Should I train with heavier weights and lower reps?

[greenleaf]

Say 3-5 reps per set if I want to get bigger? I'm a noob and currently lifting up to 10 reps per set before failure.

[kylem]

it all depends man everyone responds differentlyu switch your reps up some people respond better to 4-6 reps i like 6-10 range works good for me but the lower reps work for me as well. just try new things and hit the gym and make sure your taking in enough calories to get big gota eat big to be big and you gotta lift big to be big stay with the compound movements for mass focus on them gl buddy

[DJAuto]

As a newbie, anything will make you grow.

But, lower repetitions are usually employed for strength gains.

[injured44]

do 4-6 reps thats where you gain strength fast

doing 10 gives you endurance but your 1 rep max strength will suffer from higher rep training imo

[ITHURTZ]

5 reps always worked for me. Tried 10 reps before, gave me a nice pump and made my muscles feel tight, but thats it.

[greenleaf]

Does strength gain = muscle mass gain?

[kylem]

ya man def if your strength increases your mass is going too. your loading weight

[GreenWave1]

Does strength gain = muscle mass gain?

Not necessarily.

To answer the OPs question, try it and see if it works for you. There is no set formula. I believe it was Dominik that recently recommended mixing it up in the same workout. Do some movements for higher (8-12) reps and some movements for lower (3-6) reps. Try this and see if it works for you.

[greenleaf]

If I have to cheat on rep #3, does it mean the weight is too heavy?

[Big Arm Big Pay]

if your a noob to lifting you should stick with higher reps to get your form down

[ITHURTZ]

If I have to cheat on rep #3, does it mean the weight is too heavy?

yes You should get 5 solid reps before the need to cheat unless your going for a over repped max.

[AhkTed Kenajhad]

Say 3-5 reps per set if I want to get bigger? I'm a noob and currently lifting up to 10 reps per set before failure.

just use the time tested 6-10 reps and when u get to 10 up the weight in which case you should be able to get at least 6 reps of the higher weight. if you can't, drop the weight concentrate on perfect form and when you have flawless form at ten reps you should be able to squeeze out 6 when you raise it.

[GreenWave1]

big arms and ATK make a good point. Focus on your form. This cannot be overstated.

[GoJu]

if your a noob to lifting you should stick with higher reps to get your form down

high reps makes form worse cause you're tired.

volume at 3-5 reps with a weight that you DON'T fail at 3-5 reps is good for technique.

[injured44]

Does strength gain = muscle mass gain?

pretty much

i doubt you will see a guy who benches 300 walking around with toothpick arms....

[Dominik]

high reps makes form worse cause you're tired.

volume at 3-5 reps with a weight that you DON'T fail at 3-5 reps is good for technique.

Problem is unless you're doing a ton of sets it's going to be **** for hypertrophy. Not exactly a recipe for success for a noob looking to get bigger.

Most of my training in the first couple of years was sets of 8-10 and I put on over 60lbs and never had a single injury. Doing more reps was good practice too. Even these days I rarely go under 6 reps, except for the deadlift and squat which I train more like a powerlifter. With everything else it's sets of 6-12.

Nothing wrong with having short phases of heavy training working up to a 3-5RM but if you're looking to get bigger it's a struggle to get through a decent amount of volume training that way not to mention it's hell on the joints. Working in the 6-12 range most of the time is more productive and less taxing on the nervous system.

[ITHURTZ]

Problem is unless you're doing a ton of sets it's going to be **** for hypertrophy. Not exactly a recipe for success for a noob looking to get bigger.

Most of my training in the first couple of years was sets of 8-10 and I put on over 60lbs and never had a single injury. Doing more reps was good practice too. Even these days I rarely go under 6 reps, except for the deadlift and squat which I train more like a powerlifter. With everything else it's sets of 6-12.

Nothing wrong with having short phases of heavy training working up to a 3-5RM but if you're looking to get bigger it's a struggle to get through a decent amount of volume training that way not to mention it's hell on the joints. Working in the 6-12 range most of the time is more productive and less taxing on the nervous system.

I went from 160 to 205 in 8 months no injury. 5reps ftw!

[Dominik]

I went from 160 to 205 in 8 months no injury. 5reps ftw!

If it's working for you keep doing it. Here's the best way I could explain my experience with low and high reps:

For optimal results I think you need both.

Why kill yourself lifting really heavy weights for low reps all the time trying to get through a decent amount of volume when you could incorporate both and get a lot more done. Focus on strength with low reps on some exercises and hypertrophy with higher reps on the rest. Best of both worlds.

I've tried doing the low rep thing all the time and while I did see some gains in size I was happy with, it beat the crap out of my joints and I started to burn out. My conditioning also went to ****. And when I tried high rep training for a while my strength stalled and it seemed like all I was doing was getting a pump. So these days I incorporate both. The strength gains I make at lower reps allow me to use more weight for higher rep sets later. They work together.

[ITHURTZ]

I agree you need both. Iv always wanted to add high reps into my workout, but I dont have time or the food bill to support that.

[GoJu]

Problem is unless you're doing a ton of sets it's going to be **** for hypertrophy. Not exactly a recipe for success for a noob looking to get bigger.

Most of my training in the first couple of years was sets of 8-10 and I put on over 60lbs and never had a single injury. Doing more reps was good practice too. Even these days I rarely go under 6 reps, except for the deadlift and squat which I train more like a powerlifter. With everything else it's sets of 6-12.

Nothing wrong with having short phases of heavy training working up to a 3-5RM but if you're looking to get bigger it's a struggle to get through a decent amount of volume training that way not to mention it's hell on the joints. Working in the 6-12 range most of the time is more productive and less taxing on the nervous system.

I just said for technique work volume at lower reps is better than high reps.

working sets are whatever, I use 1-10 myself.

[Dominik]

I just said for technique work volume at lower reps is better than high reps.

working sets are whatever, I use 1-10 myself.

Sure, and technique is more of an issue with Olympic lifts. However the OP said: "Say 3-5 reps per set if I want to get bigger?" If he wants to get bigger, low reps aren't going to achieve much with puny strength levels + low volume. Fair enough if you're up around the 400/500/600 level you might only need a set or two of low reps to build muscle but a noob doesn't have that luxury yet.

Ever noticed how in the first few months of training you primarily see strength gains in a natural lifter and not much size? The last thing they need is to focus even more on training the nervous system when that's practically all they've done up to that point. They need volume to compensate for the lack of weight they're moving. That's where the sets of 6-12 can make a difference.

[GoJu]

Sure, and technique is more of an issue with Olympic lifts. However the OP said: "Say 3-5 reps per set if I want to get bigger?" If he wants to get bigger, low reps aren't going to achieve much with puny strength levels + low volume. Fair enough if you're up around the 400/500/600 level you might only need a set or two of low reps to build muscle but a noob doesn't have that luxury yet.

Ever noticed how in the first few months of training you primarily see strength gains in a natural lifter and not much size? The last thing they need is to focus even more on training the nervous system when that's practically all they've done up to that point. They need volume to compensate for the lack of weight they're moving. That's where the sets of 6-12 can make a difference.

I agree, all I'm saying is while they're learning the form of the lifts they'll doing 5+ sets of 3-5 reps with lighter weight is better.

[Defiant1]

Does strength gain = muscle mass gain?

No.

It CAN, but it does not NECESSARILY mean muscle gain.

Anyone who says otherwise needs to simply read more, because they are wrong.

[jaredmt]

i read somewhere that there is a difference between training for strength and training for muscle mass. there are different techniques to use that are primarily focused on making your muscle bigger.

look up the "pump" technique for doing bicep curls. once i started doing that i noticed the difference

[Big Arm Big Pay]

high reps makes form worse cause you're tired.

volume at 3-5 reps with a weight that you DON'T fail at 3-5 reps is good for technique.

? if you dont go high at 3-5 reps you might as well not lift

[JBElite]

No.

It CAN, but it does not NECESSARILY mean muscle gain.

Anyone who says otherwise needs to simply read more, because they are wrong.

This thread needs to die now.....NOW

[ITHURTZ]

No.

It CAN, but it does not NECESSARILY mean muscle gain.

Anyone who says otherwise needs to simply read more, because they are wrong.

Strength will always become before mass, but over time strength does= mass.

[burningNun]

? if you dont go high at 3-5 reps you might as well not lift

Failure is not a prerequisite of high intensity.

[Defiant1]

Strength will always become before mass, but over time strength does= mass.

No it doesn't.

The only component of strength that increases mass is myofibrillar hypertrophy.

Neural efficiency, technique etc DO NOT increase mass.

If what you are saying was true, it would be impossible to increase ones strength and remain in the same weight class of wrestling (my sport), o-lifting, powerlifting, boxing etc.

And that is not the case.

[Jules Verne]

Strength will always become before mass, but over time strength does= mass.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=5937541