Lots of people use free weights and weight machines as part of staying fit and trying to build muscle, but a new study finds that contrary to popular belief, it’s not really the heaviness of the weights that build the most muscle. Rather, you can build more muscle mass by using something much lighter but just keep lifting until you reach fatigue and can’t lift it anymore.

This is good news for would-be exercisers who get discouraged and when they try to do more weight than they can handle and end up injuring themselves, not to mention great for the elderly or those who otherwise have decreased skeletal muscle mass.

Going to the gym is a great way to cut down long-term health care costs, and now you don’t have to do so much grunting and straining while you’re there.

Low-Load High Volume Resistance Exercise Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis More Than High-Load Low Volume Resistance Exercise in Young Men [Plosone via Physorg]

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