Lifting Heavy is so overrated.

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>lifting heavy is overrated
>username: average aaron

STRONG username to post content ratio

I agree, there's evidence that 30% of 1 rep max until failure for 4-6 sets induces muscle hypertrophy the same as doing few reps of higher weights. Plus it won't damage your joints as much as lifting as heavy as possible.

Reply 22

Beardbrah

why do you think lifting heavy damages joints? does anybody in this ****ing thread want to provide any evidence about lifting heavy damaging joints?

I can understand ligament and tendon damage and muscle sprains, but only from being a ****ing retard and trying to lift more than you are able. What everyone must accept is that "heavy" is relative. You should be lifting a weight that is heavy for you, not a weight that is heavy full stop. When you get told "lift heavy", it means "find your 1RM and rep 75-90% of it". Is that really so hard to understand?

Also, someone mentioned earlier that getting "big" is cumbersome in sports and useless and doesn't improve hand eye coordination etc; basically doesn't make you any better at the sport. Well, first off, lifting heavy is vital for improving explosiveness, which is needed in nearly every sport. Secondly, why does all training have to be geared towards helping a game sport? Why can't you lift heavy for the sake of it? As a hobby? Why can't it be a competitive sport on its own - weightlifting or powerlifting? Some people genuinely enjoy lifting to get stronger without it being for vanity's sake. For some people lifting is spiritual, it's like meditation, the mindfulness, the way of the empty mind.

Other people lift to have a great body, sure, and even then, realistically speaking, for the average person to gain a relatively good amount of muscle mass and drop bodyfat to look better, lifting is fairly vital. Different people have different goals. Some people need to be able to lift heavy **** above their heads for a job's sake, some people need to lift and move heavy machinery or ****. Live and let live.

Reply 23

DudeRugs

Original post by HFerguson

I can understand ligament and tendon damage and muscle sprains, but only from being a ****ing retard and trying to lift more than you are able. What everyone must accept is that "heavy" is relative. You should be lifting a weight that is heavy for you, not a weight that is heavy full stop. When you get told "lift heavy", it means "find your 1RM and rep 75-90% of it". Is that really so hard to understand?

People believe it is much better to lift at 75+% when you can build the same muscle lifting at 30% of 1RM. Hence its overrated.

Reply 24

CosmicVengeance

I think my biceps arnt in proportion to my chest, i bench 60-70kg (20kg bar and 20-25kg each side) and barbell press 27.5kg which is quite a lot compared to other people who are much bigger that go to the gym, but my biceps really lack muscle i can do 20-30kg on e/z bar and probably just 10 reps of 15kg dubbells is this out of proportion? Since my chest seems much overpowered compared to other body parts ( i can do 50-60 push ups too)

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 25

aware?

Original post by CosmicVengeance

At 60kg bench I wouldn't worry about an 'overpowering' chest. Also on isolations such as curls you can pretty much disregard how much weight you lift, form>>>

Reply 26

Beardbrah

Original post by DudeRugs

People believe it is much better to lift at 75+% when you can build the same muscle lifting at 30% of 1RM. Hence its overrated.

If 30% of 1RM and 80% of 1RM built the same muscle, I'd still choose to lift 80% and do more hard work. Know why? Because I ****ing enjoy it. There's just something psychologically satisfying about powering through and proving to yourself you can do it rather than you cant. Not all the benefits of lifting are physical - many are psychological.

Reply 27

almasy

Original post by McHumpy92

I just want to be strong and fast...so not pointless. I do get a lot of injuries though you are right there.

You don't get fast lifting weights...

Reply 28

CosmicVengeance

Original post by almasy

You don't get fast lifting weights...

You actually can with really light weights

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 29

DudeRugs

Original post by HFerguson

By overrated, I don't mean bad, just that low weight is viable for building muscle too. There's no need to justify what you do to me.

Reply 30

Average_Aaron

Original post by see-are

strength is the measure of a man. The more you lift the more respect you command in the hierarchy of life. Those who can lift the most gain power. Look at Schwarzenegger. The stronger men have the right to steal women and possessions, although they will naturally get the women anyways.

You are right.. Zuckerberg, Jobs, Obama, Bill Gates, among some of the most rich and powerful men are absolutely jacked...

owait

Reply 31

ShredMaster

Original post by IRL

It is overrated as you correctly stated. A lot of people who lift heavy and are trying to get big are often the ones who failed at sports when they were younger or got bullied/teased and feel the need to look intimidating to others. After they get bigger and stronger they still suck at the sports.

Gaining weight can be a burden if you're into a competitive sport which requires some kind of endurance.

For the majority of people who just want a reasonable physique when they take their t-shirt off at the beach, all this heavy lifting (deadlifts, squats etc...) stuff is simply unnecessary.

I beat the **** out of my bullies because of my lifting. It helped. Stop being pretentious.

Reply 32

Beardbrah

Original post by almasy

You don't get fast lifting weights...

u wot m8? ever heard of type 1 fibres and explosiveness?

Reply 33

Average_Aaron

Original post by ShredMaster

I beat the **** out of my bullies because of my lifting. It helped. Stop being pretentious.

Maybe you should have just taken boxing lessons

You could have beaten them up alot better

lol @ people thinking lifting weights makes u tougher

Reply 34

IRL

Original post by ShredMaster

I beat the **** out of my bullies because of my lifting. It helped. Stop being pretentious.

Lifting weights does not improve fighting capability nor does it make you punch harder.

Reply 35

IRL

Original post by Average_Aaron

Maybe you should have just taken boxing lessons

You could have beaten them up alot better

lol @ people thinking lifting weights makes u tougher

Exactly.

Reply 36

IRL

Original post by HFerguson

u wot m8? ever heard of type 1 fibres and explosiveness?

You will not get "more explosive" by lifting weights, otherwise all field athletes would need to do is lift weights and nothing else. Please note most records in the field events of athletics have remained unbroken for 15-25 years.

Reply 37

McHumpy92

Original post by IRL

Yes because freaks like Jonathan Edwards could powerclean double their bodyweight.

Only noticeable recent great sprinter that never lifted weights was Carl Lewis, then again he was mainly a long jumper and did loads of plyos that would stress his body.

Reply 38

cowsforsale

Original post by Average_Aaron

The training of an ectomorph should not differ from endo.

The only dfferenxe should be in the amount of calories eaten. If you're ecto, eat like a horse

Original post by Average_Aaron

5 pages?!

All that needs to be said is EAT LIKE A HORSE AND LIFT SOME WEIGHTS.

Come back in 5 months.

why do people over complicate stuff?

Original post by Average_Aaron

Pushups and Crunches will get you nowhere

I promise you - NO WHERE

In order to build muscle, you need to use progressively heavier weights. Progressive overload

Go to the gym

Bench press
Squats
Bent over rows
Chin ups
Pull ups
Squats
Military press
deadlift if youre up for it

I PROMISE you'll get 100x better results in a few months than you would with years of pushups. lulz

Original post by Average_Aaron

Wheres the

'Lots of food and heavy lifting' option? :smile:

lol...

Another one..

Original post by Average_Aaron

Light weights = no

Heavy weight on squats, rows and deadlifts. YES

Leave your ego at the door and forget about people bragging about 'raw' lifts. I've slipped a disc in my back and now use a belt. Feels 100% better

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 39

The_Internet

Original post by Average_Aaron

Thanks for the thought out post. srs

My aims when I began was to build muscle and get a good physique, like 90% of people who start. After joining bodybuilding forums, I was consistently fed the LIFT HEAVY EAT LIKE A HORSE mentality. Now I soon learnt eating like a horse was stupid.

Therein lies your problem. That forum reeks of arrogance and people "mirin" each other. I actually much prefer it here. Here it seems like a bunch of students trying to get fit for whatever reason and there the feel I get is a bunch of hard nuts who don't like any one elses view

I apologise to any one here that goes on the BB forums, but that's the feel I get from there