{"id":461368,"date":"2026-02-11T03:18:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T03:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/461368\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T03:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T03:18:14","slug":"i-switched-heavy-lifting-for-lighter-high-rep-workouts-heres-why-i-wont-go-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/461368\/","title":{"rendered":"I switched heavy lifting for lighter, high-rep workouts \u2013 here’s why I won’t go back"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been hyperaware of overtraining<\/a> ever since I suffered a pelvic stress fracture<\/a> a decade ago. The injury came from excessive exercise and a lack of education around nutrition and recovery, but the signs I was pushing my body too far this time weren\u2019t physical \u2013 they were mental. <\/p>\n

Low-rep heavy-weight training had been my default for around 18 months at the point I started to notice something was off. I was constantly tired, struggling to recover, and despite doing everything right (on paper), I wasn\u2019t getting stronger<\/a>. If anything, I was going backwards. Training had become another stress layered onto my already overstretched nervous system. <\/p>\n

To caveat, heavy, low-rep training is effective for building strength \u2013 but it\u2019s also neurologically demanding. Which is why, as my baseline stress crept up with work, life and a (still pending) house move, this approach to training no longer matched the body I was working with. But the solution wasn\u2019t to stop or reduce training, it was simply to train differently. <\/p>\n

With the advice of Joe Thornton<\/a>, Fitness Manager and Elite Personal Trainer at Third Space London<\/a>, I did something that would probably feel counterintuitive to many of you reading this: I went lighter. I started to lift less \u2013 but for more reps (10-20). Now, nine months on, here\u2019s everything it taught me, including how high-rep low-load training can be used strategically \u2013 and why, in the right context, it can be more effective than constantly pushing yourself to your limits. <\/p>\n

1. High-rep, low-weight training is ideal when life stress is high \"Image<\/p>\n

High-rep, low-weight training can be applied to both upper and lower-body exercises<\/p>\n

Within just three-four weeks of switching two heavy low-rep training sessions per week for two light high-rep sessions, I felt a huge shift. I wasn\u2019t so exhausted, I was looking forward to my sessions again, and I was sleeping more deeply. When I ask Thornton why this is, he explains: \u2018Heavy low-rep lifting demands high nervous system output and intense focus. That\u2019s fine in short phases, but it\u2019s taxing. High-rep training is still demanding, but it\u2019s more rhythmic and less neurologically aggressive as you\u2019re not asking your nervous system to generate near-maximal force on every rep \u2013 which is hugely beneficial for clients with high baseline stress.\u2019 <\/p>\n

2. Muscle doesn\u2019t know the number on the dumbbell \"Image<\/p>\n

Slow, controlled reps are key to maintain strength and muscle<\/p>\n

Although I knew something needed to change about my training routine, I was apprehensive about sacrificing strength, muscle<\/a> or progress. But the opposite happened. Once my fatigue subsided and I\u2019d stuck to my two-workout routine for around eight weeks, I measured my body composition using an InBody scanner and found I\u2019d gained 0.6kg of muscle \u2013 all from doing \u201ceasier\u201d workouts. <\/p>\n

Thornton explains how: \u2018Muscle doesn\u2019t know the number on the dumbbell. It responds to tension, fatigue, and time under load<\/a>. High-rep sets create significant metabolic stress and muscular fatigue, which are strong drivers of hypertrophy<\/a> [muscle growth] when programmed properly.\u2019 <\/p>\n

3. Strength isn\u2019t just about how heavy you lift, it\u2019s about control\"Image<\/p>\n

A consistent, slow pace on the concentric (lifting) and eccentric (lowering) phases of each exercise increases time under tension <\/p>\n

Thornton adds that, for many, lifting lighter loads means you perform each rep with better form and more control. For me, the fatigue I felt exacerbated a lack of control, which explained the lack of progress.<\/p>\n

\u2018When lifting lighter weights for more reps, you\u2019ll see clear gains in muscular endurance<\/a> as performing more reps means your muscles are under tension for longer, which improves blood flow, oxygen use and fatigue tolerance,\u2019 says Thornton. \u2018But that\u2019s not to say you\u2019ll lose strength. In fact, many clients improve movement quality and stability, which supports strength expression later. Strength doesn’t just come from load; it comes from control.\u2019<\/p>\n

4. It can be easier to stay consistent with high-rep, low-weight training <\/p>\n

While the frequency of my training sessions didn\u2019t change, my motivation and enjoyment of sessions did. When I ask Thornton if this is something he\u2019s noticed with clients of his that have switched from heavy, low-rep training to light, high-rep training, he says: \u2018Absolutely. People feel safer, more confident, and less beaten up. Consistency improves when training doesn\u2019t feel like a constant test or threat. This is especially true for women who\u2019ve been told they need to \u201cpush harder\u201d their whole lives.\u2019<\/p>\n

He adds that for longevity, \u2018Being able to train consistently without injury is far more valuable than chasing numbers.\u2019 In other words, regular light, high-rep training is far more beneficial than occasional heavy, light-rep sessions if you can’t maintain them. <\/p>\n

5. Performing heavier lifts at the start of a session will help you sustain your energy<\/p>\n

After around six months of solely light, high-rep training, I felt ready to start incorporating some heavier lifts. I knew I didn\u2019t want to make them the focus of a whole session, so Thornton recommended including one-two heavier lifts, like deadlifts and squats, at the start of a lighter, higher-rep session. <\/p>\n

\u2018Heavier lifts for key compound movements<\/a> (like squats, deadlifts, lunges and push-ups) should usually come first in a session, when the nervous system is fresh,\u2019 he advises. \u2018High-rep work fits well later in the session or on separate days for accessory work (targeting smaller muscle groups to fix imbalances), unilateral<\/a> training (isolating one side of the body), and joint-friendly volume.\u2019<\/p>\n

6. High-rep training only works if you stay slow and controlled\"Image<\/p>\n

Bodyweight exercises with a deeper range of motion \u2013 like using a step for curtsy lunges \u2013 means greater muscle activation which helps maintain strength and muscle mass<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the biggest mistake people make when lifting lighter loads for more reps, I ask Thornton? In keeping with the idea that strength isn\u2019t just about how many KGs you pick up, but how controlled your reps are, he says: \u2018Rushing your reps and disconnecting from the movement. High-rep training only works if you stay present. Sloppy reps just turn it into cardio with weights and that misses the point entirely.\u2019<\/p>\n

Conclusion <\/p>\n

Nine months on, high-rep, lighter-load training isn\u2019t a phase \u2013 it\u2019s my default. My energy is steadier, my recovery is faster, and for the first time in a while, it feels like my training is supporting me, not working against me. And until my life stressors ease, this is the approach I\u2019ll be sticking with.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say I\u2019ve sworn off heavy lifting altogether. I\u2019ll still drop it in occasionally, largely for the sense of accomplishment it brings \u2013 but usually just one or two lifts at the start of a lighter session. Because strength, I\u2019ve learned, isn\u2019t just about lifting as heavy as you can; it\u2019s about what you can repeat week after week without burning out.<\/p>\n

If any of this sounds familiar \u2013 persistent fatigue, stalled progress, or a sense that your training is taking more than it\u2019s giving \u2013 high-rep, low-load work might be worth considering. Below, Thornton shares a practical guide on how many reps to aim for, how often to train, and how to use this style of lifting to build strength that actually lasts.<\/p>\n

When should I switch to high-rep, low-weight training? <\/p>\n

\u2018I usually recommend it when recovery starts to lag, when stress outside the gym increases, or when joints and connective tissue need a break. For many of the women I train especially 40+ life stress, hormonal shifts, and injury history all matter. High-rep work often becomes a smarter long-term strategy, not a step backwards.\u2019<\/p>\n

How many reps should I do?<\/p>\n

\u2018Typically, anywhere from 10\u201320 reps, sometimes higher depending on the exercise and your experience. I care more about effort and execution (doing the reps correctly) than hitting an exact number.<\/p>\n

\u2018Your reps should feel manageable at the start but genuinely challenging by the final reps, without your form suffering. If the last few reps don\u2019t require focus and control, it\u2019s probably too light. If technique falls apart early, it\u2019s too heavy.\u2019<\/p>\n

How often should I include high-rep, low-weight training in my routine? <\/p>\n

\u2018For most people, at least 1\u20133 sessions per week. Many of my clients thrive when high-rep work is the foundation and heavier work is layered in strategically (i.e. two-three heavy lifts at the start of a lighter session) rather than dominating the programme.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\u00a0As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. She secured her first role at Look Magazine, where her obsession with fitness began and she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!. Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red.Now, she oversees all fitness content across womenshealthmag.com.uk<\/a> and the print magazine, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, where we showcase the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise. She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks \u2013 all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how.Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram. \u00a0<\/p>\n