Here is the problem with high reps...

[geer_matt]

Tried it for a month (12 to 15 reps depending on the exercise ) hated it. Felt like a pu$$y. Went straight back to 6 to 8 rep routine. If I couldn't get 6 reps had to lower the weight, if I got 8 reps or more I added weight. To each his own but I would rather be a big gangly looking gorilla type than shredded and lean. Don't like feeling skinny, like feeling like an imposing force, That is all.

[zedx]

men in prisons do a lot of high rep working out. They get pretty big and ripped.

Myself I'd rather do low reps.

[2nd_chance]

Tried it for a month (12 to 15 reps depending on the exercise ) hated it. Felt like a pu$$y. Went straight back to 6 to 8 rep routine. If I couldn't get 6 reps had to lower the weight, if I got 8 reps or more I added weight. To each his own but I would rather be a big gangly looking gorilla type than shredded and lean. Don't like feeling skinny, like feeling like an imposing force, That is all.

That's a nice rant but you didn't say what the problem was with high reps. To imply that one cannot get get big working in the 12-15 rep range is just plain false. Being shredded is not based on rep range. Obviously you didn't like the rep range but that's about all that you can say that's based in fact.

[geer_matt]

That's a nice rant but you didn't say what the problem was with high reps. To imply that one cannot get get big working in the 12-15 rep range is just plain false. Being shredded is not based on rep range. Obviously you didn't like the rep range but that's about all that you can say that's based in fact.

Nope, I never said you couldn't get big doing high reps, and I should clarify a little bit here, a month isn't exactly long enough to get shredded for the most part, but I did lose some weight during this time. I was just kind of taken back at how much I personally disliked a high rep routine I guess. I gave it a month, and was kind of surprised at how much I hated it.

[gbk56]

Nope, I never said you couldn't get big doing high reps, and I should clarify a little bit here, a month isn't exactly long enough to get shredded for the most part, but I did lose some weight during this time. I was just kind of taken back at how much I personally disliked a high rep routine I guess. I gave it a month, and was kind of surprised at how much I hated it.

I have been recently experimenting with reps of 8-15 and am finding that I can better exhaust the muscle in this rep range. When I previously did a 6-8 rep range, it seemed that I had a little more in me at the end of a set but could no lionger push the weight. At that point, I had to to do a drop set and drop the weight in order to really exhaust the muscle. I found this kind of inconvenient. For me, doing reps between 8-15 has seemed to be working well in adding mass (of course sometimes I will do some sets of 6, but most of the time 8-15).

[Karl_Hungus]

Tried it for a month (12 to 15 reps depending on the exercise ) hated it. Felt like a pu$$y.

If it helps you reach you goals, then swallow your pride and do what works. Hell, for some RC exercises, I use 10-15 lbs and I don't feel like a pu$$y.

[acrawlingchaos]

Dislike... sure...

Pussy? Try a widowmaker squat.

[gbk56]

Dislike... sure...

Pussy? Try a widowmaker squat.

Seriously, try doing 20 reps at 225. It ain't easy.

[MuscleConfusion]

I am on a PHAT routine right now and I love the fact that on heavy days I get heavy 3-5 reps on compounds and on my hypertrophy days I work up to 15 or even 20 reps depending on the exercise. With the high rep days I am able to really concentrate on squeezing the muscle and getting a contraction rather than just moving the weight. The heavy compounds help my ego and build up the strength I want.

[Lou1se]

Tried it for a month (12 to 15 reps depending on the exercise ) hated it. Felt like a pu$$y. Went straight back to 6 to 8 rep routine. If I couldn't get 6 reps had to lower the weight, if I got 8 reps or more I added weight. To each his own but I would rather be a big gangly looking gorilla type than shredded and lean. Don't like feeling skinny, like feeling like an imposing force, That is all.

I think if the reps are pushing you and pushing you past your mental barrier then there is no way you would stay the same. Giving everything into every rep, each set and each workout helps to make change happen.

What's most important is to find what works best for you and then go for it!

[thebigguy1]

I think if the reps are pushing you and pushing you past your mental barrier then there is no way you would stay the same. Giving everything into every rep, each set and each workout helps to make change happen.

What's most important is to find what works best for you and then go for it!

Pretty much took the words right out of my mouth!

I tend to mix it up, and it all depends as I vary my workouts quite a bit. I tend to prefer the low reps/ultra heavy sets, however there is a place for both the low rep/high rep scheme for me.

Lou1se is so right....find what works for you and then go for it!

Ron llll---llll

[geer_matt]

Dislike... sure...

Pussy? Try a widowmaker squat.

I agree with that, as a matter of fact after trying high reps I decided to keep my squat and leg press at a 10 rep scheme, somewhere in the middle of high and low reps I guess. Legs seem to be their own beast.

[soulfly911]

Heavy weight plus high (12-15)reps works for me. Most people don't push themselves at all from what I observe in the gym...and it shows...as well as on here. Don't fool yourselves.

[chickeneater]

Tried it for a month (12 to 15 reps depending on the exercise ) hated it. Felt like a pu$$y. Went straight back to 6 to 8 rep routine. If I couldn't get 6 reps had to lower the weight, if I got 8 reps or more I added weight. To each his own but I would rather be a big gangly looking gorilla type than shredded and lean. Don't like feeling skinny, like feeling like an imposing force, That is all.

If anything it sounds like you had a successful deload!

[-=FLEX=-]

men in prisons do a lot of high rep working out. They get pretty big and ripped.

o rly?

[Krash23]

This^

Does zedx speak from experience???

[Black Sunday]

Heavy weight plus high (12-15)reps works for me. Most people don't push themselves at all from what I observe in the gym...and it shows...as well as on here. Don't fool yourselves.

I agree with the part about people pushing themselves.

Curious about the first part. Do you go heavy and add some high rep work, or did you mean heavy weights for high reps?

If the latter, define heavy. I always considered heavy lifting under five reps, or as a percentage maybe over 80 or 85%. If you go by the twelve to fifteen rep range, depending on who's chart or calculator you use 12 -15 will put you in the 60 to 70% range and though you may be moving a considerable amount of weight, relative to what you yourself can lift, i wouldn't consider it heavy.

[mslman71]

Didn't you do an 'all-nighter' squat session Matt?

I dunno about you but running 100+ reps of squats over body-weight damn near kills me. It sometimes makes me feel like a pu$$y, but not because it's easy.

[ovfdfireman]

Personally I like confusing muscles, I do a week of high, week of middle, week of low. Seem to make bigger moves in strength on the low week. My goal is to add weight every week, even if just a bit. But especially during low rep weeks. I seem stuck on bench right now though

[bigtallox]

I would rather be a big gangly looking gorilla type than shredded and lean.

High reps don't get you lean, diet does. There are plenty of guys who get big doing high reps. For me, my training needs to include both ( and just to be clear it's not to "confuse" my muscles ).

[Trankuility]

Op, lay off the bath salts.

[bigtallox]

I did lose some weight during this time. I was just kind of taken back at how much I personally disliked a high rep routine

Perhaps what you really disliked was eating below maintenance ( you had to be if you lost weight, ie it's not the rep scheme. )

[llahhsoj]

Tried it for a month (12 to 15 reps depending on the exercise ) hated it. Felt like a pu$$y. Went straight back to 6 to 8 rep routine. If I couldn't get 6 reps had to lower the weight, if I got 8 reps or more I added weight. To each his own but I would rather be a big gangly looking gorilla type than shredded and lean. Don't like feeling skinny, like feeling like an imposing force, That is all.

Stats: 6'4", 197 lbs?
I'm trying to figure out where the big gangly looking gorilla is.


Jokes aside though, you just got to find what works for you, everyone is different. A person can get big doing both types of schemes. I prefer higher reps for my first two sets and then go down from there. I know I'm not the best example of "big" though.

[JOHN GARGANI]

GEER: if you want a blast, try combining BOTH: do 12 reps with a weight that you can only do 6-8..using rest pause and a ton of concentration....

[chodan9]

that's actually a perception issue, not a problem with high reps.
plenty of big guys who move a lot of weight at high reps.

[bodyhard]

Ohhhh so high reps make you lose weight? I did not know that, remind me to stay away from high reps as I don't want to lose weight

[birdmanjr]

NUTRITION determines whether you lose weight or gain. i always lol at people that say "when you cut, go for high reps" or "high reps for muscle "DEFINITION"" lol.

[Dencio]

IMO...its not the amt of reps but the intensity (heavy weight-maybe) of the last few reps and how the muscle responds to it or how you let it respond and manage stressing it to the max...I personally do 10-12 reps on warm up sets and small muscle groups (calves-traps)...the rest I do 10-8-6-5-3 in progressive weight....

[MuscleConfusion]

NUTRITION determines whether you lose weight or gain. i always lol at people that say "when you cut, go for high reps" or "high reps for muscle "DEFINITION"" lol.

This ^^

High reps when cutting is old school thinking and I think a cop-out because when you are cutting and your strength starts to drop it hurts the ego to lift heavy at poundages lower than you lift when heavier.

[Phattso]

One month is not long enough to make a valid evaluation of high reps. Give it six months.