Thursday, April 8, 2010

New Studies Show That To Get Toned And Slim, Women Need To Lift Heavy And Hard

Everyone knows the conventional wisdom - to get lean and toned you need to lift light weights for high reps, right?

Not so, according to a recent article in the NY Times:

"For people who lift weights to tone up and slim down, experts say, a regimen that includes a combination of challenging weights and fewer repetitions can help significantly. In a 2002 study, for example, scientists looked at what happened when women performed various resistance exercises at different weights and repetitions (85 percent of their maximum ability for 8 reps, versus 45 percent for 15). Subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise.""

In other words, lifting heavier weights revs up your metabolism and burns more calories than lifting lighter weights.

So if you're currently avoiding the heavy weights out of fear that you might 'bulk up' and 'get big', you need to do exactly the opposite of what you're doing now.

The Bottom Line:

If you want to tone up, train heavy and train hard. Light weights and high reps have their place in a training program, but most people turn to them way too often to really see the results that they want.

If you can't seem to shift that weight and you've only been training with high reps, give those heavier weights and low reps a try.

And if you're not sure about the best way to get started training with low reps, make sure to stop in to one of our fitness center locations and ask for your free consultation with a certified personal trainer. Our trainers are all experts in fat loss training and can help you tone up, slim down and get in killer shape super quick!

-
Yudi Kerbel, CPT
Life FX Hunt Valley Certified Personal Trainer

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