More reps vs. heavier lifts: which tires you out longer?
Comparison of the recovery response from high-intensity and high-volume resistance exercise in trained men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Two types of weight workouts were tested: one with lots of reps (80 total) and one with fewer reps (24 total). The high-rep workout made guys weaker for days and spiked stress hormones, but didn’t hurt muscles more than the heavy-lift workout.
Surprising Findings
High-volume training spiked cortisol and IL-6 — but high-intensity didn’t.
People assume heavy lifting is more stressful on the body, but this shows volume triggers a stronger hormonal stress response — even with lower weights.
Practical Takeaways
If you want to train hard but recover fast, prioritize 3–5 heavy sets over 8–10 light sets — especially if you train 5+ days/week.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Two types of weight workouts were tested: one with lots of reps (80 total) and one with fewer reps (24 total). The high-rep workout made guys weaker for days and spiked stress hormones, but didn’t hurt muscles more than the heavy-lift workout.
Surprising Findings
High-volume training spiked cortisol and IL-6 — but high-intensity didn’t.
People assume heavy lifting is more stressful on the body, but this shows volume triggers a stronger hormonal stress response — even with lower weights.
Practical Takeaways
If you want to train hard but recover fast, prioritize 3–5 heavy sets over 8–10 light sets — especially if you train 5+ days/week.
Publication
Journal
European journal of applied physiology
Year
2017
Authors
Bartolomei S, Sadres E, Church DD, Arroyo E, Gordon JA III, Varanoske AN, Wang R, Beyer KS, Oliveira LP, Stout JR, Hoffman JR
Related Content
Claims (10)
Doing many reps triggers a bigger stress and inflammation response in the body right after exercise than doing fewer heavy reps.
One workout, whether heavy or high-rep, doesn’t change your testosterone levels in the hours after.
Lifting heavy weights just a few times doesn’t stress your body as much right after as doing lots of lighter reps.
Doing a lot of reps with lighter weights right after each other makes your legs feel way more tired right after than doing fewer reps with heavier weights.
Muscle swelling induced by resistance training may persist for up to 72 hours post-exercise, potentially confounding hypertrophy measurements if assessed within this window.