Working Up to Bigger, Stronger Muscles

Question: Is it possible to increase muscle mass by doing more repetitions with lighter weights, or do you need to be lifting heavier weights?

Martin Crump

West Indies

Answer: It depends on your intensity level.

You can increase your strength with heavier weights, but let’s say you’re capable of squatting 225 pounds for 10 repetitions and that, physically, you can do no more.

If you reduce the weight to 125 pounds but increase the reps to 20--and then complete another rep on top of that--you’ll have stimulated your body to respond with increases in strength and muscle mass.

Providing you have proper rest and nutrition, your muscles will be stronger and bigger next time you train.

Of course, there are genetic limits to this, but the general rule applies to everyone.

So the answer is less about the number of reps but how much effort you put into your set.

Basic rules to follow are:

* Maintain proper form.

* Gradually increase the weight or reps.

* Do most sets to--or almost to--muscular failure; in other words, until you simply can do no more.

Also, keep in mind that the upper body generally responds well to 10 to 12 reps; the lower body responds to 10 to 20 reps.

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Stephanie Oakes is the fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel and a health/fitness consultant. Send questions by e-mail to: stephoakes@aol.com. She cannot respond to every query.