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Light Weight Resistance TrainingWeight training enthusiasts insist that the surest way to greater muscle mass is through high-weight, low-rep lifting. By shocking the muscles with extreme amounts of weight, they are forced to compensate with expanded muscle mass over a very short period of time. And while this works well at the outset, long-term weightlifters may actually benefit from light weight resistance training as well. Light weight training is also referred to as endurance training, and focuses on longer periods of low-impact exercise as a method of maintaining fitness. The different training approach, in turn, as a different effect on the muscles it stimulates. Muscle fibers themselves are separated into two groups: fast twitch and slow twitch. Fast twitch fibers respond more directly to the high-impact training recommended in weightlifting; they are designed to deliver powerful contractions, but they also drain energy quickly. Slow twitch muscles are not as powerful initially, but neither do they tire quite as fast. This second group of fibers responds well to light weight training, and will grow in response to the training in the same way that fast twitch fibers grow during high-intensity training. Switching back and forth between high-weight and low-weight training can expand both types of fiber over time, resulting in – you guessed it – larger all-around muscle mass. It will be equally important to maintain a diet that compliments your fitness program. Modify what you eat when you scale back on exercise that burns protein, and dig into heartier foods when you decide to hit the heavy weight again. Related InformationWeight Lifting Benches Modern Dumbbells
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