Low Number of Reps

BrianD3

I am doing resistance training to build muscle mass and have been reading up on the number of reps I should be doing per set. I have read that <8 reps is good for gaining strength but poor for gaining mass. Whereas 8-12 reps is better for gaining mass but not as good for gaining strength.

I'm confused. If very low reps are best for gaining strength but don't result in much mass gains, then why aren't powerlifters relatively skinny compared to bodybuilders? Also, why is 8 the "magic number"?

I dislike doing more than 8 reps of any exercise because I get bored doing too many reps. I usually aim for around 3-6 reps. I have noticed increases in both mass and strength from this.

Is this the wrong approach? Would I be better increasing the no. of reps.? As I said my aim is to build muscle mass. I'd like to get stronger too but mass is my priority

I just want to say - please only answer my questions if you know your stuff. There are a lot of myths on exercise doing the rounds. Giving an opinion is fine, but stating an opinion as fact when you don't really know what you're talking about results in the spreading of myths.

Thanks,
BrianD3

rs

Personally, I aim for a warm-up set of 10, then do a fairly heavy set of 10 and then then I add weight untiI can do 6-8 reps for 2 - 3 further sets.

I find heavier is better for adding size. Typically, as soon as I can do ten strict reps at a given weight, I increase the weight until I can do only six and then work back up to ten again. It seems easer to make consistent progess this way.

If you gain strength, you will gain mass (provided you eat correctly of course). I don't really see them being seperate. The guys who lift the biggest weights, have the biggest muscles.

I doubt there is a correct answer to the "optimum" number of reps for strength and size.

But you will have a hard time finding someone who is extremely strong and lacks mass.

The jock

Originally posted by rs


But you will have a hard time finding someone who is extremely strong and lacks mass.

acctually as a jockey myself i am very strong with not much mass.

logic1

I aim for 6 to 8 reps. Do a warmup with a very very light weight of 15+ reps.

Then I'll use progressive overload bringing rep range down to 10, 8, 6-8, 4-6

I find a higher number of sets is better and will usually always do at least 4 sets excluding warmup.

Powerlifters for the most part aren't as well defined or shaped as bodybuilder but they will have alot of core and trunk mass. They're usually very meaty and have superior tendon and ligament strength.

The heavier the weight the more muscle fibres are recruited so a one rep max will recruit alot more slow and fast twitch fibre (in proportion) than 10 reps at a light weight.

The key here is that size isn't directly related to strength. To a certain degree with increase in size comes increase in strength but the key to building size is muscle tension. The longer a muscle is under continuous tension the larger it will get. The key to strength is fast twitch fibre recruitment. Slow twitch muscle fibre will be recruited for lighter more and longer lifts. Fast twitch muscle fibre is used for explosive one rep maximums.

Powerlifters need to recruit a greater number of fast twitch fibres for better strength, bodybuilders need to recruit slow and fast twitch fibres for a combination of strength and size.

The longer a muscle is under tension the more aminos will be used by the muscle and the greater amount of muscle fibre damage and recruitment occurs. So a bodybuilder needs a combination of both short explosive reps and longer slower reps. You usually get these through a combination of slower concentration sets along with lower rep compound power movements.

I usually train in the 6-8 rep range and lift intermediate weights. I've found it very effective in the 6-8 rep range and slowing the eccentric motion as much as possible.

.logic.

BrianD3

Thanks lads (espcially logic1) for the informative replies.

BrianD3

Musashi

That Logic guy sounds like a Body Builder!
As he said, hit it for reps in the 10-12 range decreasing to the 1-2 "I think I'm gonna puke" range! You hit all the fibres there if you are honest! Just kill it in the gym and go eat! Took me years to learn this ! It is that simple really,fine tuning for comps is a killer and as you grow in the iron game it gets tougher!At you present state this should garner good results!
You should really see Logic now compared to what he was! He's lean and mean now, mostly mean!!

logic1

Originally posted by Musashi
fine tuning for comps is a killer and as you grow in the iron game it gets tougher!

Starting contest prep diet tomorrow Musash!

Gives us a bell later I'll tell you about - no solids for 4 weeks hahaha... f*ck

.logic.