Quote:
Originally Posted by pattyhues
It all depends on how you physically want to look - more obviously muscular, which comes from more weight less reps, or more subtly muscular/toned - which comes from more reps less weight.
This is the myth about lifting that I tried to counter in my previous post.
There is NO difference between lifting and toning. This is an unfortunate myth perpetuated by Shape, Women's Health, and other disappointing magazines that suggest it is possible to gain that "long lean toned" look like Gwyneth Paltrow, and that it requires lifting lighter weights at lower reps. Lifting heavy with larger reps is for people looking to build muscle, they claim, like men.
Lifting HEAVY either builds muscle or drops fat. It depends on if you are in a caloric deficit or surfeit. You CANNOT build muscle (except possibly a very small amount if you are a total beginner) if you are in a caloric deficit, as the above poster is implying. It doesn't matter how heavy you are lifting, it is just impossible.
Lifting lighter at higher reps doesn't really do much. It doesn't fatigue and tear the microfibers of muscle necessary to cause building of muscle (if you are eating above maintenance) or fat loss to repair muscle (if you are in eating below maintenance).
There are some good articles on Stumptuous.com like this one:
http://www.stumptuous.com/lies-in-the-gym. Any decent lifting book, like New Rules of Lifting for Women, will quickly dismiss the myth that there is such thing as "toning" and that it is done with higher reps/lower weights.