Lifting heavy or light weights builds muscle the same if you push to failure
Impact of high versus low fixed loads and non-linear training loads on muscle hypertrophy, strength and force development
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Light weights built muscle as well as heavy weights when pushed to failure.
Contradicts the common belief that heavy loads are necessary for hypertrophy and suggests effort trumps weight.
Practical Takeaways
For muscle size, push any weight to failure—heavy or light. For strength and explosiveness, prioritize heavy weights.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Light weights built muscle as well as heavy weights when pushed to failure.
Contradicts the common belief that heavy loads are necessary for hypertrophy and suggests effort trumps weight.
Practical Takeaways
For muscle size, push any weight to failure—heavy or light. For strength and explosiveness, prioritize heavy weights.
Publication
Journal
SpringerPlus
Year
2016
Authors
J. Fink, N. Kikuchi, S. Yoshida, Kentaro Terada, K. Nakazato
Related Content
Claims (6)
When you lift weights until you can't anymore, you build similar muscle size no matter how heavy the weights are, but lifting heavier weights makes you stronger and faster at moving them than lighter weights.
Switching between heavy and light weightlifting every two weeks doesn't build more muscle or strength than sticking with either heavy or light weights alone in young male athletes over two months.
When young male athletes lift weights until they can't anymore, it doesn't matter much whether they use heavy weights or lighter ones—both ways build about the same amount of muscle after 8 weeks.
Lifting heavy weights for fewer reps and lighter weights for more reps both build muscle about the same in young men when you push yourself to the max, showing that the total work done matters more than how heavy you lift.
Lifting heavy weights until you can't lift anymore makes young male athletes much stronger than lifting lighter weights over 8 weeks, showing that heavier loads train muscles and nerves better.