Different Ways To Resistance Train
We all have personal reasons why we workout:
gain strength
increase balance
correct muscle imbalances
heal an injury
boost mood
reduce aches and pains
lose weight
The list above can be gained from resistance training. There are many avenues to this: bodyweight (called callisthenics), barre, powerlifting, circuit training, Pilates on the apparatus, kettlebells, etc. One of the main benefits of resistance training is that it induces something called hypertrophy. Hypertrophy means increasing lean muscle.
Why is muscle lean? Muscles fibres are much thinner and denser than body fat per pound. Also, the more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, meaning you require more calories to function day to day (helps you lose weight). Plus, more lean muscle means more balance, more strength, and more support for joints (less chance of injury).
Lately I have seen a plethora of posts on social media incorrectly pushing that you must lift super heavy weights to increase muscle. I am here to tell you that it’s not the only way!
Years ago, I used to lift heavy weights with high volumes. It wasn’t my favourite way to work out, but I did it because all my fellow trainers did. My joints were often sore from the heavy loads, and eventually I received two acute injuries: one in 2002 I sprained a ligament in my low back (left sacroiliac joint) and in 2018 I strained my rotator cuff (left supraspinatus tear). After the tear, I did what I do best and researched (my old journalism degree coming in handy). I found several high quality studies demonstrating there are various successful resistance training methods for hypertrophy.
To keep things simple there three standard load/rep ranges for resistance training:
high load/low reps - lifting super heavy where you can only lift 3-5 repetitions each set
moderate load/moderate reps - lifting enough resistance where you can only reach 10-12 reps each set
low load/high reps - lifting a slightly lighter resistance where you can perform 15-25 reps each set
All have been scientifically proven to increase lean muscle equally. The secret formula? With all three scenarios you need to challenge your muscles to reach near fatigue (without breaking good form). Please note: this is not to complete fatigue, but going 2-4 reps before you can’t lift another rep. An indictor you are reaching near fatigue is if the tempo of your reps start to slow down. So even with lighter weights, you need to pick a resistance that is challenging for your muscles to the end of your rep range.
It takes skill and expertise to develop a series of exercises and rep ranges to deliver the correct dosage for hypertrophy. This is one of my favourite elements of my career. That is why I rarely “wing” the sessions I teach. I purposely plan every single workout I instruct, with specific goals in mind.
Here at PLS we often perform moderate weight/moderate reps, as well as, lower weight/higher reps, and rarely ever lift super heavy. Why? Studies show you are able to stay more consistent when exercises feel good and when you are not consistently sidelined by injuries from placing unnecessary stress on the joints. Why lift heavy when you don’t have to?
There are people who love to power lift, while there are others who enjoy the burn of barre. That’s why the results of these studies are so amazing, empowering us to choose which resistance method fits us personally.
Next time someone tells you Pilates on the equipment or not lifting “heavy” is ineffective, proudly show them the studies in the resource section of this article and tell them your trainer intelligently builds your body strong, all the while preventing injuries and feeling good. It’s a win win :)
Resources:
Study I found in 2018: Schoenfeld BJ, Peterson MD, Ogborn D, Contreras B, Sonmez GT. Effects of Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Well-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Oct;29(10):2954-63. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000958. PMID: 25853914.
Two more recent meta-analysis: Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Van Every, D. W., & Plotkin, D. L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports, 9(2), 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032
Grgic, J. (2020). The Effects of Low-Load vs. High-Load Resistance Training on Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Human Kinetics, 74(1), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2020-0013
Benefit of enjoyment of exercise: Rodrigues, F. F. (2022). The bright and dark side of motivation in exercise: Promoting persistence and adherence [ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering (Vol. 83, Issue 5–B).
