For more than a decade Stuart Phillips, a professor in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada, and his colleagues have railed against the popular idea that heavy weights are the only way to get stronger and more toned, with studies suggesting that lifting lighter weights for 20 to 30 repetitions, sometimes more, towards the point of exhaustion can also bring significant gains.<\/p>\n
The most recent of these was a 2023 review of 192 published trials involving more than 5,000 women and men in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, making it the largest study of its kind. Results showed that every form of training, including bodyweight exercises such as planks, lunges and push-ups, resulted in strength and muscle mass gains.<\/p>\n
When it came to weights there were subtle differences in outcome. Phillips and his team showed that heavy weights had the biggest effect on maximising muscle strength, while for boosting muscle size the weight lifted was less important and repeated exercises with lighter weights were more beneficial.<\/p>\n
Wong says a lot comes down to personal preference. The key with both approaches is to reach what personal trainers call the point of failure, when your muscles start quivering and you can\u2019t keep going any longer. With lighter weights that could mean 30 repetitions and ultimately spending more time at the gym but with generally less soreness to deal with when you finish. \u201cWorking to failure with very heavy weights is likely to cause a higher level of muscle damage and fatigue,\u201d Wong says. \u201cSo while the session is over quickly, the recovery time is often longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 How I got into the best shape of my life at 45<\/a><\/p>\n Weight training little and often can be more manageable \u2014 and just as effective \u2014 as doing one or two heavy lifting sessions. George Morris, a lecturer in sport and exercise science at St Mary\u2019s University, Twickenham, says anyone starting out should be cautious. \u201cIf you can\u2019t do a bodyweight squat with good technique then by adding even light weights you will sacrifice technique,\u201d he says. \u201cIf ultimately you want to lift heavy weights you need to start with bodyweight exercises then add light weights to build up skill and proficiency before experimenting with progression.\u201d<\/p>\n Wong says heavy weights won\u2019t suit everyone and you should factor in injury risk. \u201cIf you are in your twenties or thirties then the risk of lifting heavy is relatively low,\u201d Wong says. \u201cBut from your fifties and sixties you should think about going lighter or progressing slowly with heavy weights, as straining a muscle through overexertion could put you out for weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n Aniston, 56<\/p>\n PVOLVE\/ZOEY GROSSMAN<\/p>\n Don\u2019t think you are short-changing yourself. Even Aniston\u2019s 3lb weights can bring visible A-list worthy results, according to a study published this year in which researchers from the University of Exeter looked specifically at the benefits of the Pvolve approach. Results, published in the journal Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise, found that it increased hip strength, dynamic balance, flexibility and lean body mass in women aged between 40 and 60 who did 30 to 35-minute classes for 12 weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve shown it\u2019s effective at improving strength and balance in women during and postmenopause,\u201d said Professor Francis Stephens, who led the study. Strength training is essential for health but how regularly you do it is more important than how much weight you lift. \u201cThe most important factor is that you do some strength work \u2014 light, heavy or a combination of both \u2014 with consistency for the best results,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n![\"Jennifer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\/d2e115e4-ca84-43af-b16b-f36c149660ee.jpg\")
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