*READ FULL ARTICLE WITH PHOTOS*
This article is going to go over the differences between light weights vs. heavy weights. The goal here is that by the end of this article, you’ll be able to apply these concepts to your workouts and your current goals, and to not be confused anymore. I get asked this question all the time in the comment sections of my videos, on my website – this question just generally pops up a lot.
First of all, we’re going to talk about light weights. I have four different categories that I place light weights in, where I would use ‘lighter weights’ in my workouts in order to achieve a specific goal.
Light Weights #1: Circuit Based Workouts
Usually when you’re doing a circuit based workout your goal is to burn as many calories as possible, work on muscle endurance, or both. Usually in those workouts your rep ranges are going to vary maybe as low as 12-15 reps, or even as high as 25-30 reps per exercise. When you’re doing reps that high, you can’t exactly be working with 40lb dumbbells trying to do a bicep curl, or an overhead shoulder press (unless you’re a freak of nature). Personally, if I’m doing a circuit based workout, I stick with 20lb, 15lb or 10lb dumbbells, depending on how many exercises I’m doing. For those of you who have seen some of my circuit training videos, you’ll know I never go that high in weight, but I still get a killer workout.
So, are you still building muscle and strength using light weights doing circuit based workouts that are focused on muscle endurance? Well, the answer is yes, but only to a point because you will plateau eventually. For most people, the goal of circuit based workouts is to maximize calories burned to maintain or lose body fat. When people tell me they built some muscle doing circuit based workouts with super high rep ranges, I have a typical reaction. If you’ve never been to the gym and placed any sort of stimulus on your body, then you are going to build some base muscle and strength in order for your body to be able to adapt to handle the workouts that you’re doing.
However, if you’re trying to build big biceps and you’re only staying in that 25-30 rep range, you’re probably not going to get much higher than using 20lb dumbbells, maybe 25lb dumbbells max. There aren’t too many people I know who can grab a 40lb dumbbell and hit if for 20 reps (with proper form). So what happens if you try to use light weights for a muscle building workout? What’s going to happen if you try to stay in that really high rep range is you’re going to plateau, and you’re not going to be able to utilize things like progressive overload because you’re going to fatigue out too quick. While some people might start off using light weights in muscle building workouts, they’re going to quickly plateau and have to rethink their game in order to progress and build more muscle and strength.
Light Weights #2: Build A Stronger Mind-Muscle Connection (MMC)
Let’s say you’re doing a biceps workout, but you just can’t feel your biceps working. There are certain exercises you can do where you need to use lighter weights, or you can do exercises and adjust the tempo to go a bit slower to feel those muscles activate a bit more. For example, I can stand up and do a dumbbell curl with a 40lb dumbbell, but if I wanted to really focus on flexing and squeezing my biceps, I might do an exercise like a concentration curl. This would keep my body in one position and force me to really focus on that flex and squeeze, so maybe I wouldn’t want to use a 40lb dumbbell. That’s because I want to focus on going slow on the way up, really contracting and flexing my bicep for a second or two at the top of the movement, then go really slow on the way down.
Utilizing a method like that is called changing the tempo. Usually when you try to change the tempo to focus on MMC, you use something like a 2-2-4. That means 2 seconds on the concentric phase, 2 seconds on the pause, and 4 seconds on the eccentric phase of the movement.
*CONTINUE READING HERE*
Program Selector – Get The Right Program For You! –
—————————————-
Subscribe To My Channel –
—————————————-
1 on 1 Online Coaching –
—————————————-
DOWNLOAD MY APP! – iPhone & Android!
—————————————-
MORE TIPS! –
50 comments
Too many people don't realize that HEAVY is relative to the person. Also, there is a HUUUUUGE bro-science myth around "always adding weight each set". If you can ALWAYS add weight, then the majority of your sets are most likely trash because you are lifting too light. If that sounds like you.. make sure you watch until the very end of the video because I explain how to keep lifting heavy as your muscles begin to fatigue.
Scott I’ve recently upped what im eating. Not so worried about my fats (55g per day) but my carbs, will i get fat and bloated eating 330g of carbs a day just doing weights? Protein is 200g a day
What is the best way to gain stregnth, power, ang muscle? heavy or light?
Which is the good. Light or Huge
Good knowledge bro going to start going heavy tomorrow I worked out earlier before I saw this video but I’ll get it in tomorrow let you know how it works out in a few weeks stay 💯
Some days I have it, other days I don't. Some days I have time, other days I don't. I prefer heavy, but go light often when I don't feel it or have time constraints. Any workout is better than no work out, and forcing heavy has led to injuries for me. I also like to switch up my lifts, so after a month or two, I change it up, and that means going a little lighter at first. It all adds up.
I am 17 yr ,is 20 pound dumble useful for me
Love dudes accent.
So that's why I stop gaining muscle
solid as fuck!
You answered a question I’ve been wanting the answer for almost 2 years now. I’m able to do my sets complete, but only just. Sometimes on my last set I’ll have to pause to get my last few reps. Now I know that I’ve not quite been lifting heavy enough. And perhaps to add another set. Thanks mate, underrated channel for sure!
Foodpanda ad at the end
Can I alternate low weight and heavy weight workouts every other week to build strength and build muscle at the same time?
why powerliftersndontnhave big muscles
Whats a hybrid workout for size and strenth
Small point but the convention for stating lifting tempos is to start with the duration of the eccentric phase, not the concentric.
Stahhhhded
Scott Herman is suffering from information overload, he doesn't know what he's talking about!
fianally someone that really knows what he talking about. great videos Scott
Thx
Get strongah 😂
Scott when you have your heavy compound at the start (I usually do a warm up set then stick to 4 sets of 6reps of the same weight) when you have a 7 7 6 4 3 rep structure, do you add weight accordingly so I’m failing at 3 reps?
But Before we get st-ah-did be sure to click That notification bell. Homie you are Definitely from Baston Massachusetts
If trying to lose fat( i am fat) should i focus on lifting light and more reps or lift heavy low reps?
I've been doing light work for 2 years. I plateaued 1 year ago. Literally a year wasted on maintenance.
Load of crap
Just watched a video from him from 2018 this is from 2017 he got bigger lol in a year
Great explanation of strength vs body building vs endurance lifting! Very helpful!
I’m still a bit confused with what people class as heavy enough to actually build some decent muscle. I started off completely new with like 7kg dumbells, gained a little, now they’re upto 12kg but I just can’t curl over 12 as it hurts my forearm. Feel like I need to lift way heavier to get the kind of muscle I’d like but can’t curl over it atm 🤷🏻♂️ how do you think it’s best to get around that?
Hye Scott, that's was wonderful. Do heavy lift suits for skinny guy who want to bulk up?
If circuit training is not good for muscle building or hypertrophy, could you say it’s good for muscle maintenance?
This is why YT is so confusing! Ryan Humiston does a whole video on if you want to build muscle drop the weight and increase the reps.
Great video.
Dude you Not Jeff #copy
How much do people jump up on the one rep max when they try it from their last record. I try to go up on my one rep max like 5 or 10 pounds every day I do that same exercise and it’s worked out for me. Gone up 30 pounds on my bench one rep in just 1 1/2 week
Hi Scott, big fan of your channel. Could you please do a video on beginner, intermediate and advanced complete gym workouts routine video.
Hummer Curls = Best ! Also will avoid tendon rip. 3 sets of 40 to 50 sec per set, but it implies you can't do one more repetition correctly . and other 3 sets of 6 to 12 reps (15 – 25 sec per set) – this will give you growth also, but more power. You need both in the same training session. 6 sets per total, max 8 or 9 sets (it depends how big you are, more sets you can do, and if you are well rested, you ate good, etc )
What you know my training or is the title one another annoying usual clickbait?🙄
So… Is German volume training a good option?
“I hope this clear things up for you guys”
Well since the virus I’ve been doing what I consider good workout and now I learn there’s 3 different workout for the same body part and if you want to progress I must master when to do it? Dang this healthy working out lifestyle is not going to be simple
Very informative. Didin't know muscle building and strength were different.
Great and good video
Love that intro!
Awesome explanation! Thanks Scott!
Lightweight babyyyyy
Does this work to get lean & not bulky
Loving all this information. What about women who are just starting out and want to build much smaller muscles, get really toned with some definition and a little stronger, but not wanting to get body building big. What kind of heaviness and reps do you recommend? Also 8 have a shoulder injury so I can left heavier on one side than the other. What do you recommend in that situation? Thanks so much
Lifting heavy doesn't mean compromising your form and technique once you can lift heavy enough and progressively overload in a safe manner that's the best ……however if you're injured please use light weight it'll do wonders for you instead of completely stopping
My goals are to encourage very DENSE musculature, which I already seem to have…and make those dense muscles get larger, so that I am stronger than average for my muscle mass, even if that mass is large. I'm learning how to do that.
I really like this channel. Explanations are quick and to the point. Unlike some others JC who take 45 min to explain a curl