More reps or more weight for fat loss? Here’s What The Science Says

The debate in the fitness world revolves around ‘More reps or more weight for fat loss.’ Let’s get into this never-ending debate of low reps and high reps and find out what works best. 

To get the maximum benefit from your weight training workout, you must understand how to manipulate your reps, weight, training intensity, and volume to meet your goals. 

In this article, we will discuss the best possible training that will help in weight loss and increase muscle mass. 

High reps VS low reps for fat loss

Lifting heavy weights is the most effective way to keep muscle mass while burning fat. It boosts your metabolism, which burns your calories even at rest. 

For resistance training, knowing the accurate rep range is essential because rep ranges have differing affects your muscles. 

Remember that both higher reps and lower reps play a significant role in weight reduction. But if you want to preserve your hard-gained muscles, heavy weight training with low to mid range reps is your best bet. 

For even better results, a blend of both approaches is the smartest. 

Should I increase reps or weight for fat loss? 

Are you new to fitness and don’t know if you should increase reps or weight for fat loss? You must have heard that high reps with lightweight will burn more fat. Right? It’s just a myth. High reps only train your slow-twitch muscle fibres, which have nothing to do with burning “more” fat. It only improves your muscle endurance. 

Fact: During weight loss, the primary goal is to burn fat while maintaining muscle mass. That’s why you should lift moderate to heavy weights with low reps (ranging from 4 to 10) to keep your muscles. 

Does lifting weight burn fat?

Lifting weights is an effective way to burn fat. Wondering how? When you lift heavier weights, you build more muscle. The muscle tissues are metabolically active and play a significant role in burning calories, even at rest. Remember that resistance training exercises will only work if you use them efficiently to stimulate your muscle growth.

It is also important to maintain a calorie deficit over time; otherwise, you won’t see the progress. 

Other benefits of lifting weight include:

• Boosting your metabolism.
• Improving your mood and bone health.
• Lowering blood pressure.
• Increasing confidence and self-esteem.

What’s better, cardio or weights, for a fat loss? 

It is a never-ending debate as cardio and weight lifting is popular workouts that help lose body weight and make you healthier. Typically, cardio burns more calories as compared to weight lifting workouts for the same duration. 

The choice also depends on your goals. For instance, weight training is for you if the primary goal is to build muscle. If your goal is to improve build speed, heart health, and endurance, cardiovascular exercises is your best option. 

Note: For better outcomes, keeping a balance between fat-burning workouts and a strict diet plan is ideal. 

Is weight training for fat loss different in women?

No, weight training for fat loss is not different for women. According to the American College of sports medicine (ACSM, weight lifting workouts are the same for both men and women. However, the response to training might be different. For instance, men show greater muscle mass gains and tendon strengthening than women. 

A study compared the effect of weight lifting workouts in men and women. Lifting in men led to a 9% increase in resting metabolic rate (RMR), whereas they saw a 4% increase in women. Researchers noted it increased the resting metabolism of men by 140 calories per day. With women, It was 50 calories per day. So, they concluded gender influences that changes in RMR. 

The three types of resistance training

We do resistance training or resistance exercise to increase muscle strength and size. The three types of resistance exercise are:

1. Isotonic resistance training

In this type of physical activity, the weight remains constant throughout the movement. It involves the use of free weights, such as dumbbells and barbells. We can also use resistance bands for gaining strength and stabilizing muscles. 

1. Isometric resistance training

It is the type of muscular exercise in which muscle length remains constant, and we observe no visible movement at the joint. It is completed with sub-maximal muscle action. 

1. Isokinetic resistance training

In isokinetic resistance exercise, the person moves at a constant speed against the resistance. This method involves the use of a machine to develop muscle strength. 

Should you use high reps or low reps for weight loss?

A common myth is that light weights with high reps will burn body fat. However, the reality is quite the opposite. If you lift heavy weights with low reps, it will help you in losing more weight and maintain your muscles. 

Apart from weight and reps, the intensity of the workout and proper nutrition will also determine how much fat you will burn. 

Power and strength training for fat loss

Heavy Strength training is an effective fat loss workout. It strengthens muscles, changes body composition, and builds lean muscle tissue. The lean muscle tissue increases the resting metabolic rate, which means you will burn calories while resting. 

Can you lose weight by only doing strength training?

Strength training exercises burn your body fat and strengthen you at the same time. Remember that the best exercises alone can’t help you in losing weight; you must also be on a calorie deficit diet to achieve your goals.

Can women use heavy weight lifting for weight loss?

Lifting weights helps women in losing weight at any age. It increases their muscle strength, strengthens them, and prevents them from chronic diseases. 

Most people believe that weight lifting exercises increase muscle mass in women and make them look bulkier. But this is not possible as women have low levels of anabolic hormones such as testosterone, which is essential for muscle building. 

How can cardio and weight training support your overall fitness and health?

The benefits of HIIT workout go way beyond providing strength to your muscles and burning fat. Here are the promising benefits of doing exercises regularly: 

• Strengthen your bones, joints, and connective tissues 
• Reduce the risk of injury
• Increase your resting metabolic rate
• Boost your confidence and self-esteem
• Improve coordination and balance
• Boost energy levels and improve your mood
• Improve the cardiac health and heart rate
• Regulate blood pressure and sugar
• Prevent chronic diseases
• Strengthen the immune system
• Reduce asthma symptoms

Hypertrophy weight training for fat loss

Hypertrophy training focuses on developing your muscle fibers and muscle mass. By having muscle hypertrophy, your resting metabolic rate (RMR) will increase, which makes it easier for you to lose fat. It also makes you healthier, strengthens your muscles, increases caloric expenditure, and improves your physique. 

In hypertrophy workout training, you increase the training volume (more sets and reps) and decrease the resting period between sets. 

Is muscular endurance weight training good for fat loss? 

Muscle endurance is the ability of your muscles to contract for extended periods of time against resistance. Doing muscle endurance training increases your muscle mass. The more muscles you have, the more calories you will burn at rest. This will ultimately help in losing fat while keeping up with strength. 

Is weight training good for muscular endurance?

Yes, strength training is effective for building muscular endurance. It’s all about how you plan your workout. If you do more reps with light weights, then it will help you in building muscle endurance. Similarly, if you do fewer reps with more weights, it will increase your muscle strength. According to workout experts, it is better to keep a balance between both strength training workout and muscular endurance training.

How often should you do such a strength training for weight loss?

We should do strength training for weight loss at least two to three days a week. For effective weight loss results, always go for compound exercises (Which involve the use of multiple muscles at a time). Such exercises may include: 

• Box crawl
• Squat to overhead press
• Rotational lunge 

If you lack training equipment or don’t know how to do strength training exercises, then you should start with more basic exercises such as: 

• Squat’s
• Lunges
• Planks
• Push-ups and pull-ups
• Tricep dips

Note: Always give your body at least two days of rest a week. 

Training with heavy weights and high reps

While training with heavyweights and high reps, it’s important to consider the body’s responsiveness. It is because, after some time, the trainer is more likely to enter a fitness plateau (where the body no longer responds to the workout plan). When a trainer reaches a fitness plateau, it’s better to add more reps instead of heavier weights as it ends up compromising form and increasing the risk of injury. 

It is advisable to develop a balanced approach between high reps and carrying heavier weight. 

Can you lose fat and build muscle at the same time?

Yes, you can lose fat and build muscle simultaneously by sustaining weight lifting workouts and caloric deficit. When you adopt a calorie deficit diet and lift weights to increase muscle mass, your body burns fat from fat stores to fuel itself. In this situation, there is the potential to build muscle mass while burning fat.

How do you successfully lose fat and gain muscle?

As we know, calorie surplus is essential for muscle growth, whereas caloric deficit helps lose weight. So how can you actually lose fat while gaining muscle? When you keep your caloric deficit small, fewer muscles will break down as you lose weight. 

In an obesity study, the people who drastically cut calories for 12 weeks lost about 8.8% of their muscles. The individuals who cut the calories conservatively only lost 1.3% muscle mass. 

Consume a protein-rich diet as it helps maintain muscle mass and lose body fat. Do more compound strength exercises to maintain existing muscles and build more muscles. 

Combining intermittent fasting with strength training is another effective strategy that activates the fat burning process. 

Body form weight management pre-workout supplement

If you are starting your weight reduction journey, we recommend taking pre-workout supplements. The best pre-workout supplements ease intense workout fatigue, give you extra motivation for harder workouts, increase your stamina, and build more muscles. 

Are you looking for a pre-workout supplement? Better body sports offer you pre-workout weight management powder. This all-in-one powder containing vitamins, herbs, and amino acids will improve your metabolism and prepare your body for the workout. Just take 1-2 scoops of BodyForm Thermogenic weight management powder before your workout, and you are ready! 

Get your hands on our workout supplement to boost your energy, stamina, performance, and power. 

Reference 

• By JEFFREY T. LEMMER, FREDERICK M. IVEY, ALICE S. RYAN, GREG F. MARTEL, DIANE E. HURLBUT, JEFFREY E. METTER, JAMES L. FOZARD, JEROME L. FLEG, BEN F. HURLEY Container: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Year: 2001 DOI: 10.1097/00005768-200104000-00005 URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11283427/
• By Roel G. Vink, Nadia J. T. Roumans, Laura A. J. Arkenbosch, Edwin C. M. Mariman, Marleen A. van Baak Container: Obesity Year: 2016 Volume: 24 Issue: 2 DOI: 10.1002/oby.21346 URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21346