Anyone successfully lower weight but increase reps?

[rcrown2]

This was just a question that came up as I have been reading through different routines. I don't really plan on doing this right now, but maybe some time later to change things up.

Just wondering if anyone has gone from something like a 5x5 routine to 3x10 or something. So maybe you were doing 250lbs 5x5, but then go to 200lbs for 3x10.

I've seen some people say sets and reps do not matter, just lift and increase weight for whatever range you are doing. But I've also seen the people who are advocates of heavy weights you can only get 3 or 5 reps of.

Thoughts please, this is something that is pretty interesting to me.

[khuong1994]

Nope, I've only gone from a low weight/high rep routine to high weight/low rep routine. I use to just do 3 or 4 sets of 8-10 but know I just do a simple 5x5 routine and I like it a lot better.

[fark]

Heavy weight / low reps will put a lot of size on you, more towards the bulky shapeless muscle tho. You seen the big guys in the gym that make loads of noise and never really seem to do anything. Thats usually the 2 rep routines and loads of sets, you build good strength but very low muscle stamina.

Lighter weights / high reps will give you a very good cut. This is the guys who have muscles that look like the edges could cut you, lots of definition and firm looking. Muscle stamina for this kind of workout is very good, strength pretty reasonable, looks good. Sets are usually 2/3 with upto 20 reps.

The balanced standard would be 3x 8-12. This is the between point for size and strenght, good balance all over, not ridiculously strong, good muscle stamina and pretty good cut.

Its a sliding scale so the further you go towards one end the stronger the results for that kind of routine so it all depends on what you want out of the routine as to what you go for. All the routines give you good results if you push yourself to the point where your last few reps are difficult. I personally go for 3x10, sometimes upping to 3x20 to mix it up on the odd occasion.

[egod6044]

This was just a question that came up as I have been reading through different routines. I don't really plan on doing this right now, but maybe some time later to change things up.

Just wondering if anyone has gone from something like a 5x5 routine to 3x10 or something. So maybe you were doing 250lbs 5x5, but then go to 200lbs for 3x10.

I've seen some people say sets and reps do not matter, just lift and increase weight for whatever range you are doing. But I've also seen the people who are advocates of heavy weights you can only get 3 or 5 reps of.

Thoughts please, this is something that is pretty interesting to me.

fark is right in terms of those routines producing those results. However if your bodyfat is low enough and you have trained heavy with low reps you will still have plenty of definition. But I do understand what he is saying in terms of the blocky look you get from doing that kind of heavy training. He is also correct in terms of the muscle endurance. Why not get the best of both worlds? I like to mix up the rep ranges I perform a lot of the time so sometimes I go as low as 3 or 4 reps and sometimes I go as high as 15 (or higher sometimes for leg training). This will give you good mass gains but also maintains a good level of muscular endurance and creates a balanced physique in terms of mass and definition. I used to train only 8 - 12 reps but I found adding the heavier sets in really helps with mass and strength gains. The key is to keep a few heavy compound exercises the same such as heavy bench press or dumb bell press and change the exercises/order/rep ranges for the rest of your exercises so you gain the benefits of both types of training - some heavy, some moderate, some "light". Make sure though that you don't just do 1 heavy exercise and make the rest of your workout light or you won't grow much. You don't have to go as far as doing heavy days and light days either. Just aim to make every workout intense and train with a variety of rep ranges, including a number of heavy compound movements.

[pumplikeeecummings]

This was just a question that came up as I have been reading through different routines. I don't really plan on doing this right now, but maybe some time later to change things up.

Just wondering if anyone has gone from something like a 5x5 routine to 3x10 or something. So maybe you were doing 250lbs 5x5, but then go to 200lbs for 3x10.

I've seen some people say sets and reps do not matter, just lift and increase weight for whatever range you are doing. But I've also seen the people who are advocates of heavy weights you can only get 3 or 5 reps of.

Thoughts please, this is something that is pretty interesting to me.

Yes, and it takes a little time to adjust to the new rep range. There is a bit more lactic acid build up in the 10 rep range and the muscle in under TUT for more time as well. In about 3 weeks you'll be adapted pretty well if your form is good. Same thing happens with people going from moderate reps 6-12 to low reps 1-5. They don't know how to put everything into each rep, so it takes a little time to get used to the new stimulation.

And as for the overload question about adding weight, it gets a little more technical than 'just add weight to the bar'.

[jb4476]

Heavy weight / low reps will put a lot of size on you, more towards the bulky shapeless muscle tho.

That has nothing to do with training style. It comes down to BF%.

[kusok]

Heavy weight / low reps will put a lot of size on you, more towards the bulky shapeless muscle tho. You seen the big guys in the gym that make loads of noise and never really seem to do anything. Thats usually the 2 rep routines and loads of sets, you build good strength but very low muscle stamina.

Lighter weights / high reps will give you a very good cut. This is the guys who have muscles that look like the edges could cut you, lots of definition and firm looking. Muscle stamina for this kind of workout is very good, strength pretty reasonable, looks good. Sets are usually 2/3 with upto 20 reps.

The balanced standard would be 3x 8-12. This is the between point for size and strenght, good balance all over, not ridiculously strong, good muscle stamina and pretty good cut.

Its a sliding scale so the further you go towards one end the stronger the results for that kind of routine so it all depends on what you want out of the routine as to what you go for. All the routines give you good results if you push yourself to the point where your last few reps are difficult. I personally go for 3x10, sometimes upping to 3x20 to mix it up on the odd occasion.

This is not true ^^^

There is no such thing as bulky shapeless muscle. There is muscle and there is fat. What you're observing are individuals with higher bodyfat VS individuals with lower bodyfat.

Ideal rep range for big lifts is 5-8, and 8-12 for smaller muscle groups.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/mus...al-growth.html

[kusok]

This was just a question that came up as I have been reading through different routines. I don't really plan on doing this right now, but maybe some time later to change things up.

Just wondering if anyone has gone from something like a 5x5 routine to 3x10 or something. So maybe you were doing 250lbs 5x5, but then go to 200lbs for 3x10.

I've seen some people say sets and reps do not matter, just lift and increase weight for whatever range you are doing. But I've also seen the people who are advocates of heavy weights you can only get 3 or 5 reps of.

Thoughts please, this is something that is pretty interesting to me.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/mus...al-growth.html

[fark]

There isn't just "muscle", How you train affects the muscles in many different ways. Heavy weight training gives you bulky muscle thats slightly wobbly, its hard when you tense but it looks shapeless and bulky when relaxed. Kind of similar to the steroid / creatine look. Increasing reps produces a much firmer kind of muscle and a much more toned look.

[chinesemuscle]

Heavy weight / low reps will put a lot of size on you, more towards the bulky shapeless muscle tho. You seen the big guys in the gym that make loads of noise and never really seem to do anything. Thats usually the 2 rep routines and loads of sets, you build good strength but very low muscle stamina.

Lighter weights / high reps will give you a very good cut. This is the guys who have muscles that look like the edges could cut you, lots of definition and firm looking. Muscle stamina for this kind of workout is very good, strength pretty reasonable, looks good. Sets are usually 2/3 with upto 20 reps.

The balanced standard would be 3x 8-12. This is the between point for size and strenght, good balance all over, not ridiculously strong, good muscle stamina and pretty good cut.

Its a sliding scale so the further you go towards one end the stronger the results for that kind of routine so it all depends on what you want out of the routine as to what you go for. All the routines give you good results if you push yourself to the point where your last few reps are difficult. I personally go for 3x10, sometimes upping to 3x20 to mix it up on the odd occasion.

So you're saying the people who do 5x5 but with slow negatives won't stimulate their muscles the same as the ones doing 3x10?

[pumplikeeecummings]

So you're saying the people who do 5x5 but with slow negatives won't stimulate their muscles the same as the ones doing 3x10?

Depends. If your doing 5x5 vs 3x10 for 3 exercises is completely different unless you do 5x5 and then different exercises after.

[rcrown2]

Thanks for the replies, everyone, very good info!

As for changing the rep/set range up....would it be beneficial to lift 3x10 for one or two weeks, then go to 5x5 and alternate like that? All exercises would be intense, just different weights depending on the reps.

[peteskeys]

There isn't just "muscle", How you train affects the muscles in many different ways. Heavy weight training gives you bulky muscle thats slightly wobbly, its hard when you tense but it looks shapeless and bulky when relaxed. Kind of similar to the steroid / creatine look. Increasing reps produces a much firmer kind of muscle and a much more toned look.

All you've described here is the difference between low and high bodyfat. Have you ever looked at olympic lifters? I think Pyrros Dimas might beg to differ with you.

[egod6044]

This is not true ^^^

There is no such thing as bulky shapeless muscle. There is muscle and there is fat. What you're observing are individuals with higher bodyfat VS individuals with lower bodyfat.

Ideal rep range for big lifts is 5-8, and 8-12 for smaller muscle groups.

There is a difference between muscle created by heavy lifting and moderate or lighter lifting. You are correct that body fat plays a big role in how ripped you are. But there is something to be said for the detail, quality and shape that is created by lifting weights for higher reps where you have more control over the weight and the contraction of the muscle group. Lighter training though, doesn't tend to give you the same mass as the heavier lifting does.

Further how can you say that big muscle groups and smaller muscle groups require a specific rep range? Some smaller muscle groups can handle a rep range lower than 8 or higher than 12. Some bigger muscle groups respond well to repetitions higher than 8 too. I am speaking from my own experience. If it is my experience then I am sure others have experienced similar results and there is some justification in what I am saying.