Lifting lighter weights until you can't lift anymore doesn't make you as strong as lifting heavier weights, even though both make your muscles grow about the same size.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Community contributions welcome

Low-Load Bench Press Training to Fatigue Results in Muscle Hypertrophy Similar to High-Load Bench Press Training

Cohort Study

Human

Contradicting (0)

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Low-Load Bench Press Training to Fatigue Results in Muscle Hypertrophy Similar to High-Load Bench Press Training

Score: 31

DOI: 10.4236/ijcm.2013.42022

Similar Assertions

Lifting weights until you're tired, whether with light or heavy weights, makes your muscles bigger and stronger in the same way for beginners.

82%

Using light weights until you're exhausted or slow builds your muscle stamina better than heavy weights, but doesn't make you as strong as lifting heavy weights.

81%

Lifting weights until you can't do any more reps makes your muscles grow just as much, no matter how heavy or light the weights are.

80%

Whether you lift heavy weights with fewer reps or light weights with more reps—as long as you push until you can’t do another rep—your muscles grow about the same amount.

80%

Lifting weights until you can't lift anymore makes muscles grow bigger no matter how heavy the weights are, but using heavier weights builds more strength than lighter ones.

80%