Heavy weight, but high reps ...

[buffchic69]

Hey all.

My trainer wants me to focus on this: instead of the traditional heavy weight, low reps thing.... I was doing 4-5 sets, 6-8 or 10-12 reps. They said I WAS DOING IT ALL WRONG !!! what they have me doing now is:

I'm doing my heaviest weights, keeping the reps at 25-30, doing only 1 body part. although much rest btwn. sets is needed, Oh btw- my sets are btwn

She and he told me that it's nonsense for me wanting to gain more muscle to keep my reps low, while lifting heavy ? I was told doing lots of reps with the heavy weight I will see much more, quicker mass results.

But, I gotta say, if the sorness I got the next day, is any indication that I brutalized my muscles ( that's the term they use ) I will be well on my way to a great spurt in muscle growth.

I never felt that sore before, I could barely move my arms for 2 days. My trainers literally kicked my butt !!!!! They are bugging me to compete.

What do you guys say ? are my trainers nuts ? or is there some truth to what they say ?

Thanks !!!!

 

[skittles]

If I lift heavy, I'm REALLY lucky if I can make it to 10 reps ( I aim for 8). If I had to try for 20-25 reps I think I'd pass out.

 

[jenscats5]

I don't think there's a 100% correct answer. If you put 15 trainers in a room, you could get 15 different approaches. Plus it's good to change up your routine.

 

[Miss24k]

It all depends on the TUT you are doing!

 

[Daisy_Girl]

I don't think there's a 100% correct answer. If you put 15 trainers in a room, you could get 15 different approaches. Plus it's good to change up your routine.

..

 

[Sassy69]

Have you put the question on them -- what is the science & purpose behind their method & why are other ways wrong? I sort of have a problem with trainers who won't look at other methods or even discuss them. That means they are protecting themselves in that they are trying to make themselves look like the one & only expert, the rest of the world is completely wrong and they are privy to the ultimate formula for strength, size & leanness. Especially if you are coming from some decent experience yourself, you should be able to question their methods if they are completely counter to what you've done in the past or at least be able to discuss these things without being told you are so amazingly wrong and its just an act of God that these flawed methods haven't totally screwed up your body.

I've personally worked with at least 5 trainers over the years who I have paid a lot of money to and their qualifications run from strength coach for a pro baseball team, aam Olympic hopeful in track, natural national level BB competitors, and 2 pro-level BB trainers, male & female. I've done 4x200 reps on the leg press w/ no weights. I've done 4 plates on the leg press for 20. I've done drop sets to exhaustion and barely been able to walk out the door, I've done sets of 50/40/30/20 and giant sets of 5 exercises at 4 x 20 reps. There are literally HUNDREDS of ways to do things and also t change things over time to achieve certain goals.

You can also ask your people if their approach is going to affect SPECIFIC changes in your physique -- have they identified weak spots? do they follow this heavy + high approach and never change it?

 

[Sassy69]

I'm confused about somethign -- on a different thread you were asking about a light workout for when you are tired? Why are you asking for a light day training routine when you are getting a heavy ass workout from these trainers? Do they not schedule in some light or recovery days between the heavy & high?

i.e. are you overtraining and getting exhausted from their workouts?

Just a caveat from experience, if this is the case, make a VERY LARGE POINT to them about being exhausted from their training. Good exhaustion is one thing. Overtrainign will shut u down so fast you wont' know what hit. And I'm not talking about for just a week off. I'm talking fuck up your metabolism, put you into a depression because nothign is workiing and you are exhausted all the time, you start gaining weight and it takes you 2 yrs to get your shit back in order.

Oh, and don't forget potential tendonitis, rotator cuff & back problems for the rest of your life as well.

 

[musclemom]

Hey all.

My trainer wants me to focus on this: instead of the traditional heavy weight, low reps thing.... I was doing 4-5 sets, 6-8 or 10-12 reps. They said I WAS DOING IT ALL WRONG !!! what they have me doing now is:

I'm doing my heaviest weights, keeping the reps at 25-30, doing only 1 body part. although much rest btwn. sets is needed, Oh btw- my sets are btwn

She and he told me that it's nonsense for me wanting to gain more muscle to keep my reps low, while lifting heavy ? I was told doing lots of reps with the heavy weight I will see much more, quicker mass results.

But, I gotta say, if the sorness I got the next day, is any indication that I brutalized my muscles ( that's the term they use ) I will be well on my way to a great spurt in muscle growth.

I never felt that sore before, I could barely move my arms for 2 days. My trainers literally kicked my butt !!!!! They are bugging me to compete.

What do you guys say ? are my trainers nuts ? or is there some truth to what they say ?

Thanks !!!!

I'm confused about somethign -- on a different thread you were asking about a light workout for when you are tired? Why are you asking for a light day training routine when you are getting a heavy ass workout from these trainers? Do they not schedule in some light or recovery days between the heavy & high?

i.e. are you overtraining and getting exhausted from their workouts?

Just a caveat from experience, if this is the case, make a VERY LARGE POINT to them about being exhausted from their training. Good exhaustion is one thing. Overtrainign will shut u down so fast you wont' know what hit. And I'm not talking about for just a week off. I'm talking fuck up your metabolism, put you into a depression because nothign is workiing and you are exhausted all the time, you start gaining weight and it takes you 2 yrs to get your shit back in order.

Oh, and don't forget potential tendonitis, rotator cuff & back problems for the rest of your life as well.

LISTEN to what Sassy said!!! Something that makes it SO painful that you can barely function for two days is just wrong. If you are THAT worn out, sore, beat up your body needs some serious recovery time, period. IMO, if you were to do something like this once every few months with a week or two of rest afterwards it MIGHT be an interesting challenge as a shock to your muscles but as a regular training regimen it sounds depressing.

I have a friend on another board who LITERALLY holds records in NASA (Master's Pure/Natural Div.) for women's benchpressing and SHE told me to progress in strength you keep it low, 6 sets of about 6-8 reps.

This is just logical thinking here (and I have a pretty strong background in neurology and orthopedics, too). In my mind you start frying yourself when you're doing high reps with really heavy weight. Your form is going to go into the dumper, and you're heading into injury territory. Tendons and ligaments just don't get strong in the same fashion or speed that muscles do and when you're getting to the point where muscles are utterly exhausted they literally go into almost a form of rigor ...

The other thing, if you're doing 25 reps it's nowhere near your heaviest weight ... in my mind your heaviest weight -- anybody's heaviest weight, for that matter -- is the weight you can only lift ONCE with perfect form and needing up to 3 minutes or so to recover before lifting it again. That's sort of how they do it in powerlifting, right? A person is capable of handling heavier weights for lower reps, that's just a fact. When I dropped my reps from 12 to 7 I was able to make an increase and was overall moving more iron in poundages more consistently. Do the math, e.g., 25 total curls of 45 lbs. (1125) or 6 x 6 of 50 lbs. (1800).

Now, I do happen to do 20 reps of deadlifts, but that's pretty much ALL I do that day, that's it. It takes me around 30 minutes to do those suckers and I'm done, then steps are an adventure for the next 24 hours or so ... of course, I'm an old lady of 40 ...

All everybody is trying to say is these are things you REALLY need to sit down and discuss with your trainers. You only get ONE body, you break it, screw up a knee, a shoulder, your back, it's never right again and you will have pain for the rest of your life, and believe me, chronic pain is utter suckage.

Best, Harriet

 

[Sassy69]

... of course, I'm an old lady of 40 ...

Bite your tongue woman! In a mere 41 days I plan to become 23 again (I've been practicing for 16 yrs so I'm getting pretty day damn good at it ) and I continue to get stronger & in better shape!

LOL! I can also afford more chiropractic work, better supplements, a better mattress, a car w/ better suspension and generally better health insurance. I'm also more adept at creating reasons to sleep in and if I really need the sympathy vote for a day off, I'll hobble around a little more and cry about needing a walker....

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

in my mind your heaviest weight -- anybody's heaviest weight, for that matter -- is the weight you can only lift ONCE with perfect form and needing up to 3 minutes or so to recover before lifting it again.

true. K for you. Read super Squats by Randall Strossen...it will teach you about hi-rep workouts.