Lifting light weights until you're exhausted can make you stronger at lifting heavier weights, even if you never lift heavy.

Scientific Claim

Low-load resistance training to failure at 40% one-repetition maximum, performed twice weekly for 8 weeks, is associated with a 5.2% to 9.9% increase in one-repetition maximum strength for bench press and a 5.2% to 5.4% increase for squat in trained individuals.

Original Statement

“One-repetition maximum also significantly increased for the bench press (S: 9.9±6.9%, L: 6.5±5.8%, p<0.05) and squat (S: 5.2±6.7%, L: 5.4±3.5%, p<0.05).”

From study:Acute and Long-term Responses to Different Rest Intervals in Low-load Resistance Training

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

overstated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

Without confirmed randomization, the design cannot establish causation. The verb 'increases' implies causality, which is unsupported by the study's methodology.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Acute and Long-term Responses to Different Rest Intervals in Low-load Resistance Training

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2017 Feb

This study found that lifting light weights until you can't do another rep, twice a week for 8 weeks, made people stronger on the bench press and squat — exactly as the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Acute and Long-term Responses to Different Rest Intervals in Low-load Resistance Training

Score: 38

DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-119204

Similar Assertions

If you're already trained, doing light weights with short or long breaks between sets gives you about the same strength boost in your chest and legs after 8 weeks.

96%

If you're already someone who lifts weights, doing light weights twice a week until you can't do more reps can make your muscles bigger and stronger in just 8 weeks.

85%

You can get stronger and bigger muscles by lifting light weights until you're exhausted — even if you never lift heavy, which challenges the old idea that heavy weights are required.

84%

Even though your body releases similar growth hormones after light workouts whether you rest a little or a lot, you still get stronger and bigger muscles either way.

82%

Even lifting light weights really slowly until you can't do another rep can make your muscles bigger, just like lifting heavy weights.

80%