Lifting Heavy Isn't Good any More.

Training Beginners
1

Hey everyone. One of my friends keeps insisting that if I continue lifting “heavy” loads I will eventually hurt my body. We’re not talking here about ultra loads that break my form - I mean 12 reps, struggling with the last few, but proper form all throughout.

I don’t have any empirical evidence that his reasoning is incorrect, but all this repetitive talk is not only starting to annoy me, but is also making me now wonder if there’s any truth in what he’s saying.

I personally cannot see how I can grow without pushing myself. We usually argue over stuff like 520lb leg presses, 95lb DB shrugs. I’ve been training for about 1.5 years.

Any opinions?
Thanks.

2

What kind of shape is your friend in?

3

Tell him hes right, and that will leave all the womenz to you.

On a side note, I believe you should expect to get injured eventually, although I don’t believe that is what your educated friend is referring to.

4

You can leg press 520lb, but only shrug 95lbs in each hand? Eh? Are your leg presses full ROM?

5

A lot of leg presses are different so that’s hard to judge… also, lifting for 12 reps is lifting light, not heavy.

6

He would have a point (in many or most cases) if by “lifting heavy” he meant lifting 90% or greater of one-rep-max (1RM) all the time, week in, week out, month in, month out, etc.

However, doing 12 reps as you are is probably more like 60% 1RM, give or take.

This is not “lifting heavy” in the first place. It is at the lighter end of the scale for your strength level and it is perfectly OK to lift “this heavy” indefinitely. In fact, when progress slows down, you should look into lifting at a higher percentage of 1RM than this, not lower yet.

7

I bet there’s plenty of examples where lifting lighter causes injury too.
Without anything to back up that claim, it’s just wind.

8

for thread starter and everyone here that didnt notice this, doing 12 reps is the farthest thing away from “lifting” heavy, you and your friend obviously have no idea what you are talking about, read something

9

He’s right, ditch those evil weights and take up badminton.

10

[quote]Cprimero wrote:
He’s right, ditch those evil weights and take up badminton. [/quote]

Dude, badminton’s too dangerous. My dad tore both his achilles tendons playing. I recommend quilting.

11

Hey, isn’t it possible to choke on a dust particle while breathing? LOL.

Like most of you, I don’t consider 12 rep sets to be heavy lifting either, and this is why I’m frustrated with my friend’s constant nagging.

G87: yes, it’s full rom, my lower body is unproportionally stronger. Working on that.

thanks.

12

You breathe more while exerting yourself. I’m still gonna say start quilting.

And if your friend considers 12 reps heavy lifting he doesn’t know squat about lifting. Shut him up or ignore him.

13

Punch him in the face.

14

[quote]Boiler wrote:
I don’t have any empirical evidence that his reasoning is incorrect, but all this repetitive talk is not only starting to annoy me, but is also making me now wonder if there’s any truth in what he’s saying.

[/quote]

You have nailed the biggest problem in the fitness / strength and conditioning field in that sentence.

All this repetitive talk is starting to make me wonder if there’s any truth in what he’s saying.

A line of bullshit is still a line of bullshit no matter how many times it is repeated. The problem with our species is that we have a tendency to believe that which we hear over and over again REGARDLESS of how stupid it is.

15

  1. your friend is an idiot

  2. find new friends

  3. use it or lose it (referring to muscles)

16

Stick it in his pooper?

17

[quote]johnward82 wrote:
Stick it in his pooper?[/quote]

/THREAD