The Science of Light Resistance Training for Muscle Gains by Jerry Brainum 8/24

 

 

Until recently, bodybuilding dogma held that lifting heavy weights was the only way to develop increased muscle mass. Indeed, resistance training is based on a progressive system, where regular increases in the amount of weight lifted are essential for promoting size gains. And that is undoubtedly true. The body tries to maintain homeostasis or keep things as they are. You need to induce added stress on muscles in order to cause them to respond by growing. The increased stress during exercise usually results in adding weight to exercises. Using the same weight and repetitions without pushing the body can maintain what you have already developed, but it won't promote increased gains.

Some scientists have recently speculated that the notion that gaining muscle strength always translates into increased muscle size is not based on any known science. They claim that muscular size and strength are mutually exclusive; that is, you can have one without the other. That is true in many cases.I've seen numerous elite bodybuilders over the years whose muscle mass is not commensurate with their level of muscular strength. Using various types of anabolic drugs, such as anabolic steroids, can induce increased muscle mass without also increasing muscular strength. Many powerlifters and Olympic weightlifters are undoubtedly strong but often don't show a level of muscle mass to match their prodigious strength. Despite this, my own years of training experience show that there is a relationship between strength and muscle size. When I was younger, during my bodybuilding peak years, whenever I got stronger I consistently also increased my muscle size. In retrospect, however, I wonder if my increased muscle mass resulted more from the level of training intensity that I used rather than the amount of weight that I lifted. Could I have developed the same degree of muscle mass by lifting lighter weights, but maintaining a high training intensity level? 

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, increasing muscle mass requires lifting a load equal to 70% of the one-rep maximum weight. The implication is that lifting lighter weights won't produce significantly increased muscle mass. Indeed, a prevailing notion is that lifting lighter weights and doing a greater number of repetitions, such as 20 or more per set, is excellent for promoting increased muscle endurance but does little or nothing to promote muscle size gains. I recall training in a gym for years ago, habituated by many famous actors. The goal of these actors was to look lean but not overly muscular. As such, they all lifted light weights and did higher reps to "tone" their muscles without promoting increased muscle size, which was frowned upon by movie producers back then. The only exceptions to the rule were films such as "Hercules," which featured former champion bodybuilders such as Steve Reeves and . . .