A few months ago, I overheard some gym goers being lectured by your typical gym dad. (Early 60s, with "decades" of gym experience and all the knowledge of course.) We'll call him Gilbert. So, Gilbert's talking to the younger generation about his shoulder and back issues. This was all in good conversation until he tops it all off with, "Never lift heavy, guys. That's how you get hurt."
This quote would make sense to the uninitiated; "...of course, lifting heavy hurts you, that's how Grandpa Gilbert throughout his back trying to move the piano by himself."
But couldn't the same be said about lifting a lighter weight for higher reps? Let's say ole Gilbert was chopping some wood. Now, we know the axe doesn't weigh nearly as much as the piano, but when Grandpa chops log after log for an hour or two, his back starts to ache, and maybe he even throws it out after he swings that axe for the 100th time.
How can both make sense when one example is lifting a heavy object once, and the other is lifting a lighter object dozens of times? There are two answers to his beguilement and they both 'F' words.
Form: Maybe Grandpa Gilbert is a strapping gent. So strapping, in fact, that lifting a piano is a breeze. Once Big Gil gets his footing, a good grip, and a big Valsalva breath in him, all that's left to do is engage his hips to extend forward and leverage the instrument up. But wait, Gilbert's hips aren't engaged at all, no. Gilbert is arching his back and pushing through his knees!
You see Gilbert had all the strength in him, but it was his form that faltered, resulting in an injury of some kind. And maybe it isn't even his fault. We've all seen an upright piano tucked in a corner, awkwardly awaiting to be moved with no possibility of ergonomic strategy. Regardless of whether or not you can lift an object, if your body isn't in the most efficient position, you will more than likely hurt yourself.
Fatigue: Grandpa Gil has chopped plenty of firewood before, what could be so different from today? Well, it is a scorcher out there, and I don't recall seeing him sharpen that axe for a while. Oh jeez, is that white oak? Good for Big Gil, he's really up for the challenge.
Oh, it's a challenge alright. You see, Gil's form is next to perfect. After years of experience, it's just muscle memory anymore. His first swing leads the blade right in the center of that log. THUNK. But Gilbert doesn't flinch. Swoosh, THUNK. Swoosh, THUNK. Swoosh, CRACK! He got it! Nice work Grandpa, just 11 more logs to go.
Even if every swing continues to be perfectly executed, Gilbert's muscles are running out of fuel. He's sweating out his water supply, burning through his carbohydrates from breakfast, lowering his blood sugars, and eventually his swings will become less and less strong. And when muscles weaken under stress, they strain, or they pull, or they tear. The severity is all dependent on when Grandpa decides to stop.
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So, is lifting heavy safe? While we're at it, is lifting light for higher reps safer? You already know the answer: No matter what you are lifting, how heavy it is in relation to your personal strength, or how many times you are lifting it, as long as your form is top notch, and you are paying attention to your own fatigue and when enough is enough, you are much safer from injury, than the gym dad who wants to relive his glory days.
Quality over quantity applies in ALL THINGS.
To our goals!
L.S.
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