Do you know how much weight you can actually lift? Have you ever tried to see how much you are actually able to do?
I’d guess it isn’t something you think of while you go throughout your average day.
However, if you’re hoping to really use the body you’ve got, you need to challenge it.
Why?
Because MUSCLE RESPONDS TO RESISTANCE.
If you underestimate the weight you can lift, and perform a squat with, say, 3 pound dumbbells in each hand, then the “challenge” you are giving your thighs is much less of a challenge than you give them when you carry your groceries into your house. When you are working out, you want the workout to be challenging—more of a challenge than you face in your normal routine.
I can’t say I think that carrying groceries into my house is routinely a “good workout”.
Runner’s World published the “lift less weight with more reps to get toned” myth as its #4 biggest myth last spring. Take a look:
A study at Georgia Southern University determined lifting 85 per cent 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 per cent max. And don’t worry: lifting heftier iron won’t transform you into an Arnold Schwarzenegger-alike. Achieving that look requires eating a high-calorie diet and a longterm power-lifting regime – which you won’t be doing. “If you’re creating a calorie deficit, you simply won’t bulk up like a bodybuilder,” says New York-based running coach Monica Vazquez.
So the next time you’re at the gym and looking at the dumbbells in front of you, or the plates on the machines, ramp it up a little. (The benefits will last much longer than you’re used to, so watch out for lows after the workout! Check at 2, 4, and 6 hours after you’re done to catch any oncoming lows.)
Try it: you might like it!
