12-20 reps good for building mass?

[MuscleGainer]

If I lift lighter and change my reps from 8-12 to 12-20 will I loose the muscle mass I gained from weightlifting? Right now I just want to focus on muscle mass, not strength. I don't seem to be responding well in terms of muscle mass but am improving my strength when doing a weight that only allows 8-12 reps. Should I change to 12-20 reps with a lighter weight? For example, use a weight that only allows 12 reps and then once I can do 20 reps, increase the weight by 10 pounds next week. Usually on the lat pulls and db bench press I do 1 light set for 15 reps easliy, next a heavier set for 8 reps easily, then my last 2 heaviest sets for 8-12 reps, depending on what I can do to failure. Also should I stop pyramiding and just do 1 warm-up set for 15 reps easily, take 2 minute rest, then go to my last 2 heaviest sets for 12-20 reps? Do I even need a warm-up set if I want to use a weight that allows 12-20 reps?

[Chris_25]

I wouldn't recommend going up to 20 reps unless your training for endurance. When you get into the 15 to 20 rep range I think your doing too much for hypertrophy. Now I know some bodybuilders that do 15 but their on steroids and are genetic freaks. Now what I would recommend is to drop your pyramids. I think pyramiding up is useless. It's like doing 10 warm up sets and then finally getting to your working set and not being able to do it for as many reps as you'd like because your already fatigued from all the pyramiding. I would stick to straight sets for the most part or pyramid down to change things up. So just do one or two warm up sets than go to the weight you plan on using for your working sets. Don't pyramid up to that weight, just go for it. Hope I helped.

[kyser]

Different people and different muscles react differently to various types of rep/set schemes. Many HIT'ers live by 20 rep intensity squats. I do. They are the most productive for me and also give the repiratory system a good workout also.

If you're getting stronger but not gaining mass chances are you aren't taking in enough calories.

[Pairunoyd]

You might want to single out certain bodyparts for that (12-20reps) or other rep schemes. Maybe continue what you've been doing but for biceps do sets of 5-8 and for chest try sets of 12-20. See what happens.

Note: Just cause one rep scheme works for one muscle group, may not mean it works for the other. Also, a new rep scheme might work because its just that, NEW.

[kyser]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pairunoyd
You might want to single out certain bodyparts for that (12-20reps) or other rep schemes. Maybe continue what you've been doing but for biceps do sets of 5-8 and for chest try sets of 12-20. See what happens.

Note: Just cause one rep scheme works for one muscle group, may not mean it works for the other. Also, a new rep scheme might work because its just that, NEW. [/QUO


bump that... good point

[firstmark]

Switching the rep range you do from 8-12 to 12 to 20 will not probably result in your getting any weaker.
This sort of thinking might only apply if you swithced from 3 to 5 reps to 100plus reps or something drastic. Why not just work with the weights you have been doing for 8 to 12 and work those reps up to 12 to 20? And then proceed from there or make that your goal?

[CreatineMan]

12-20 reps is way to high. i would go with 6-12 reps. and once in a while, do sets of only 3-5 reps. you will become a beast and ripped.

[AthleticMachine]

I recommend 8-6-4 reps... in pyramid fashion. Go extremely heavy... and remember to take your at least body weight in grams of protein. Say you weigh 200 lbs., I would take about 220gms of protein. I also recommend glutamine and Alpha Lipoic Acid to build and repair muscle more quickly. This is what I'm doing and I'm gaining mass like crazy... I almost have to stop because I'm a runner and don't want to weigh too much.

[Flyguy3663]

Agree with Athletic Machine and Paranoyd,

For mass you wanna keep the reps in the 3-8 rep range but with heavy weights and good form. I know some people say to go lighter and do more reps but for raw mass you gotta hit the weights hard and heavy. Not only that but going a little heavier also helps definition. If you go with the 12-20 range you will get results. However, I don't think you are gonna make any strength gains.

Try changing up your routine to break through the plateau you are describing. Also I dunno how your cycle goes but it might benefit you to do something like:

Day 1: Shoulders&Back
Day 2: Arms(Bicepts&Tricepts)
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Chest
Day 5: Legs
Days 6&7: Rest

That is just a sample. I mean configure your routine around your life cuz it's gonna be you that is doing it. But I definitely recommend going heavy and in the 3-8 rep range. I don't plan on going heavy forever. Once I get to my desired weight I will go moderate and do maintenance.

[Fudog1138]

Bottom line as these good people have said above.
-Different rep ranges for different parts.
-Gotta experiment to see what works best for you.
-Must eat good clean calories and lots of them to pack on mass.

[Rocky_Maivia]

whats wrong with 20reps??

Dont you think that if you could bench 250lbs 20 times your chest would be massive?

Think about it.

[AthleticMachine]

I think you would be overworking the muscle and possibly damaging it with a 20rep, heavy set. Also you have to worry about the lactic acid formation with so many reps... quite damaging. It's good to go as hard as possible. If you are recruiting as much fibres as you can, you shouldn't even be able to do more than 10 reps of a heavy weight.

[AthleticMachine]

By the way Rocky...
stop whining and eat your damn tuna!!!! heheheh
good quotes.

[Viiinceeeeee]

Sometime i train with 20 reps and sometime i train with 6-8 reps and it all work. I think we need to creat confusion in our work out to respond better...

[Voltri]

All muscles have a ratio of slow twitch : fast twitch muscle fibers. Periodize your training schedule to utilize different rep ranges so that you fatigue all fibers of your muscle-- While Type II are quicker to hypertrophy, it doesn't mean you can't train in higher rep ranges periodically.

[Bossit]

I just started training a few days ago but what my PT tells me is that to build strength and mass is to target doing 4-6 reps, doing more than 12 will target your fast twitch muscle fibers helping you build definition but you won't be seeing much gains.

[zakatak333]

any good barbell exercise performed for 1 to 30 reps is going to build mass, so long as its actually a difficult and challenging set


some people don't like 20 reps because they b*tch out and/or use weight that's too light because they don't know how to push their body to the limit for a 20 rep set, so they say "20 reps doesn't work" but really they have no experience with a DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING set of 20



1 rep sets will do you good, 20 rep sets will do you good, every number of reps in between will do your body good...

[Alyion]

Any rep range (barring extremes of like 20+) is a good rep range, provided you focus on progression. Certain concessions will have to be made in regards to getting stronger (i.e increasing a 5rm is easier than a 15rm, but overall poundage and fatigue will be greater with the higher rep set). Personally I use to train heavy a lot but find that going into double digit reps works better for size (for me personally).

Try a variety of rep ranges, experiment and see what best you respond to.

*edit* .....aaaaand this has been badly bumped - I was 14 when this thread was made lol.

[HammZ]

Sometime i train with 20 reps and sometime i train with 6-8 reps and it all work. I think we need to creat confusion in our work out to respond better...

And the gravedig of the year award goes to..

[Coccodrillo747]

And the gravedig of the year award goes to..

He's just confused.

[BroWhoLifts150]

Bottom line as these good people have said above.
-Different rep ranges for different parts.
-Gotta experiment to see what works best for you.
-Must eat good clean calories and lots of them to pack on mass.

Dis righ her'

[jgreystoke]

Guys got big and strong pre-steroid on twenty reps squats, high rep stiff leg deads, presses, rows, curls.

So long as you train PROGRESSIVELY(adding weight to the bar regularly), and eat enough to grow muscle, you'll gain on ANY rational protocol like:

1 set x 20 reps for your workset(after your low rep warmup sets to get in the groove) for all your squats, deadlifts, goodmornings etc.

Anything you damn well like like for your other basic exercises like presses, rows, inclines/benches, whether 5 x 5, 4 x 8, 3 x 10-12, doesn't really matter if you train progressively.

For single joint exercises like laterals, leg ext, leg curl, high reps are really great. I like 20 rep sets for all of those. Same for neck work, wrist curls etc.

[supramax]

I just finished my first week of weight training; EXERCISING with weights, that is. I'm doing 8 weeks of 2 sets of 15-20 reps (except for deadlifts). I find a weight where 15 is hard and I work up to where 20 is relatively easy. That means I might be doing 25 or more reps. The point is when the twentieth is relatively easy, I add weight and bring the reps back down to the 15 range. The following 8 weeks is gonna be hell, because the reps start at 40 and work up to where 50 is relatively easy. Same methodology as the first 8 weeks. The last eight weeks of the cycle is 1-6 reps. Same methodology as before. It's making a little quality tissue; infusing the tissue with capillaries and then making that tissue strong. I then repeat the cycle.

I'm just starting to be able to exercise again after having an injury (plural, actually) that put me on my ass for over two years. I've trained like this before and before my injury, I could do 37 pull ups, a 70 pose hatha yoga routine, run 18 milers and cycle a hundred miles, no problemo.

That's my rant.

[Tommy W.]

You need to get some lower rep days in. Doing what you're doing is ok but you can't stay in that rep range all the time and expect much growth.

[Jbeachbody]

each week for 3 weeks I do 20 reps, 15, 10, then repeat. I do 3 sets for each workout with rest in between sets... the goal is to drop the weight by 5-10lbs after each set while sustaining the same amount of reps.

for example...

Week 1: Set 1- 145lbs for 20 reps... Set 2- 135lbs for 20 reps... Set 3- 125lbs for 20 reps.

Week 2: Set 1- 185lbs for 15 reps... Set 2- 175lbs for 15 reps... Set 3- 165lbs for 15 reps.

Week 3: Set 1- 225lbs for 10 reps... Set 2- 215lbs for 10 reps... Set 3- 205lbs for 10 reps.

what is everyones opinion on this style of lifting?

[davisj3537]

14yr old thread...

[ICUH8N]

Go up to 20. Hell, go to 25.

Another question on "will I gain muscle by doing 20 reps? - YES

One specific study showed improved MPS in the 20-30RM group than the 8-12RM group.

Besides, for the NFL Combine, players regularly bench 225 for 15-30 reps. How do you think they were able to do that? It wasn't by never doing 225 for MAX reps

In short - don't do 20 reps every workout, but there is no rule, and it has not been proven you CANT build muscle on a 20RM lift.

[boo99]

14yr old thread...

Came in to say this, surprised no one else mentioned till you

Thought more about what I was doing in 2002 than the actual replies

Fierce 5 btw, I recommend it all the time to noobs at my gym, so thanks much for designing that

[davisj3537]

Came in to say this, surprised no one else mentioned till you

Thought more about what I was doing in 2002 than the actual replies

Fierce 5 btw, I recommend it all the time to noobs at my gym, so thanks much for designing that

I think back to 2012 and shiver at the ideas I had about weight lifting, much less 2002. lol.

[Mindsphinx]

Great advise on Hypertrophy. Research have indicated that anytime someone reach their sticking point in resistance training "they" enter the hypertrophy stage; no matter the reps. I still believe that the range of 13-20 would be enough for endurance, no matter if the individual reach the sticking point (Metabolic stage). As you emphasized in your blog; unless someone is using steroids, keep the repetition from 8 to 12. Any less than that would throw anyone off (if growth is what they are looking for).
The ranges are 1 to 3 for strength; 4 to 7 for power; 8 to 12 for growth and 13 to 15 (or 20) for endurance. Also, it would require a reasonable diet. If no competition is in sight, consider your Kcal and protein for better results. Otherwise, count everything; from fat, sodium, carbs, protein, and keep a good supply of glutamine for synthesis.
Best of luck.

I wouldn't recommend going up to 20 reps unless your training for endurance. When you get into the 15 to 20 rep range I think your doing too much for hypertrophy. Now I know some bodybuilders that do 15 but their on steroids and are genetic freaks. Now what I would recommend is to drop your pyramids. I think pyramiding up is useless. It's like doing 10 warm up sets and then finally getting to your working set and not being able to do it for as many reps as you'd like because your already fatigued from all the pyramiding. I would stick to straight sets for the most part or pyramid down to change things up. So just do one or two warm up sets than go to the weight you plan on using for your working sets. Don't pyramid up to that weight, just go for it. Hope I helped.