Lifting heavy vs. lifting light: Which works best for your goals?

Posted: January 16, 2026

Picking a workout plan can be a challenge. There are unlimited options out there for athletes to choose from. It gets even more complicated when you’re trying to decide if you should be lifting heavy or if you should be lifting light.

Lifting heavy means doing heavier weights but fewer reps. Lifting light means lifting lighter weights but more reps. Each approach serves a purpose, and what method you choose to follow will depend on your end goal.

Who should train heavy?

Training heavy is designed to build maximal strength and power. It’s a way to build muscle mass. This method improves neuromuscular efficiency, increases fast-twitch muscle fiber and enhances the body’s ability to produce force.

This way of training is especially important for athletes who rely on explosiveness, like football, basketball and hockey players, and track athletes.

Who should train light?

This approach is great for muscle hypertrophy, muscular endurance and metabolic conditioning. The increased reps place more stress on the muscle fibers, which encourages growth and improves fatigue resistance.

This method is good for endurance athletes or individuals who are new to weight-lifting and trying to use proper form.

The end goal with this approach is to build muscle, improve workload capacity and enhance overall conditioning.

Should athletes prioritize one method over the other?

It’s all about timing. What method you use will depend on the timing of your season.

During the offseason, athletes have more time to recover, which can allow them to lift heavy to build strength and power. The more demanding workouts can be followed by a longer recovery window.

In-season training is all about maintenance. The intensity stays high, but the overall volume should decrease. Instead of doing five sets of five reps, an athlete may lower it to three sets of three reps. This allows for the strength you build in the offseason to be maintained.

Sample workouts for lifting heavy and lifting light

Lifting heavy

• Back squat: Three sets of four reps
• Bench press: Three sets of four reps
• Dumbbell chest-supported row: Three sets of five reps
• Romanian deadlift: Three sets of five reps

Lifting light

•  Back squat: Three sets of eight reps
• Bench press: Three sets of eight reps
• Dumbbell chest-supported row: Three sets of 10 reps
• Romanian deadlift: Three sets of 10 reps

Lifting heavy and lifting light can be used as complementary tools. Each method serves a purpose. When your training matches your goals and your season, the results will follow.