High Vs Low Reps

nicecupotay

I've been weight training at home for a few months now,and along with eating more I have put on over half a stone.

I started firstly with high reps (10-12),and then started doing lower reps(4-6) with heavier weight.

From what I've read up on it online,there seems to be conflicting information,some site's say lower reps and heavier weight will create definition,and high reps will create bulk,and then the next site I look at will say the exact opposite

Can anyone here say that "when I trained in in a certain way I noticed I dropped weight but toned up,or I became less toned but increased in size"?

I'm 5'11" and just under 13 1/2 stone,and have 70kg of weights for a barbell,along with dumbbell weights at home,and I'm looking to put on a few more pounds,but I know I may have my work cut out as I also cycle and run twice a week.

Can anyone here share their experience's of what has worked for you?

Hanley

nicecupotay wrote: »

I've been weight training at home for a few months now,and along with eating more I have put on over half a stone.

I started firstly with high reps (10-12),and then started doing lower reps(4-6) with heavier weight.

From what I've read up on it online,there seems to be conflicting information,some site's say lower reps and heavier weight will create definition,and high reps will create bulk,and then the next site I look at will say the exact opposite

Can anyone here say that "when I trained in in a certain way I noticed I dropped weight but toned up,or I became less toned but increased in size"?

I'm 5'11" and just under 13 1/2 stone,and have 70kg of weights for a barbell,along with dumbbell weights at home,and I'm looking to put on a few more pounds,but I know I may have my work cut out as I also cycle and run twice a week.

Can anyone here share their experience's of what has worked for you?

What you eat is far more important.

jossul1179

Lower reps and heavier weight will create bulk,and high reps will create definition. But You will not get any definition unless your diet is good. Just keep up the training, you will find results take time.

J-Fit

jossul1179 wrote: »

Lower reps and heavier weight will create bulk,and high reps will create definition. But You will not get any definition unless your diet is good.
Just keep up the training, you will find results take time.

Can you explain the difference between "bulk" and "definition" and how each manifests itself?

Hanley

J-Fit wrote: »

Can you explain the difference between "bulk" and "definition" and how each manifests itself?

Yeah I'm going to ask for some bro-science clarification too please.

jossul1179

J-Fit wrote: »

Can you explain the difference between "bulk" and "definition" and how each manifests itself?

With Bulk you will gain size. The muscles will get larger. Your get bigger, and look great with your shirt on, but not cut for the beach.
With Definition you will get harder. The muscles can get very lean and will show all their contours. This will be affect by body fat more so then bulk will. If your diet is poor will my not ever show good definition.
8-10 reps with 4 sets is a good starting point. Then see how you progressing. Increase reps or weight as your goals change. In winter most guys will increase weight. As summer approaches lower weights and increase reps. Also see how your body reacts, everyone's will differently. I'm not sure if that answers your question or not. So if anyone has anything to add feel free.

deadlybuzzman

jossul1179 wrote: »

With Bulk you will gain size. The muscles will get larger. Your get bigger, and look great with your shirt on, but not cut for the beach.
With Definition you will get harder. The muscles can get very lean and will show all their contours. This will be affect by body fat more so then bulk will. If your diet is poor will my not ever show good definition.
8-10 reps with 4 sets is a good starting point. Then see how you progressing. Increase reps or weight as your goals change. In winter most guys will increase weight. As summer approaches lower weights and increase reps. Also see how your body reacts, everyone's will differently. I'm not sure if that answers your question or not. So if anyone has anything to add feel free.

terrible advice-definition is dictated by bodyfat levels not rep numbers an exteme example of this would be pudzianowski in his WSM days-Looked pretty defined to me and not a high rep in sight.
If you go on a calorific defecit to drop fat the last thing you should do is drop weight and increase reps, you will get weaker and muscle.
Less muscle=less definition. When cutting keep the weights high and cut the overall volume, after reading a high level amatuer natural bodybuilders advice I did this myself and does work

Gummy Panda

I blame Arnie and his "burn the cuts in" with high reps

Hanley

jossul1179 wrote: »

With Bulk you will gain size. The muscles will get larger. Your get bigger, and look great with your shirt on, but not cut for the beach.
With Definition you will get harder. The muscles can get very lean and will show all their contours. This will be affect by body fat more so then bulk will. If your diet is poor will my not ever show good definition.
8-10 reps with 4 sets is a good starting point. Then see how you progressing. Increase reps or weight as your goals change. In winter most guys will increase weight. As summer approaches lower weights and increase reps. Also see how your body reacts, everyone's will differently. I'm not sure if that answers your question or not. So if anyone has anything to add feel free.

You've just repeated yourself and added words. You didn't answer the question.

J-Fit

jossul1179 wrote: »

With Bulk you will gain size. The muscles will get larger. Your get bigger, and look great with your shirt on, but not cut for the beach.
With Definition you will get harder. The muscles can get very lean and will show all their contours. This will be affect by body fat more so then bulk will. If your diet is poor will my not ever show good definition.
8-10 reps with 4 sets is a good starting point. Then see how you progressing. Increase reps or weight as your goals change. In winter most guys will increase weight. As summer approaches lower weights and increase reps. Also see how your body reacts, everyone's will differently. I'm not sure if that answers your question or not. So if anyone has anything to add feel free.

Nothing I've ever read validates any of that. You'll get lean based on what your calorie intake is. You'll also get big based on what your calorie intake is. There is no such thing as defining a muscle beyond the shape it already is. It just get's bigger or smaller. What you're trying to describe is the difference between somebody with large muscle size and moderate levels of body fat and somebody with smaller sized muscles and relatively low body fat. To my knowledge, the muscles will be no harder whether somebody takes on a high or low rep routine. How did you come to these conclusions? Is it based purely on personal experience?

rubadub

J-Fit wrote: »

Is it based purely on personal experience?

I would guess he read stuff like this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_hypertrophy#Myofibrillar_vs._Sarcoplasmic_hypertrophy_controversy

Darkest Horse

rubadub wrote: »

J-Fit wrote: »

Is it based purely on personal experience?

I would guess he read stuff like this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_hypertrophy#Myofibrillar_vs._Sarcoplasmic_hypertrophy_controversy

I'm not seeing your point.

Mellor

rubadub wrote: »

I would guess he read stuff like this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_hypertrophy#Myofibrillar_vs._Sarcoplasmic_hypertrophy_controversy

Myofibrillar vs. Sarcoplasmic is strength gains vs size gains. Nobody above disputes how they occur differently according to rep ranges.

The poster above was talking about definition verses size. Talking about "hard" muscles and lean muscles. Muscles don't come in hard or soft varieties, or different levels of lean-ness. You can't define it.
He basically described the difference between bulking and cutting but suggested it was changes in muscle rather than body composition

rubadub

Mellor wrote: »

Myofibrillar vs. Sarcoplasmic is strength gains vs size gains.
The poster above was talking about definition verses size. Talking about "hard" muscles and lean muscles

I have read on forums people claiming that myo vs sarco produces harder/softer muscles, myo being harder, I have also heard people saying myo 'produced muscle' would 'last longer' if you were to give up training. I am just saying he probably read something along these lines. I am not saying it is true or not and know it's all anecdotal/broscience.

If I type in "does Myofibrillar" into google the second suggested hit is "Does myofibrillar hypertrophy lead to harder resting muscle?", I had only skimmed over the wiki article and thought it would have said it as part of the 'controversy'.

kevpants

Read this a while back. Interesting:

http://jap.physiology.org/content/early/2012/04/12/japplphysiol.00307.2012.abstract