Doing slow, low-intensity weight training twice a week for about three months can build muscle and strength almost as well as fast, heavy lifting in young men who don't normally exercise.

Doing gentle weight training slowly twice a week for 13 weeks makes young men's muscles about 7% bigger and 33% stronger, almost as much as regular heavy lifting, which made muscles 9% bigger and 41% stronger.

Slow, low-effort weight training keeps your muscles working hard and starves them of oxygen more than fast, heavy lifting, which might help build muscle and strength just as well by stressing the muscles in a different way.

Doing slow, gentle weight training can build muscle and make you just as strong as lifting heavy weights quickly.

Lifting lighter weights can build just as much muscle as lifting heavy weights in beginners over 12 weeks, even if you do fewer total reps.

If you're a guy who's already used to lifting weights, doing fewer reps with heavier weights and longer rests might boost your bench press more than doing lots of reps with lighter weights and short breaks — at least over 8 weeks.