Heavy weights are not magic… And higher reps CAN feel productive
BOTH can leave you stuck if you’re missing the part that really matters in your training…
In this episode, I’m breaking down one of the most overcomplicated topics in women’s fitness right now… lighter weights vs heavier weights, higher reps vs lower reps, the “best” number of sets, and the “perfect” workout split for women over 35. And honestly, this is exactly where so many women get pulled off course.i don't blame you with all the conflicting advice online. Lift heavier. Lift lighter. Do 3 x 8. Do 15 reps. Train more. Rest more. Full body. Upper lower. Push pull legs. No wonder your head’s fried.
this is the best place to start if you’re over 35, training hard, and still feeling confused by all the noise around heavier weights, higher reps, and the “best” workout split.
Because what feels effective is not always what changes your body.
This is also a bigger conversation about body recomposition, because so many women are chasing numbers, feelings, and workout styles instead of learning how to create truly effective work in the gym.
In this episode, I strip it right back.
A set that burns is not automatically a better set. A workout that leaves you wrecked is not automatically a muscle building workout. And lifting heavier is not some magic fix either if you do not understand how to brace, control the movement, challenge the target muscle, and actually progress what you’re doing.
I’m walking you through why higher reps can feel more productive but often make it harder to judge true effort, why more sets and more days are not automatically better, how to think about workout splits based on your actual life and recovery, and why body recomposition rewards honesty, method, and patience more than chaos and guesswork.
so….what actually matters when it comes to building muscle, changing your shape, and getting better body composition after 35? I unpack the truth about rep ranges, why higher reps often feel more effective than they really are, why heavy lifting is not the answer on its own, how sets only matter if the work inside them is real, and why your split should fit your recovery and your real life… not your fantasy self.
3 mini wins to take from this episode:
How to properly judge your sets + reps
You can put together a weekly structure that works for you - Cos we need to Stop asking what split is “best” and ask what setup lets me train well enough, often enough, and recover well enough to actually improve.
Film one main lift this week and ask, did that set actually challenge me, or did it just feel hard?
If you know another woman who is doing all the things and still feels like her body is not changing the way she hoped, share this episode with her. And if this podcast helps you, a five star rating genuinely helps me get it in front of more women without selling my soul to ads.
Anyone who wants to come on for a chat about their own journey or struggles, message me. I’d love that.
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