Many research studies have shown that lifting light weights can be just as effective at building muscle as lifting heavier weights. Need a workout program? Get 3 free workouts on Fitbod right now.Ĭan You Build Muscle With Light Weights? (What the Science Says) Lifting an empty 45lb barbell may feel light, but lifting a 45lb dumbbell could feel heavy because of the differences in size and how the weight is distributed. How light a weight feels also depends on what equipment you’re using. But that same 135lbs could be a max effort for someone who’s new to lifting. Any weight that’s 55-60% or below of your 1 rep max, if you know that number for a particular liftīut “light weight” is subjective and will vary from person to person, lift to lift, and even what equipment you’re using.įor example, what feels light for a squat will likely feel heavy for an overhead press because the squat utilizes larger muscle groups than the overhead press.Īs well, if you’ve been working out for a couple of years and can squat 500lbs, a 135lb squat will feel light to you.Any weight that you can do 15+ reps with before getting fatigued.Some general guidelines to follow when it comes to defining light weight are: Download the Fitbod app today and get your first three workouts for free. You’ll get a customized training plan that includes suggested weights, reps, and sets for each exercise. If you want to get started right away, check out the Fitbod app. I’ll also discuss the types of people who would benefit from lifting light weights and how you can build muscle when lifting light weights. In this article, I’ll define what light weight means and discuss findings from several studies about the effectiveness of using light weights to build muscle. You can also slow down your lifts and add pauses to increase time under tension. You can boost your results by doing enough volume, training often enough, and eating enough calories. So can you build muscle with light weights? Studies have shown that lifting at 60% of your 1 rep max (1RM) can be just as effective at building muscle as lifting heavier weights. If you don’t have access to heavy weights, can’t lift heavy because of an injury, or simply aren’t interested in lifting heavy, you may wonder if you can still build muscle with light weights.
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