Lifting Lighter Weights Can Be Just as Effective as Heavy Ones

[wheyman]

I think you benefit from both (heavy and light). For me, the key is feeling the movement instead of just completing the lift. For instance, BB Rows, I can pile the weight on and complete the lift with decent form, but I feel a greater pump in my back when I lighten the weight and focus on contraction. I also took a different approach with shoulders. I stopped going real heavy and focused on higher reps. Yeah, I could barely handle the pump.

Some lifts, however, I like heavier weight like deadlifts. I'm not a fan of high rep deads because my form gets sloppy and then my lower back starts yelling at me. I also like cycling my chest work. I'll go heavy barbell to maintain strength for a few weeks, then go back to db presses for growth.

Triceps - I'm currently experimenting lower reps/heavier weight. I've always done 10-15 reps. We'll see if anything different happens.

Biceps - Lighter weight higher reps all the time for me. Anything too heavy and I feel like my delts take over.

For legs, fuck man anything pumps the fuck out of them as long as you work hard.

Just my 2 cents.

[dna9488]

Great input wheyman.

For chest I love going heavy at the beginning and then doing a series of burnout sets and multiple dropsets until failure. Have your chest begging you to stop

For back, I mix it between high and low reps. With BB rows the greatest pumps are felt at 135 for 20 reps (5 sets). Have your forearms give out before your back.

For shoulders, I'm always doing supersets lateral and rear delts. Mix it between high and low reps. Generally I start heavy and by the end of the workout more repetition with supersets

For arms and legs and nothing but volume. High rep moderate weight. Focus on contraction and squeezing.

[Bouncer]

I've always trained pretty heavily over the past 15 or so years of my life. Never taking more than a week or two off at a time. Back in 2013 I started a new business and moved to a new state and I just had to focus on building that business. I didn't step foot in a gym for the entire year. All of 2013 I was out of the gym. I still did some bodyweight workouts and lots of stretching, but man I can tell you even with the stress of starting that business, I never slept better and never felt more at peace. I had no pain in my muscles, no knots, no tightness, no joint issues. Granted, I went from 220lbs down to 185lbs, but most people told me I looked better/younger and less bloated. It was kind of an eye opening experience to me on how much training affects our bodies and our lives, especially sleep. Training is a stress and for the most part stress is bad for our nervous system.

Of course I'm lifting again and back up to 205 at the moment.

That's what I think has effected me the most. I think I really overwhelmed my nervous system with my relentless never give up attitude towards the gym.

I got to the point where I could not relax ever. No matter how physically exhausted I was I was sitting there tense and tight almost gritting my teeth. My muscles especially rhomboid, traps, and scapula area were just always screaming.

[Turbo3000]

Anything will probably work after 8 weeks I'm gonna see quick progress for a bit but I'll stick with it for at least a few months mainly to ease into it and prevent further injury.



It's been 6 weeks. I'll be returning in next week or 2 as soon as I don't feel any pain in my shoulders. Last thing I want to do is prolong an injury by not letting it fully heal. i don't think you realize how bad I was for the first few weeks. I guess I fell really hard and put my shoulders in an awkward position when it happened. I'm lucky nothing broke or tore but god damn it sure felt like it for the first few weeks.

In all honesty I was so over-trained, I wasn't sleeping, my muscles were all in knots, and I just kept pushing and pushing. I really needed this break. It's hard mentally sometimes but i'm sure I'll be better off for it.

I think I have grasped how bad it was/is from your posts. You stated that the other day was the first time you have been able to get ready without help, I'd say that your injuries were pretty fucking bad. Glad to see you healing. Just can't believ it has already been 6 weeks. Sounds like your CNS was severely taxed. This break, while painful, is most likely long overdue. Good luck with the continued recovery.

[Bouncer]

I think I have grasped how bad it was/is from your posts. You stated that the other day was the first time you have been able to get ready without help, I'd say that your injuries were pretty fucking bad. Glad to see you healing. Just can't believ it has already been 6 weeks. Sounds like your CNS was severely taxed. This break, while painful, is most likely long overdue. Good luck with the continued recovery.

thanks bro. scary thing is, i would have never taken a break, i had to literally be forced by something like this which in the scheme of things could have been much worse. the first 4 weeks off was really tough both mentally and physically but the last few weeks as I start to feel better has changed my view on things a bit.

Working hard and being consistent when you have a particular goal can be a great thing but it can also fog your mind and judgment.

Here I was, hardly able to sleep, muscles in knots, always in fight or flight mode and in general just feeling beat the hell up. But all I could see in my mind was that goal of bigger and leaner. I ignored all the warning signs and instead of relaxing a bit I added in more drugs (dbol and drol) which only served to amplify my already maxed out CNS.

Moving forward I still have the same goals. I still want to be bigger and leaner but I now know that you can only ignore the warning signs for so long before something bad happens. I will no longer ignore the warning signs.

Hell, I may take an 8 week break every year from now on. Thinking about levrone here. Guy was known to take months off. Maybe that's in part why he's still looking amazing at 52 while Ronnie is 75% crippled. Maybe those few months is exactly what the joints, ligaments, and tendons need especially for those of us on AAS.