[The Lumpy Shadow]

I asked this in the wrong forum, so I am trying again now!

I am attempting to build muscle for overall body tone and strength, and to aid weight loss. I am not looking to compete or get involved in an endurance sport.

I am interested to know which methods are better to meet my specific goals.

Is it better to lift heavier weight with fewer reps and sets, or lift less weight for more reps and sets?

Currently I lift at a certain weight for 10 reps. When I can do 5 sets, I increase the weight.

Is it better to do more reps at a fast pace, or fewer reps at a slower pace?

I am never jerky or let the machine "pull" me when I work out, but I have found I can do more reps if I do them in quick smooth motions as opposed to slower motions. Which is best?

[Mel]

The low weight-less reps (like sets of 6 or less reps) method is used to bulk- hypertrophy of the muscle rather than stregnth or endurance is usually the goal. If you want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, keep your reps in the 10-12 range, and the weight should be increasing through the sets, to where you fail in the last few reps of the last set.

The pace question is under a great deal of debate. Most trainers currently feel that maintaining a lifting pace where you are in constant motion, without jerking or using momentum, is most effective. There are still (or again) some proponents of very slow lifting who argue that 1 set done veeeeerrrrrry slowly is as effective. In terms of building muscle, this isn't true. I think what you are doing sounds fine. Just remember that FORM is more important that the amount of weight or the speed at which you lift it.

Mel