# @mackinprof on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DTGRt5ViLxC
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/59738793-mackinprof-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4aeb4962ae.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-01-04T18:01:58.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Stuart Phillips (@mackinprof) — https://gondola.cc/mackinprof

## Caption

Do you like lifting heavy? Great. Go for it.
Especially not the people being told they must, for zero evidence-based reason.

The old “strength–endurance continuum” suggests that heavy loads are required for muscle development.
And it’s been shown to be wrong repeatedly.
It’s wrong.
And it’s been shown to be wrong **over and over again**.

Multiple meta-analyses now show the same thing:
👉 Muscle hypertrophy occurs across a wide range of loads (as low as ~30% 1RM), as long as sets are taken close to fatigue.
👉 Heavier loads improve strength because of specificity, not because lighter loads don’t work. That part is self-evident, exercise physiology 101

What actually matters:
• Was the set hard?
• Did effort hit ~8/10?
• Did you finish with 1–3 reps left in the tank?

If yes → it counts.
Weight colour, rep range, and internet bravado are irrelevant.

And here’s the part people conveniently ignore:
Most people — especially women — don’t lift weights at all.
So why are we still shaming the ones who do?

No exercise is “bad” exercise.
Pink weights are not a failure.
You do not need to LHS to be healthy, build muscle, protect bone, or age well.

If you *like* lifting heavy? Great. Go for it.
Just stop pretending/broadcasting/falsely claiming it’s mandatory (for anything).

Accept the evidence.
Let people train how they want.
And maybe… stop posting dumb sh*t.

Lift long and prosper — however you prefer to lift.
For your health, lift. 💪

#EvidenceBasedFitness
#StrengthTraining
#ResistanceTraining
#LiftWeights
#ExerciseScience
#fitnessmyths 
#SportsScience
#ExercisePhysiology
#MetaAnalysis
#researchbased 
#BoneHealth

## Stats

- **Views:** 6,398
- **Likes:** 415
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 15

## Tags

researchbased, exercisephysiology, resistancetraining, strengthtraining, evidencebasedfitness, exercisescience, sportsscience, liftweights, fitnessmyths, bonehealth, metaanalysis

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