5 Benefits of Lifting Light Weight

If you’ve been looking into strength training, you may be wondering about the benefits of lifting light weights. Not everyone is a heavy lifter, and not everyone wants to be. Sometimes you’re looking for an effective workout, with low risk of injury, that will still hope you reach your workout goals.

While many people believe that the best way to build muscle is by lifting the maximum amount of weight you can, there are benefits to lifting light weights. It may be the best routine for you. Read more below to learn about the light-weight lifting method.

1) Minimize Your Risk of Injury

Lifting light weights has been shown to minimize your risk of weight lifting related injuries, especially if you’re new to the strength training process. You’re less likely to pull a muscle, dislocate a shoulder or knee, or throw your back out if you stick to light-weights. Don’t worry about not building any muscle, either. If you lift light-weight with more repetition, you’ll still gain strength.

2) Improve Your Range of Motion

Lifting heavy weights can limit your range of motion, while lighter weights provide more flexibility. It’s been shown that when you use light-weights, it allows your body more room for movement, which can increase the strength of your joints, tendons, and ligaments, as well as those bulky muscles you’re aiming to build.

3) Train Your Target Muscles Better

When you strength train using light-weights, you use only the muscles you’re targeting to lift. Using heavy weights relies on the need for momentum and requires other muscles in your body to overcompensate. Lifting light-weights allows you to hone in on the specific muscle group you’re looking to build more effectively.

4) You Can Build the Same Amount of Muscle

If you’re lifting heavy weights in hopes of building more muscle, you may be overexerting yourself when it’s not needed. Studies show that lifting light-weight can be effective at building muscle, as long as you’re prepared to spend the time doing more repetitions throughout your workout.

5) Improve Your Form

Using light weights can help you improve your form better than lifting heavyweights. When you’re focused on lifting as much as you can, in the shortest amount of time, your form often suffers. Light-weights give you the ability to pay closer attention to your positioning, building more positive lifting habits for the future.

Strength Training for Everyone

If you’re looking to improve your strength, but you aren’t sure where to start or aren’t into the idea of using weights, that’s okay. Check out this video for a list of strength training exercises you can do that are weight-free.