It's okay to be a lightweight - as long as you push hard

I have a female client, in her early 60’s, that suffers from pain in her shoulder if she lifts too much weight during her workout. How light can she go, and still build muscle and benefits from the exercise?

As a Kinesiologist, I am trained to prescribe reasonably heavy weights to gain muscle and bone. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 70 % cent of your “one-repetition maximum” (the most you can lift for a given exercise), for novices, and 80 to 100 % for advanced.

McMaster University recently published study results that show you can build muscle just as well – or perhaps even better – with weights as light as 30% 1 RM. “There are plenty of people who just don’t believe it,” admits Kinesiology Professor Stuart Phillips (Alex Hutchinson, jockology@globeandmail.com).

There is a catch, however. The key to stimulating muscle growth depends on reaching the point of fatigue. Additional research is required but the study reveals exciting news. You do not have to fear hurting yourself with weight training to achieve great results. Even a moderate workout, done effectively, can help you be stronger and enjoy greater bone mass and better health.

To be continued

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