Rep Range

[JawD]

I've read on the pro's and con's of low and high rep ranges and basically came to the conclusion that I need to do both! Without going into the nitty gritty, could you please give your opinion of these:-

Week 1 - 3 : 4-6 Rep Range
Week 4 : 8-10 Rep Range
Week 5 - 7 : 4-6 Rep Range
Week 8 : 8-10 Rep Range
Week 9 : Rest

(Each week I would be lifting 4 days per week and cardio 1 - 2 days)

Cheers

[ebon00]

It's a decent plan. If you work each bodypart once a week it'll work well. I'd also suggest changing performance style and set count between these weeks. Change your sets so that you total (reps*sets) is the same for both weeks.

[JawD]

Yeah, at the moment I do a one week split. Each week "set" I plan to tweak the routine (ie bent over rows for cable rows) but do the same work (sets*reps) also swapping a couple of routines without loosing the core routines (squats etc). As you say, maybe if I also swap a few sets around like rather than 3 x 6 squats and 2 x 6 press, maybe go for press first and do 3 x 6 with squats 2nd at 2 x 6 (assuming thats what you meant!).

Cheers.

[Plucas8916]

Why did you choose 8-10 over 6-8.. Just out of curiousity. From just playing around and trying everything I've decided that I like 6-8 over everything.

[JawD]

Well, my 4-6 range is my strength training whereas my 8-10 range is for hypertrophy. I'm currently thinking of changing even more so that I do two weeks of each method twice then the rest.

Also, when I do the 8-10 reps I do less set slightly. For example Chest Press.

Low Rep 3 x 6 sets
High Rep 2 x 10 sets

I'm still learning about all this myself, there are so many schools of thought though that its difficult. I train each part once per week, but there is an arguement for achieving hypertrophy that you should do less sets, higher reps more than once per week for each part. I could have went 6-8 and be done with it but I like to have variation and going from 4-6 to 6-8 wasnt enough of a change.

[JawD]

Still mulling over this.

If my understand is correct:-

Low Rep High Weight for Strength Building
Higher Rep for Hypertrophy

I think I have my low rep routine sorted but am not as sure on the higher rep. I'll be using the same lifting routines but wanted am trying to structure the pattern. With this in mind, what are peoples opinions on the best of the following (sorry if I'm getting repetative!) :-

Option 1 (Current)

Week 1 - 3 : 4-6 Rep Range (4 day split + 1 day cardio)
Week 4 : 8-10 Rep Range (4 day split + 1 day cardio)
Week 5 - 7 : 4-6 Rep Range (4 day split + 1 day cardio)
Week 8 : 8-10 Rep Range (4 day split + 1 day cardio)
Week 9 : Rest

Option 2

Week 1 - 3 : 4-6 Rep Range (4 day split + 1 day cardio)
Week 4 : 8-10 Rep Range (2 day split twice per week + 1 day cardio)
Week 5 - 7 : 4-6 Rep Range (4 day split + 1 day cardio)
Week 8 : 8-10 Rep Range (2 day split twice per week + 1 day cardio)
Week 9 : Rest

Or, one of the above with equal weeks ie Weeks 1-2 then 2-4

When I was reading up on the best way to achieve hypertrophy, unlike strength building, it was suggested that training a body part two or three times a week is more effective than once.

For example.

Option A

Mon:- Bicep 2 x 10 Barbell Curl, 2 x 10 Alt Dumbell Curl, 1 x 10 Hammer Curl = 5 Sets

Option B

Mon:- Bicep 1 x 10 Barbell Curl, 1 x 10 Alt Dumbell Curl, 1 x 10 Hammer Curl
Wed:- Bicep 1 x 10 Barbell Curl, 1 x 10 Alt Dumbell Curl, 1 x 10 Hammer Curl
Total 6 sets

This would be combined in a two day split rather than my current four day.

[JawD]

Ok, Ive been reading up on this (again). Always a bad idea due to conflicting theory but here we go.

I'd really appreciate some theories back on this cheers

My current thinking is now to go for 1 week low rep high intensity (4-6) then 2 weeks mid rep (8-10) high intensity. Then 1 week high rep 10-12 high intensity. Then Repeat this for another 4 weeks and then have a week off. I specify high intensity in both cases as I dont see the point in low intensity training. What would that gain? Anyway, the reading that brought me to this conclusion stated the following (and I summarise).

"Mid Rep ranges 8-10 is the superior method for building mass. It optimised fibre recruitment, increases hormonal response & enhances cellular hydration."

Does this mean that my low-rep workout is counter-productive? No.

"Low rep sets can help to improve neuromuscular response, which can lead to the ability to lift higher weights".

Also it is suggested that high rep workout can be employed as this can help refine muscle endurance and increase the lactate threashold.

The full article that I read can be found at http://www.sergiogregorio.com.br/art...nfeld_2000.pdf

(requires a pdf reader)

[MonStar]

I think that plan looks pretty solid. When it comes to rep range I think it really depends on what your goal is. I mean for hypertrophy somewhere in the 5-12 rep range is ideal. For neural adaptation and strength gains I would say that the 1-3 range would be more effective, though.

[DaRkAnGel]

Originally Posted by JawD

"Mid Rep ranges 8-10 is the superior method for building mass. It optimised fibre recruitment, increases hormonal response & enhances cellular hydration."

Does this mean that my low-rep workout is counter-productive? No.

No it does not, the article is slightly blowing smoke in your face. The 8-10 rep range is not always superior. I would have to say that in general, the best rep range for mass(if you only had to do one) is 6 - 12. The difference between doing 6 reps and 8 is not that big biologically; however, on the average more growth hormone is released in the lower reps than in the higher reps.

Now that I got that out of the way, the method of training you are talking about is linear periodization, which although has been viewed in the past as the best method of training, recently conjugative periodization has been found to be superior.

You can train in basically the same way except use different cycles as well, here is a simple explanation: Within each macrocycle there are mesocycles which last anywhere from weeks to months again depending on the athlete. Within each mesocycle there can be microcycles which would be shorter periods of usually one or 2 weeks.

Using linear periodization you would train using your different rep ranges and switch it up every few weeks to a different mesocycle, all coming together in the end for the macrocycle. Things in between such as perhaps one week of strength training every 3 weeks would account for microcycles.

In a conjugative periodization program you usually have mesocycles in which you encorporate your microcycle into each individual week.




ok, i do not remember where i was going with this... lol enjoy :

[JawD]

Cheers guys. Lol DA good post, but I'd hate to see the non-simple explanation! Cheers though.