Heavy Weights

[Happy Monster]

When people say they are lifting heavy weights and thus need more recovery time, am I correct in thinking that this amount of weight is proportional to that person's strength?

I.e. someone not very strong could only lift 4 reps of a lowish weight would still need extra recovery time, just like someone very strong who only lifts 4 reps of a high weight?

Just something I want to clarify.

[sc7389]

I would think so.

[bradh]

Originally Posted by Happy Monster

When people say they are lifting heavy weights and thus need more recovery time, am I correct in thinking that this amount of weight is proportional to that person's strength?

I.e. someone not very strong could only lift 4 reps of a lowish weight would still need extra recovery time, just like someone very strong who only lifts 4 reps of a high weight?

Just something I want to clarify.

Lifting heavy is a 80 to 95 percent load of YOUR 1Rep Max.

[Happy Monster]

I thought so, just wanted to make sure in case it wasn't due to something else such as stress on the nervous system.

[OoOGazOoO]

Nice too see another UK member, i live just outside Grantham, not far from Notts!!!

Good post too, i have always wondered what %age of your 1 Rep MAX you are supposed to lift if you want to 'lift heavy'. Thanks to Canada for the answer.

[NEdge]

Originally Posted by Happy Monster

When people say they are lifting heavy weights and thus need more recovery time, am I correct in thinking that this amount of weight is proportional to that person's strength?

I.e. someone not very strong could only lift 4 reps of a lowish weight would still need extra recovery time, just like someone very strong who only lifts 4 reps of a high weight?

Just something I want to clarify.

No, this is not true. Even though a beginner may 'feel' like they are pushing the limits (or even some non-beginners), in general the more you lift, the more recovery you need.

Someone who is just starting can probably safely lift their max (say Bench 120lb) every day, or every other day. There is no way someone benching 500+lb could do that every day. An extreme example perhaps, but it basically comes down to CNS training.

When you start your CNS is not trained, so you are not actually capable of lifting close to your true muscular potential. Think of it this way - how many beginners can actually tear a muscle while lifting? It wont happen because your CNS can't stimulate all your muscle fibers to fire in unison and you have natural feed-back mechanisms to stop you from over exerting the muscle. Thus you will never actually exhaust all your muscle fibers.

Now it could be true that 2 athletes that have similar training experience but lift different amounts (say they are in very different weight classes) might need the same recovery time. Even then, though I would suspect the person lifting heavier might need a bit more.

[Happy Monster]

Hmm. Now I really am confused! Two different answers.

[zenpharaohs]

Originally Posted by Happy Monster

Hmm. Now I really am confused! Two different answers.

There's another complication. If you train for endurance, then your recovery is faster.

[Reeze]

Originally Posted by Happy Monster

Hmm. Now I really am confused! Two different answers.

Don't worry about it. Just listen to your body and rest for as long as you need.

[Happy Monster]

My Body says No..

[HevyMetal]

"Lifting heavy" is a relative issue regarding recovery time.

For instance, if you pre-fatigue certain muscles with 'iso's" and then try to do, say, a compound for those muscles you will not have the strength left to do a max lift but you will hit failure with LESS weight just the same.

This can also be said of "leverage" and "form".

Both these factors can turn an ex into one which will require more intensity yet it may quite possibly be a lower weight.

Lifting the heaviest weight is always a goal but it is by no means the only way to get results.

Form and leverage position are as equally important in muscle building as amount of weight.

Your goal should not be amount of weight only.

In many instances you want to hit the muscles from different angles for best results. It may require a lighter weight to do this.

Also "supersetting" will produce very good results and depending on what kind of superset your doing it may require a lighter weight but the intensity will be max.

Maybe they should introduce a "weight class" system for hobby and amateur bodybuilders. It's intimidating when a guy thats 130lbs reads a post by a guy that's 280lbs and 6feet 6inches tall and then wonders why he can't bench the same weight. Nor should he be expected to.
In every other amateur sport there are weight classes but it seems not in public bodybuilding.

[jchantelau]

Originally Posted by Reeze

Don't worry about it. Just listen to your body and rest for as long as you need.

I would have to agree. Your body will tell you what that rest period will be.