Myth: Women should lift lighter weights with higher repetitions (reps).
Busted! This myth is primarily based on the belief that women will develop big, bulky muscles by lifting heavy weights. The fact is, most females have much lower levels of testosterone than males, and testosterone is needed to develop large muscles.
As a trainer, I am frequently asked which is better: light weight with high reps, or heavy weight with low reps. For most people, I recommend both. A commonly held belief is that light weights tone muscles, and heavy weights create bulky muscles. Actually, whether you tend to have long, lean (toned) muscles or bulky muscles is partly hereditary and may be gender-related.
A different way to look at it (and, I believe, a better way) is to understand how your muscle endurance and strength is affected.
Performing a high number of reps with light weights increases muscle endurance, while using heavy weights builds muscle strength. Both strength and endurance are important, so why not use both methods? You can alternate high rep/light weight days with low rep/heavy weight days. Just be sure you don’t work the same muscle groups on consecutive days.
For light weight sets, aim for 20-30 repetitions. For example, you can do 2 sets of 12 reps, 3 sets of 10 reps, or even a single set of 25 reps. You should select a weight that causes muscle fatigue at the end of your set(s).
For heavy weight sets, start out with a warm-up set at a light weight. For example, you may want to warm up with 15 biceps curls with 10 pound dumbbells before you do your heavy set with 25 pound dumbbells. Perform 6-8 reps with the heavy weight.
These examples are by no means the only way to design a lifting routine. There are many opinions and preferences on how to structure a workout. Some people like progressive sets that combine light and heavy weights, such as in the following example of a half-pyramid biceps dumbbell workout. It starts out light and ends heavy (a full pyramid would go light, then heavy, and end light):
15 reps, 5 pounds
12 reps, 10 pounds
10 reps, 15 pounds
6- 8 reps, 20 pounds
Be sure to rest for a minute between each set. The amount of weight you use will depend on your fitness level. It should be enough to cause muscle fatigue, or even muscle failure on the last rep.
If you are not sure how to structure a workout for yourself, work with a certified trainer. She can design a program for you and help you progress so that you don’t end up reaching a plateau. Check back soon for more information on avoiding fitness plateaus.