lighter weights may = longer gap post-workout before muscle building starts

This Poliquin article toward the end makes an important hypothesis, that a lighter weight load workout may result in the onset of muscle building around 4 hours post-workout as opposed to a heavy weight load workout which triggers muscle building in just one hour.

This makes total sense with my experience. I have noticed that more endurance-oriented lifting tends not to cause the strong craving for protein right after the workout but rather down the stretch so to speak hours later.

However, my exprience is also that the "carb window" doesn't change the same way i.e. the GLUT-4 window seems to be the same time frame regardless of the load of the workout. I personally have a GLUT-4 window roughly 30-90 minutes post-workout. During those times you can eat lots of carbs. I use waxy maize, milk, cookies etc.

In any case, this article also strongly advises that *volume* is the key to muscle building, whether lifting a lighter or heavier load.

Tip 357: Train With A High Volume To Build Muscle and Get Lean For Summer

http://www.poliquingroup.com/Tips/tabid/130/EntryId/1237/Tip-357-Train-With-A-High-Volume-To-Build-Muscle-and-Get-Lean-For-Summer.aspx