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[@RenaissancePeriodization] High Reps Training IS BETTER For Weight Loss- Try This!

· 5 min read
[@RenaissancePeriodization] Summarizer
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@RenaissancePeriodization - "High Reps Training IS BETTER For Weight Loss- Try This!"

Link: https://youtu.be/vlWgRZmtgpg

Short Summary​

During fat loss phases, shifting rep ranges slightly higher (10-20) can be beneficial due to reduced injury risk, better pumps, and improved motivation from rep progression as muscle fibers adapt to endurance-focused work. While lower rep ranges are effective for building strength, the video argues that higher reps can be a safer and equally effective strategy during cuts, especially considering potential fatigue-related motor skill decline and fiber type shifts.

Key Quotes​

Okay, here are 4 direct quotes extracted from the provided YouTube transcript that represent valuable insights, interesting data points, or strong opinions:

  1. "Toning is not a thing that you do with different reps. It's a barely even a cogent concept." (This quote directly challenges a common misconception about weight training and provides a clear, strong opinion.)

  2. "We have unbelievably convincing research to show that anywhere between five reps and about 30 reps as long as the set gets close to failure cause exactly the same amount of muscle growth set for set." (This is a key data point, directly relevant to the topic and backed by research, explaining the range of effective rep ranges.)

  3. "Good technique, well-controlled, accustomed sets of five are very safe. They're safer than almost every sport you could ever play unit of time for unit of time spent in the gym. But comparing apples to apples, heavier weights have a more likely probability of getting you hurt acutely that is in the set." (This provides context for safety by comparing lifting to other sports.)

  4. "If during a fat loss phase, you go from doing sets of 10 with the same weight to doing sets of 15, it gives you both progression and higher reps." (This demonstrates a clear, concrete application of the video's advice, relating rep progression directly to the fat loss process.)

Detailed Summary​

Here's a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript in bullet points:

Key Topics:

  • The video discusses whether higher rep ranges are beneficial during fat loss phases in physique training.
  • It debunks common myths about high reps and their supposed effects on muscle "toning," definition, size, and fat burning.
  • The video presents evidence-based arguments for why slightly higher rep ranges (10-20 or 15-20) can be advantageous during a cut.

Arguments Debunked (Reasons NOT to do high reps on a cut):

  • High Reps Tone Muscles: This is false. Toning is simply decreasing fat and/or increasing muscle. There is no unique toning mechanism.
  • High Reps Increase Muscle Definition (Etch in Striations): No mechanism exists for this. Definition comes from reduced body fat revealing existing muscle structure.
  • High Reps Keep Muscle Smaller/More Compact (Prevent Bulking): Research shows similar muscle growth between 5 and 30 reps when sets are taken close to failure.
  • High Reps Harden Muscle: Muscle hardness is primarily affected by leanness and androgen levels, not rep range. Muscle is muscle, density is a meaningless concept.
  • High Reps Help You Sweat Out More Fat: Sweat is mostly water and electrolytes. Fat is not excreted through sweat.
  • High Reps Burn More Calories and Fat: While higher reps do burn marginally more calories, the difference is negligible (about half a banana for a whole two-hour session) and doesn't contribute meaningfully to fat loss compared to diet and cardio.

Good Reasons TO Consider Higher Reps During a Cut:

  • Reduced Acute Injury Risk: Using lighter weights (necessary for higher reps to approach failure) lowers the risk of acute injuries (pings) compared to heavy, low-rep lifts. Heavier weights present a higher relative risk, even though the absolute risk is already low.
  • Less Chronic Wear and Tear: Lower loads cause less chronic wear and tear on connective tissues (tendons, etc.) which heal slower than muscles and are more susceptible to accumulated damage, especially during a cut when recovery is impaired.
  • Mitigating Fatigue-Induced Technique Breakdown: High fatigue during a cut can reduce motor fluidity and subtly degrade lifting technique. If your technique is off slightly when using lighter weights, it's a smaller risk than if your technique is off slightly under heavy loads. Fatigue is the highest at the end of a cut when you don't want to be injured.
  • Equal Muscle Growth and Retention: High and low load training provide the same stimulus for muscle growth and preventing muscle loss during a cut. So you lose nothing.
  • Better Pumps: Higher reps tend to produce better muscle pumps. While pumps don't directly drive muscle growth, they can be psychologically motivating, enhance the workout experience, and encourage consistency, especially when motivation is waning during a cut.
  • Fiber Type Shift: A caloric deficit and high-volume training can slightly shift muscle fiber composition towards slower-twitch fibers. This makes higher reps feel more natural and allows for rep progression even as weight progression stalls. Endurance improves as fat stores decline. Adding reps gives a sense of progression that is often more psychologically rewarding.

Important Considerations:

  • The advice is nuanced, not absolute. If you prefer heavy lifting and can maintain good technique and gradual progression, it's perfectly fine.
  • Higher reps on a cut are a consideration, not a strict requirement.
  • After the cut is over, you can resume heavier lifting and lower rep ranges during a bulk.

In short, the video argues that while the traditional reasons given for doing high reps during a cut are false, there are some valid reasons (primarily related to injury risk and recovery) to consider biasing your training towards slightly higher rep ranges during a fat loss phase.