Doing many reps triggers a bigger stress and inflammation response in the body right after exercise than doing fewer heavy reps.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Community contributions welcome

Comparison of the recovery response from high-intensity and high-volume resistance exercise in trained men

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2017 Jul

The study found that doing many reps (8 sets of 10) made trained men’s stress and inflammation hormones spike after exercise, but doing heavy, few reps (8 sets of 3) didn’t — exactly what the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Comparison of the recovery response from high-intensity and high-volume resistance exercise in trained men

Score: 46

DOI: 10.1007/s00421-017-3598-9

Similar Assertions

Lifting heavy weights just a few times doesn’t stress your body as much right after as doing lots of lighter reps.

94%

More reps don’t break your muscles more than heavy lifts — but they do make you more stressed and tired right after.

82%

Doing lots of reps leaves your muscles weak for days, but doing fewer heavy reps doesn’t make you weak for long.

74%

In guys who are new to weightlifting, a spike in a certain body chemical (IL-6) right after a workout is linked to bigger muscles after 16 weeks of training—but that spike alone doesn’t fully explain why some guys get bigger than others, because other internal changes in the muscle also matter.

73%

After a tough workout, your body releases a chemical called IL-6, and people who gain more muscle tend to have more of it—but it’s probably just a side effect, not the reason your muscles grow.

73%