Light weights, many reps – or heavy weights fewer reps?

Fact or fiction: runners who want to look lean and toned should skip heavy barbells in favor of lighter weights with lots of repetitions.

The Myth: Lift Less Weight With More Reps To Get Toned

Visit any gym and you’’ll find “toning classes”: an hour session of repetitive lifting of light weights. When you first pick up your 2kg dumb-bell you think to yourself, this is ridiculous… but after the 23rd set of 32 reps you feel as though you’’re dead-lifting a monster truck.

Sound familiar? Well, it seems that you may be able to skip the light weights, and go for the less reps of heavier weights…with improved results.

The Truth Exposed

Lifting less with more reps won’t give us the physique we’re after.

To get toned, you need larger muscles and less fat. And challenging your body through heavier lifting is a big part of this equation.

In fact, a varsity study determined lifting 85% of your maximum ability for eight reps burns about twice as many calories in the two hours post-workout compared with 15 reps at 45% max.

Don’t worry: Lifting heftier iron won’t transform you into a body builder; achieving that look requires eating a high-kilojoule diet and a long-term power-lifting regimen. If you’re creating a kilojoule deficit, you simply won’t bulk up like a bodybuilder.

You don’t need to give up lighter weights – they do a better job at improving muscular endurance.

A solid resistance program should include periods of both high and low reps.

Do higher reps (12 to 15) and lower weights for about four weeks and then switch to lifting heavier weights for fewer reps (eight to 10).

Alternate month-to-month after that to keep the stress on the body constantly changing. Muscle responds to resistance, so if it’s too light, you won’t see good results.

You should struggle to eek out those last few reps.

Want some specific weight-training programmes? Browse our Cross-training Section to find the right workout for you.

For more diet mythbusters, click here.