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Strong Women
Is it better to increase reps or weight when strength training? We asked the experts
By Lauren Geall
11 months ago
5 min read
Not sure what the next step in your strength training journey should look like? We asked two personal trainers whether it’s better to increase your reps or weights, and how to tell when it’s time to make that jump.
The world of strength training can get pretty complex, especially when it comes to deciding how you structure your workouts. Like most sports, there are multiple ways to approach your training depending on your goals and personal preference – and that includes whether you’re going to prioritise weight or reps.
While it can be tempting to try to lift as heavy as possible, struggling to complete one rep probably isn’t going to help you build strength in the long run. The same is true on the opposite end of the spectrum: while opting for a weight you can overhead press for hours might make you feel accomplished, it’s probably not going to do much.
Ultimately, you want to find a sweet spot between the two. But does that mean prioritising one over the other, at least to begin with? And if so, how can you tell when it’s time to increase both your weights and your reps?
What are the benefits of increasing reps when strength training?
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While strength training is all about priming your muscles to support heavier loads, there are benefits to increasing the number of reps you do in a session – including when it comes to endurance and overall fitness.
“Working in a higher rep range helps to improve the ability of your muscles to perform over an extended period,” explains Ali Malik, a personal trainer and founder of Fit Labs Kensington. “Performing more reps with shorter rest intervals can also elevate your heart rate and enhance cardiovascular conditioning.”
Because increasing your reps typically requires you to drop the amount of weight you’re dealing with, this style of strength training can also provide benefits for joint and ligament health, explains Amanda Place, a personal trainer and founder of Sculptrition.
“It also helps you to build resilience, not only in your workouts but in various aspects of life, as you have to push through fatigue,” she adds. “Integrating a range of rep schemes into your training can help you to achieve a well-rounded and effective weight training regimen.”
And that’s not forgetting that high-rep routines can also help to reduce the risk of injury that comes with lifting heavier weights, because you’ll be more in control of your movements.
What are the benefits of increasing weight when strength training?
There’s something particularly satisfying about being able to up the dumbbell size you use in your workouts, and being ambitious with the weights you use can offer plenty of benefits. That is, if you do it gradually.
“Increasing the weight you are lifting is known in training terms as progressive overload,” Malik explains. “This is a fundamental principle in strength training and exercise science that involves gradually increasing the demands placed on your muscles, typically by lifting heavier weights or increasing resistance overtime.”
The benefits associate with this progressive increase in weights are numerous, including increased strength, and muscular hypertrophy, or growth.
It’ll also help you develop power and explosiveness – something you’ll want for sports that require sudden movements – and can even stimulate the development of stronger bones. This is why strength training is such a good form of exercise for women both pre- and post-menopause, who are at greater risk of osteoporosis due to their changing hormones.
“Progressive overload also requires increased joint stability and muscle activation, which can help to protect against joint injuries and enhance overall joint health,” Malik adds.
Is it better to increase reps or weight?
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The right decision for you will largely depend on the goal you’re trying to achieve, as well as the stage you’re at in your training.
Place explains: “If you aim to maximise muscle size and strength, lifting heavier weights with lower repetitions is the preferred approach, as it promotes hypertrophy and significant muscle growth. On the other hand, increasing the number of reps with lighter weights is more effective for improving muscular endurance.”
In most cases, both experts say it’s usually beneficial to incorporate a mix of both approaches into your training. This is a process known as periodisation, where you go through cycles in your training – in this case, it would be training with lower weights and higher reps (known as a hypertrophy or volume phase) and training with heavier weights and lower reps (known as a strength phase).
A balanced approach can also prevent you from reaching a plateau in your training, which can take a toll on your motivation levels. Ultimately, you just want to make sure you’re always being challenged.
How to tell when you should increase your reps and weight
Want to switch up your strength training, but not sure whether you’re ready to up your reps or weight? Malik recommends considering the following three things:
- Are you breezing through your reps?
“If you are making the deadlifts with ease, you may not be challenging yourself enough,” Malik says. “Every strength training program has specific goals that determine the weight, reps and sets to undertake for each exercise. Hitting the top of your rep range during your sets with proper form can be a sign to go up in weight.”
- Are you seeing results?
“The goals set for your strength training class should dictate how heavy you can lift and the way to achieve it,” he says. “There are different ways to achieve your fitness goals other than increasing your weight, such as increasing the number of reps. However, if you have been hitting the gym without much progress, it may be time to consider increasing weight to align with your fitness goals.”
- Is your form flawless?
“All the weight increase hype may be futile if the body isn’t ready to handle the extra kilos,” Malik explains. “You may need to ensure that your form is perfect, allowing you to perform the specific exercise safely. The effects of increasing weight without proper form may result in serious injuries, especially for strength-building exercises that may put a strain on your spine.
“Having great form allows you to record consistent progress over time. You may choose to record yourself as you do the sets to identify areas you may be doing wrong. Stagnating at the same weight over several weeks can slow down your fitness journey. Knowing when to add weight to your exercises is a critical part of your strength training programme.”
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