Building Muscle mass....How many reps per set?

[zxcvnm]

How many reps is best to quickly build muscle mass?

Currently I'm doing this sort of thing:

Set 1 - 6reps
Set 2 - 7reps
Set 3 - 8reps
Set 4 - 9reps

Is this a good way? Or should I do something like just 8 reps every set?

[ozza]

Normally people pyramid the other way, ie 9,8,7,6 then sometimes a set of 10-12 with a lighter weight at the end.

[zxcvnm]

Normally people pyramid the other way, ie 9,8,7,6 then sometimes a set of 10-12 with a lighter weight at the end.

okay, so I should start with a light weight and then increase it until the last set which I use lighter weights again?

[mindraper]

If you're aiming for muscle mass, then 4-8 reps is all you need. Not go higher than 8 reps except in your warmup set. On heavy days i try to keep the reps in the 4-6 area.

[zxcvnm]

ok so the the best amount of reps to do for building mass is 6-8 reps?

[ozza]

Yeah so for example with a 100lbs bench for your heavy set

1st - Bar x 12
2nd - 60lbs x 10
3rd - 80lbs x 8
4th - 100lbs x 6

You might add a 5th working set in thats the same as the 4th if you want, then you could do a 6th of 60lbs by 10

[ozza]

There's no exact range for building mass, some people will gain better with 10 - 12, some with 6 - 8, some with even lower. Just try various reps and sets to find what works best for you

[warriors]

There's no exact range for building mass, some people will gain better with 10 - 12, some with 6 - 8, some with even lower. Just try various reps and sets to find what works best for you

bump some ppl respond diff.

[BadWog]

So if you're doing 4 sets for an exercise can you go
Warmup with bar

then 3 sets of 6reps with failure? or is that overtraining the muscle?

[Max Protein]

So if you're doing 4 sets for an exercise can you go
Warmup with bar

then 3 sets of 6reps with failure? or is that overtraining the muscle?

I go to failure on every set. That's what you're meant to do. Don't have a set amount of reps. If you say, "Right, I'm gonna push this bad boy 7 times", and you hit the 7th rep and can still keep going, then do it! No point in giving up when your muscles can handle more.

[BadWog]

I go to failure on every set. That's what you're meant to do. Don't have a set amount of reps. If you say, "Right, I'm gonna push this bad boy 7 times", and you hit the 7th rep and can still keep going, then do it! No point in giving up when your muscles can handle more.

k cool thx, and then do i just increase the weights with each set to pyramid my rep range, or should that happen due to fatigue without altering the weights too much anyway?

[ozza]

Ignore Max Protein, you are not MEANT to goto the failure on every set.

If your rep range is 8... do 8, then the next session, add more weight, if you look at a HST style routine you would fairly well never goto failure, yet you still gain very good mass. It's not a matter of making the muscles handle more, it's a matter of following a plan. Going to failure every set on every exercise at every session WILL lead to overtraining, injury or both.

[Rockin_Kockin]

Ignore Max Protein, you are not MEANT to goto the failure on every set.

If your rep range is 8... do 8, then the next session, add more weight, if you look at a HST style routine you would fairly well never goto failure, yet you still gain very good mass. It's not a matter of making the muscles handle more, it's a matter of following a plan. Going to failure every set on every exercise at every session WILL lead to overtraining, injury or both.

Utter bull**** my friend.
Some people respond differently. People could go to failure on every set and see gains, while others go shy of failure and still see results. Find out what's best for you..
Don't bring HST into this unless he has a split/set numbers similar to HST.
I personally go to failure for every set. For every exercise. I was taught that not going to failure is a complete waste of a workout and make you more prone to overtraining due to more sets required. Don't flame me, that's what works best for me.
Overtraining? bull****. fiber damage? yes. muscle growth? yes!
Injury? My *ss buddy. We are not talking HEAVY *ss weights here...
Thanks.

[ozza]

HST is an example of a system whereby you don't goto failure, yet you still see gains. I wasn't saying there is no benefit in going to failure, i was saying you are not MEANT to goto failure.

You are right, there is no singular definitive way to lift weights, other than actually showing up and doing the work. I'm sure i said above that it will vary what each person needs. But in this i was coming from the point of view that this is not an overly experienced lifter, and telling someone without a good background in training, and possibly without a spot to goto failure will likely lead to injury. This injury could quite possibly also come from getting to the point where form breaks down due to tiredness.

I'm one that doesn't want someone to come after me because i've said something to cause them injury, i'd prefer to take the safer tact and give them advice that will work, but will not promote a high risk method of training for someone i know nothing about. So yes, failure training may work, it may even give him better gains, but that said, it's still more dangerous if he is inexperienced and so i'd rather not advocate it knowing nothing about the individual.

[Rockin_Kockin]

Very well said man!

[ozza]

Good to see i've got it right this time

[IGF]

I usually do 6-15 and all to failure. But I do use reps lower than 6 and above 15 sometimes - they still do build mass

[zxcvnm]

alrights, thanks for the response. I guess I'll be doing something like this first:

Set 1 - 10 reps or 8 reps
Set 2 - 8 reps or 6 reps
Set 3 - 6 reps or 4 reps
Set 4 - Same weaight as 2nd set but failure.

[Max Protein]

Ignore Max Protein, you are not MEANT to goto the failure on every set.
Going to failure every set on every exercise at every session WILL lead to overtraining, injury or both.

Don't go to failure on warm-up sets, just heavy working sets.

And tell that going to failure doesn't work to Dorian Yates...