Lifting Light Weights to Tired Can Build Muscle Like Heavy Weights
Low-Load Resistance Training to Volitional Failure Induces Muscle Hypertrophy Similar to Volume-Matched, Velocity Fatigue
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lifting light weights to failure and to velocity fatigue produced nearly identical muscle growth and acute metabolic responses.
Many trainers believe 'going to failure' is the only way to maximize growth with light weights — but this shows that stopping when speed drops 20% works just as well, which is less painful and potentially safer.
Practical Takeaways
If you're rehabbing an injury or lack access to heavy weights, use light weights (40% 1RM) and stop when your reps slow by 20% — you'll still build muscle.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Lifting light weights to failure and to velocity fatigue produced nearly identical muscle growth and acute metabolic responses.
Many trainers believe 'going to failure' is the only way to maximize growth with light weights — but this shows that stopping when speed drops 20% works just as well, which is less painful and potentially safer.
Practical Takeaways
If you're rehabbing an injury or lack access to heavy weights, use light weights (40% 1RM) and stop when your reps slow by 20% — you'll still build muscle.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2020
Authors
Kentaro Terada, N. Kikuchi, D. Burt, S. Voisin, K. Nakazato
Related Content
Claims (10)
If you push your muscles as hard as you can until you can't do any more reps, that's what really makes them grow bigger. It doesn't matter how many reps you do, as long as you're giving your absolute best effort.
If you push your muscles until they can't do another rep, you create more force per set—which can help if you're not doing many sets, but might hurt your progress if you're already doing a lot of work.
For people who already lift weights, pushing to muscle failure with either light or heavy weights gives the same muscle growth and strength improvements after 12 weeks.
Whether you lift lighter weights or heavier weights until you can't do any more reps, both ways give you the same muscle growth and strength gains if you're already used to training.
When lifting lighter weights, pushing until you can't lift anymore helps build bigger muscles, but this doesn't happen with heavier weights. Heavier weights always build more strength than lighter ones, no matter how hard you push.