WEEK EIGHT :: What Is The Best Rep And Set Range For Building Muscle?

[admin]

TOPIC: What Is The Best Rep And Set Range For Building Muscle?

For the week of: December 2nd - December 9th.

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If you were looking to build muscle as fast as you can, how many sets per bodypart and per workout would you perform? What rep range (or ranges) would you use per set? Give detailed reasons why you believe these ranges are the best, and use as much personal experience AND scientific proof as you can.

BONUS QUESTION: What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it.

Thanks!
Bodybuilding.com

[JnJ23]

What Is The Best Rep And Set Range For Building Muscle?

Everybody is different and responds differently to various training styles. There is no best rep/set range because what one might respond to, another might overtrain on. Everybody that first gets into bodybuilding like's to know what the easy way out is and what will make them grown the fastest, but the truth is, there is no easy way out. Bodybuilding is full of experimentation and experience.

I remember the very first time I asked this question on this site. Just about everybody's answers were different and each response was in favor to thier specific training regimen, meaning what they did, they thought was the best--and it was, at least for them. I went with the answer that made the most sense and began to follow it. After month's of following it, I barely gained any muscle, and i didn't know what the problem was; I was sure I was eating enough and getting enough rest. Once I took a look at my training, I finally decided to try lower volume, less reps. What happend next? I gained alot of muscle, and I was glad I finally found what worked for me.

So, the answer to the question is simple, because there really is no answer. Everybody is different. Sure, most people will tell you what works the best, but it's the best for THEM, not for you; or at least until you find out.



BONUS QUESTION: What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

Again, everybody is different and has different genetic's. Obviously the more gifted individual's will make better gains while the less fortunate won't make as good gains. But I will tell you what I gained on a bulking cycle in 12 week's with average genetics so you can get an "idea" although this wont hold truth for everyone. I went from 173 to 200 with not much fat gain(2-4%). My diet was on track, my training was intense, and my supplementaion was simple, yet effective (totaly natural). So, again everybody will make different gains depending on genetics/dedication. Remember to always follow a good diet and to get enough rest, because anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

[ravadongon]

REP RANGE

Using Science

1-3 Reps

In this repetition scheme Neural Efficiency (as well as some Myofibril Hypertrophy) occurs. Neural Efficiency increases the percentage of motor units that can be activated at any given time (CNS efficiency). This has very little impact on size gains but increases strength will be definitely be great. Little to no protein turnover occurs when using this particular rep range as load is too high and mechanical work is too low.

3-5 Reps

In this repetition range, mostly Myofibril and Sarcomere Hypertrophy and very little Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy occurs. Sarcomere hypertrophy increases contractile proteins in muscle thereby increasing strength directly and also size. Science says that growth here will be mostly myofibral/ sarcomere hypertrophy and will be accompanied with strength gains in other rep ranges and improvements in neural efficiency. Therefore this is perhaps the best rep range for increasing strength,as there is a better balance of load/work done for hypertrophy. However with little Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy occurring working in this rep range, is not the most beneficial for size.

5-10 Reps

In this repertition range we have Myofibril, Sarcomere, and Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy occurring. Using this rep range you will receive lots of growth as well some strength gains. Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy does not directly increase strength, but it increases size, what a bodybuilder trains for. This is the best range, according to science, to train in as a bodybuilder.

10-15 Reps

Some Sarcoplasmic with little Myofibral and Sarcomere Hypertrophy occur in rep ranges of 10-15. More fatigue and a greater extent of waste products are produced when training in this rep range.

More Than 15 Reps

Capillary density increases with little Sarcoplasmic growth with rep ranges above 15. Muscle endurace begins to become a factor, but this is not what you are looking for as a bodybuilder.

Using Personal Experience

As we have heard countless times before, "everybody's different," and "science isn't always right" so I'll give you my personal experience with working in different repetition ranges.

1-3 Reps

I rarely step into this rep range (only when performing olympic lifts), so I cannot give you a real prediction to whether this is the optimal rep range to work in.

3-5 Reps

I often use sets of 4 with my compound exercises, as I am more a powerbuilder then a bodybuilder. I've found that working in this rep range the strength gains outweighed the size gains, however I still did get size gains working in this range.

5-10 Reps

This is the range I work in most the time, primarily towards the lower end (sets of 5 and 6), as I found it gives a nice balance of size and strength gains. However, when I begun training well (this was when I trained more as a bodybuilder, rather than a powerbuilder), I used to perform sets of 8, 9 and 10. When working with these reps I found my size gains going through the roof. So I would say this is definitely the best rep range to work in for size, so far from my experience.

10-15 Reps

I haven't worked in this rep range, since my newbie days. Even then with limited training this rep range did not produce optimal size gains. When discovering that I was getting little results to show for my hard work in the gym, I lowered my reps.

More Than 15 Reps

I have never ventured into high repetitions, and don't think I ever will after seeing such great gains with medium to lower reps.

Conclusion: 5-10 Reps -> The Winner!

From what I have written in terms of both science and my personal experience, the best rep range to work in is between 5-10 reps. In terms of science this is the best rep range to work in because maximal sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increasing the volume of the tissue that supplies energy to the muscle or is involved with the neural drive) occurs. This is also the case with my personal experience, as I have benifited using this rep range when training primarily for size. As we all know "different things work for different people", but I am quite sure in saying that working in the 5-10 rep range will work for the large majority in training for size above all.

SET RANGE

What Is The Optimal Set Range?

Compared to rep ranges, set ranges are much more based on the theory, "different things work for different people."

Some people respond fantastically to high volume splits where a 4 or more exercises are used per bodypart and set ranges are more often than not above 3 per exercise.

However, most people will find they overtrain with such high volume splits and consequently their gains are reduced. They may respond better to a more "abbreviated" style of training, where often 1 exercise per small muscle and 2 exercises per large muscle are used with sets per exercise never above 2, and often 1.

So in conclusion, with set ranges, it is really dependent on what your body responds well to, more than anything else.

BONUS QUESTION

What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

This is heavily based on the persons genetics and the time they have spent lifting. Obviously, people with more favourable genetics, will gain more muscle than those with less favourable genetics. Another factor as I said is the time they have spent lifting. The more weight you put on the harder it becomes to put on more weight, and therefore it takes longer.

For someone with favourable genetics, who hasn�t lifted before, and has an immaculate diet, supplement and workout program, along with plenty of time to rest, it is fair to say that to gain at a rate of 1.5kg per week would be impressive, yet still possible. So to gain 18kg of muscle (sorry for using the metric system) in 12 weeks would be very impressive, yet still possible for those genetically gifted.

If we are looking at a newbie with average genetics with an well constructed diet, supplement and workout regime, along with plenty of time to rest, then to gain at a rate of around 0.6kg per week, would be expected, so he would end up gaining 7kg of muscle in the 12 weeks of training. Definitely possible for all newbies to gain that much, but it must be stressed that they would need to follow their diet, supplement and workout plan, almost religiously, and �avoid slacking off.�

[BigJoe15]

The fact is, there is no 'Best Rep And Set Range For Building Muscle!'
The reasoning behind this is that everyone has different bodytypes and as a result, respond differently to training.
Finding the best rep range and set range for you requires experimentation, just as you would experiment with your diet figuring out what works for you i.e. ratios of carbs, protien and fats. You must apply this principle to your training, one must find the correct ratio of reps and set range. There are some simple steps that I feel must be observed when aiming to find the optimum way of training for your body.

1) Assess recovery: Muscles are made out of the gym not in it. If you are pounding your muscles with too many sets of too many reps, you may not recover thus limiting recovery time and effecting your workouts negatively.

2) Try all of the ways and methods available: How do you konw 6-8 reps doesn't work for you if you haven't tried it. Experiment with higher and lower sets and increase and decrease your reps to see what works. If it doesn't work, don't train like that. Many pro's work with a higher rep range but that doesn't mean thats the only way to train. Some bodybuilders like Lee Preist prefer to train some bodyparts with 6-8 reps, whos going to argue with Lee's arm training program? Simply keep your options open!

'Absorb what
is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own' -Bruce Lee

3) Don't get sucked into hype: Don't bother trying to copy what certain individuals do, what the pro's do and what they do in the magazines "Ultimate guide to training". Listen to what these sources have to say, then come to your own conclusions. Some of the advise you will come across will be good, some will be uter trash.
Lets face it, alot of advise regarding rep ranges and set volume is directed towards chemically enhanced lifters. It might be that Johnny Bigballs down the gym gains from working out with high sets and high reps. Then again there are some genetic freaks who can gain by working out with 100 reps for 100 sets. That sure as hell doesn't mean you will. When it comes to reps and sets, don't switch for some hyped workout as it most likely won't work.

4) Don't be afraid to switch: The rep range that you work in will effect your strength and musclular hypertrophy. Different fibers will be stimulated and your body can adapt to a certain way of training. Therefore one way of adding mass is to keep the body guessing by changing rep range and set volumes on a regular basis. As I said before, everyone is different so this may not work for some but its definitely worth a try. This also help you to experience other ways of training allowing you to get a better idea of what works for you.

Here what I do when I'am looking to pack on the mass fast!

1) I work in the 6-8 rep range. I'am very genetically gifted with a naturally stocky build and naturally thick, strong muscles. I have worked in higher reps before but these tend to build my endurance and do very little for strength. I believe this is because my muscles are very dense and need to be hit hard with heavy explosive low reps to penetrate them fully. I also find 6-8 reps is very benificial for strength. For me there is a direct link between size and strength. I'm naturally strong but I find the stronger I become the more size and thickness I seem to add. 8-12 reps just cannot do what I require when I comes to the mass department.

2) I do 14 sets for big bodyparts and 9 sets for smaller musclegroups. I find bigger areas require more sets to hit each muscle as effectively as possible. In my experiance, larger muscles can handle more stress.
Smaller musclegroups like the arms don't require as much of a pounding in the gym due to the fact they can be successfully isolated with exercises such as the Preacher Curl. Smaller muscles also play a role in working your larger musclegroups such as the back, which requires the biceps to work. Therefore in my opinion they need less stimulus to respond.
I don't go too far with sets but I like to do enough to give my muscles a total hammering. You know that you don't need any more sets when your exercises become sloppy or you can handle anymore reasonable weight. Therefore your job is done with that bodypart. One should look at the results and bump up or lower sets accordingly. The final most important point here is to listen to your body. If you are sore for 6 days after your bicep workout and you have to miss a back session, you are doing to many sets and requiring too much recovery time. Its all a question of balancing out bodyparts and doing enough sets to break down the muscle for hypertrophy, but not so many that other workouts are hampered in the process. Be economic with your sets and listen to your body, this way you will find what truly works for you.

Here comes the science

Your optimum rep range can be determined upon your bodys muscle fibres (fast twitch and low twitch). Fast twitch fibres contract fast and fatigue faster than slow twitch fibres. This means they are very well suited for explosive movements such as throwing a shotput. If you good at sports like this, the chances are that you have a decent amount of fast twitch fibres in your body. Slow twich fibres on the otherhand are less suceptable to fatigue and have a greater endurance than their fast twitch counterparts. People with a greater distribution of slow twitch fibres tend to be more adept to long distance running and endurance sports.
Most people have fairly equal distributions other each type of fibre throughout their body but may lean slightly towards one type or another with certain muscles and musclegroups. Therefore one must adapt.
Look at the facts, fast twitch muscles fatigue faster. Therefore it seems obvious that they should be worked with a lower rep range and a low to moderate volume of sets. This will ensure they are worked as much as they can be before fatigue sets in. It also trains the muscle fibre the way that it naturally functions which is explosively over a small period of time.
Slow twitch fibre are nowhere near as explosive as fast twitch fibres however, they have the ablility to function for longer without the onset of fatigue. What does this mean? The therory behind muscluar hypertrophy is that the muscle is broken down and when it is repaired it increases in size and strength. Therefore the slow twitch fibres can be trained for longer periods of time and require a higher volume of training to break the muscle down.

Knowing this information is not enough, one must apply it to their training. Think before planning your sets and reps, analyse your bodytype, bodyparts and whether it will be effective in breaking down your muscle sufficiently to allow muscular growth.

Bonus Question
Amount of muscle that can be gained naturally in 12 weeks!

This depends on
1) Sex: Testosterone builds muscle, fact! Women simply do not have as much of this as me therefore their gains are limited.
2) Genetics: No matter what sex, some people are gifted in regards to muscle building capability. Certain bodytypes are genetically predisposed to have little muscle mass i.e. ectomorphs. Unlike the mesomorphs which are naturally muscular. Endomorphs can go either way but carry more fat than muscle. Most people are a combination of bodytype attributes. I consider myself a pretty pure mesomorph, small waist, large squared shoulders, naturally muscluar and strong plus very little bodyfat. This is one example of a mesomorph.
3) Injury: Some are prone to injury and this will hamper gains. Injury in my experience = Less time in the gym. Less time in the gym results in missing workouts which = Less Muscle!
4) New Lifters: New lifters will usually have the fastest gains due to the body being shocked as a result of the new exercise its forced to do. Its not uncommon for a new lifter to gain 5 pounds per week. Especially as they will be no where near their genetic limit.
Older lifters in comparison will be closer to their limit and their bodys will be more accustomed to training. This means gains will be less each week, for example 1.5lb a week. Once again this all depends on the two G's: Genetics and Gender!

I would say the average lifter could gain 20lb in 12 weeks with a lot of hard work. This amount may be less for a female weightlifter and higher for a new lifter.

-Big Joe Charnley

[hepennypacker52]

Set and Rep Range

"How many sets and reps should I do?"

The all commonly heard question, repeated again, and again, and again. The true answer is most commonly not liked to be heard, why? Because people are lazy. They don't want to invest time to figure out what their body best responds to, they just want somebody to tell them what to do in order to grow. It's those very people that go in and out of the gym with no results week after week.

Muscle Fibers

First off, a word needs to be put in on muscle fibers. There are two types of fibers, slow twitch, and fast twitch. Those can then be broken down into :

Type I - slow twitch
Type IIA - fast twitch
Type IIB - fast twitch

Since we're talking about building muscle, we're just going to deal with type II fibers. Without getting too scientific here, type IIa fibers do posess some aerobic qualties, and can also generate anaerobic qualities. These are used for mid to high rep exercises. Type IIb fibers are strictly anaerobic, but they can generate more force than type IIa fibers can, so these are used in low rep, high weight exercises (1-3 reps with greater than 90% of 1RM).

Another thing needed to be said about fibers is, your fiber type distribution is GENETIC. Some people have more type I fibers, and some have more type II fibers. Some people have more type IIa fibers, and some have more type IIb fibers. This is where you can't be lazy, you have to find out what your body best responds to.

Reps

Now that you have a little background on muscle fibers, time to show you what rep range works best for what fibers. The type of hypertrophy I'll be discussing is mainly sarcomere, since that makes up most of the muscle, that's what should be mainly trained. Below I'll type a mini chart of what rep ranges train each muscle fiber type :

Type IIa : 8 - 15
Type IIb : 3 - 5

Generally, sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (not what we're dealing with now) rep ranges look like this :

Type IIa : 16-25
Type IIb : 6-12

Now to answer the ultimate rep question :

What is the best rep range for building muscle?

3 - 15 reps!!!

What??!!!

Nothing special, see. Nobody can give you a magic number, it's up to you to find out what works best for you.

Volume

Oh boy, now this is where it gets very controversial. You have the Mentzer HIT "mob", who belives that all you need is one working set to failure in order to stimulate growth. On the other side of the fence, you have people like Bill Pearl, who believes that there are better ways than training to failure. They believe that staying away from failure will allow you to train more often, with more volume, and that will stimulate more growth. Cool, now which side is the best? There could be arguments for years and years on this topic, and I'm not going to tell you what's best and what's not, because what works for me won't always work for you. What I will do is try to give you some background on each of the methods.

Training to failure

While training to failure will release more growth factors, and will damage the fibers more, they require a lot more time to fully recover. It also takes a lot of time for you to recover. Training to failure will work better for people who are beginning to lift, and people with great genetics. Hey, if they can train like that often and grow a lot, then why should they stop what they're doing? They shouldn't.

Training with high volume/frequency

The idea here is that you stay a couple reps short of failure, and this way you avoid CNS drain, and will be able to workout more frequently, and use more volume. This way, you're not stimulating growth as much in one session, but you're doing it more often. Good arguments here.

*So which one do I choose?*

Well once again, it's up to you to find out what your body can handle. You may be able to handle a lot of heavy lifting, or you may be able to just handle lighter (notice the er) weights more frequently.

What works for me

There's a chance that what works for me may not work for you, but for the purpose of the question, I'll state what I've been doing. I've been doing HST (www.hypertrophy-specific.com) while, and you use different rep ranges for that. I found that I gained best (hypertrophy wise) with higher reps, about 8-15. I can conclude from that, that I have more type IIa fibers, so I take that and use it to my own benefit. I really don't see any point in discussing personal evidence, because it's not plausible.

Bonus

What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

Again, this is different for everyone. Mesomorphs and beginners will be able to add more muscle faster than Average Joe over here. Here's what I would consider applicable for 12 weeks (assuming that they're an intermediate lifter, besides the beginner) :

Mesomorph (good genetics) - 8.5lbs

Beginner - 10lbs

Average Joe - 4.5lbs

[Dante205]

The best muscle growing development came from Luis Berrios German Volume Training (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm). A brief summary of Luis Berrios' German Volume Training is posted below.

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Chest & Back Legs & Abs Off Arms & Shoulders Off


The Big Idea

The whole idea is to complete 10 sets of 10 reps with the same weight for each exercise.When bodybuilders start with this type of lifting they question its effectiveness for the first few sets because the weight won't feel heavy to them. But there is minimal rest between sets often a 60 second rest. 60 SEC GOES BY FAST!!!

Ranges

For long-range movements like squats, dips, and chins, a 4-0-2 tempo is best. This means you would lower the weight in 4 seconds and immediately change direction and lift for 2 seconds. For short-range movements such as curls and triceps extensions, use a 3-0-2 tempo. One, and only one, exercise per body part should be performed. The 4-0-2 tempo works great for longand shor range movements because as you go down slowly it puts more tension on the muscle and more importantly forces you to get MORE CONTROL of how your muscle is opperating, making it a great way to build a stronger and more efficient muscle. also the *-0-2 method gives the muscle a sudden shock, which forces the muscle to work from a slow/fast pace. The 4-0-2 and the 3-0-2 method is almost like using a variety of exercies in one. And believe me when your bring 180lbs down that slow on bench after the 6 set it seems like a life time....but damn does it hurt so good!!

Number of exercises

One, and only one, exercise per body part should be performed. Therefore, select exercises that recruit a lot of muscle mass. Triceps kickbacks and leg extensions are definitely out; squats and bench presses are definitely in. For supplementary work for individual body parts (like triceps and biceps), you can do 3 sets of 10-20 reps. you may feel like you cant go on after the 7 set but surprisingly enough it almost feels like it's getting easier. I usualy like to do a lot of exercises for one muscle but i found this to be AS usefull.

overloading

Once you're able to do 10 sets of 10 with constant rest intervals, increase the weight on the bar by 4% to 5%(personaly i felt like i could do more and i just gutted out more than 4-5%, it was hell but i did it.) and repeat the process. Refrain from using forced reps, negatives, or burns. The volume of the work will take care of the hypertrophy. Expect to have some deep muscle soreness without having to resort to set prolonging techniques. In fact, after doing a quad and hams session with this method, it takes the average bodybuilder about five days to stop limping.

Scientific???

Im no scientist but Luis Berrios believes that "Supersets and tri-sets allow you to perform a lot of work in a short period of time. The rest-pause method allows you to use heavier weights, so you can recruit the higher threshold muscle fibers, and eccentric training enables you to overcome strength plateaus. The bottom line is that almost any training method will work (provided you do it with intensity!), at least for the few weeks it takes for your body to adapt to it. There is, however, one training system that stands above all the rest. It's brutally hard, but I've found it to be a very effective way to pack on muscle fast!"....makes sense to me...

Bonus:

I think "naturaly" a person can gain about 8-10 lbs of muscle in a 3 month period if they realy go balls the wall in the gym. with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan i say it could range anywhere from 15-20 lbs of muscle.

[ravadongon]

Hepennypacker52,

Since we're talking about building muscle here, isn't it sarcoplasmic hypertrophy that is more important for bodybuilders as:

Sarcomere - involves a smaller increase in the diameter of the muscle, but muscle density increases (what athletes want)

Sarcoplasmic - increase in muscle diameter and a decrease in density (what bb'ers want)

I could be wrong but I've always read it as that...

[~jAmeZ~]

This week should see some interesting articles

[hepennypacker52]

Hepennypacker52,

Since we're talking about building muscle here, isn't it sarcoplasmic hypertrophy that is more important for bodybuilders as:

Sarcomere - involves a smaller increase in the diameter of the muscle, but muscle density increases (what athletes want)

Sarcoplasmic - increase in muscle diameter and a decrease in density (what bb'ers want)

I could be wrong but I've always read it as that...

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy will increase the size of the tissue that gives energy to the muscle, or is involved with the neuromuscular system. Training with higher reps to induce this type of hypertrophy will increase the number of mitochondria in the cells. So it will also increase the muscles ability to make ATP. That's all good for a bodybuilder, but sarcoplasmic tissue only makes up about 20% of the total muscle tissue (in untrained individuals), so that should be accounted for. This shouldn't be ignored of course, and most likely will be trained with the overlap in sarcoplasmic and sarcomere rep ranges.

Sarcomere hypertrophy on the other hand, increases the size of the contractile machinery, which makes up about 80% of the muscle cell. So the greatest potential to build size lies here. Training this way will increase the amount of sarcomeres (actin/myosin filaments).

So all in all, you should train for both sarcomere and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and chances are that by training sarcomere hypertrophy, you will also train sarcomere hypertrophy. If not, then include some sarcoplasmic rep ranges in there, that would help even more.

[wolfsburg2]

I personally believe in weight and fatigue more than reps. i am not so much shooting for a rep count as i am trying to work my muscle hard to generate growth. That said i believe a good range of reps is beneficial to muscle growth. i like to do empty bar or light dumbell warm-ups for every excercise at first for about 15 reps. From there i pyramid. usually grab a moderate weight on my first set to gauge my strentgh for the day, and get the blood flowing. If the weight is agreeing with my musles i'll take a decent jump in weight for set 2 but nowhere near heavy, i will stop at 10 reps for set 2 no matter what. The reasoning is if i am up at 10 reps i need more weight. I like to conserve strenght for big wieght my 3rd ad 4th sets are where i really push myself, if i am in the 8-9 range on set 3 i jump up again with the goal being 5-6 in my 4th set. this pretty much applies to all my weight training and i have seen great strength and muscle gains doing so.

If you focus on numbers too much you get away from the goal behind working out. Improved physique and health. Your body tells you what works, just look in the mirror, or feel your muscles the day after a workout.

[~jAmeZ~]

...

Bodybuilders have known intuitively for decades that high volume training is the quickest way to big muscles. When bodybuilding split from Olympic weightlifting in the 1940s, most serious musclemen began training with higher reps and multiple sets (Fair, 1999). It�s not because they �felt like it�. It�s because they saw that it worked.

Exercise science has come a long way since the 1940s. It�s no longer a matter of �seeing is believing�. We�re now able to pinpoint why higher reps and multiple sets work so well at a biological level.

I�ll begin by summarising (briefly) how weight training makes muscles grow.

Grow Baby, Grow
Muscle growth (hypertrophy) is caused by a buildup of proteins. Protein buildup can happen in three ways (Booth & Thomason, 1991):

1) The amount of protein going into the muscle increases
2) The amount of protein wasted from the muscle decreases
3) Both 1 and 2

Weight training causes microtrauma (tiny tears in muscle fibres)(McDonagh et al, 1984; Gibala et al, 2000). The body responds to the damage by increasing the amount of protein going into the muscles. This continues for up to two days after weight training (Gibala et al, 1995b).

The rate of repair and muscle growth is also positively affected by testosterone and other hormones (Kraemer et al, 1990; Adams, 1998). Weight training increases the release of these muscle-building hormones in your body (Raastad et al, 2000).

The rate of hypertrophy that occurs during this �healing� process depends on the type of muscle fibre involved. Fast twitch fibres respond better than slow twitch fibres (Alway et al; McCall et al, 1996). Individuals with more fast twitch fibres will grow bigger, quicker.

Training for Ultimate Size
There is an inverse link between strength gains and hypertrophy (Sale, 1992). When you lift weights, your muscles learn to work better (through neural adaptation) and you become stronger. However, your body recruits less muscle fibre the more it adapts (Ploutz et al, 1994). And the less muscle fibre you stimulate, the less you grow. Trained Olympic lifters, for example, were shown over a two-year period to have significant strength increases with barely noticeable increases in muscle mass (Hakkinen et al, 1988). I had a similar experience when I used AST�s Max-OT principals. My strength went up like crazy, but I gained very little size.

Obviously, traditional strength training with low volume and low sets (1-6 reps, 3 or less sets) is not the best approach. Strength training does cause hypertrophy (Hakkinen et al, 1985), but it won�t cause maximum hypertrophy.

High volume, multiple set programs (6-12 reps, 3 to 6 sets) have been shown to create greater hypertrophy for two important reasons:

1) The higher workload is more effective at creating microtrauma because of the extra time under tension and extra number of fibres recruited (Shinohara et al, 1998; Smith & Rutherford, 1995; Moss et al, 1997)
2) High volume, multiple set programs are more effective at increasing the body�s production of testosterone and growth hormone (Kraemer et al, 1991; Kraemer et al 1990)

Remember the muscle-building process described in Grow Baby, Grow? Microtrauma stimulates increased protein synthesis, and muscle growth is positively affected by a number of hormones that are released after weight training. High volume, multiple set programs cause more microtrauma and greater hormone secretion�so the end result is more muscle! This probably explains why I was unimpressed with HIT. Although HIT uses high reps, you only perform one �hardcore� set per bodypart. I actually lost muscle and began to feel like I didn�t even train!

Now, there�s one thing you should be aware of. High volume and multiple sets might pack on muscle quickly, but you shouldn�t ONLY train this way. There�s something called the �general adaptation syndrome�, which means your body will adapt to the program very quickly and you�ll run into a massive plateau (Selye, 1976).

An effective science-based way to pack on muscle quickly is to use a periodised routine that emphasises high volume and multiple sets. The periodic variation lets you alter the sets and reps of the program to boost muscle growth and recovery (Potteiger et al, 1995). Sets and reps can be varied per exercise, per workout or per week.

HST is an example of a routine that periodises on a per-exercise basis (i.e HST uses rep ranges between 2-15 for every exercise). I made good size gains using HST, but I didn�t become a big fan of using such varied rep ranges each workout. I thought I could have been more productive. To me, HST felt like doing two half-arsed workouts in one session, with one aimed at hypertrophy and the other targeting strength.

Then I started periodising on a per-workout basis. I now workout with a 2:1 hypertrophy:strength rotation. This means that I do 2 hypertrophy workouts (8-12 reps, 6 sets) for every 1 strength workout (4-6 reps, 3 sets). It looks like a little something like this (using back and biceps day as an example):

Monday (Back and biceps)
Hypertrophy

Thursday (Back and biceps)
Hypertrophy

Monday (Back and biceps)
Strength

Got the idea? I�ve found that, by using the 2:1 rotation, I can give maximal attention to training each characteristic. Emphasising high volume, multiple set training gives me the quickest progression in muscle size. Slotting in a strength day helps me lift more on my hypertrophy days. Lifting more weight for higher reps makes my muscles bigger. And so the circle of growth continues!

BONUS QUESTION
The amount of muscle a person can gain in 12 weeks varies greatly according to their level of training experience. For this question, I�m going to presume that the person is a beginner.

As a newbie weight trainer, the immediate change they will notice is an increase in strength. Hypertrophy won�t be very noticeable until about the 6th week (Phillips, 1997). Assuming a good regime, diet and supplementation, they could most likely gain anywhere from 2 to 5kgs after 12 weeks (the variation is due, of course, to other factors like genetics).

I have seen people put on 10kg of muscle in 12 weeks�but they were previously trained individuals who were coming back to training after a long layoff.


_________________________
References

Adams, G. Role of insulin-like growth factor-I in the regulation of skeletal muscle adaptation to increased loading. Exercise and Sports Science Review. 26:31�60, 1998.

Alway S, et al. Contrasts in muscle and myofibers of elite male and female bodybuilders. Journal of Applied Physiology 67:24�31, 1989.

Booth, F and D Thomason. Molecular and cellular adaptation of muscle in response to exercise: perspectives of various models. Physiology Review 71:541�585, 1991.

Fair, J. Muscletown USA: Bob Hoffman and the manly culture of York Barbell. USA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1999.

Gibala, M et al. Changes in skeletal muscle ultrastructure and force production after acute resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. 78:702�708, 1995.

Gibala M et al. Myofibrillar disruption following acute concentric and eccentric resistance exercise in strength-trained men. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 78:656�661, 2000.

Hakkinen, K et al. Changes in isometric force-and relaxation-time, electromyographic and muscle fibre characteristics of human skeletal muscle during strength training
and detraining. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica. 125:573�585, 1985.


Hakkinen, K et al. Neuromuscular and hormonal adaptations in athletes to strength training in two years. Journal of Applied Physiology. 65:2406�2412, 1988.

Kraemer, W et al. Endogenous anabolic hormonal and growth factor responses to heavy resistance exercise in males and females. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 12:228�235, 1991.

Kraemer, W et al. Hormonal and growth factor responses to heavy resistance exercise protocols. Journal of Applied Physiology. 69:1442�1450, 1990.

McCall, G et al. Muscle fiber hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and capillary density in college men after resistance training. Journal of Applied Physiology 81:2004�2012, 1996.

McDonagh, M et al. Adaptive response of mammalian skeletal muscle to exercise with high loads. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 52:139�155, 1984.

Moss, B et al. Effects of maximal effort strength training with different loads on dynamic strength, cross-sectional area, loadpower and load-velocity relationships. European Journal of Applied Physiology 75:193�199, 1997.

Phillips, S. Short-term training: when do repeated bouts of resistance exercise become training? Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 25:185�193, 2000.

Ploutz, L et al. Effect of resistance training on muscle use during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology 76:1675�1681, 1994.

Potteiger, J et al. Effects of altering training volume and intensity on body mass,
performance, and hormonal concentrations in weight-event athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 9:55�58, 1995.

Raastad, T et al. Hormonal responses to high- and moderate-intensity strength exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 82:121�128, 2000.

Sale, D. Neural adaptations to strength training. In: Strength and Power in Sport, P. V. Komi (ed.). Oxford: BSP, 1992 (249�265).

Selye, H. Forty years of stress research: principal remaining problems and misconceptions. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 115:53�56, 1976.

Smith, R and O RUTHERFORD. The role of metabolites in strength training: I. A comparison of eccentric and concentric contractions. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 71:332�336, 1995.

[chewwy]

~jAmeZ~ - fantastic article.

[hepennypacker52]

Well there goes week 8...good article James.

[~jAmeZ~]

Thanks guys...did my best to pack it into a nutshell. There's so much information out there and the muscle-building process is complex. People have filled very thick books on this topic alone. For every point I put in, there's probably 50 I didn't.

[hepennypacker52]

Thanks guys...did my best to pack it into a nutshell. There's so much information out there and the muscle-building process is complex. People have filled very thick books on this topic alone. For every point I put in, there's probably 50 I didn't.

Yeah, I think the topic was too broad, so many things could have been posted from that single question given. I also did my best to cram a quick physiology lesson in to back up my points.

[muscledome]

Everyone is different in one way or another or in a whole bunch of ways. Many preach that 1-5 reps will yield strength, 6-8 builts mass, and 10-beyond is more resistance. I believe that it is all up to your body's ability to recover and grow. I mean for example many people stand by that the 20 rep squats bring the most mass because of increasing hormonal activity and such(I think), while others say that this just made them overtrain and lose precious muscle. The best way to know what brings the most muscle is something that each and every person most go and test out. If you tried reps of 6-8 for a month with no effect then change it to 10-15 or 1-5 and see how that works out. A more practical way of testing would be different types of reps like partial reps, negative, etc. All this things plays in to motion one way or another to yield the most muscle increase with different people.

Set ranges are also the same thing, they must be put through trial and error. Some preach of German Volume Training that having alot of sets breaks down the muscle more for later on recovery. Others preach HIT saying that by going to momentary muscle failure with few sets, people will have the chance of recupperating and building more muscle. These set workouts as well as others (ex: HST) have gone on and on saying their the superior, through reviews, studies, etc. But what it comes down to is everyone of you testing it and seeing if it worked or not. IF it didn't, no harm done, you just go on and test out another type of set range workout until you fine the one that works. After all, we all have the rest of our lives ahead of us to, which is plenty of time to find out what works and put it to use to massively grow!

Bonus ?:What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

A person could gain anywhere from 5-50 or more lbs in 12 weeks, of course this is all a majority of fat. But if a person wants to gain muscle weight and not fat, he must follow a strict clean bulk diet of 3000-+4000 calories, eat around 1.5 to 2g of protein, do a workout that he/she knows yields the most results, sleep a minimum of 8 hours, and supplement with Creatine and Protein. Doing all this for 12 weeks would yield results of probably 2-10 lbs. This all accounts in the high end for if the person is a begginer and/or is genetically gifted(mesomorph), and the low end if the person has been working out for +5 years and/or is a hardgainer (ectomorph). Endomorphs' might go in either end depending on whether or not they accumulated fat while preventing it.

[Audioslave]

I'm not going to make this very long and complicated, but rather just make it short and simple.

If your looking to build muscle, than you are trying to achieve hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy- abnormal enlargement of a body part or organ
In order to achieve hypertrophy you must keep your reps from 8-12. Anything above or below would be out of range.

Rules

1-4 Reps= Power
This rep range is most often used by powerlifters. People who compete in contests to see who can move the most weight most often use this rep range because it involves maxing out, just like the sport of powerlifting. Benefits from this type of rep range are limited. This can be hard on the joints and make you more prone to injuries (especially back injuries). This may help increase your max lifts, but will not give you the size and strength a bodybuilder desires. I would only use this rep range if you are involved in the powerlifting sport.

TIPS
If you do decide to use this technique of lifting then I suggest the following:
�

• ONLY use compound movements. The idea of powerlifting is to lift heavy weight, and compound exercises involve heavy weight. NEVER use isolation movements, ONLY use compound movements.
• Wear a belt. This will help prevent any back injuries.
• Use gloves and/ or straps. When pulling or pushing heavy weight it is very easy for one to lose their grip of the weight and drop it.
• Have a spotter. With heavy weights and low reps, it is far from safe locking and unlocking the weight all on your own.
• Take long rests in between sets and exercises. Using weights this heavy are hard on the muscles, you need much time to recover and be able to lift the weight again.

5-7 Reps= Strength
The main focus of using 5-7 reps is to increase strength. This is not to say that the 5-7 rep range won't help you grow....it will, but not as much. Many people will use the 5-7 rep range on compounds movements such as bench, deadlifts, and squats, but use more reps on their isolation exercises. The reason behind this is that major muscle groups are more equipt to take more weight and punishment. It's just like how people can deadlift more than they can curl. This is a good rep range if you are looking to increase your max lifts and increase some size to your major body parts.

TIPS
If this is the route you choose to use then I suggest the following:

• Go slow. Lower the weight very slowly and raise it slowly.
• Take around 2-4 minutes rest between sets and exercises. Take more if your muscle need more to recover, take less if your muscles need less to recover.
• Warm up. Stretch or do some light warm up sets before jumping into any heavy sets.

8-12 Reps= Hypertrophy
Yep, believe it or not, this is the boy that is going to pack size onto you. The rep range is what is going to make your muscles actually grow. If you want to add size than stick to 8-12 reps, no more, and no less. This is a good rep range to use on any exercises (isolation or compound). You should notice more of a pump in the gym when using this rep range. This is a very common, and effective rep range for adding size to your muscles.

TIPS
If you plan on using or use the 8-12 rep range for hypertrophy then I suggest the following:

• NEVER sacrifice form. If you feel like you are losing form than drop the weight.
• Rest around 1-2 minutes between sets and exercises.
• Use peak contraction. Squeeze when you reach the top.
• Trying pyramiding the weight up. I've used this method and found that it works very well using the 8-12 rep range.

13-15 reps= Toning
This rep range will help tone the muscles. Basically, it is not going to make them grow like the 8-12 rep range, but it will do something very similar over a longer period of time. Many sport athletes involved in baseball, basketball etc. use the toning method of weightlifting. This rep range is most often used on isolation movements such as flys. I'm not a fan of this rep range but it can be effective for mild gains.

TIPS
If you do decide to use this rep range I would suggest the following:

• Move a little faster. Since you are using lighter weights you can move them a little faster during your set, but nevertheless be sure to stablize them.
• Take a rest of about 30-60 seconds between sets and exercises.

16 and up reps= Fatloss
This is pretty self explanatory. If you are looking to burn fat then this is your rep range. This is basically another way of doing cardio, except you're using weight. This is commonly used doing calesthenics. This rep range will also help with increasing endurance.

TIPS
If burning fat is your goal and you decide to use this rep range then I suggest the following:

• Use light weight. When performing a lot of reps you must use light weight.
• Move the weight faster. Since you are performing a high number of reps you can push and pull the weight faster to burn more calories and keep a sweat.
• Take only 20-30 second rest in between sets and exercises. This will help keep your heart rate up.

These are the most important repetition ranges to know. This is important to know when working to achieve your goals.

Science Behind the Repetitions

Like BigJoe15 was saying earlier, your muscle fiber type plays a huge role in deciding how many repetitions are right for you. There are two types of muscle fibers, slow twich, and fast twitch. Slow twitch muscle fibers are smaller, they have a less force capacity, but they have more endurance capacity. Fast twitch muscle fibers are the complete opposite. They are bigger, have a more force capacity, but less endurance capacity.
What does this mean exactly? Well think of the 2 muscle fibers as guns. The slow twitch will give you 20 slower shots over a longer period of time, while the fast twitch will give you 20 faster shots in a shorter period of time.
So which is better? This is a question that only the person can answer. Neither is dominant, we have an average of about 50% slow twitch and 50% fast twitch. But it is known that some people possess a higher slow twitch than fast twitch and vise versa. A very good sprinter may have 75% fast muscle twitch fibers, and a very good long distance runner may have 75% low twitch muscle fibers. So to decide which is better, you would have to decide on which sport you would want to excel in.
So from this information we can conclude that a person with more slow twitch muscle fibers would benefit more from performing higher reps, and a person with more fast twitch muscle fibers would benefit more from performing lower reps. People with slow twitch muscle fibers should use about 75% of their maximum weight, which should lead to about 8-12 repetitions. People with fast twitch muscle fibers should stay in the 5-7 rep range for best results.
There have been some studies which show using 1 set of an exercise performed properly would be just as effective as using 2-3 sets. If you want to go this route than do so, but I do not agree with it.

My Thoughts and Experience

I believe that a workout program should stay simple. I think that for hypertrophy one should perform 5-7 repetitions on compound exercises such as bench press, deadlifts, and squats, and 8-12 repetitions on isolation and all other exercises. For sets I reccomend doing 2-3 sets for exercises that directly hit smaller muscles groups such as curls, tricep extension etc. For exercises that hit larger and smaller muscle groups such as bench press, and deadlifts I suggest using 4-5 sets. Since your smaller muscles are being worked already in compound movements you do not need as many sets. I feel working out this way has given me the best gains.

Bonus Question

What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

This is one of those questions that can vary. Sex, age, experience, genetics and plenty more can play a role in this. But I believe that the average male can gain around 5-6 pounds of muscle in 12 weeks following a good workout, diet, and supplement plan. On the other hand, if they were to follow an even more strict diet and more hardcore training such as lifting 12 times per WEEK, then they can achieve much more. But they would have to be very dedicated and train in the morning and afternoon 6 days per week. If they could stick with that then they can probably gain around 12-15lbs all naturally.

[hepennypacker52]

Gonna have to disagree with a couple things here...

TIPS
If you do decide to use this technique of lifting then I suggest the following:[list][*]Wear a belt. This will help prevent any back injuries.[*]Use gloves and/ or straps. When pulling or pushing heavy weight it is very easy for one to lose their grip of the weight and drop it.

a) I wouldn't recommend wearing a belt, it limits lower back stabilizer growth, and having a good core is better than wearing a belt. Just work the core hard, and keep good form and you'll be fine.

b) Do grip work, and you won't need straps, plus straps aren't allowed in powerlifting competitions.

TIPS
If this is the route you choose to use then I suggest the following:

• Warm up. Stretch or do some light warm up sets before jumping into any heavy sets.

I'd also mention to warm up even more for the heavier lifts (1-3 reps).

8-12 Reps= Hypertrophy
If you want to add size than stick to 8-12 reps, no more, and no less. This is a good rep range to use on any exercises (isolation or compound). You should notice more of a pump in the gym when using this rep range.

TIPS
If you plan on using or use the 8-12 rep range for hypertrophy then I suggest the following:

• NEVER sacrifice form. If you feel like you are losing form than drop the weight.

a) Depending on fiber type distribution, a person can add a good amount of size with less than 8 reps.

b) I don't know if you were indicating that a pump = hypertrophy, because that's not quite true, although it does possess some aerobic qualities. Plus, the buildup of lactic acid = less ATP.

c) On never sacrificing form, that should go for EVERY rep range.

13-15 reps= Toning
This rep range will help tone the muscles.

16 and up reps= Fatloss

Now that hurts my eyes . The whole "high reps for toning" deal is a myth...

On the other hand, if they were to follow an even more strict diet and more hardcore training such as lifting 12 times per WEEK, then they can achieve much more. But they would have to be very dedicated and train in the morning and afternoon 6 days per week. If they could stick with that then they can probably gain around 12-15lbs all naturally.

Uhh, naturally they'd overtrain. No person (unless with absolutely AMAZING genetics) can naturally train 12 times per week, and not overtrain. The pros may be able to do it, but Average Joe definately will not.

[Audioslave]

Gonna have to disagree with a couple things here...

a) I wouldn't recommend wearing a belt, it limits lower back stabilizer growth, and having a good core is better than wearing a belt. Just work the core hard, and keep good form and you'll be fine.

I personally think any powerlifter is crazy if they do not wear a belt. It will help posture, but above all it will prevent injury, and that is more important than anything else. When you're dealing with weight that heavy you need something.

b) Do grip work, and you won't need straps, plus straps aren't allowed in powerlifting competitions.

True, but if you are practicing (not competeing) the sport I would use them. Plus if you are doing 1-4 reps on deads, who isn't going to use them? I would have to. I never do deads without them.

I'd also mention to warm up even more for the heavier lifts (1-3 reps).

Yes, this goes without saying. Warm up sets are very good or minor stretching. But I do not believe much in stretching, but warm up sets always.

a) Depending on fiber type distribution, a person can add a good amount of size with less than 8 reps.

True, and I stated this. Although the rules for hypertrophy is 8-12 reps, but as you see I had a different approach about it.

b) I don't know if you were indicating that a pump = hypertrophy, because that's not quite true, although it does possess some aerobic qualities. Plus, the buildup of lactic acid = less ATP.

No, I was in no way implying this.

c) On never sacrificing form, that should go for EVERY rep range.

It does go for every rep range but I must of left it out on some. I think you got the overall picture though.

Now that hurts my eyes . The whole "high reps for toning" deal is a myth...

That may be true for you. I don't really use this rep range and I never really suggested it, but I rather listed it as a rule.

Uhh, naturally they'd overtrain. No person (unless with absolutely AMAZING genetics) can naturally train 12 times per week, and not overtrain. The pros may be able to do it, but Average Joe definately will not.

It probably would be overtraining if it was for 12 weeks straight, but if it was done for 6 weeks straight, followed by 1 week off and then 5 weeks of 2 hours of lifting per day it is not. I have actually followed a very similar program. Although it was harsh on the joints, I did achieve the best results I've ever seen.

[hepennypacker52]

I personally think any powerlifter is crazy if they do not wear a belt. It will help posture, but above all it will prevent injury, and that is more important than anything else. When you're dealing with weight that heavy you need something.

You need a good core . Go over to the FI boards, plenty of strong PL'ers there who don't use a belt, and don't have any problems. AMG, who also has a journal here as well as there, his total is 1985, he NEVER uses a belt.

True, but if you are practicing (not competeing) the sport I would use them. Plus if you are doing 1-4 reps on deads, who isn't going to use them? I would have to. I never do deads without them.

Who's going to use them? People with strong grips, and anybody who doesn't have a strong grip (like me) should work on theirs. Plus, there's a chance of injury with straps.

True, and I stated this. Although the rules for hypertrophy is 8-12 reps, but as you see I had a different approach about it.

You can't state "rules" that specific though. There are basic physiological rules for hypertrophy to occur, but you can't state a specific rep range that will work for everyone.

That may be true for you. I don't really use this rep range and I never really suggested it, but I rather listed it as a rule.

It's true for everyone, higher reps won't "tone" you.

[Audioslave]

You need a good core . Go over to the FI boards, plenty of strong PL'ers there who don't use a belt, and don't have any problems. AMG, who also has a journal here as well as there, his total is 1985, he NEVER uses a belt.

Using a belt and gloves or straps is a matter of whether you like it or not. When I'm doing heavy weight on deads it is a MUST for me. Many people reccomend using belts, but some may not.

Who's going to use them? People with strong grips, and anybody who doesn't have a strong grip (like me) should work on theirs. Plus, there's a chance of injury with straps.

Hey, if you reccomend not using straps or gloves, that's up to you. I think they help, and they make a difference. But they are not necessary, but I think they are great to use. Gloves are a very nice way of preventing blisters too. You will see many bodybuilders and weightlifters use them. I'm sure you will find many pros like Ronnie Coleman who use them.

You can't state "rules" that specific though. There are basic physiological rules for hypertrophy to occur, but you can't state a specific rep range that will work for everyone.

Actually I can. Many people will list no cardio as a rule for gaining mass, and that is far from being true. I also do believe that the 8-12 rep range is MOSTLY best used for hypertrophy. Like I stated, if you have more slow twitch muscle fibers than higher reps are better, but if you have more faster twitch, than lower reps are better. But on average if it is a 50/50 split, than some rep range would probably be more dominant for bulding muscle size, and it is pretty much know that it is the 8-12 rep range. Although I do use it differently like I stated before.

It's true for everyone, higher reps won't "tone" you.

I kow many people that would probably agree with you. But it does depend on your definition of a "toned body." I think of it more as a person with with some muscle size and low bf. Basically, it is the same as lean. Higher repetitions will give you a more aerobic workout and still provide good muscle size, but not as much as say the hypertrophy rep range.



It is good that we both see and believe different things. It will help get other people thinking what they think is right. Everyone has their own style of training.

[hepennypacker52]

Yeh I like arguing .

I'm not going to argue anymore though, I'll just make one last statement.

You can't tell people what to do, and expect them to gain off of it. But you can tell them what works for different types of people, and then that person can figure out what type of person they are. That's why I hated this weeks question, because it was more or less a physiology lesson.

I'll use your 8-12 rep rule. You can suggest it, like you did, but you can't say that 8-12 reps will work best for everyone, and that's what the article was asking. So there was nothing wrong with your post (or anyones post for that reason), I just don't think the question was good.

[jimrat]

Damn guys,

I think after the 2nd reply, the dude got his answer lol!!

[Clive Jones]

`well I think your all wrong
although i agree with it all and have been doing it this the ways you speak of for years BUT.....
I am currently in a strength/conditioning class with one of the worlds top strength & cond. coaches and he said for hypertrophy, it is all about something called "time under tension", for growth he said 30-70 seconds is what should be done. for strength, 10-20 seconds. Which I do sort of agree because I used to do slow negatives and I got a hell of a lot stronger within short amounts of time.

[dim3z]

thats not part of the question MakinItBIG

time under tension is very important as is general tempo of ure lifting. ESPECIALLY the negatives of the lift as u pointed out. but still.. thats totally off topic and rep ranges still have a big role in musccular growth right next to(and interconnected with) T-U-T.

[1server1]

ok i think that for me the 5 to 10 rep range is best for building muscle, my question is how many sets should i be performing of my 5 to 10 reps? is 4-5 a good start? and whats the best way to pick a starting weight? i had a trainer for 4 weks but he focused mostly on my core, so im a little clueles as to actual muscle building.

[Clive Jones]

yeah but doing 5 reps with 1:3 (20 seconds TUT) ratio is the same as doing 10 reps with 1:1 ratio (20 secondsTUT)
This only pertains to someone if they are using the same amount of weight.
Obvioulsy if you increase the weight with 5 reps and 10 reps it will be big factor.

But anyways, rep range is 4-8 for me for heavy movements, 8-12 for other such as db raises or curls.
I think both should be included.
and everyone is different so not one person can say 'this works, that doesnt'
genetics, genetics, genetics.
some work for others, some dont.

one's routine isnt going to work for another.

[Al Swearengen]

`well I think your all wrong
although i agree with it all and have been doing it this the ways you speak of for years BUT.....
I am currently in a strength/conditioning class with one of the worlds top strength & cond. coaches and he said for hypertrophy, it is all about something called "time under tension", for growth he said 30-70 seconds is what should be done. for strength, 10-20 seconds. Which I do sort of agree because I used to do slow negatives and I got a hell of a lot stronger within short amounts of time.

curious if you still feel this way about TUT?

[Josh7000]

curious if you still feel this way about TUT?

Curious a decade later...