You Don't Have to Lift Big Weights to Build Big Muscle

"You gotta lift big to get big, bro!" Or so the maxim goes. However, is this tenant, regarded by many-a-gym-rat as an irrefutable law of muscle building, really an iron law of pumping iron?

What Really Works?

As many intelligent gym enthusiasts will tell you, and as I will further attest, lifting progressively heavier and heavier weights over the course of weeks, months, and years works for building muscle. Of course, while progressive overload is by far the means for growing muscle, if you've perused the internet, for any amount of time, looking for the latest and greatest workout program that will allow you to look like your favorite superhero, action hero, or athlete, you no doubt have discovered the uniform lack of uniformity among the various muscle-building methodologies in existence. One person advises "blitzing" every muscle group once per week with a barrage of exercises, using high volume and high intensity. Another advocates using an upper/lower body split using moderate weights, with moderate intensity, hitting each muscle group two times per week. Still another says you should only do full body splits, hitting your whole body two to three times per week with a lower amount of volume and high intensity. I could wax on and on here, but I've made my point: there are a lot of ways to get bigger, but, what all effective methods have in common is their reliance upon progressive overload. 

Sweating the Details

Regardless of methods, one myth (or at least a common misconception) that echoes through the halls of gyms everywhere is "You have to lift heavy weights!" Now, I don't want to totally disparage this myth. After all, you can indeed get big by lifting heavy weights (and I mean heavy weights!), but lifting ball-bustingly heavy weights is not the only way to build muscle (and for some perhaps not the best way). 

Most people worth listening to in the fitness business are in pretty universal agreement that lifting weights in the 6-12 rep range using 70-80% of your 1 rep max, hitting a muscle group 1-2x per week, is ideal for growing muscle. Of course, there are a few others who espouse lifting weights in the 4-6 rep range using up to 85% of your 1 rep max, and there are those who say you should use weight in the 15(+) rep range using less than 70% of your 1 rep max. Nevertheless, most people "in the know" will tell you that your best bet is to stick to weights in the 70-80% intensity range (give or take). 

Now, most studies done on muscle building back up this consensus, but consequently, most studies only conduct their tests in the 70-80% intensity range (hence, the reason most studies uphold this generally accepted recommendation). However, not all studies are so narrowly constrained. If you look around for bit, you'll find some very interesting studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of using weights as light as 30% of your 1 rep max. Such evidence explains why people can build muscle doing lots of push-ups and other sorts of body-weight-only exercises.

Yet, as you may now protest, while body-weight-only exercises may work initially, in the long-term they only lead to stagnation. True, but this stagnation occurs because your body has adapted to your body weight, not because using higher reps and lighter weights invariably leads to stagnation. You stop building muscle because you fail to use progressive overload. It's that plain and simple.

A Better Way

"Better" is of course relative, but I'll try my best to convince you that using lighter weights to build muscle is in fact better than using heavier weights. 

Beyond the fact that using lighter weights works, what is it about using lighter weights that is superior? My answer to this question is simple: joint health!

One of the biggest impediments to building muscle, especially in the long-term, is joint fatigue and joint injuries. Moreover, while muscles typically require 48-72 hours to recover and super-compensate following a workout, if you lift heavy weights, more than just your muscles get damaged; your joints, ligaments, and connective tissue likewise take a beating. What's more, these other damaged components of your musculoskeletal system require much more time to heal (1-2 weeks in some cases). Not only will weakened joints increase the likelihood of injury (which will put a definite kink in your plans for building muscle), weakened joints will also impede your muscle's ability to do the adequate amount work required to make them grow. Whenever a joint is any kind of wonky position, your brain will send signals to the surrounding muscles to tell them to "shut down." This signal will likely be sent before you've been able to optimally damage your muscle fibers and tax your sacroplasmic energy reserves.

Using lighter weights allows you to bypass these issues.

How Light?

You could conceivably go as light as you want, but regardless of the intensity you use, you must go to the point of muscular failure for at least one set of an exercise, and you must use the principle of progressive overload. 

What to Do

The methodology I recommend admittedly is not my own. It comes from Jonathan Lawson, who, after doing a good amount of research and anecdotal experimentation, has developed an effective method for building muscle that allows you to use light weights (in some cases ridiculously light weights) to effectively build muscle.

Of his various recommended methods, two in particular have worked well for me: 4XMass and TORQ. These methods are very simple:

For 4XMass, use a weight that's approximately your 15 rep max and do 4 sets of 10 reps. Now, that may seem simple enough, and even easy, but the key to making this method work is the short rest time between sets (only 30-35 seconds). I can assure you that by the time you get to set 4, getting 10 reps will be a struggle! The progression is simple: go to failure on the last (the 4th) set, and if you can get 10 or more reps, increase the weight at your next workout.

For TORQ, do 3 sets, the first for 30 reps, the second for 20 reps, and the third for 15 reps. You'll rest 45 seconds between sets. The goal here is to feel the burn (and if you do it right you'll FEEL IT!). You'll want to use a weight that allows you to just barely get 30 reps for the first set. If you can get 30, 20, and 15 reps successively, add weight at the next workout.

You can use these methods in any number of arrangements, so I have no specific recommendations. But, the following routine is what I'm currently doing, and so far I enjoy it, and I can already tell you that my joints feel amazing since I've started using these methods for building muscle.

Workout A (Upper Body)

Chest & Back

Dips 4 x 10 (or max reps)

Chins 4 x 10 (or max reps)

Dumbbell Incline Bench Press 4 x 10

Dumbbell Chest Supported Row 4 x 10

Dumbbell Incline Bench Chest Fly 3 x 30, 20, 15

Cable Pullover (for Lats) 3 x 30, 20, 15

Shoulders

Standing Dumbbell Press 4 x 10

Dumbbell Upright Row 4 x 10

Seated Arnold Press 3 x 30, 20, 15

Dumbbell Lateral Delt Raise 3 x 30, 20, 15

Arms

Barbell Curl 4 x 10

Close-Grip Bench Press 4 x 10

Zottman Curls 3 x 30, 20, 15

Seated Dumbbell French Press 3 x 30, 20, 15

Workout B (Lower Body)

Legs

Barbell Romanian Deadlift 4 x 10 (I do 1 light warm-up set)

Leg Press 4 x 10

Leg Curl 3 x 30, 20, 15

Leg Extension 3 x 30, 20, 15

Traps

Barbell Shrug 4 x 10

Calves (Do as a circuit)

Wide Stance Calf Press 4 x 10

Medium Stance Calf Press 4 x 10

Narrow Stance Calf Press 4 x 10

Abs (Do as a circuit)

Any Exercise 3 x 30, 20, 15

I workout 3 days per week on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday (provided my schedule permits me), alternating workouts each day. While these workouts seem like they would be long, I'm actually in and out of the gym in just over an hour (primarily because the rest time between sets is so short).

The above program is by no means my recommendation for anyone and everyone. It's simply an example of what I do. Feel free to use what works for you, toss what you dislike, or just make your own workout from scratch. If you're an experienced trainee, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you what to do, but if you're new to training, I highly recommend you find someone (a trainer, a mentor, someone with half a brain) to help you out.

Happy lifting! And may your joints forever thank you!

How to Spot a "Buff"-oon: Or How to Tell When Someone in the Gym Is Giving You Bad Advice

It's been a long while since my last post. I've been busy doing school things and other such fun activities. At any rate, I thought I would share some thoughts and insights regarding advice--some advice on advice, really.

Not long ago I was carrying on in the gym, "pumping some iron," and simply minding my own business (i.e., pushing myself, setting personal records, and pursuing a long term goal one day at a time). Meanwhile, a group of three guys was in the gym. One of the three was the ringleader, while the other two were glued to his every word and dictate. While such a scenario is not by any means uncommon (I've been the ringleader a couple times myself), what I found most laughable about this particular instance was the fact that the ringleader of this threesome appeared the least qualified out of the three to be issuing advice. The other two had more meat on their bones, yet they were somehow entranced by the advice of the third as though he was a fitness sage whose erudition bespoke expertise of the highest caliber.

Now, I'm not one to outright criticize someone for an apparent failure to practice what they preach. Sometimes, even if not outwardly obvious, the people who seem least qualified to offer advice can surprisingly know what they're talking about. But this guru I witnessed in the gym clearly lacked some of the chief qualities attributable to fitness experts. Among the various qualities missing was one very important, if not the most important, component of sound advice regarding all things muscle-building and fat-loss related: the presentation of the importance of setting a long-term goal.

Not only did this would-be "expert" fail to inculcate his pupils with the tenants of sound muscle-building practice (progressive tension overload, dedication to a long-term plan, the importance of tracking progress, etc.), he further sounded like the typical broscientist, advocating such things as getting a pump, attacking the chest from 10 different angles, and other sorts of lore that only serve to distract people from enacting the base fundamentals that have been time-tested and approved by generations of successful weightlifters.

Bear in mind that I'm not making any sort of claim that a "pump" has no value, nor am I saying that it's a waste of time to use a variety of techniques for targeting a muscle group. Such practices can play a role in enhancing results; however, these methods pale in significance compared to the plain and simple art of patiently and consistently adding resistance to an exercise over the course of weeks, months, and years. 

So here's my chief advice about advice: Look for guides who teach consistency, goal-setting, and progress tracking, and avoid guides who teach haphazard methodologies. Any nave can go into the weight room and put together a random assortment of exercises that will leave him/her gassed and sore for days afterward, but it takes a pro to set goals, to be patient, and to recognize that personal records, and not pain, indicate progress.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 

How to Create New Habits

Habits are an amazing thing. Their influence on our day to day lives is nothing short of profound. In fact, some research suggests that habits may comprise up to 40% of our daily behaviors. Habits, therefore, constitute a powerful tool; one that can either serve us well or ill depending upon what sorts of behaviors a given habit reinforces.

What Is a Habit?

According to Robert Duhigg in his book The Power of Habit, habits have three components:

1. A Cue
2. A Routine
3. A Reward

These three components make up a three-part loop that, over time, can become neurologically embedded in our minds. We learn our habits by associating certain cues, routines, and rewards with one another. 

Take, for example, a common habit that most of us have: brushing our teeth. Many of us have learned to associate the reward of having fresh, clean smelling breath with the routine of brushing our teeth. The cue to brush our teeth often comes from seeing our toothbrush and toothpaste sitting next to our bathroom sink first thing in the morning. Once we see them, we are reminded that our mouth is brimming with halitosis, and we thus brush our teeth to purge our mouths from the scourge of bad breath. Our behavior is rewarded by the minty and refreshing taste of the toothpaste, and the vain, maniacal pleasure we get from seeing our white smiles in the mirror.

While many of us no doubt know that brushing our teeth is a good practice, many of us would likely fail to brush our teeth on a regular basis if their were no reward involved. Habits reinforce behaviors, in effect, by instilling within us the desire to do said behaviors. Without a reward to reinforce our desire, what would there be left to motivate us--will power? Will power alone can only take us so far. Eventually, our ability to will will exhaust itself, as anyone who has ever tried to will themselves to do anything for an extended period of time can attest.

To borrow from the language of Aristotle, there are primarily four ways of acting in the world:

1. Acting Viciously
2. Acting Incontinently
3. Acting Continently
4. Acting Virtuously

If a person acts viciously, she has a mistaken knowledge of what is good, she desires this mistaken good, and she acts accordingly.

If a person acts incontinently, he has a correct knowledge of what is good, yet he desires what is not good, and he acts according to his desire.

If a person acts continently, he has a correct knowledge of what is good, yet he desires what is not good.  Nevertheless, he acts according to his knowledge, despite his desire.

If a person acts virtuously, she has a correct knowledge of what is good, she desires what is good, and she acts in accordance with the unity of her reason and her desire.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to become virtuous--to not only know what is good, but also to want to act according to what is good. Our desires are exceedingly powerful, and if we fail to reconcile our desire with our reason, we'll inevitably find ourselves exhausting our will power to act according to what's good, in spite of our desire. We may be able to live continently for a while, but inevitably we'll lapse into incontinence.

Changing Habits

According to Duhigg, habits cannot be truly eliminated. They can only be replaced. More specifically, the routine that falls between the cue and the reward can be replaced. But, before the routine can be changed, one must first ascertain what the cue and reward are.

Cues can come in any number of forms, whether it be a specific place, time, emotion, person, or preceding action. Rewards, likewise, can take on a number of forms. Some cues and rewards are easy to figure out, but others may be tricky. Duhigg, for example, describes how he used to have the habit of eating a cookie every day at 3:30 in the afternoon. It appeared clear that the cue for his behavior was a sudden desire to snack at 3:30, but he had to do some self experimenting to nail down the reward for this behavior. He tried going for a walk at 3:30, going out for coffee, and eating an apple, yet none of these behaviors seemed to properly reward his cue to snack. As it turned out, his desire to get up and go snack was in fact reinforced by the reward of socializing, and the cookie turned out to be an appropriate excuse to get up and do just that.

Having nailed down the relevant cue and reward associated with his routine, Duhigg was able to replace his habit of getting up to eat a cookie at 3:30 with finding someone to gossip with for 10 minutes. Duhigg consequently lost 21 pounds. It's amazing the positive change that can come from replacing even one bad habit!

Going back to Aristotle, desire is a powerful, emotive force. Most people, however, only desire what they perceive to be the greatest good. This good is often the reward obtained from enacting a certain routine. Nevertheless, despite the fact that most people don't desire what is ultimately bad for them, they may make mistakes in terms of what they perceive to be good. Furthermore, their routines for getting what they think is a good can also be mistaken.

For instance, an alcoholic, despite what onlookers might suppose, does not desire anything bad, at least within their own perspective. The routine of drinking to excess can often be cued by a number of things, such as the sight or smell of alcohol, the presence of a given person, or a particular emotional state. The reward may often be a sense of escapism from the demands of everyday life, from stress, from family problems, or any number of issues. The question the alcoholic must therefore ask is what sorts of cues spur them, ultimately, to seek an escape from life, or whatever else it is that may reward their behavior? If the cue and the reward can be ascertained, it becomes much easier to begin the process of replacing the negative routine of excessive drinking with a positive one.

This same scenario can prove true for a number of negative behaviors, whether they be staying at work late or eating too much unhealthy food. If you can figure out the cue and the reward associated with a given routine, you can change the routine.

Final Thoughts

The practical implications seem clear. To change a given habit, we need to:

1. Pick an unhealthy routine that we would like to change.
2. Figure out what the cue and the reward for this routine are.
3. Replace this negative routine with a positive one.

Without a doubt, this process will take time. Don't make the mistake of trying to change all of your negative habits at once. Tackle them one at time.

Good luck, and may you live virtuously!