someone advised me that I lift using too much of weight, for example on pull up machine, I pull over my weight.. in what I've read, the fastest way to build muscle is short reps and heavy weight.. That guy ask me to use lighter weight and said most importantly I must 'feel' the pressure..

so, light weight better form vs heavy weight, what do you guys think?

for me, although I know sometime there were bad form, but at least it will hit some parts, not use to slow and steady lifting style, I don't go for durability.. I want to grow!

It's true that if you want to gain muscle you'll need to progressively lift heavier weights. However, you also have to remember that with proper form you'll avoid injuries, and also work the intended muscle.

For instance, if you're doing heavy lat pulldowns and you engage your biceps more than your back, you'll have to ask yourself whether it's worth it or not.

If you sacrifices form in order to lift heavy, you are trying to impress your ego, that's all. Nothing good comes from lifting 30lbs more than you can do but then you are doing with shorter ROM, laughable form that makes you look like a clown and then sooner than later, you'll get injured.

I once can do barbell rows for 225lbs x 6. It feels better on how the way people look at me doing rows instead of my back actually feeling the exercise. Then, I drop the weight to somewhere around 160lbs and try to get the perfect non-cheating with body english form with the mind muscle connection. That would make your body grow much faster than heavy weight with half asses clown form.

so go heavy or go home is a myth? I dont see some pro bodybuilder lift with perfect form..

There are a lot more stuffs in the iron game than go heavy. It's just catchy and most new comers tend to take them too seriously. Why would you lift heavy ass weight on squat (just to mimic ronnie coleman 'light weight') and do quarter rep squat? Go heavy or go home? More like go heavy become clown then go to hospital.

I believe I don't over do them, like I mentioned above, just pull more than my weight, like I weight 70, i pull 80kg on pull up machine.. struggle abit of course, but i can pull few sets with 12 reps, I dont think i try to impress the crowd..

It's you own body, not mine and if someone ask me for advice, I surely wouldn't let them go heavy by sacrificing form. Once you have injured your joints, you'll bear it till the end of your life. Your choice, not mine.

p/s: search fro Branch Warren. One of the IFBB Pro BB that lift with the crappiest form. Have him be a Mr. O once? Nope.

This post has been edited by alien9: Aug 18 2013, 08:56 PM

if not mistaken there is a guy here also try to lift heavy.. (again I dont lift weights with merely 2-3 reps to grasp spot in the gym) the name begin with dark something..

He was testing his 1RM for deadlift. Surely no one do 1RM deadlift every week.

The key is progressive overload, like harris said. That means you gradually increase poundages relative to your capabilities. There is no benefit in slinging around weight you're not strong enough to handle with poor form.

I did gradually increase my weight.. that's why so far I haven't met any injury.. if all the time I lift for 100% perfect form, when will I gain muscle, it's like train for stamina ><

Then you are not getting any stronger, that's all. For example you are training your triceps with triceps pulldown exercise. That exercise should isolate your tricep but since you are using heavier weight, you start incorporating your shoulder, traps and upper back. DO YOU ISOLATE YOUR TRICEPS NOW?

I did. compare to last time, now I can do heavier, that also not the sign of I'm improving?

Then go ahead without sacrificing your form. Nuff said. I don't know why you seems to try to justify that you lifting heavy ass weight is ok. You do need to have consent from others for you own decision issit?

thanks for your replies.. got it now.. sparta!

^
TS, if you're not hitting the right muscle, what's the point? We put heavier weight to force the targeted muscle to sustain the heavier weight it has used to, not allow other muscle part to assist the targeted muscle.

I'm not saying you need to maintain 100% textbook form, breaks in form are inevitable. A bit of body english on the last 2 or 3 reps of curls or a little swing on the last set of lateral raises, that's all going to happen. But if your ass is higher than the bar on a bench press or your back looks like a C while deadlifting, you need to take a step back and evaluate things.

Didnt know 30 secs extra TUT = stamina training. Learn something new everyday.

Good form trumps everything else. I don't care how heavy you lift but once u start swinging your body or the weights in my book its your ego working out.

If you know what you're doing, using momentum after you reach technical fail is sometimes good but other than that, the stricter the form the better your muscles grow.

This post has been edited by mikehuan: Aug 19 2013, 11:00 AM

Train your form with light weight first then gradually increase your weight to max. You'll find you can lift much heavier with proper form.

Heavy poundages build muscle. Stupid form sets you back.