rjr5353

In your guys or gals opinions, how many reps do you do per set? When Im doing bench press, I increase the weight or try to each set.....By the third set, I cant increase the weight and am only able to do 4 or 5 reps for the last 2 sets. Is this ok, or should I put less weight on and do more reps?

DOMS

It depends on your goals. My goal is strength training so I use enough weight to fail around 6-12 reps for most muscles groups. I do more for the legs and abs. I never just stop if I can push out one more rep.

Jemal

if u are looking for hypertrophy, i believe this is a good rep range

go team

Saturday Fever

I keep seeing the same myths echoed. Hypertrophy (making a muscle grow) is all about diet. No rep range is going to make you grow if you aren't eating properly.

Likewise, science has shown that for strength gains there is a very minimal advantage to starting with heavy sets and working down as you fatigue.

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rjr5353

So, is it good or bad to increase the weight after each set? and Im still a little confused on the amount of reps to do.....I want to continually make gains in size and strength............

Saturday Fever

Well, we have established that size is a result of diet. If you eat properly, you will grow. So your other goal was strength. I define strength as how much I can lift ONCE. To that end, you need to gear your routine to train not only your body but your CNS (Central Nervous System). I would invite you to read recent threads in the Training Forum about proper form. Specifically a posting by MUDGE entitled "Bench Form Picture" and a post by me entitled "Squatting Like a Powerlifter, Squatting Big."

Then I would encourage you to take a look in the Online Journals Forum at atherjen's journal. On the first page there is a sample routing she used that is geared for big numbers. Once you have the right form and the right routine, the only thing left is the right diet. And trust me, you'll get as big as you want, and you'll have big lifts to backup your new big muscles.

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Premo55

All rep ranges work. I think VARIETY, DISCIPLINE and DIET are what really gives you muscle. Vary your intensity and volume with every workout, and always eat, you'll gain.
I've tried 20x1, 10x2, 6-8x2, 5x5, even 2x10, hell I've done single rep workouts that lead to muscle. All the myths about rep ranges being optimal for strength and hypertrophy should essentially be disregarded IMO. Also, the myth that you should work at maximum intensity in every workout is dumb to me, but that's another can of worms altogether

Peace.

T DOT O.

Evil ANT

Some people don't recommend it, but I like to lift to my one-rep max. I'll do a lighter weight to warm up for 6-8 reps, and then bump the weight up, do 2-3 reps, bump the weight up again and do another 2-3 reps, and then bump the weight up once more and do just 1 rep. If I can get that 1 rep with decent form, I'll continue throwing on weight until I can't physically do anymore.

Of course, you always have to be careful not to overdo it and hurt yourself.

Anyhow, training this way has tremendously increased my strength. Everyone's body is different so it may not work for you. If you're just looking to stay in shape and aren't worried as much about strength, it seems like 8-12 reps would be fine.

SJ69

I also like low rep ranges for most excercises. I usually pyramid up to 1-4 reps on bench, then drop back down and go all out with a lighter weight for 12-20 reps to pump blood in there. For me this low rep range seemed to produce the best results in strength and size.
For some movements I feel it is better to use 6-15 reps, for example I'd never do a 1 rep max on incline flies, I think this could lead to injury.
I also believe the pyramid up is important to warm up and prepare the muscle and the mind and to avoid injury. Just MHO.

"I don't like small cars or real big women, but somehow I always find myself in 'em" - KR

Evil ANT

Yeah, this is almost the exact same thing that I do. I go up to my one rep max, and then drop the weight down 100 pounds or so and do my normal sets of 8-10 reps. You can really feel it! I've shown a ton of improvement since training this way.

Yeah, totally. I'd never dream about doing a one rep max on flies or something. There's a time and a place for one rep maxes.

I also agree with you in regards to the pyramid warming up and preparing the muscle(s).

Saturday Fever

This is why you will never lift big weights. To lift big you have to train big.

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trHawT

My rep range is usually 10-12.

-trHawT-

Saturday Fever

Why?

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rjr5353

I take it everyone has their own theory about how many reps build SIZE and STRENGTH.......Does anyone know if it's a good ideal to increase the weight after each set?

Saturday Fever

Theories are all fine and well. I'm presenting you with facts to draw from.

FACT: No rep range will do ANYTHING if you don't diet properly.
FACT: If you diet properly, you will get bigger regardless what rep range you use.

This, again, leaves your other goal of strength, which I've also given you lead to achieve. And as I posted earlier, science has shown that the optimal (though by a small margin) way to progress sets is to do the heavier sets first and scale down.

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BulkMeUp

I agree with the above factual points. However being an ecto, i found i couldnt do proper intensity+form with heavy weights (maybe i just didnt calc the proper weights). So i went for the pyramid style, but lighter to heavy. e.g. presenty i bench (with dumbells) 50x12, 55x10, 60x8, 65x6, 55x12. upto and incl the 4th set, i do this with min-mod effort. The last set is where i do with max effort and feel the burn.

Once these sets get 'easy', i simply try doing the number of reps +1 , when that gets 'easy', i do reps + 2 and when that gets 'easy', i up the weights for all sets to the next higher weight and back down to the original rep range.

Question for Saturdayfever (but anyone else may chime in as well): What would u suggest for bulk (exercise-wise... reps/sets/weights... my diet is under control)

trHawT

I'm not strength training. That's my preference.

-trHawT-

Saturday Fever

I would suggest an upper body/lower body split, with your back being included on the lower body day. Also I would vary the intensity. On the first upper and lower days, go balls to the wall and lift as much as you can and don't be afraid to fail or need a spotter to pull a bar off of you. On the other 2 days, I would work in a 4 sets of 6 rep range, trying not to fail but again, don't be afraid to.

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Saturday Fever

I'm only asking why. What goals are you striving to achieve and how do you feel those goals are best met doing what you're doing?

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trHawT

Honestly, bro, I'm just striving for being overall fit. I have a decent build, but I just want to cut bodyfat. I average around 11-12%. My end goal would be: 150 lbs., 9% bodyfat or so. I weight 142 lbs. I'm 5'5 1/2" or so. I really don't care about 1RM or anything of that nature. I don't want to be hyooge, or be able to lift like some of the folks on here. Resistance training/cardio is like a hobby for me. I don't dedicate my life like some do on this forum. My goal is pretty much simple.

-trHawT-

trHawT

Resistance training: 4X weekly
15 min. cardio 4X weekly after resistance training.

-trHawT-

Saturday Fever

That's cool. I'm always curious to people's reasoning.

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