If you've ever wondered whether it's better to use heavy or light weights to build muscle, you've come to the right place. In this video I'm going to explain whether you need to use heavy or light weights to build muscle and when to use both in your training. You might think that one is better than the other in your quest to build muscle, but this thinking could be incorrect and you could be missing out on gains. The video starts with a question and I want you to leave your answer in a comment below. In this side-by-side of Jesse performing the dumbbell bench press, I want you to make a guess as to which clip shows Jesse building more muscle. Is it when he's using the heavy weight or is it when he's using the light weight? On the heavier set, Jesse is using an 8-10 rep max and on the lighter set, he's using a 20-30 rep max. He's clearly reaching failure faster on the set with the heavier weight and is still struggling with reps with the lighter weight. Once you have your answer, leave a comment wondering which builds more muscle. My answer? Jesse is building muscle with both heavy and light weight. If you answered like me or even picked light weight as the winner, you would be wrong based on a comment left on a recent video. The person who commented believes that you can't build muscle with anything less than 80% of your one rep max and that using light weight is a waste of time. This is where I have an issue. Research has pointed out that you can build muscle in any rep range as long as the intensity of the set is appropriate. With heavier weights, this effort and intensity does not require you to reach failure simply because the amount of tension on the muscles is greater due to the heavier weight. However, to achieve the same proper tension required for muscle growth when using light weights, the intensity needs to be much higher. That means that as the number of reps you perform increases, the closer you need to get to failure. You see, when it comes to building muscle, tension is the key factor. With heavy weight, tension is achieved simply by the amount of load used. With light weight, there is much less direct tension, so to match that with heavy weight, you are required to train to failure. You need to understand what failure is within these rep ranges. In low rep ranges with heavy weight, there is no subjectivity. You can either lift the weight or you can’t. When using moderate weight, especially in the 8-12 rep range, failure becomes slightly more subjective. You will probably have a good indication of failure, but in many cases, you might be able to do another rep or two. When using light weights and the number of reps you are performing is higher, such as in the 20-30 rep range, failure becomes extremely subjective. You may stop the set when your muscles start to burn, thinking that it has become too uncomfortable to perform another rep. However, I would argue that this is where your set is just beginning. If you decide to enjoy the burn and push through that uncomfortable feeling, you will find that you are able to do quite a few more reps. This is where the magic happens. I like to say that if you're using light weight and you give up when the burn starts, you've not only wasted your set, but your time as well. The most productive, growth-inducing reps happen when that burn starts. In fact, those light weights can produce just as much muscle growth as heavy weights as long as the set is taken to true failure. But now comes the question; when should you use light weight and heavy weight in your training? Continue watching the video to see the other scenarios where light weight and heavy weight should be used to build muscle. Heavy Weights vs. Light Weights - http://athleanx.com/x/heavy-vs-light-... Subscribe to this channel here - /athlean-x english If you're looking for a complete training program and meal plan with sets and reps done correctly, be sure to check out athleanxespanol.com and use the program selector tool to find the program that best fits your goals and current skill level. For more videos on how to build muscle, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on YouTube via the link above and turn on notifications so you never miss a video when it's published.