Ep. #308: Research Review: What’s the Best Rep Range for Building Muscle?

2018-06-22

Many people think weightlifting is inherently dangerous, and I understand why. When you compare deadlifting, squatting, and bench pressing gargantuan amounts of weight to other forms of exercise, like jogging, cycling, or calisthenics, weightlifting looks more like a death wish than a discipline. Poke around on Internet forums and you’ll find plenty to feed your anxiety. Personal stories range from the tame--mild joint and muscle aches and the like--to the downright horrific and debilitating, with s...

Many people think weightlifting is inherently dangerous, and I understand why.

When you compare deadlifting, squatting, and bench pressing gargantuan amounts of weight to other forms of exercise, like jogging, cycling, or calisthenics, weightlifting looks more like a death wish than a discipline.

Poke around on Internet forums and you’ll find plenty to feed your anxiety.

Personal stories range from the tame--mild joint and muscle aches and the like--to the downright horrific and debilitating, with some long-time bodybuilders so incapacitated that they can’t even tie their shoes until the ibuprofen kicks in.

If that isn't enough, there's plenty of video evidence, too.

I’ll save your eyes (and appetite), but trust me--serious weightlifting injuries can be particularly gruesome.

And so weightlifting, and strength training in particular, has been saddled with a bum rap for decades now.

Thankfully, the tides are changing and strength training is gaining more and more mainstream popularity, but many people still think that the dangers of weightlifting far exceed the benefits.

Well, as you’ll soon see in this podcast, while weightlifting does have its "dangers," they’re not nearly as bad as many people think.

Ironically, research shows that it’s actually one of the safest kinds of exercise you can do...when it’s done properly.

That, my friends, is the catch.

When done incorrectly--and there are many ways to mess it up--weightlifting can become very dangerous, very fast.

So, if you want to understand what science really says about the dangers of weightlifting, the benefits it has to offer most everyone, and how to do it as safely as possible, then let's dive in.

5:26 - How likely is it to get injured with weightlifting?
8:05 - What are the benefits of weightlifting?
10:19 - How do you avoid weightlifting injuries?

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