What's better: 5x5, or 5x10?

Capnwilliam · 10-10-2008, 06:27 AM

What do you think is better for building muscle mass?

Jim

Marius_Ursus · 10-10-2008, 06:30 AM

5x10 - Higher volume = greater growth, provided the load and recovery are sufficient

If you're open to it, you could try 10x5, too. There's less stress on the central nervous system because of the more frequent breaks which means you can do more total work under heavier loads.

Just a thought...

greyhair · 10-10-2008, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capnwilliam

What do you think is better for building muscle mass?

Jim

IMHO,
Both over the long haul.
In the short run, 5x10.
However, just doing 5x10 does not sufficiently train you to recruit muscle fibers so you can improve the number of fibers worked in the 5x10 sessions.
Also, 5x10 sessions probably don't damage the fibers as much as pushing 5x5s so you miss out in creating more muscle nuclei and resulting future growth.

So, if your looking for a short term muscle gain and haven't been doing 5x10s. I'd do them. OTOH, If you've been doing 5x10s and want to know if you should continue, I'd start tossing in some 5x5s maybe even some heavy 3 rep sets.

Good luck

Dutchman · 10-10-2008, 06:54 AM

Each has its place. While I for years championed GVT (10 X 10)on the long running thread we once had, I use 10 reps sets mostly as a change of place. For me, I gain more mass as I gain more strength. I gain more strength as I lift heavier weights, which lead me to years of using the 5 X 5 approach. I currently max out at 3 X 3 and with good nutrition respond well.

flexin007 · 10-10-2008, 06:56 AM

10 x 10.

greyhair · 10-10-2008, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marius_Ursus

5x10 - Higher volume = greater growth, provided the load and recovery are sufficient

If you're open to it, you could try 10x5, too. There's less stress on the central nervous system because of the more frequent breaks which means you can do more total work under heavier loads.

Just a thought...

interesting point.
Sometimes I'm not up for 10 or 12 reps.
So I add a makeup set to accomplish the same total work (total reps x weight)
Seems to work well for me and Mrs G.
Over the last year, we've both got unsolicited compliments from our gym buddies.

Nothing lifts your day like a comment from a hard working lady about how your "looking good"

Jesterclause · 10-10-2008, 07:00 AM

5x5. You should aim for 5-7 reps, if you can do more, you should increase the weight.

Marius_Ursus · 10-10-2008, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greyhair

interesting point.
Sometimes I'm not up for 10 or 12 reps.
So I add a makeup set to accomplish the same total work (total reps x weight)
Seems to work well for me and Mrs G.
Over the last year, we've both got unsolicited compliments from our gym buddies.

Nothing lifts your day like a comment from a hard working lady about how your "looking good"

That's the same thing I do (the make-up set). I play a game of give and take when I train. If I don't feel like I want to train a long session, I'll do more reps for fewer sets just to cut out the rest periods. Other times I'll think, "My glycogen stores just aren't cuttin' it today. I feel sluggish." Those are the days I'll do 15 sets of three reps.

And you're right, getting those comments keeps my spirits up. mrs. bear's been saying, "You're starting to look like a cub again," more and more.

bitful1123 · 10-10-2008, 08:52 AM

Consider buying a fat analyzer to monitor your effect of building muscle.

ExCompetitor · 10-10-2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capnwilliam

What do you think is better for building muscle mass?

Jim

If you were going to do only one or the other,i would go with 5x10...but,IMO approx. 100 reps per body part is best for muscle growth.Whether it`s 3 exercises 3 sets each 10-12 reps per set,or one exercise per bodypart 10 sets of 10...

namtrag · 10-10-2008, 09:37 AM

It's about 10:1 against 5x5. Makes me wonder why 5x5 is touted so highly

ironwill2008 · 10-10-2008, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitful1123

Consider buying a fat analyzer to monitor your effect of building muscle.

Excellent, on-topic post! Negged! Reported!

Now, to actually get back to the topic, a 5x5 like Bill Starr's is designed for strength increases, not necessarily muscle growth, as in , bigger muscles. As the OP's have already said, higher-rep training is better for hypertrophy. If you're looking for strength, though, Starr/Madcow 5x5 is an excellent program.

namtrag · 10-10-2008, 10:02 AM

Cool, thanks for clearing up for me!

Halfway · 10-10-2008, 10:03 AM

If you have no strength base, good luck building much muscle with volume training

5x5 is far from perfect but it's a fine beginners way to build up enough strength to graduate to more hypertrophy inducing training after a couple of years.

If you bench 5 x 10 with 95lbs, your chest will not look very good. And you'll be highly unlikely to get much stronger with this approach

If you work up to benching 405 with low rep strength work, then switch to benching 5 x 10 with 315, with a slow negative and a splitsecond pause on the chest, along with the shortest rest breaks you can handle while getting the reps... well, you'll probably have a pretty impressive chest

DaddyR · 10-10-2008, 11:00 AM

I'm generally a fan of periodization. Change your routine regularly to keep yourself from getting stale and keep shocking your system.

Though the CW says that in general higher reps are more efective for hypertrophy and lower reps for strength, I believe you've got to change it up every few weeks or months to keep progressing.