High reps or Low reps: Which is the best for weight loss and muscle building?

One of the most difficult concepts - perhaps the biggest legend - in the field of bodybuilding, has to do with the range of repetitions. You will surely have heard the classic slogan "a few repetitions for volume, a lot for lines". And many of you will have experienced this doctrine. But how many have seen the result in volume with few repetitions? And how many of you have seen lines with many? The number is small. Do you know what the few repetitions and what many do? Believe me, you are very interested in learning. So let's see.

If you walk into most of the gyms now days, you’ll see a big number contrast between the weights used by men and women.

Some women will curl 3-5 pound dumbbells for 15-20 reps in an effort to “tone” their arms, while some guys will bench a ton of weight most of the time with bad form for only a few reps in an effort to put on muscle and increase strength.

In the gym probably you have listen also from people that high reps help you lose fat and make a muscle more “toned”. On the other hand, low reps can help you build muscle and increase strength.

What the few repetitions and what many do?

A few repetitions

When we say "few repetitions" we mean a range of 1-5 repetitions. It often says that the low repetition range activates the fast twitch fibers while a high range focuses on the slow compaction fibers. This is another legend that keeps well on the number of repetitions. The truth is that the low repeat range activates all kinds of muscle fibers.

When we put a muscle group to pick up a load, it first calls the slow twitching fibers (lazy ones) and if they are unable to handle it alone, then the intermediate and then the rapid contractility help (the cavalry) help. This process place in tenths of a second!

Exercises with few repetitions are effective in generating so-called myoid hypertrophy.

(Myoinidic hypertrophy is the increase in the number and size of actin and myosin filaments in the muscle tissue.)

Normal Repetition

This range is between 6 and 12 repetitions. It is the breadth that has led one study after the other to claim that it causes more muscle growth. The reason is that it provides all the good of a few repetitions along with the benefits of multiple repetitions allowing you to lift several pounds while increasing the time under pressure which stimulates the muscles in sarcoplasmic hypertrophy

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is the type of hypertrophy that is not accompanied by strength, only by muscle volume and is directly associated with a moderate / high repeat range.

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Many Reps

Anything over 12 is considered high. So if the few (1-5) repeats cause muscle growth and 6-12 magnification of the muscle cells (swelling) then what is left for the range of more than 15 repetitions? Let's talk about so-called muscle hydration and why it's so strong anabolic agent. Glycogene is the muscle fuel and stored in the liver and muscle cells. Each gram of glycogen comes packed with 2.7 grams of water. In addition to filling the muscle with water so it appears more swollen, glycogen increases protein synthesis.

High repetitions, therefore, drastically remove the glycogen from the muscles, which although it seems catastrophic at first, basically what the cells do after the marginal decrease in glycogen, is to increase glycogen stores the next time. This results in cell growth and muscle growth.

Let's clear this up specific on someone goals :

1.Low Reps vs High Reps for Weight Loss

So, when it comes to low reps vs high reps for weight loss. You’ll want to hit for high reps with low weights, at least 10 – 15+ per set to optimize weight loss.

More specific, you’ll want to lift weights that are about half of your 1RPM (reps per minute). This will engage your slow compaction (as we said above) muscle fibers, which will increase overall muscle endurance.

Light weights with slow movements will increase aerobic metabolism to fuel your fat burn. Make sure your diet stays in check as well. You don’t want to end up gaining unwanted fat while reducing your strength training.

2. Best way to build Muscle Mass

None of this means that training with light weights and high reps is now the official “best way” to build muscle. The fact that it’s possible to gain muscle using higher reps and lighter weights doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a good idea for you. Every person reacts differently that's why you have to change up your routine and try different things. High reps aren’t necessarily the best way or the solution, they’re just another option on your training menu.

To build muscle, most of your training should be done in the 6-15 rep range. That’s heavy enough to put plenty of tension on the muscle, but not so heavy that you can’t control the weight. My opinion If I had to pick a single “best” rep range for building muscle, it would be 6-15.

Another fault when someone tries to build muscle is that they push so hard to increase kilos. For example, joint issues or injuries may mean that lifting heavy weights causes pain in your shoulders, elbows, knees or wrists.

The solution is very simple. If going heavy on certain exercises causes you pain, just go light instead.

You can make the switch from heavy weights and low reps to low weights and high reps without missing out on any gains.

Maybe you just prefer using lighter weights on certain exercises, and heavier weights on others.That's why you have to experiment and listen to your body.

For example :

For best results, and to reduce the risk of injury, fatique or to hit plateau , change up your routine. Consider a weekly change where you rotate your workout reps:

Week 1: high reps, low weights 3 – 4 times per week
Week 2: low reps, high weights 2 – 3 times per week

One study from the University of Alabama in Birmingham

Showed that dieters who lifted heavy weights lost the same amount of weight as dieters who did just cardio, but all the weight lost by the weight lifters was fat while the cardio group lost muscle along with some fat. The common belief is that high reps magically get rid of fat. While high reps with light weight to fatigue can create a muscular response, it does not necessarily remove fat better than low reps with heavy weight.

Common quenstions :

What burns more fat high or low reps? Lifting heavy weights with low reps won't help you lose much weight, but it will help you maintain hard- earned muscle while losing fat. High reps (12 or more reps per set) build muscular endurance but don't build strength.
Does high rep low weight build muscle? So, in general, low reps with heavy weight tends to increase muscle mass, while high reps with light weight increases muscle endurance. Lifting lighter weights with more reps gives the muscle tissue and nervous system a chance to recover while also building endurance.
Do High Reps Build Muscle in More Advanced Lifters?

Once again, this study attracted criticism, most notably because it used untrained beginners as subjects.

Take someone who’s never exercised and get them to lift weights or just body weight exercises for a few months. They tend to grow no matter what they do.

What is the best after all of these?

If you ask bodybuilders and powerlifters, the consensus is to lift heavy weights with lower reps. While there are some who think that super high rep training with light weights is best for bodybuilding.

Both high reps and low reps can be used to build muscle. As long as you train hard and push yourself, taking your working sets to failure (at least close), muscle growth is very similar across weights and rep ranges.

Thank you for reading my article. Hope you enjoy it!

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