The quick answer is, not as much as you might think.
You see, the amount of weight you have to lift to build muscle isn’t as important as the intensity of your lifting. In other words, it’s not the amount of weight that matters, but how hard you’re working your muscles.
Think about it this way.
If you’re lifting a heavy weight slowly, you’re not going to build much muscle. But if you’re lifting a lighter weight quickly, you’ll build more muscle.
The reason is, when you lift a heavy weight slowly, you’re not using your muscles to their fullest potential. But when you lift a lighter weight quickly, you’re using your muscles to their fullest potential.
So, if you want to build muscle, you should be lifting weights that are challenging for you, but not so heavy that you can’t lift them quickly.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should never lift heavy weights. Lifting heavy weights is important for building strength. But if your goal is to build muscle, lifting lighter weights quickly is the way to go.
The amount of weight you have to lift to build muscle depends on a variety of factors, including your age, gender, and body type. However, as a general rule of thumb, you need to lift weights that are heavy enough to challenge your muscles and force them to grow. This means lifting weights that are heavier than what you’re used to lifting, and doing so with good form. If you can lift a weight eight times with good form, but you can only lift it six times with perfect form, then you need to increase the weight.
Lifting heavy weights is essential for building muscle, but it’s not the only factor. You also need to give your muscles time to rest and recover so they can grow. This means you need to focus on quality over quantity when you’re lifting weights. If you’re lifting too much weight, you’re not giving your muscles the time they need to recover, and they won’t grow as a result.
Finally, you need to make sure you’re eating enough calories and protein to support muscle growth. If you’re not eating enough, your body will break down muscle for energy, which will sabotage your efforts to build muscle.
So, how much weight should you lift to build muscle? The answer is, it depends. Start with a weight that’s challenging but doable, and focus on quality over quantity. As you get stronger, you can increase the weight. And make sure you’re eating enough to support your muscle-building efforts.
