big

Although there may be genetic exceptions, in general to get bigger you need get stronger.

By all means work in the 8-12 rep range if you believe this genuinely gives you the most size. However, there are a LOT of guys out there who are lifting (for example) 40-50kg in this rep range on bench week in and week out, and then wondering why they aren't growing.

You NEED a decent strength base to gain decent muscle, unless you are a genetic freak.

IMO work on your strength, get your numbers up to decent levels (if they aren't already) and THEN switch to a more hypertrophy-oriented routine when you are able to do your 8-12 reps on bench press with considerably more than your bodyweight on the bar.

It is very rare to see a massive guy not be able to bench/squat/row/deadlift decent numbers.

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offo

doing 2 sets of 6 how do u know when u go up then when u hit 7 reps? or what lads

Delhi

I agree ^^^^^BIG

Just like to add my advice for someone starting to lift that wants to get big.

1. GET PROPER FORM forget about weight for the first 2 months or so and do 10-12 reps to learn form (It is KING).

2. Once you have perfect form decrease your reps and go for strengh 4-6 reps trying to put either a rep or weight on the bar EW

3. When you are lifting decent numbers increase rep range to 8-12 and concentrate on contractions, drop sets HIT, and all the other advanced training methods.

Note: For a "Normal" person this whole process should take AT LEAST 2 years, at which point if your progress halts and diet, routine etc is correct THEN consider AAS.

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fits

A Bodybuilder freind of mine told me about one of his trainign partners, he was in good shape but wasnt THAT big, and used to do powerlifting. He was told to go from his usual 3 to 8 reps for legs, up to as many as 20reps and withing in a few months his legs grew BIG!

so the story goes any way lol it would seem rep range makes a hell of a difference!

hackskii

There is also two parts to every lift, the eccentric and concentric, both of those need attention. Many times I see guys drop the weight to push or pull it back up, they forget that the negative is half of the weight being pushed and needs to be controlled.

I think ego lifters really cheat them selves and an experienced guy that controls the weight in both concentric and eccentric has more room for development and growth.
Ego lifters lift a lot but look like crap.

Ironically yesterday I was watching a bunch of youtube video’s on this and it is strange how some guys are pretty strong but have terrible form and half rep things and look like crap.
One dude was doing 600lb shrugs but it looked like just twitches it was so short of range.
Hey more power to him picking up 600lbs from the rack but I do feel if he had used a weight he could get full range of motion on he would find better development.

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Scott


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kevo

I'm with the whole form issue, I lift lighter on average than most of my gym buddies but I am very conscious of form and a nice slow negative ;)

hackskii

I can give you two examples.
My workout partner always trys to do one more rep than me, usually with the worst form ever and I myself use very controlled movements due to injuries.
Now I am bigger than my partner but he is the same strength as me, but he controls nothing, the weight controls him.
If he is on a machine he will rock it back and forth to get that last rep.
I tend to squeeze and use both up and down portions of the lift, my partner just lets the weight drop.

In his eyes it is numbers in my eyes it is control and form.
You can use lighter weight if you control it more and use a slower cadence and probably get more development.

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Scott


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Conrad

i find this whole issue really interesting guys. So many of out gym freinds start lifting becuase their goal is to get big. One day they simply say...im fed up with the way i look and im going to change. Now theres nothing wrong with this, hell, it says alot about ones character when they stand up and decide to act on such a goal, after all it takes time and effort and lots of sacrifices are made. However naturaly lots of these people are so narrow minded in the gymnasium that they simply think "bigger weights, bigger gains" and their form is neglected in the pursuit of their goal.
Personaly im with Kevo on this one, form is central to my training. I started lifting after i went through heavy fitness conditioning for sports after i tore ligaments in me knee playing hockey and rugby. After i recovered, i stopped the gym work, after all the rehabilitation was complete and although my knee wasnt as strong as before, there was no need to keep hitting the gym.
However i just simply started to miss going to the gym regularly, i missed setting myself targets and achieving them. So i started again. Performing the excersises correctly in good form really gave me a buzz. In essence it was the training in itself and not the overall goal of getting big which i loved. And so, i can understand what Hackskii and kevo are getting at here. I just think its a mental thing...it often depends on why you go to the gym in the first place.

Conrad

id keep going till you hit 9 reps. In the long run id cycle your training routine between strength (low reps e.g 6) and mass (high rep, say, 12 reps - so not stamina training). when im on low reps i get stronger so that when i alternate back to mass reps i can lift more and can grow bigger. vicious cycle of growth. i switch between different rep reanges every few months when i change my excercise routine.


consider giving this a go Offo, might help

rottweiler

For strength how many sets of 1-4 reps should you do would you say 5. I heard 5x5 is great for strength.

rottweiler

How many sets of 1-4 reps should you do for strength, 5? I heard 5x5 is excellent for strength.

ALake

How do you get a strength base?

ah24

By strength traning.

hackskii

Basic compound lifts.

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Scott


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The Rave

I have found that strength to size ratio is completely genetic. My half brother is 20kg lighter than me at 65kg and yet he can bench over 100kg for 10 reps, whereas I can only do 80kg even though I am much bigger and have more muscle mass, his muscle is very hard and mine is relatively soft by comparason. I think a bit of the old Tbol would fix that though....