Optimum rep range???

Kitty · 06-Jun-05, 08:16 AM

Hi people.

I am training for size only. I know in order to get big i have to get strong but strength training is secondary to size. I want to get big!!!!

Anyway i have always been told size = 4 - 6 reps and big weights. So thats what i have always done.

Over the time i have made some good gains in both strength and size. Recently however my gym has employed a new trainer. He isn't big (but as far as i know he is a fitness freak not a size freak).

Anyway i did the usual thing of ignoring him for a few weeks. I did my thing and he did his. When i got in a position where i spoke to him i found out he is actually a cool guy and seems to know a hell of a lot about building even if he doesn't practice it.

He asked me about my goals and my routine and listened intently. The next time i saw him he gave me a new workout and said try it if you want and if you dont want to that is fine.

I thought about it and gave it a go. He used mainly core movements which i used anyway but the rep ranges were different.

He said optimum range for size is 12 on your first set, but you need to use a weight where 12 is it, you can get no more out. Then he said aim for 10 in your second and third sets and if you hit 8 and 6 thats good. If you hit 10 in your second set increase the weight.

So basically he has shook up all i beleived to be true. I have been doing his workout for about 6 weeks now and have made gains.

I wanted everyones opinion on their rep range if training for size.

Thank you.

**Lady C** · 06-Jun-05, 08:33 AM

There is no "one" right routine. The right one is the one that works for you. I would suggest doing his routine until you no longer have gains. Then switch up your routine again. I've done pyramiding and saw good results too.

**threenorns** · 06-Jun-05, 09:13 AM

gotta agree - my experience is the exact opposite of yours - i started with the pyramid system but switched to 4-6 reps and saw much better results a lot faster. i'll keep with this until it no longer works, then i'll try something else.

**midgetcop** · 06-Jun-05, 08:57 PM

Changing up your routine periodically is a great way to boost your gains.

And I'm the same threenorns: as a beginner I did the 12-10-8 rep range (mainly on machines), but now I'm sticking mainly to a lower rep range these days.

CF-OC_gal · 06-Jun-05, 09:29 PM

I've always heard that the 4-6 rep range is for strength, 6-8 rep range is for size (body building) and 10-12 range is for tone, endurance and maintenance. Of course the volume of training you do matters too.

The generalization I know is lower volume, heavy weights, longer rest periods between sets give you strength gains while calculated rest periods between sets is more for mass and endurance training.

It all depends on where you are at physically too. I was in a rut of 3 sets of 6-8 reps, 2-3 sets per muscle group, 2-4 day split training, the way I had learned to bodybuild. Last fall I tried full body training, mostly compound basic exercises, one exercise per body part and a varying rep scheme between 5 and 15 reps. I still don't gain muscle easily but I have better general strength now for less work (it seems) and have muscle development in parts that were typically difficult for me (e.g. upper pecs). There is no question that to be stronger you do have to have some kind of muscle growth so start with the generalizations and then try different things to stimulate the sticking points.

A lot depends on your goals too. Eating properly will make your gains better and easier to maintain.

Titus · 06-Jun-05, 10:12 PM

Yes, I see what you guys mean. For me I found great results at 10 -12 rep range, I find that I feel my muscles actually working, and I feel great and I seem to be getting results really fast, I mean really fast. I've been working out on my neck and I can see improvments in 4 days usually. But thats just how I acquire muscle I guess. For me to do 4 - 6 rep range I've never tried, this is the reason:

Today for the first time I tried curling 55 lbs. (I used to do 40 but then it was too easy, so I had to bump up and the next amount is 55 , cause I have a barbell set

, I do my workouts at home. )
And after I did my chest , neck and shoulders, I tried my biceps.. and I couldn't even lift it once..not even once.. i started to swing and I almost fell back,.. so what does that say? Do i have to work with 40 even more? , or perhaps that the other workouts I did before .. crippled my in strength for my biceps? Thats why I don't try 4 - 6. But I also don't want to get toned I figured thats what I was doing all those years with the 10lbs.
Please help thanks.

Cort · 06-Jun-05, 10:18 PM

What does that have to do with doing 4-6 vs. 10-12?

If you're still curling 40-50 lbs via barbell chances are you're still seeing beginner gains, hence the noticeable results in a matter of weeks rather than months.

**MostMuscle** · 06-Jun-05, 10:18 PM

There is actually a great article over on T-nation.com concerning this topic.

Here is the link

Titus · 06-Jun-05, 10:33 PM

Yea well I decided to start Max OT looks very intresting and seems to work. So I'll give this a try.

What do you mean beginner gains? .. if I was curling 100 would it be considered something else?

Cort · 06-Jun-05, 11:04 PM

All I meant by that is that when people start lifting they usually see faster improvements at first, but that eventually tapers off to a slower rate.

Kitty · 07-Jun-05, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MostMuscle

There is actually a great article over on T-nation.com concerning this topic.

Here is the link

That was a great article. Clarified things for me a lot. At least i know what to aim for now which is good. Its awful to think that all this effort i've been putting in may be going against my aims ha ha.

It seems though that its the same as everything with this sport of ours. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for all. Trial and error is the key, but at least there are pointers in the right directions.