«Raise the heavy shit.»
It is more than a slogan, it is a call to weapons. A challenge. A slip permit. And for many women, it is the missing piece in their training.
During generations, we have fed us a diluted force version: small pink weights, endless repetitions and training that only worth it «if they leave us sweat, sore and exhausted.
It’s time to change that. It is time for training that make us stronger and more empowered.
To do that, we need to lift heavy several times a week. So let’s break down what that really means, and why it matters so much.
What is strength training?
First, let’s talk about terms.
Resistance training It is a general term used to describe the exercise that makes your muscles work against a weight or strength to develop muscle strength, resistance and size. This resistance can come from its body weight, free weights (such as russian and weight weights, weight machines, cable machines or resistance bands.
Strength training It is a type of resistance training where the objective is to increase strength of your muscles. In general, it implies lifting heavy weights for less repetitions (about 1-5 repetitions per set), with longer rest periods between sets, so it can continue to lift heavy. Training to increase force is a large extent of intensity, which is the heaviest as possible for some repetitions while maintaining the proper form.
Hypertrophy training It is a type of resistance training where the objective is to increase size of your muscles and your muscle mass. In general, it implies more moderate weights and higher repetitions (around 6-12 repetitions per set), with shorter rest periods between sets. The key to hypertrophy training is more about volume: do more work (sets/repetitions/total weight) in each training.
While both strength and hypertrophy training will result in muscle growth and strength gains, the emphasis is different. Hypertrophy training leads to greater increases in muscle size, while strength training results in higher strength gains.
Your individual objectives determine which approach or combination of these approaches is better for you.
In general terms, if you are looking to develop muscle mass and «it seems to raise», hypertrophy training can be more suitable for you.
If it aims to improve functional strength and power, then strength training could be the way to go.
Training force vs. Hypertrophy: What is the difference?
Let’s break it down:
- Strength training = Raising heavy weights For less repetitions (1–6), with a longer break between sets. Objective: Get stronger.
- Hypertrophy training = Moderately heavy pesos for moderate repetitions (6–12), shorter rest. Objective: Increase muscle size.
Both approaches develop muscle and strength, so a combination of both is ideal. And yes, women ought do both.
The science of adaptation
Force is the response of your body to a specific challenge or stimulus, one that requires more muscle fiber recruitment for less repetitions. Their muscles adapt to that specific stimulus by recruiting more muscle fibers so that next time, the same challenge feels easier.
In the first 6–8 weeks of training, most of their profits come from neuronal adaptations—A nervous system learning to recruit your muscles more efficiently. Muscle gain (hypertrophy) tends to be left behind, but comes with a constant effort.
Progressive overload: the key to growth
Progressive overload means that the weight, volume (sets/repetitions) or the intensity of its training over time increases gradually. That is what he says to your body: «Hey, if you want me to return to level, you need to improve the challenge and give me a reason to strengthen you.»
This is the reason why you can get incredible novice profits from a training or training plan, but stop working after 4 to 8 weeks. Your body adapts quickly. Without progression, prints. But that is just a sign that it needs to change something (volume, intensity, frequency) to continue seeing progress. But magic never stops if you stay consistent and intentional.
What does «even heavy» even?
The most important thing to know is that the term «heavyweights» is relative. It means any heavyweight for you. There is no magic number that you should hit to consider you a heavy lifting.
For example, you do not need to be on squatting your body weight to obtain the strength gains of your lifting. It is simply a matter of applying enough stimulus to your body that your body is forced to adapt. This is how the force is built: your body gradually builds the necessary «circuits» so that it feels easier to make the next time that same weight.
But a 2017 study found that most people choose weights for their strength training exercises that are too light to maximize strength. That means that many of us are leaving many strength gains on the table when we do our strength training training.
So how do you make sure you are lifting enough?
Many weightlifting coaches and personal trainers will prescribe the weight that will be used as a percentage of the maximum repetition lifters (or the maximum amount that the lifter can raise for that resistance training exercise for only 1 repetition). The majority of beginners for weight training will not have established their maximum of 1 repetition and that is completely good: establishing a max of 1 repetition is not something that should do as a rookie for weightlifting or even as an intermediate or advanced lifter that does not compete.
Then, on the other hand, I recommend using your own experience of the effort as shown in the graph below.
In the RPE scale graph, you will see two numbers that are based on your subjective experience when weight training is Perceived effort rate (RPE) and Representatives in Reserve (RIR).
RPE refers to how hard (on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 is a piece of cake and 10 that is fully maximized by TF) the weight training exercise, with the weight you have chosen for the prescribed number of repetitions, you feel for you.
Rir refers to the amount of repetitions he could do after having finished the prescribed number of repetitions for the weight he has chosen for this particular weight training exercise. In other words, it is the amount of repetitions that left «in the tank» when its set ended.
Raising heavy is typically an 8+ RPE with no more than 2 rir.
Therefore, to make maximum force gains, I would recommend making 3-5 series of 3-6 repetitions for its elevators with a weight that is defiant enough to make each set 8-10 of 10 rpe with 0-2 rir for each set.
In addition, you must take 90 seconds at 3 minutes of rest between series. This ensures that he can hit those repetitions in all his sets so that he is obtaining the right stimulus to continue obtaining strength profits.
Note: If your goal is strength (or hypertrophy), do not pass your breaks between the sets that make mocking. This is a strength training, not a boots field. You are not here to burn calories, you are here to develop strength.
Why it is important to lift heavy shit
- In women, muscle mass naturally begins to decrease after 30 years, by approximately 8% per decade. Lifting heavy (and eating enough protein) can slow down and even reverse this.
- Muscle strength is what allows us to perform daily activities more easily and move on our lives independently.
- Submit our bones to more compressive forces, such as maintaining weights while moving, increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures of falls.
- Improves balance, coordination and joint stability, all essential for aging well and avoid injuries.
- More muscle = better blood sugar control, better metabolism and less visceral fat (deep abdominal).
- Strength training supports the health of the heart and vascular function.
- It is excellent for mental health by reducing stress, improving mood and increasing self -esteem.
- And finally? Being strong is fun like hell.
TLDR: signs of not being heavy enough
- All your sets for all exercises are for 8-12 repetitions. (Start your training with compound movements such as squats, dead weight, presses and rows in sets of 3-6 repetitions to build more strength!)
- You finish your set and could easily do another 3, 5, 8 or 12 more repetitions. (It’s time to add some weight, baby!)
- You are not making the face «this is difficult» in your last 1–2 repetitions of each set. (You have to work for them Gains, girl!)
- You do not need 90 seconds at 3 minutes of rest between series to recover completely and do it again. (Win that break and strengthen faster!)
The final result
- Get up heavy = challenge yourself in the range of 1–6 repetitions (with some hypertrophy works too)
- If you feel easy, it’s too light.
- Two days a week is the sweet point.
- Rest is required, not optional.
- Force is the goal. Heavy is how you get there.
I’m not sure where to start?
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So go to lift heavy shit. You deserve to feel strong. «Alison.»
