Young women lifting weights until tired: light or heavy weights work the same
Comparing the effects of low and high load resistance exercise to failure on adaptive responses to resistance exercise in young women
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No significant difference in muscle or strength gains between low-load (30% 1RM) and high-load (80% 1RM) training
Contradicts conventional wisdom that heavier weights are necessary for optimal muscle growth
Practical Takeaways
You can achieve similar muscle and strength gains with lighter weights if you train to volitional failure
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
No significant difference in muscle or strength gains between low-load (30% 1RM) and high-load (80% 1RM) training
Contradicts conventional wisdom that heavier weights are necessary for optimal muscle growth
Practical Takeaways
You can achieve similar muscle and strength gains with lighter weights if you train to volitional failure
Publication
Journal
Journal of Sports Sciences
Year
2019
Authors
D. G. A. Stefanaki, A. Dzulkarnain, Stuart R. Gray
Related Content
Claims (3)
When young women lift weights until they can't anymore, using lighter weights or heavier weights doesn't make a big difference in how much stronger they get. Their arm and leg strength both go up about the same amount after six weeks.
When young women lift weights until they can't anymore, using lighter weights gives about the same muscle growth as heavier weights over 6 weeks, with arms and legs both getting a bit bigger.
When young women push themselves as hard as they can during weight training, it seems that how much weight they lift doesn't matter for building muscle size or strength—both light and heavy weights give similar results after 6 weeks.