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\n\u201cThe biopsies let scientists take a closer look at fiber type, and the idea that \u201clow weights favor slow-twitch muscle fibers\u201d didn\u2019t hold up. Fast-twitch fibers trended toward more growth as weight increased. At the very light end (20 to 30% of your max), slow-twitch only looked better because fast-twitch grew less.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the idea isn\u2019t quite right. Light weights grow slow-twitch just fine, but heavy lifting does too. And that means light weights may fall short for fast-twitch.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
While he\u2019s not completely dismissing light weights for fast-twitch growth, he does believe heavier weights will get you to your goals faster:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe likely reason is how your body recruits muscle. It calls on slow-twitch fibers first and brings in fast-twitch as effort climbs. Light sets taken to failure eventually get there. Heavy sets may get there sooner and keep those fibers working longer. In fairness, the fiber-type differences were small. The trials were small, and the researchers call the results exploratory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we\u2019re sharing this because the research adds another piece to the puzzle about why everyone needs to push heavier weight, relative to their own strength, at least once or twice per week. Fast-twitch fibers tend to shrink first as we get older, which means if you don\u2019t go heavier, they don\u2019t grow the same, leaving your body vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Schwarzenegger believes light and heavy weights have room in anyone\u2019s program, including his. He continues to offer the bodybuilding community wisdom and practical tips to keep the progress coming.\u00a0<\/p>\n
RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>Arnold Schwarzenegger Warns That Extreme Calorie Cuts Can Hurt Workout Performance Even When You Hit Your Daily Protein Goal<\/a><\/p>\n\n