Rep range for building size - Page 7 - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

TOBE · 13-03-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pookie69

Do any of you guys alter your weight and reps from set to set in the same session? I've gotten into the habit of doing 4 sets, increasing weight from one set to the next, starting with 15 reps for the first, 10 for the second, 8 for the third, and finally 6-8 for the last.

I always think of the first 3 sets as 'warm ups' for my final heavy set, which is the only set i take to failure.

Is this a bad way to train? From reading some of your posts i get the impression that most people don't train this way.

Mines more or less the same.

winger · 13-03-2008, 11:55 PM

Me too.

estfna · 14-03-2008, 01:44 AM

on big compounds (squat, dead, bench) i aim for 4-8 reps. on everything else (including shoulders) i aim for 8-10 in the 3 sets and 6-8 on the last.
always 4 or 5 sets unless its biceps/triceps, which will usually already have been worked indirectly in the session (bi's/tri's are usually 3x8-10).

on the compounds.generally the 1st set is a light weight, about 50% of my 1rm, going for 10 slow reps, controlled movement.
2nd set is about 70% 1rm
3rd is usually alot higher, 80% 1rm. and last set will be 85-90% until failure which will usually come around the 4th rep, then i do 2 forced reps helped by a spotter.

imo you will not get stronger by lifting the same weight throughout the session, you need to be continually upping the weight. the first 2 sets should be to properly warm the muscle and get blood flowing to be able to lift the 2 heavy sets.

DAN85 · 14-03-2008, 11:23 PM

say if i normally do 12 reps at 100kg would i up the weight to say 120kg if im only going to do 6-8 reps or keep it at 100kg? thanks

Big_Dan · 15-03-2008, 12:15 AM

If you want to add some serious mass to your arms, watch this video !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl1XrHeG1WI&NR=1

come on , with arms like that , you cant go wrong lol

Big_Dan · 15-03-2008, 12:16 AM

at the moment , i am bordering round 10-12 reps , trying to feel more of a pump lk !

winger · 15-03-2008, 12:27 AM

I rotate rep ranges to keep the body guessing.
See how many reps you can get with 100 kg's and try to beat it, then next workout see what you get with 120 kg's and try to beat that.
Keep the body guessing.

I don't really know what this means but weight pushed would look like this.

12 times 100 is 1200 kg.
6 times 120 is 720 kg.
8 times 120 is 960 kg.

Which looks better to you? Just mix it up and you will keep gaining. ;)

JawD · 15-03-2008, 09:04 AM

What Im doing at the moment is cycling my training with my supp cycles. So its kinda been :

Week 1~8 - Creatine cycle, 4-6 rep range
Week 9 rest
Week 10-18 creatine cycle, 8-10 rep range
Week 19 rest
and so on.

At the moment, I tend to feel 6-8 rep range is my "optimum range" as it were. But I do like to change it around every 8 weeks.

During any routine, I start 10 reps @ 50% final load and I do that twice. Then 6 reps @ 75%, 2 reps @ 90% and then working sets that are usually 2 or 3 sets on compounds.

For Bi/Tri's they come second and will have been warmed up prior so I jump right in and do 2 working sets.

DAN85 · 15-03-2008, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger

I rotate rep ranges to keep the body guessing.
See how many reps you can get with 100 kg's and try to beat it, then next workout see what you get with 120 kg's and try to beat that.
Keep the body guessing.

I don't really know what this means but weight pushed would look like this.

12 times 100 is 1200 kg.
6 times 120 is 720 kg.
8 times 120 is 960 kg.

Which looks better to you? Just mix it up and you will keep gaining. ;)

think i will stick to doing mainly 12 reps at 100kg and every 2 weeks use 8 reps at say 140kg see how that goes

shauno · 15-03-2008, 03:17 PM

i think aslong as your training a muscle hard it will grow.

do different rep ranges to mix it up

winger · 15-03-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shauno

i think aslong as your training a muscle hard it will grow.

do different rep ranges to mix it up

I agree. I would also use a journal to track your progress.

Robbyg · 17-03-2008, 04:51 PM

Hi guys been a really interesting read and have picked up some great tips just want to ask a couple of questions reguarding sets and reps . So the best rep range to build would be the 6-8 range and how many sets would be the max per body part so lets say chest bench 1st set 50 % 8-10 reps 2nd set 60 % 3rd 75 % 4 th 85 % i was doing 2 sets as a warm up and 4 sets at 85% at 6 reps would it be better off doing 4 sets altogether but always upping the weight ? and doing 1 set at 85 %.
This is my chest routine at the moment chest bench 2 warm up 4 sets at 85%
incline bench 1 warm up 3 set at 85 % and decline bench bumbbells 1 warm 3 sets 85 %
is that to much for chest ? cheers just a newbie whos in a rutt

winger · 17-03-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robbyg

Hi guys been a really interesting read and have picked up some great tips just want to ask a couple of questions reguarding sets and reps . So the best rep range to build would be the 6-8 range and how many sets would be the max per body part so lets say chest bench 1st set 50 % 8-10 reps 2nd set 60 % 3rd 75 % 4 th 85 % i was doing 2 sets as a warm up and 4 sets at 85% at 6 reps would it be better off doing 4 sets altogether but always upping the weight ? and doing 1 set at 85 %.
This is my chest routine at the moment chest bench 2 warm up 4 sets at 85%
incline bench 1 warm up 3 set at 85 % and decline bench bumbbells 1 warm 3 sets 85 %
is that to much for chest ? cheers just a newbie whos in a rutt

Are you getting stronger doing this? If so don't change.

Robbyg · 17-03-2008, 06:57 PM

It feels im stuck at the same weight i know but i can do 4 set sets of 6 reps at 85 % ok i think i just need to maybe up the weight on the last 2 sets and maybe go for a rep range of 2-4 which will be to faliure to to see if i can brake through this stale time. I had to change my programme a bit as i was over training do 5-6 exercise per body part now im doing 3 soild exercise and 1 cool down. I think i just plateaud at the programme i was doing .

winger · 17-03-2008, 07:08 PM

When you stall you can either deload (recommended) or do less sets.
Deloading is cutting back the weight. It's like one step back and two steps forward.
For me to deload is hard so I usually just swap exercises like do db's for a while and try to ramp it back up.

IMO, that is allot of work for chest. I train H.I.T. and only do 3-4 sets to failure on big body parts.

Why not start up a journal and let the board check it out.

View Poll Results: REP RANGE FOR BUILDING SIZE
REPS 6 - 8	89	45.64%
REPS 6 - 10	76	38.97%
OTHER	30	15.38%
Voters: 195. You may not vote on this poll

13-03-2008, 11:55 PM	#92 (permalink)
winger UK-Muscle Male Animal Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 10,193	Re: Rep range for building size Me too. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

14-03-2008, 01:44 AM	#93 (permalink)
estfna Undergoing Building Work Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Liverpool Posts: 962	Re: Rep range for building size on big compounds (squat, dead, bench) i aim for 4-8 reps. on everything else (including shoulders) i aim for 8-10 in the 3 sets and 6-8 on the last. always 4 or 5 sets unless its biceps/triceps, which will usually already have been worked indirectly in the session (bi's/tri's are usually 3x8-10). on the compounds.generally the 1st set is a light weight, about 50% of my 1rm, going for 10 slow reps, controlled movement. 2nd set is about 70% 1rm 3rd is usually alot higher, 80% 1rm. and last set will be 85-90% until failure which will usually come around the 4th rep, then i do 2 forced reps helped by a spotter. imo you will not get stronger by lifting the same weight throughout the session, you need to be continually upping the weight. the first 2 sets should be to properly warm the muscle and get blood flowing to be able to lift the 2 heavy sets.

14-03-2008, 11:23 PM	#94 (permalink)
DAN85 under construction Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: chesterfield Posts: 32	Re: Rep range for building size say if i normally do 12 reps at 100kg would i up the weight to say 120kg if im only going to do 6-8 reps or keep it at 100kg? thanks

15-03-2008, 12:15 AM	#95 (permalink)
Big_Dan getting huge ! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: wales Posts: 487	Re: Rep range for building size If you want to add some serious mass to your arms, watch this video ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl1XrHeG1WI&NR=1 come on , with arms like that , you cant go wrong lol __________________ I aim to be the definition of perfect ;)

15-03-2008, 12:16 AM	#96 (permalink)
Big_Dan getting huge ! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: wales Posts: 487	Re: Rep range for building size at the moment , i am bordering round 10-12 reps , trying to feel more of a pump lk ! __________________ I aim to be the definition of perfect ;)

15-03-2008, 12:27 AM	#97 (permalink)
winger UK-Muscle Male Animal Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 10,193	Re: Rep range for building size I rotate rep ranges to keep the body guessing. See how many reps you can get with 100 kg's and try to beat it, then next workout see what you get with 120 kg's and try to beat that. Keep the body guessing. I don't really know what this means but weight pushed would look like this. 12 times 100 is 1200 kg. 6 times 120 is 720 kg. 8 times 120 is 960 kg. Which looks better to you? Just mix it up and you will keep gaining. ;) __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

15-03-2008, 09:04 AM	#98 (permalink)
JawD On the first step Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Lanchester Posts: 646 Blog Entries: 27	Re: Rep range for building size What Im doing at the moment is cycling my training with my supp cycles. So its kinda been : Week 1~8 - Creatine cycle, 4-6 rep range Week 9 rest Week 10-18 creatine cycle, 8-10 rep range Week 19 rest and so on. At the moment, I tend to feel 6-8 rep range is my "optimum range" as it were. But I do like to change it around every 8 weeks. During any routine, I start 10 reps @ 50% final load and I do that twice. Then 6 reps @ 75%, 2 reps @ 90% and then working sets that are usually 2 or 3 sets on compounds. For Bi/Tri's they come second and will have been warmed up prior so I jump right in and do 2 working sets. __________________ Failure isnt falling down - Failure is not getting back up To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

15-03-2008, 03:17 PM	#100 (permalink)
shauno Getting bigger slowly Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Well'boro Posts: 384	Re: Rep range for building size i think aslong as your training a muscle hard it will grow. do different rep ranges to mix it up __________________ Work in progress!! Mental approach is everything

17-03-2008, 04:51 PM	#102 (permalink)
Robbyg Gym Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 169	Re: Rep range for building size Hi guys been a really interesting read and have picked up some great tips just want to ask a couple of questions reguarding sets and reps . So the best rep range to build would be the 6-8 range and how many sets would be the max per body part so lets say chest bench 1st set 50 % 8-10 reps 2nd set 60 % 3rd 75 % 4 th 85 % i was doing 2 sets as a warm up and 4 sets at 85% at 6 reps would it be better off doing 4 sets altogether but always upping the weight ? and doing 1 set at 85 %. This is my chest routine at the moment chest bench 2 warm up 4 sets at 85% incline bench 1 warm up 3 set at 85 % and decline bench bumbbells 1 warm 3 sets 85 % is that to much for chest ? cheers just a newbie whos in a rutt

17-03-2008, 06:57 PM	#104 (permalink)
Robbyg Gym Addict Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 169	Re: Rep range for building size It feels im stuck at the same weight i know but i can do 4 set sets of 6 reps at 85 % ok i think i just need to maybe up the weight on the last 2 sets and maybe go for a rep range of 2-4 which will be to faliure to to see if i can brake through this stale time. I had to change my programme a bit as i was over training do 5-6 exercise per body part now im doing 3 soild exercise and 1 cool down. I think i just plateaud at the programme i was doing .

17-03-2008, 07:08 PM	#105 (permalink)
winger UK-Muscle Male Animal Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 10,193	Re: Rep range for building size When you stall you can either deload (recommended) or do less sets. Deloading is cutting back the weight. It's like one step back and two steps forward. For me to deload is hard so I usually just swap exercises like do db's for a while and try to ramp it back up. IMO, that is allot of work for chest. I train H.I.T. and only do 3-4 sets to failure on big body parts. Why not start up a journal and let the board check it out. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.