Increasing the weights and intensity is the basic principle of strength training.
Now for a surprise to many… Lighter weights promote hypertrophy just as much as heavy weights. Yes! You read that right! That’s because “intensity,” which is our goal here, should be understood as a qualitative concept involving sets, repetitions, etc.
Together with other variables, such as tempo, range of motion, and rest intervals, these will bring about acute changes in our body.
Learn how to increase the intensity the right way to avoid injuries during your workout.
Can you get results using lighter weights?
Studies conducted by Brad Schoenfeld and Stuart Phillips found that training programs using weights below 60% of 1RM (one-rep max, for those who don’t know) led to the same strength and hypertrophy gains as programs using weights above 65% of 1RM. This applied to both trained and untrained individuals.
The most important variable in these studies is that in both programs, using either heavy or light weights, participants were instructed to perform each exercise to failure! Training to failure is the most important thing, because you can train with a lot of weight and low intensity and/or with little weight and high intensity!
How do you train to failure?
As for training to failure… unless you’re a beginner or returning after a long period of inactivity, you should reach failure in every exercise during your workout. But you might ask: Wait… doesn’t it say how many reps to do… 8… 10… 12??? Well… Choose a weight that lets you FAIL within the prescribed number of reps. For example, if it says 8 reps… aim to fail on the seventh or eighth rep… if you fail on the ninth or tenth, increase the weight… if you fail on the fifth or sixth rep, decrease the weight, okay 😉 It’s unlikely you’ll find the right weights on your first attempt at a workout… but you’ll get the hang of it little by little!
Tips for safely increasing your weights
If you’re not used to using a specific tempo and a full range of motion… you should readjust the weights… downward… until you adapt… remembering that, as I keep emphasizing, the weight is the last “detail”. Prioritize your form, tempo, range of motion, and adequate rest intervals… and leave the weight for last!
Here’s the thing about progressive overload: we have good days and bad days… a bad night’s sleep can affect your workout and make you use less weight… but that doesn’t mean you won’t have an intense workout, training to failure.
1. Pay attention to your range of motion
If you don’t have any joint limitations, you can and SHOULD use the maximum range of motion!! And what is range of motion??? It’s the greatest movement a joint can perform within its anatomical limits without creating a RISK OF INJURY! And why use a FULL range of motion? Because this increases motor unit recruitment and helps you use your muscles more efficiently… not to mention that this makes your workout more intense and, as we know, intense workouts produce better hypertrophy responses!
2. Focus on your tempo
MOVEMENT TEMPO is a more important variable than simply increasing the “weight,” since indiscriminately adding weight can interfere with your range of motion and compromise proper exercise form, and in extreme cases can cause unwanted injuries.
Exercise tempo can be prescribed as 1010, 2020, 3010, etc. For example, with 4020, the number 4 represents the seconds in the eccentric phase, the number 0 represents the transition between these phases, and the number 2 represents the seconds in the concentric phase. The fourth number also represents a transition phase before the first number.
Didn’t get it? It’s a little confusing…
I’ll explain it in very simple terms… with a 3030 tempo on the leg press, for example, you take 3 seconds to push the platform up… and without pausing, you bring it back down for another three seconds toward your body… and without stopping, you start again and continue until you complete the prescribed reps.
Didn’t get it? It’s a little confusing…
I’ll explain it in very simple terms… with a 3030 tempo on the leg press, for example, you take 3 seconds to push the platform up… and without pausing, you bring it back down for another three seconds toward your body… and without stopping, you start again and continue until you complete the prescribed reps.
3. Focus on your exercise technique
Proper exercise technique is a basic factor in increasing the weight.
This is very important when your goal is to increase the weight you lift, because doing the exercises correctly lets you train safely and avoid injuries!
Conclusion
Lighter weights produce results just as effectively as heavy weights.
Always remember that any workout, when properly prescribed, aims to build lean muscle and lose fat 😉 What will make that more or less effective is YOUR DIET 😉 there is no properly performed workout, of course, that will “reduce” your lean muscle mass… believe me.
And training to failure is the most important thing, because you can train with a lot of weight and low intensity and/or with little weight and high intensity!
Are you planning to increase the weights in your workout now? Put the tips in this article to use, and keep following our blog. #VEMPROTREINO.
