Training & movement
B · Reasonable confidenceLight or heavy weights for strength and muscle growth
Subject: Muscular adaptations in low- versus high-load resistance training: A meta-analysis
What this means
Light weights (up to 60% of your maximum) produced clear gains in strength and muscle growth. Heavy weights (from 65%) scored higher on average, but that difference was not statistically certain.
Schoenfeld BJ, Wilson JM, Lowery RP, Krieger JW · 2016 · European Journal of Sport Science
What does this rating mean?
A solid systematic review with caveats, or consistent indications with a limited scope.
Findings
High-load training produced greater strength gains than low-load training. When sets were taken to failure, both conditions produced similar hypertrophy; when not to failure, high-load training was superior for hypertrophy.
Who this applies to
People who were not yet doing resistance training.
Size of the research
For strength 9 studies with 251 participants, for muscle growth 8 studies with 191 participants.
What to keep in mind
There were few studies on this topic, so a real difference may have gone undetected. The results concern untrained people.
Practical conclusion for REZA
Consistent with REZA's other load-related findings: heavy remains the best choice for pure strength, but light-to-failure is a perfectly good alternative for hypertrophy.
View method and source
Methodology
Meta-analysis
Population
Healthy adults; resistance trained and untrained
Intervention
Low-load RT vs high-load RT
Outcome measures
Muscle strength (1RM), muscle hypertrophy (muscle thickness, lean body mass)
Limitations
Limited number of studies; heterogeneity in protocols; failure vs non-failure distinction important.
Original source
DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2014.989922 · PMID: 25530577
View on PubMed →This information is general education about scientific research. It is not personal medical advice and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a doctor or other healthcare professional. If you have symptoms, a medical condition or take medication, consult your GP or treating professional before changing your training or nutrition.