers I've heard for strength vs. hypertrophy are similar to what Gunslinger posted...3-5 reps for the former, and 8-12 (or maybe it was 6-10) for the latter.

For the longest time, I would attempt to do a couple sets in the 8-10 range, then a few in the 4-6 range, and finish out with a burn-out set in the 12-15 range to work a bit on muscular endurance.

Just recently, I've switched things out a bit, and have been starting with two sets in the ~4 rep range, then going for two in the ~6 rep range, and then generally moving on after that. We'll see how this works out...

 

[Unmoosical]

I wouldn't worry about bulking up to much if you're not trying to. I don't think you're going to blow up unless you're really trying to or you have crazy genetics on your side.

 

[TallBill]

I like to mix it up personally. Depends on the lift too.

 

[Cstefan]

Originally posted by: bignateyk
Do you have any weight that you could stand to lose? If so, do alot of cardio till you lose that fat. Then do some lifting to replace that fat with muscle.

I vehemently disagree. Doing a lot of cardio without weights will erode his natural muscular structure and is counterproductive to the final goal. Unless of course being wiry is the final goal. At the very least, performing two full body weight routines with heavy weight at 5-7 reps x 2-3 sets will minimize if not eliminate muscle loss while reducing fat. In my case, I have lost 25 lb of fat and gained 15 lb of muscle in the last 4 months.

Well gee, I lost 10 lb right? I look like I lost the whole 25 and then some.

If you are not looking to lose fat, but want to gain strength without large muscle gains, same. HEAVY low reps. Look into static contraction also. You hold basically double your max at 25 50 and 75% of your range of motion till failure. For brute strength this is an amazing tool. You know it is working because you should be in a lot of pain the next three days.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

Originally posted by: bignateyk
Do you have any weight that you could stand to lose? If so, do alot of cardio till you lose that fat. Then do some lifting to replace that fat with muscle.


If you are already happy with your body and want to just get stronger without adding any muscle mass, then you need to be doing lower weight, higher rep stuff.

not sure about that. higer reps promotes hypertrophy leading to muscle build. high weight low reps increases strenght.

 

[Koing]

'generally' higher rep ranges 8-12reps x 3-4sets promote hyptrophy more then the 3-5rep range. The 1-3-5rep ranges are more geared towards 'strength' gains. BUT people will OBVIOUSLY put on muscle doing the lower 1-5rep ranges also. JUST that they would 'probably' put on more muscle doing 8-12rep ranges but also would have a lower 1-3RM if they did 8-12reps.

Eat less food. If you eat less you won't put on as much muscle if you were eating a lot.

I don't eat much food in relation to how much I train. I've kept my weight steady, increased muscle mass, dropped fat and gotten a lot stronger over the past 15months, and this was years 7-8 of training with a coach. Make sure you eat a lot of fibre as that will keep you more full then eating simple carbs!

You won't put on a lot of muscle very quickly if your not eating that much.

Koing