Do You Have to Lift Heavy?

The universal question everyone asks is do you have to lift heavy to get big? The answer to this question is NO. While lifting heavy weight does have a correlation with size and strength lifting heavy weight doesn’t necessary give you that perfectly chiselled body. Lifting heavy weight will surely result in strength gains but not always an increase in muscle mass. Hypertrophy training which is more reps higher volume and tension on the muscle, will give you better muscle definition then heavy lifting. The optimum training is a mix of heavy lifting and hypertrophy. This will result in muscle and strength gains giving you an athletic strong physique. 

More reps, higher volume, quicker sets and cardio will make you shed away body fat and make your muscles pop out whereas heavy weight lower reps, less volume and slower sets will make you look ‘fuller’ and give you strength gains. To give advice you should be trying to lift 60-80% of your bodyweight. However, this isn’t a definitive.

Lifting heavy is any ego thing. So push yourself to your limits and don’t be intimated when someone shows off how heavy they lift.

In the video below: Youtube fitness celebrity Rich Piana addresses heavy weight vs hypertrophy(high reps) training

Published by Kevin

References:

Image from: https://www.t-nation.com/system/publishing/articles/10000451/original/Heavy-Deadlift-101.jpg?1424106645

video from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjhWXI7ze90