2-4 rep range, for benching.

[S5soldier]

Will that build bigger muscles on your chest and triceps quicker? :confused:

[Clint1]

I use a 6rep scheme for all my lifts. For benching i start with 135 for 10-12, 185 for 8-10, 225 for as many as i can till i reach six reps, then bump it up by 10lbs. I work with the top weight for no more than 3 sets. I finish Chest with inclines 1x185 for 6-8 reps. If i feel strong i may do another set or pull off the quarters and hit 135 till failure. With this workout i'm in the 3-5 rep area till i can manage to push the weight for six. This is a high intensity workout which is why there is not many sets or exercises. I gain reps on almost every workout and if i get to a sticking point i reduce the sets till i'm through. It works. Clint

[Firehawk]

Rep range from 1-4 doesn't generally make the muscle bigger. It makes you stronger. This is the range people who are on a pure strength training routine are targetting.

5-12 reps is generally the mass building rep range, with strength/size being toward the lower end of that, 5-8 reps or so.

[S5soldier]

i think 1-6 reps is better for building mass. 12 reps to me, personally sound like its hitting close to the endurance training instead of bulking up your muscle.

[gcs118]

Originally Posted by S5soldier

i think 1-6 reps is better for building mass.

lol then why did you ask the question if you know the answer? What Firehawk said is pretty true. You won't really see size gains unless you go higher, 6-12 reps I'd say. With 2-4 reps you'll gain strength, but not necessarily the most mass.

[Firehawk]

Originally Posted by S5soldier

i think 1-6 reps is better for building mass. 12 reps to me, personally sound like its hitting close to the endurance training instead of bulking up your muscle.

The science doesn't lie dude. It's pretty well accepted that reps in the 1-4 range produce pure strength gains with little/no size. 5-12 produce size and strength in the lower end of that range.

My body doesn't like 12 rep sets either.

[S5soldier]

Originally Posted by gcs118

lol then why did you ask the question if you know the answer? What Firehawk said is pretty true. You won't really see size gains unless you go higher, 6-12 reps I'd say. With 2-4 reps you'll gain strength, but not necessarily the most mass.

That just doesn't make sense to me, because I've been working out the past years and I have been doing 12 reps in my workouts most of the time, yet I seem to be building more endurance than overall physical appearance.

Originally Posted by S5soldier

That just doesn't make sense to me, because I've been working out the past years and I have been doing 12 reps in my workouts most of the time, yet I seem to be building more endurance than overall physical appearance.

Congratulations! You have found what doesn't work for you. Drop your reps down to 6 to 8 to see if that makes a difference.

[gcs118]

12 reps is generally on the higher side...try going for 6-8. If you haven't noticed at least some decent gains over the past few YEARS, then you've probably been doing something wrong.

[gcs118]

lol you beat me to it IronMan!

[Wedgy]

Dont forget diet, nothing will grow if u aint eating right.

I sure u knew it but someone always has to mention diet in a thread its kind of a forum tradition. :P

[Firehawk]

Yeah the thing that I think bodybuilders really seem to forget about is training the nervous system. They just do high reps all the time and never think to drop down to 2-4 rep routines for a cycle every now and then and train that component, because strength is the key to muscle growth. So the stronger that you can get, the more potential you have to get bigger.