6 reps vs 12 reps

[DonBurk]

what is the real difference that doing 6 reps vs 12 reps will do for you. ive started to up the weight and do less reps. i feel more sore when i do more reps with less weights. which is better for growth?

i try to do about 6 sets- including warmup and cooldown. should i try taking some weight off and doing more reps? will i see a difference?

[muaythaiguy15]

Under 5 reps is for powerlifting (raw strength). The more reps, the more fatigue. 6-10 is ideal for bodybuilding I think. I like to switch it up. 12 reps one week, maybe 6 the next, 10 the next. It keeps my muscles from getting used to a rep scheme and I dont hit plateus as much.

[SpHall24]

if your trying to gain mass pick a weight that you can only do 6 to 8 times. if your tonning bump it up your reps to 10- 12.

[quest-x]

if your trying to gain mass pick a weight that you can only do 6 to 8 times. if your tonning bump it up your reps to 10- 12.

doing more reps won't "tone" your muscles. that's a huge bodybuilding myth.

[jimdab]

what the heck is "toning" anyways? i never really knew

i knew when you lose bodyfat you look cut, is that pretty much what toned is as well?

[kethnaab]

muscle tone is the "retained contraction" a muscle maintains while at rest. It has to do with a variety of things.

The way people describe "toned" in bodybuilding terms is generally "Brad Pitt in Fight Club", i.e. low bodyfat and lean, wiry/muscular.

and why not use both 6 and 12 reps? Do a day where your primary exercises (better be compounds!) you hit 6 rep sets, and do a day later in the week where you hit your primary exercises with 12 rep sets.

[prickleferret]

your best bet is to include a wide variety of rep ranges in every workout. every time i hit the gym my workouts contain some 6, 8, 10, 12, and 15 rep sets. once in awhile i may do a 4 rep set too.

[jimdab]

muscle tone is the "retained contraction" a muscle maintains while at rest. It has to do with a variety of things.

The way people describe "toned" in bodybuilding terms is generally "Brad Pitt in Fight Club", i.e. low bodyfat and lean, wiry/muscular..

so basically as long as you have a decent amount of lean body mass, the less bodyfat you have...the more toned you are.

so to get toned just keep lifting and doing cardio then, right?

[Overload]

so to get toned just keep lifting and doing cardio then, right?

Not necessarily. You need to get your BF% down to have that "toned" look. Weights and cardio will help but I see a lot of fat people lifting weights and doing cardio but they sure aren't toned. That's cause their diet is $hit.

I really don't like that word anyway. Toned reminds me of the people selling fitness product on TV and tell you that the burn you're feeling is fat melting away

[DonBurk]

ill mix it up every week then.

i only get to do one muscle a week anyways. i usually go to fatigue and im slightly sore the next day. im assuming a week is more than enough time to recover.

[kethnaab]

so basically as long as you have a decent amount of lean body mass, the less bodyfat you have...the more toned you are.

so to get toned just keep lifting and doing cardio then, right?

yup, control the diet, lift weights for strength, and perform cardio to assist in fat loss and for overall health. Sounds like a recipe for success!

[Kozma]

you will see more strength gain with 6 reps

I would rather do 6.