Why More Reps Doesn’t Build More Muscle

 

If you have ever finished a workout drenched in sweat, muscles burning, feeling like you absolutely crushed it, and still wondered why your body is not changing the way you want it to, this episode is for you.

There is this belief that more reps automatically means more results. More burning. More sweating. More pushing through. More “just keep going.” And I get why that feels like it should work. A high-rep workout can feel intense in the moment, so of course your brain starts thinking, “This has to be doing something.” But what if the thing you are building is not actually the thing you think you are building?

In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we are talking about what high reps actually do, why that burn can be a little misleading, and what your muscles really need if your goal is to feel stronger, more defined, and more confident in your body.

What’s Discussed:

  • Why high-rep workouts can feel so effective in the moment

  • What the burn is actually telling you during lighter-weight sets

  • Why sweat and soreness are not always the best signs of progress

  • What your muscles need when the goal is building lean muscle

  • Why the right rep range matters more than chasing more reps

  • How progressive overload helps your body keep changing

  • Why lifting heavier does not mean you are going to get bulky

  • How Movement With Julie is built to help you train with the right challenge

The workouts inside Movement With Julie are built around the kind of challenge that helps women build lean muscle without spending hours in the gym. The app gives you the structure, the rep range, and the progressive overload so you are not guessing whether you are doing enough. Head to movementwithjulie.com to get started.

If you loved this episode, you will also love Episode 566: What Most Women Get Wrong About Progressive Overload. It is the perfect next listen if you want to understand how to keep challenging your muscles over time so your results do not stall.

If you want more from me, be sure to check out…

Transcript

(0:00) Hey, hey beautiful human. Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you (0:06) but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace Your Reel with me, Julie Ledbetter.

(0:13) I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self. (0:19) Stay tuned if you're ready to Embrace Your Reel. Let's get it, let's go! (0:33) Hello and welcome back to another bonus episode on the Embrace Your Reel podcast.

(0:37) I'm so glad that you're here with me today. If you have ever finished a workout completely drenched in sweat, (0:43) your muscles are burning, feeling like you just absolutely slayed it and crushed it, (0:47) and then you wonder why your body isn't changing the way that you want it to, this episode might explain a lot. (0:52) Because there's a really common belief out there that more reps equals more results, that if you just keep repping it out, (0:58) keep pushing through the burn, keep adding more and more reps to your sets, (1:02) you must be doing something good for your body.

(1:04) And I get why it feels that way, like more reps feel harder, you're sweating more, your muscles are on fire, (1:09) and it seems like all that effort should be building something. (1:13) But what if the thing you're building isn't actually muscle? Today (1:16) I want to break down what high reps are actually doing for your body and why it's not the same as building muscle, (1:22) and what to do instead if your goal is to feel stronger, more defined, and more competent in your body. (1:27) Before I dive in though, I want to share this review.

(1:29) You should give a five-star review and said second review because one is not enough. (1:34) Miss Julie, my internet BFF, I've had a couple different chapters in my life the past four years, (1:40) but the one thing that has been consistent is you, your podcast, your movement with Julie app, and your Instagram. (1:45) You're the one constant that grounds me and motivates me forever grateful for you.

(1:49) I am forever grateful for you, and I'm so thankful to hear that I have been a constant in your life. (1:54) I feel honored, honestly, I feel honored. (1:55) So thank you so much for taking time out of your day to send in your second review.

(2:00) That's right, her second review. (2:01) If you guys left a review maybe a couple years ago, but you're back or you've always been listening, (2:07) but you just haven't left a second review, I want to encourage you to leave a second review. (2:11) I would love to hear in this season of your life how the episode or episodes are helping you (2:18) so you could scooch over to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating interview.

(2:21) That would mean the absolute world to me and our team. (2:23) All right, let's get into it. (2:24) So when you are doing really high reps, I'm talking 15, 18, 20 plus with lighter weight, (2:30) what you're doing is primarily building muscular endurance.

(2:34) And that means that your muscles are getting better at repeating the same movement over (2:37) and over without fatiguing as quickly. (2:40) That's not a bad thing. (2:41) Muscular endurance absolutely can be useful.

(2:44) It helps with everyday activities. (2:46) It can improve your stamina. (2:47) It can keep your heart rate up during a workout, which is great for cardiovascular health, (2:51) but it's not the same thing as building lean muscle.

(2:54) And I think a lot of women don't realize this because the workout feels intense, (2:57) like you're sweating, you're shaking, your muscles are burning. (3:00) And it feels like that must be the thing that is changing your body. (3:03) But the burn that you're feeling during the high rep sets is mostly metabolic fatigue, (3:08) like your muscles are tired, but they're not being challenged in the way that's (3:11) actually going to signal them to grow.

(3:14) So what does actually build muscle? (3:16) Well, muscle grows when it's placed under enough tension that your body says, (3:21) okay, we need to get stronger here. (3:23) And that kind of tension happens when the weight that you're lifting is heavy (3:27) enough that you can do only somewhere between eight to 12 reps before your (3:30) form starts to break down. (3:32) Like that range is where the magic happens for most women who want to build (3:36) lean muscle, see more definition and actually change their body composition.

(3:40) And here's why that matters beyond just how you look. (3:43) Lean muscle supports your metabolism. (3:45) So the more muscle you have, the more energy your body uses throughout the day, (3:49) even when you're not working out, it's going to support your bones, (3:52) your posture, your balance, and your ability to stay strong and independent as you age.

(3:57) It's genuinely one of the best things that you can do for a long-term health. (4:01) So when you spend most of your workouts in that really high rep range, (4:06) again, I'm talking 15, 18, 20 reps with lighter weights. (4:09) Yes, you're getting a good sweat, but you might be missing out on the one thing (4:13) that actually creates a lasting change in your body.

(4:16) And now here's one other piece that a lot of women overlook as well. (4:19) It's not just about being in the eight to 12 rep range. (4:23) You also need progressive overload, (4:25) which means that you are gradually increasing the challenge over time.

(4:29) So that could look like adding a little bit more weight (4:31) when your current weight starts feeling easy. (4:34) It could look like adding a rep. (4:35) It could look like slowing down the movement (4:37) so your muscles are more under tensioned for longer.

(4:41) The point is that your body adapts. (4:43) And if you keep doing the same thing at the same level, (4:46) it eventually stops changing. (4:47) So if you've been hitting 12 reps easily, (4:50) and it doesn't feel like much by the end of your set, (4:52) that's your sign that you need to likely go up in weight.

(4:55) Even if that means you need to drop back down to eight reps for a little while, (4:59) it might feel like you're going backwards, (5:01) but that is actually how you keep moving forward. (5:04) And no, you're not going to get bulky. (5:06) I know that is the fear.

(5:07) I hear it all the time. (5:08) But building lean muscle as a woman takes a really long time (5:12) and is also a very intentional effort. (5:15) What it will do is it will give you shape and definition, (5:19) that strong sculpted feeling that most of us are actually chasing when we stay toned.

(5:23) That's personally exactly why I build the workouts inside my mood with Julie. (5:27) In the programming lives that eight to 12 rep range for a lot of the movements, (5:31) because I know that it's the most effective way for women to build lean muscle (5:35) without spending hours in their workouts. (5:38) The app handles the progressive overload for you.

(5:40) So when you see that, and you see a movement that you already did, (5:43) and you log that workout previously, and you log that movement, (5:47) if you go to the history icon, which is on the movement, (5:50) on the bottom, second in from the left, you click on that. (5:54) You'll see all the weight that you ever logged for that movement, (5:57) the date of it, how many reps you did. (5:59) And so you can make an informed decision the next time (6:02) that you see that movement in your workouts.

(6:05) So if you want to learn more about my demo-only programming for women, (6:08) you can go to sale, S-A-L-E.movewithjulie.com. (6:12) But what I want you to take away from today is if your workouts (6:16) have been all about high reps and really light weights, (6:18) and then wondering why your body isn't changing, (6:21) you probably now know. (6:22) You're building endurance, not muscle. (6:24) And again, there's nothing wrong with endurance.

(6:26) But if your goal is to see real change, (6:28) muscular lean change in your body, you need to be lifting heavy enough (6:32) that eight to 12 reps actually challenges you, (6:35) and you need to be increasing that challenge over time. (6:38) Again, you don't need to completely change everything tomorrow, (6:40) but the next time that you pick up your weights, (6:43) I want you to ask yourself whether you could honestly (6:45) keep going past 12 reps. (6:47) And if the answer is yes, it's likely time to go heavier.

(6:50) If you love this episode, I know you will also love episode 566, (6:54) what most women get wrong about progressive overload. (6:57) It goes deeper into how to actually (6:59) keep challenging your muscles over time (7:01) so that your results never stall. (7:03) I will link that in the show notes (7:04) so that you can easily go check that out.

(7:06) That is all that I have for today's episode. (7:08) Please, please, please remember that your muscles (7:11) don't need more reps. (7:12) They likely just need the right challenge.

(7:14) I love you so much, I mean it, and I'll talk to you in the next one. (7:26) All right, sister, that's all I got for you today. (7:29) But I have two things that I need you to do.

(7:32) First thing, if you're not already following me on the Gram, (7:35) be sure to do so. (7:36) Julie A. Ledbetter, yes, it's with an A in the middle (7:38) for that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks, (7:43) and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. (7:47) The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts (7:50) to never miss an episode.

(7:52) Thank you so much for joining me. (7:55) It means the absolute world. (7:56) And I'm going to leave you with one last thought.

(7:59) The most beautiful women that I have met in my life (8:01) are the ones who are completely confident and secure (8:05) in being authentically themselves. (8:08) Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. (8:12) So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it.

 
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