High Rep Workouts…. are they beneficial?
Oh I get that question a lot. And you know what? It can be argued either way. Hear me out on this one. I’ve got a few reasons why I love and hate high rep workouts.
First of all, I teach a strength and sweat class 1, sometimes 2x a week. Some weeks we focus on high rep and sometimes we focus on HIIT/tabatas.
The reason why I LOVE high rep workouts:
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It keeps the heart rate up
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Builds strength endurance
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A great cardio component
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Great for body weight exercises and/or suspension training (like TRX)
My favorite TRX Moves I posted on instagram. Click to see the video!
Why we need to be careful with High Rep Workouts (in my opinion):
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You can lose form and/or over rotate a motion, etc. FORM IS KEY. If you start to lose form, slow down.
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It doesn’t necessarily build muscle (you must LIFT HEAVY for that and you definitely don’t want to lift heavy with high rep)
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Not beneficial for those coming off an injury. Too much, too soon.
Like any workout, there are pros and cons, and you must figure out what works for you or what your body NEEDS.
For instance, I definitely won’t be doing these crazy high rep hill repeats with the kiwi. But.. that is what he needs to build strength and endurance for his triathlon training.
Burpees and squat jumps… YES! I’ll take it!
What’s your experience with high rep workouts? Do you find them beneficial?
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Like I mentioned above- I do these workouts 1, maybe 2x a week. I find that I need more recovery/easy days than hard days.
Cheers,
LC
p.s.
Big thank you to Lorna Jane for styling me this week! And Oatworks for fueling both the kiwi and myself.
This is great… I never do high rep workouts – I should really try just to switch things up. I always do 30 second to 1 minute worth of reps! I’m always pretty focused on form though.
There are certain exercises I really like to do high reps of because (if you focus on proper form) it can really help with muscle memory. When I started doing higher reps of certain workouts I noticed a difference in my running form and how much more efficient I was. But I do like doing lower rep-higher weight workouts for other things. I think finding the right balance is important, and knowing what you need to reach your goals (i.e. runners need different than body builders etc.)
well said friend! and i love that you mentioned muscle memory!
I have a lot of high rep work in my current plan, but it’s a mix of that and then I’ll have a few exercises of low rep as well. It absolutely depends on what your goal is, but I love your reminder that FORM is the most important regardless. Absolutely!
I just started doing some Tabata workouts and I love them. I really like anything that challenges me though.
those pants!!!!
High rep is fun and builds muscular endurance but it’s not isotonic training. Isotonic training builds absolute strength. Your article is deceiving in that you state high reps build muscle. Not. High reps as in HITT is actually a cardiovascular workout (example) and not strength. Doesn’t matter how you spin it. Science is science. Check out American College of Sports Medicine for current guidelines for strength training.
no, i said high rep doesn’t build muscle. It’s more strength endurance. Sorry to confuse you.
I am a big high rep fan (love my bodypump) but as with anything (food, exercise, etc) you gotta switch things up every once in a while. I consider myself “workout ADD” because I love trying new things!
oh ya! i totally forgot about body pump. that class kills me. haha
I like to do some of both types of workouts. That keeps me from getting bored. Thanks for sharing the info!
yes, and we never want boredom! our muscles need variety
I’m a totally fan of high rep workouts, especially in HIIT training. We need to get together to talk classes. 🙂 Over wine of course. LOVE the pants by the way! 🙂
it’s a date!!! soon please
Those are some Kookie Katie pants! I actually like high rep workouts that involve TRX or my own body weight. But I’m always careful about form and whether I have enough energy to do a high rep workout. I am all about variety too, so I mix it up. XO
Yes, form is so important to prevent injury.
Awesome post Lindsay! And YES to everything – agree 100% :).
well that means the world coming from you!
Ugh…I have a love/hate relationship with high rep workouts. Hurts so good! But, I do have to keep a check on myself when I’m doing them. If it’s at the end of a long day or if my muscles are already fatigued, I stay away from them because I start to lose form and the workout isn’t as beneficial. I usually get high rep workouts done on the weekends or early on in the week.
yes, so true sarah. It’s hard to do after a long day. I do these in the morning or mid morning. Love/hate for sure!
Good points! I do like high rep workouts maybe once a week. But like you pointed out, form is key. I find that people start to get sloppy the higher the reps. Oh and I completely LOVE the pants!
Awesome post! I agree that high rep workouts have their pros and cons. I think they can be super fun and energizing (especially if there are burpees!), but if I’m not up for it, I’d prefer not to do high reps so that I can maintain proper form.
love you fellow burpee lover!
Those pants, covet! I do high rep when I’m working out at home with B toddling around because it usually means shorter workout time.
ohhh good idea mama!
Great information, I do a little of both sometimes low reps other time high depends on my schedule, and what is available at the gym. Like you I agree once form is lost there is NO point in completing more reps it’s lost. The step master and I are not friends 10 minutes in I’m sweating like a pig. Love the leggings! So flashy!
this is true. Schedule is key. Some days we have time, others it’s just a short run or HIIT
As with most things in life, I’m all about balance. I think high rep exercises definitely have their time and place, especially when I’m just working with my body weight or want something that I can do quickly. It’s all about switching it up and keeping the body guessing 😀
yes! i would never do these if my body still needed rest and recovery too. Ya know? balance.. and listening to the NEEDS
Awesome post! I love your positivity on working out & giving your opinion! I usually take one group fitness class a week, that includes a lot of high reps which is great since I lift really heavy 2 other days of the week. It mixes it up, I don’t get bored & usually leaves me sore 🙂 I find them more beneficial when I’m training for endurance races, but I think for now my main focus is going to be low reps high weight, since training for long races takes up a lot of time, which I love but the little Mister is main priority right now! P.S. Those green capris, I would be calling them my “Hot Pants” 😉
haha hot pants for a hot mama
I actually really like high rep workouts. not crazy high reps a la Tracy Anderson, but more like 18-20 reps. I find that on days when I want to lift, but my muslces aren’t up for a real heavy day, that I can still get in a good workout. I also like them for days when I have more time, since they are usually longer workouts. (or when I have a long tv show to watch…hehehe) When I am feeling really strong and/or pressed for time – heavy weights are the best!
I knew you would like this! let me know if you try it. 😉
I’ve taught group stength training classes (aka high rep workouts) for years and love them. I agree with your point on heavy weight workouts too though. They are essential for increasing muscular strength where high rep workouts are wonderful for improving your muscular endurance.
oh i want to come to your class!!
LOVE those pants!! And I love high rep workouts. They help me build confidence!
yes, i can see that! and confidence is always a nice thing to BUILD. Love that
Love your preventative tips! It was when you are fatigued that form breaks down and injury occurs!
I find that if I do them too often, I end up re-triggering old injuries. And by too often, I mean more than once every 10 days or so.
Thanks for a balanced post. People really need to pay attention to their OWN bodies and figure out what works for THEM, don’t ya think?
Well, I like to do at least one thing that’s high rep every day (44!) but like you said, I have to watch my form and there are many times that I use a much lighter weight on those or even drop the weight half-way through so that my form doesn’t suffer.
And, when I teach boot camp, I like to do some days that are high rep – it pushes some of the ladies a lot more!!
ahhh i love your 44 and you! that’s special HIGH REP
I love that you listed both pros and cons, and it seems like everyone is pushing high rep, high intensity! There is definitely a place for them, but as you pointed out, you need to listen to your body and there are times (like coming back from injury) where it can do more harm than good.
Great pros and cons. I struggle with too much toggling on them…
GREAT POST!! I am all about the high reps and the long distance haha
You know I ADORE high rep/light weight workouts! for me, personally, it has been the only thing that has given me results, tone, leanness, after years and years of lifting heavy. Again – me personally. I think both are great though, and it really is a personal preference too. You raise really good points about form and risk for injury if not in good form though, very very true! I still want to try TRX! with YOU! 🙂
i adore your classes and totally see that benefit too!
p.s. I would love another BARRE post from you.
I’m a mix-it-up kind of girl. So I like high rep sometimes and low-rep/heavy too. Keeps the bod guessing, right? Your LJ capris are the bomb.com!
i knew you’d love those LJ pants. 😉
I love high reps for – as you said – my endurance. I just love to be able to hold through a tough class or a Crossfit WOD. But I love the variety and switch it with a good heavy lifting session, the strength part in the Crossfit Class or just Yoga. Sometimes I feel my body is stressed out from high reps and I need 1-2 restdays.
same! i need at least 3 days off!
Loving those capris!
I like HIIT workouts but I do find them tricky when doing a lot of running. I tend to do altered versions of them if doing lots of mileage and/or speed work. And right now, like you said, I am not doing them–my body is still too vulnerable to handle that on top of returning to running.
LOVE those capris. Seriously cute.
I alternate between high weight and high rep. I’ve only recently started doing the occasional HIIT, which I usually squeeze in after running longer, when I might only have 15-20 minutes to get some strength movements in before work. I’ll tell you this…..I have failed to complete my HIIT workouts before because they were that hard! I LOVE that!!
Do you want to move to Houston and open a gym with me? I live just 10 miles from downtown, and my area is in desperate need or some gym alternatives….and there are plenty of people with plenty of money to spend to have someone like you train them! =)
haha that would be fun! plus my friend katie from (sherocksfitness) is there too!
I love to mix things up. I do a lot of drop sets which when stung together are higher resp. 😉 I don’t do too much lighter weight high rep stuff any more just due to age & trying to keep muscle. In my 40s & younger, I built way too quickly so I did more of the high rep, lower weight. It all depends on goal s& what a person wants to look like.. 🙂
love those pants girl!! (and how did you like the Oatworks???) I love mixing it up and doing high rep days every now and then. Its a good mix up from heavy heavy days!
Love your capris!! They are so dang cute. WANT them!!
Good points–and each kind of workout totally has its place, agreed.
I would argue though that high rep strength training workouts actually can build a good amount of muscle. It is a huge misconception that you have to lift really heavy weights to achieve that. The overall load is what can achieve the results–(amount of reps & right range of motion can achieve that load) so it’s all just so interesting! Of course you can’t lift really light weights and expect to achieve that-but moderate amounts of weight in a high rep workout can get you the muscle you want to build (this excludes the type of muscle need to be built say, for a figure competition). But for general overall fitness of building muscle, then yes. I too love mixing higher rep workouts per week with shorter intense workouts. Hits all the areas of fitness!
Love me some burpees!
very true Annette! and thanks for chiming in. I do think it can build muscle along with burn fat, but i guess i should have specified that if you want to increase overall mass, high rep is not the way to go. Ya know?
that being said, i’m glad you added that point! Thank YOU
So true! Definitely true about overall mass! 🙂
I agree about high rep workouts! They are great when you are in a time crunch and need to get the most “Bang for your buck” but it can cause injuries easily if you are not careful and not watching to form and other important aspects.
I think they do have their place. They really are great for endurance and they do keep your heart rate up. I think it’s about the individual’s goals too. I definitely don’t do high rep like I used to, but when I do, phew tough! I like to work them into a periodized rotation for clients.
I love them for CHANGE but only CAREFULLY and a week or so every six months.
yes, exactly. carefully
I definitely see the benefits of both and I like to mix things up!
with the little amount that i’ve lifted weights during my pregnancy, i’d say i’ve done more high rep workouts just because i’m keeping the weights so low!
Great post! I love high rep but try to mix it up as much as I can.
I love these types of workouts! (Tracy Anderson’s dvds are a lot of reps, but little to no weights and they still leave my muscles sore the next day!)
oh man, tracy anderson’s would kill me! haha
Great post. I think I’d take the hill repeats over all those burpees and squats. 😉
I love that you use TRX too! I do some of the same exercises! I have a friend who works with the Norweigian Olympic Team, and he showed me some of the exercises with TRX, and they really help! Although he does not tell me a number of reps, he told me to work until I start to lose form. An interesting way to do it, and I didnt like it at first, but the exercises are great!
that is awesome! glad you are enjoying the TRX! and great tips from an Olympian!
Yes! This is exactly how I feel about high rep workouts. I’ve noticed a big difference in my endurance with the use of high rep workouts. I agree too that I need a little more rest after those days. I like to even things out with yoga on days after high rep workouts.
I need to try oatworks. That sounds really good!
Those pants are AMAZING! 🙂
I love high rep! For the benefits you mentioned and I just like the way it feels.
If I am around the house and need to fit something in quickly, I will do what Jessie mentions…3-4 exercises and go. I am mindful of form because I already have way too many issues – back, hips, shoulder.
When I was using the hotel ‘gym’ I stuck mainly to high rep workouts/circuits because the weights were simply not heavy enough for any purpose to build muscle. However at the gym, I tend to stick to low reps heavy weights. But s you’ve said, they both are very beneficial and I do enjoy balancing them both!
glad you are back at the gym. Making GAINS, right?
As always, another great post. I really liked hearing the pros/cons. Ill do high rep whenever I want something quick. I’ll pick 3 or 4 exercise and knock them out quickly… but keeping my form of course 🙂
you are so smart! all you need is just 3-4 exercises. indeed!