Edit: disregard what I wrote. I just deleted it. I'm now reading that fiber compostions are different from what I thought they were. I think the main benefit of doing light weights in between heavy weights is you can work your slow twitch muscles more and save time, since you were not going to do anything between sets anyway.
I'm now reading that most humans don't have much intermediate twitch muscle unless they turn some of their fast twitch into intermediate with endurance workouts.
I'll do weighted pushups and dips for my fast twitch chest, and then sand and lean against a wall and do pushups against it for my slow twitch reps in between the weighted push ups. I'll do those on Monday and Friday, and a variety of medium (unweighted pushups) chest stuff on Wednesdays.
Basically, your legs are typically 60% slow twitch and 40% fast twitch, and your arms are typically 60% fast twitch and 40% slow twich, and genetics does vary, but you can't turn slow twitch into fast twich, but you can turn fast twitch into intermediate twitch.
Fast twich: big, lots of force, fast, no endurance
Intermediate twitch: intermediate
Low twitch: small, less force, but lasts long enough it can do the same amount of work over a longer period of time, cantracts much slower.
If you want to release the most growth hormone, and burn the most calories, and be the most fit, you want to work all the muscle types. Slow twitch are not challenged by extra force: they just call the fast twitch into action if they need more force. They are challenged by 30 minutes of continuous use though. Fast twitch are worked with heavier weights. If you use them too long, they get smaller and take on more slow twitch properties.
That is why you use interval training. You do heavy stuff for short bursts (sets) to work the fast twtich. Then you take a 2-5 minute rest by just doing ligher stuff that works all the slow twich fibers, and maybe just a few fast twitch fibers. You cycle this way for 15-30 minutes, completing your sets as normal, and finishing all the sets in the same time, but working the slow twitch fibers the whole time. They are worked even when you lift heavy weights, unless you are moving really fast.
I'm now reading that most humans don't have much intermediate twitch muscle unless they turn some of their fast twitch into intermediate with endurance workouts.
I'll do weighted pushups and dips for my fast twitch chest, and then sand and lean against a wall and do pushups against it for my slow twitch reps in between the weighted push ups. I'll do those on Monday and Friday, and a variety of medium (unweighted pushups) chest stuff on Wednesdays.
Basically, your legs are typically 60% slow twitch and 40% fast twitch, and your arms are typically 60% fast twitch and 40% slow twich, and genetics does vary, but you can't turn slow twitch into fast twich, but you can turn fast twitch into intermediate twitch.
Fast twich: big, lots of force, fast, no endurance
Intermediate twitch: intermediate
Low twitch: small, less force, but lasts long enough it can do the same amount of work over a longer period of time, cantracts much slower.
If you want to release the most growth hormone, and burn the most calories, and be the most fit, you want to work all the muscle types. Slow twitch are not challenged by extra force: they just call the fast twitch into action if they need more force. They are challenged by 30 minutes of continuous use though. Fast twitch are worked with heavier weights. If you use them too long, they get smaller and take on more slow twitch properties.
That is why you use interval training. You do heavy stuff for short bursts (sets) to work the fast twtich. Then you take a 2-5 minute rest by just doing ligher stuff that works all the slow twich fibers, and maybe just a few fast twitch fibers. You cycle this way for 15-30 minutes, completing your sets as normal, and finishing all the sets in the same time, but working the slow twitch fibers the whole time. They are worked even when you lift heavy weights, unless you are moving really fast.