Should You Use High Rep/Light Weights or Low Rep/Heavy Weights?

​Are you confused about sets, reps and weight and wonder how to make sense of it all? Check this video.

​- So we're gonna start today's session by looking at what is better to use for training; high reps or low reps, or do you have to use both?

- Okay, so when we talk about high reps we're usually talking about using lower weight or lower load, and then when we talk about low reps we're talking about using higher weight. So the main difference between the two is that when you do have heavier loads, you are recruiting fast twitch fibers, Its working towards getting stronger, and then when you are using the lower load but higher reps, It's working towards mainly muscular endurance. Although there's the strength and muscular endurance, there's also something in between. So usually between zero, I mean you'd never do zero reps, but between, say two and five reps is working towards maximum strength, that between six and 12 reps is mainly working towards muscle building, and then, anything between 12 and 15 you'd usually be working towards muscular endurance. So again, the higher the repetitions, the lower the percentage maximum of your one rep max. We always advise that each individual can do compound lifts, obviously if they're taught the compound lifts well which would be, for example, the deadlift, the squat, bench press. So these would be multi joint exercises in which you'd be using quite a lot of different muscle groups within that exercise, so say, a squat you'd be using almost all of your lower leg muscles, as well as your glutes, and it would be the same in a deadlift. So, for these lifts, ideally you'd be doing the strength focused repetitions with heavier load. And then with the other exercises which I either refer to as assistance exercises, or isolation exercises, where you're not using as many muscle groups, or you're just using one, say for example, a bicep curl, which is very typical, you can, or you'd ideally use a lighter load and more repetitions, just because It's not, there's no point really in getting super strong in doing the bicep curl, you're not really going to use it in any point of your life.

- Yep, that is true, unless you have a really heavy baby.

- Yeah or two! Yeah, exactly.