When lifting weights with your arms, whether you use heavy or light weights, you get about the same improvement in how many reps you can do with both heavy and light weights.
Scientific Claim
In the upper body, resistance training with either high or low loads produces similar improvements in both heavy- and light-load absolute muscle endurance in untrained young women.
Original Statement
“In the upper body, HL and LL training induced similar increases in both heavy (time × limb P = 0.99), and light load (time × limb P = 0.16) AME.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
RCT design supports causal inference, but small sample and lack of blinding reduce confidence. 'Produces' is acceptable but should be probabilistic.
More Accurate Statement
“In the upper body, resistance training with either high or low loads is likely to produce similar improvements in both heavy- and light-load absolute muscle endurance in untrained young women.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Higher- and lower-load resistance exercise training induce load-specific local muscle endurance changes in young women: a randomised trial.
In the upper body, lifting heavy weights and lifting light weights until tired both made the women just as strong at doing lots of reps—whether the reps were with heavy or light weights.