There can always be a number of ways to achieve a result. As the expression goes, many roads lead to Rome. But the more specific we can be with our goal the more specific we can be with the prescription.With resistance training the question can often be one of should I do lighter weights and more reps or heavier weights and fewer reps? And typically the average person will be led to believe that lifting heavy weights makes you big and bulky and so they select lighter weights in order to tone and not get big.[caption id="attachment_5301" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Often times people will select light weights with the goal to tighten and tone while looking to avoid increased mass.But this isn't the best approach. If we think about the group that trains to put on the most size i.e. bodybuilders, they will typically train with higher volume (i.e. reps x sets) to stimulate a hypertrophy (i.e. growth) response.Additionally, the people that train most intensely e.g. sprinters, will have some of the leanest physiques out there.So there appears to be some confusion as to what we should do to get leaner and or stronger.A study by Mangine et al. 2015 looked at the effect of volume and intensity when it comes to developing size or strength. The study included 29 resistance-trained men and ran for 8 weeks.The participants were divided into two groups. One group followed a high intensity protocol by performing exercises in the 3-5 rep range or approximately 90% of their 1 rep max (RM). Three minutes of rest was allowed between sets.The other group followed a high volume protocol with exercises performed in the 10-12 rep range or approximately 70% of their 1 RM. One minute of rest was allowed between sets.Here's what they found.The high intensity group made larger...