High reps to actually lose musle?

[velospeed2002]

Question for y'all:

Can lifting in the high rep range (20+ reps) with little rest between sets, as opposed to low reps/lots of rest, actually help one to *lose* muscle mass?

I ask this because I'm in a primarily endurance sport (road cycling), and I have a very muscular upper body as far as cyclists go. This works against me in my race events. I get to about 8% bf during the race season, so I know I have a little bit of weight to lose there, but it would be nice if I could get shoulders/back/arms just a tad smaller. If I could get down to 175 from my current 195 lbs, it will do wonders for my climbing ability.

Oh well, I intend to do some experimentation this off season.

I know this is mainly a bodybuilding forum, but someome might have some ideas. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Exodus]

well you will definitely loose fast twitch muscle, but you would keep your slow twitch endurance muscle ( the smaller ones). that kinda program is not going to facilitate muscle growth in size or strength.

X

 

[Deleted member 33117]

It depends on how big you are and your genetics. I had a friend who did modeling work, and couldn't get too big. He trained exclusively in the 20+ rep range, and when he started put on 10 ibs, he would have to stop lifting completely for 3 to 4 weeks in order to drop 10 ibs of muscle. His agent did not want him over 170 ibs when he did pictures with his shirt off. If you want to loose muscle mass, you need to stop lifting. I suspect since you are a cyclist, that you aren't very big, so those high reps will not cause you to loose lbm, but will probably preserve what you have.

 

[muscledog95]

as long as one keeps adding weight to that rep range, i see no reason why one wouldnt get stronger

 

[velospeed2002]

Thanks.

At 5'11 and 195 lbs, I'm not big by lifters' standards. But I'm absolutely huge compared to the cyclists I compete against (120-170 lbs, usually). I do know I'm genetically predisposed to gain muscle easily. Before I got into cycling, I did lift heavily, and 215 lbs seemed to be my body's natural setpoint back then.

I hate to drop the lifting altogether, because I feel it helps my body, overall, to better metabolize lactic acid wastes generated by my primarily fast twitch quads (sprinter type). I know for a fact that I can tolerate a painfully high pace for longer, when my whole body is "trained" - not just my legs.

I guess I'm just hopeful that using a certain lifting style can maybe reduce the upper body fast twitchers a bit.. perhaps that is asking too much.

Thanks, again!

 

[casualbb]

If you diet for a while your body will catabolize muscle tissue. Make sure you're training legs during that time period and most of the loss should be from upper body.

 

[Him1]

If you diet for a while your body will catabolize muscle tissue. Make sure you're training legs during that time period and most of the loss should be from upper body.

Exactly... Break down your leg muscles... don't give them enough food to maintain them and go catabolic... and maintain leg... Hmmm.

 

[needsleep]

Try switching to lifting instead of cycling and be happy with the added mass

 

[ArmaniMark]

Fuck i wish i had that problem... i gain muscle to easy.... "I wanna lose muscle" hahah

 

[Legion Kreinak2]

Not the type of post I'd expect here, with everyone packing on size and such haha.

Any type of lifting won't reduce muscle. It will either build or preserve. If you stop lifting, or as Casual said, diet, you will lose muscle mass.