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View Full Version : Does Big weight equal Big muscles???



g_mau18
11-13-09, 11:51 am
For the last 4 months I Ate a lot and used super heavy weight and gained a lot of weight. but my progression is getting so heavy that Im scared of my joints giving out and my muscles tearing. As I mentioned in a previous thread Im barbell curling 140 pounds on my last set and my forearm is starting to get painful. My main question is do heavier weights mean bigger muscles? I dont want to go back down in weight because it feels like instead of making progress I'm going back in time. what's the deal here?

Kryptonite
11-13-09, 11:57 am
Well after 4 months of using "super-heavy" weight and I'm assuming low reps I think it would be time for a little change... Give yourself a few weeks to a month of steadier weights and higher reps to change it up.

Maccabee
11-13-09, 12:01 pm
I have phases in my training. You can not always train full blast and expect nothing to happen to your joints. Your body always needs time to adapt to everything you do.

For example, do you think powerlifters who squat a 1000 lbs in competition actually do that every week in training? Most likely not.

Trust me bro every single athlete especially if they are natural take a little time off and allow themselves to heal.

That does not mean stay out of the gym. It just means a little less volume and intensity.

This is my opinion. It works for me.

MrMonday
11-13-09, 12:47 pm
Progressive overload should be the foundation of any muscle-gaining program, however, that does not mean lifting a weight so heavy that you can't control it or that you have no mind-muscle connection anymore.

If you can bench press 250lbs for 8 reps now, and in 3 months you can bench press 275lbs for 8 reps, that is going to make your pecs bigger as long as you were actually using your pecs to do the exercise under control. If you were to just bounce and fling around 275lbs, only moving it from point A to point B with no sense of your muscles at all, then don't expect to be gaining a lot of mass from that, and do expect a training injury.

fenix237
11-13-09, 12:55 pm
For the last 4 months I Ate a lot and used super heavy weight and gained a lot of weight. but my progression is getting so heavy that Im scared of my joints giving out and my muscles tearing. As I mentioned in a previous thread Im barbell curling 140 pounds on my last set and my forearm is starting to get painful. My main question is do heavier weights mean bigger muscles? I dont want to go back down in weight because it feels like instead of making progress I'm going back in time. what's the deal here?

i agree with what others have said. like you, i prefer to train hard and heavy, always trying too add more plates and breaking PR's. you do need to cycle superheavy training, not only for your joints/muscles, but also for CNS recovery and a mental break

i would suggest you give your body a break for a bit- work on your endurance and conditioning- in the long run it will only make you stronger. start taking Flex- that shit is kickass! also, i get bad tendonitis in my elbows if i go all out on isolation exercises like superheavy barbell curls. i only go all out on main compound movements (squats, deads. presses, cleans) and go lighter and more concentrated on assistance excercises. consider training only 3x/wk- an extra day off will help in growth and recovery. as always, your diet is critical to your performance/longevity/durability....in the end, just listen to what your body is telling you

J A Y
11-13-09, 12:59 pm
in relation to your question at the end, somebody correct me if im wrong but it is my understanding 2 things determine strength(big weights)

1. muscle fibre type
2. cross sectional area of the muscles
(this is what we learned in p.e haha)

i think big muscles will have some impact on how much weight you are able to lift however going heavy all the time isnt the only answer....

volume and intensity can also develop strength and muscle.. change it up every now and then

if you look at some programmes and as people have mentioned they go through phases, the first 4-6 weeks build you into the 'strength phase' with sets of 10,8 reps and prepare your joints for the battering to come... then surely enough the reps taper down into heavier weights and this is where you get stronger.. there are many ways to accomplish your goals, dont think just because you are using lesser weight, you will get weaker or smaller, there are many ways to shock the muscles into growth

g_mau18
11-13-09, 2:38 pm
So what you guys are saying is that by using light weights I wont lose weight and my muscles will not get smaller? I would still like to go heavy on squats, dead's, and bench. so instead of curling 60 pounds for like 6 reps, I should go 30 pounds for 12 reps?

IRBS
11-13-09, 3:01 pm
Dude, stop worrying about this crap and just go lift weights. If you have to ask these types of questions, chances are that it wont matter and you just need to lift.

Have fun and lift, it's really that easy,
IRBS

BlackCatz
11-13-09, 3:37 pm
So what you guys are saying is that by using light weights I wont lose weight and my muscles will not get smaller? I would still like to go heavy on squats, dead's, and bench. so instead of curling 60 pounds for like 6 reps, I should go 30 pounds for 12 reps?

haha your muscles will never get smaller as long as you eat and lift. its simple, if you lifted heavy for 3 or 4 weeks try lifting with a smaller weight for 3 or 4 weeks then switch again, but add different tempo. try holding the weight, more tension, lower the weight very slow just play with your reps etc. your body should see a small change in those 4 weeks. i think if you're doing it all correctly youll be gaining a pound or half of lean muscle each week. just lift and you wont lose what you gained its yours.

GJN5002
11-13-09, 4:16 pm
Most people that are really strong, are pretty big. Most people who are relatively weak, arent very big. Simple but illustrates the point.

Kryptonite
11-13-09, 5:19 pm
So what you guys are saying is that by using light weights I wont lose weight and my muscles will not get smaller? I would still like to go heavy on squats, dead's, and bench. so instead of curling 60 pounds for like 6 reps, I should go 30 pounds for 12 reps?

You don't have to go that low, bro... Just do a weight that will allow you to do 10 perfect reps for 3-4 full sets. Like... Instead of using 60s to curls use 45s, but focus more on form rather than trying to throw the weight up into your face. As long as you're eating big, you'll stay big, and get bigger! The working out does NOT matter as much as your diet does. Trust me. That's what every real professional will tell you and that's what I'm telling you.

And I would reccomemd you doing the same for bench, squat, and deads, just so you can work your muscles like the old school guys by lifting decent wait for many reps. You'll probably end up getting more cut...

It's like a gun... The diet is the ammo, the excercise is the trigger, and the growth is the shot fired. The diet contains the growth, but only can be triggered by excercise. I hope that makes sense to you...

In summary: 4 sets of 10 reps each excercise. Eat big to get big.

ironshaolin
11-13-09, 8:53 pm
You might need to drop it down a bit, lower the weight, up the reps and build back up. Nobody that curls 30lbs for sets of 12 has big arms. People that curl 70lb dumbells for 12 good, clean reps have big arms.

TigerAce01
11-13-09, 9:01 pm
You might need to drop it down a bit, lower the weight, up the reps and build back up. Nobody that curls 30lbs for sets of 12 has big arms. People that curl 70lb dumbells for 12 good, clean reps have big arms.

So Tom Platz didn't have big arms? I believe I've seen Arnold himself curling 30s too. There are plenty of guys who use lower weights to stimulate growth.

-Ace

g_mau18
11-13-09, 9:09 pm
ive heard somewhere that arnold never went past 50s for curling

shizz702
11-13-09, 9:17 pm
This is a double standard, cause while on one hand you need that mind muscle connection, and you should lift in acceptable form, but on the other, let's face it, big boys lift big boy weight.

You should strive to lift heavier poundages, but always maintain good form, and use a full range of motion.

Discern between the two, know when to push yourself, but still make sure you are controlling the weight, and it isn't controlling you.

Fury317
11-13-09, 9:28 pm
This is a double standard, cause while on one hand you need that mind muscle connection, and you should lift in acceptable form, but on the other, let's face it, big boys lift big boy weight.

You should strive to lift heavier poundages, but always maintain good form, and use a full range of motion.

Discern between the two, know when to push yourself, but still make sure you are controlling the weight, and it isn't controlling you.

Couldnt agree more.

Kryptonite
11-13-09, 9:41 pm
This is a double standard, cause while on one hand you need that mind muscle connection, and you should lift in acceptable form, but on the other, let's face it, big boys lift big boy weight.

You should strive to lift heavier poundages, but always maintain good form, and use a full range of motion.

Discern between the two, know when to push yourself, but still make sure you are controlling the weight, and it isn't controlling you.

This guy knows his shit...

T o m m Y
11-14-09, 6:22 am
Dude, stop worrying about this crap and just go lift weights. If you have to ask these types of questions, chances are that it wont matter and you just need to lift.

Have fun and lift, it's really that easy,
IRBS

x2..

No need to overthink this shit bro..

msktyshha
11-15-09, 11:07 pm
depends of the person. some people get bigger by low reps more weight others high rep less weight. If you were getting big through low reps and high weights then keep doing them. and its always cool to shock your muscles with a different rep and weight scheme.

Big Wides
11-16-09, 6:06 am
The more you consistantly train with heavier weights the more your body gets used to handling the pressure and it does adapt. Just use good form and you'll be ok, remember the term heavy is all relative

Kryptonite
11-16-09, 6:07 pm
So, BW... You're saying the constant use of heavy weights is okay as long as you're using the proper form?

Big Wides
11-17-09, 6:08 am
So, BW... You're saying the constant use of heavy weights is okay as long as you're using the proper form?

in my opinion yes, but that is just me