You don't always have to lift megapounds to get toned muscles, says a new study from McMaster University in Ontario. When 15 volunteers did leg extensions till they were exhausted, those worked with lighter weights actually stimulated their muscles 25% more than the heavy lifters. You build muscle by pushing to the point of fatigue, not by straining with the heavier weights, the researchers believe. Their advice: Choose a weight that you can lift for about a minute before you become too tired to continue. If it takes you much longer than that to reach fatigue, the weight is probably too light and you should go up a bit.
I am all for changing things up. Going lighter is the best choice if you want a leaner body and if you want mass, well the other option is to lift heavier within reason for muscle exhaustion.
Reference: Good Housekeeping: Good Health February 2011
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