Quick Question - Hypertrophy Rep Ranges

[NEO_72]

Hi all, over the past 3 years I've been doing my sets like every time I'm trying to gain:

warm up - 10-12 reps
working set 1 - 8-10 reps
working set 2 - 4-6 reps
working set 3 - 1-3 reps

My goal has been size, and even though I've always read that the reps should stay at 6+ for hypertrophy, it just doesn't feel like I'm working hard enough when I don't try to go heavier for fewer reps. My reading lately makes me think I could've had had even better gains with different rep ranges though, so maybe I have to stop doing the same thing and expecting renewed reults! Would these be better reps for the 3 working sets?:

10-12
8-10
6-8

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[MyK]

try doing dropsets!

do the 4-6 reps with the heavy weight, then drop the weight to do the remainding 4-6 reps. this way your still using the heavier weight and also getting your full 8-10 reps for hypertrophy!

 

[The13ig13adWolf]

Hi all, over the past 3 years I've been doing my sets like every time I'm trying to gain:

warm up - 10-12 reps
working set 1 - 8-10 reps
working set 2 - 4-6 reps
working set 3 - 1-3 reps

My goal has been size, and even though I've always read that the reps should stay at 6+ for hypertrophy, it just doesn't feel like I'm working hard enough when I don't try to go heavier for fewer reps. My reading lately makes me think I could've had had even better gains with different rep ranges though, so maybe I have to stop doing the same thing and expecting renewed reults! Would these be better reps for the 3 working sets?:

10-12
8-10
6-8

Thanks in advance for your advice!

when the reps are lower the sets should be higher and vice versa, sticking to a pretty consistent range ie. 2x12 or 6x4 or 8x3 (all sets of 24). 3 sets of 3 isn't doing much for your progress.

 

[Triple Threat]

when the reps are lower the sets should be higher and vice versa, sticking to a pretty consistent range ie. 2x12 or 6x4 or 8x3 (all sets of 24). 3 sets of 3 isn't doing much for your progress.

I don't see where he says he's doing 3 sets of 3, but the rest of the advice looks good.

 

[NEO_72]

MyK - that's a good thought.

13ig13adWolf - thanks. (Triple Threat's right - no 3x3's, although it seems I was cutting out a few reps early, or I should've gone a few sets more).

So 8x3 is as good as 3x8 for hypertrophy? It's the volume that's important? Cause I always read to keep the reps in the 8-12 range, although I don't much like working in that range myself.

Anyway - thanks for the input, I will adjust for the next 4 months and track my progress.

 

[The13ig13adWolf]

I don't see where he says he's doing 3 sets of 3, but the rest of the advice looks good.

that's cuz there aren't. i misread his working sets.

 

[NEO_72]

I found a good article by Robert in the archive: Training and Hypertrophy - Gain Size! http://www.ironmagazine.com/article44.html

Again I hate feeling like I'm not going heavy - he advocates that using a heavy/light week alternation can be beneficial. I might try that too. Does anyone else manage to throw light weeks in?

 

[dougnukem]

I'll throw some lighter sets in my routines quite often. I usually put something at the end of my workout and do rep ranges of 10-20, depending on the whole routine. You know, something to finish off what's left of my muscles and really push the endurance of them. Just my .02.

 

[NEO_72]

I'll do those too sometimes - sometimes I'll just take a plate off the last heavy set and do 10+ more reps for the burn, so it's kind of like a cross between your advice and MyK's drop sets.

I just hate to think I was doing too few reps for like 3 years. I'm happy with my progress, but it could have been more. Always seomthing to learn. When I look back and think of what I was eating 3 years ago, it's pathetic. Last year I used N-Large, and I've since discovered what maltodextrin really is - not to mention N-Large uses a less bio-available protein than the isolate I use now. Now I make my own oat-whey-milk gainer shakes, care of this site.

Too many mistakes along the way!

 

[dougnukem]

It's always a learning process. If it was that easy, everyone would be walking around, looking great. Just keep at it, and make adjusts as needed. You'll be successful.

 

[P-funk]

when the reps are lower the sets should be higher and vice versa, sticking to a pretty consistent range ie. 2x12 or 6x4 or 8x3 (all sets of 24). 3 sets of 3 isn't doing much for your progress.

I agree. The only time I use 3 x 3 is if I am down cycling my volume but trying to maintain intensity.

 

[NEO_72]

I like the Armsrong quote in your sig, P-funk. When I used to cycle, the local bike shop had another quote on the wall, something like:

Somewhere out there is a guy who is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win. I think LeMond said it, but it's probably older than him.

 

[CowPimp]

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=58699

 

[NEO_72]

Great article - kudos. Thanks for directing me to it.

 

[BigDyl]

I like the Armsrong quote in your sig, P-funk. When I used to cycle, the local bike shop had another quote on the wall, something like:

Somewhere out there is a guy who is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win. I think LeMond said it, but it's probably older than him.

Confucious say, man who train when you are not, is man who overtrains.

 

[NEO_72]

Yeah, there's that, too. More applicable in this sport than cycling for sure

 

[Pedigree]

MyK - that's a good thought.

13ig13adWolf - thanks. (Triple Threat's right - no 3x3's, although it seems I was cutting out a few reps early, or I should've gone a few sets more).

So 8x3 is as good as 3x8 for hypertrophy? It's the volume that's important? Cause I always read to keep the reps in the 8-12 range, although I don't much like working in that range myself.

Anyway - thanks for the input, I will adjust for the next 4 months and track my progress.

It's the volume, type of move, weight, and individual. I know guys who grow utilizing 4-6 reps, and others who grow doing 8-12 reps. I personally like to switch it up every 6-8 weeks, unless I'm on a program that goes longer than that.
One of Joel Marion's theories is to use a wide range of reps & sets during a program. His Training for Maximal Size program uses 8-12 reps for the first 4 weeks, 4 reps the next 4 weeks, then 6-8 reps the last 4 weeks. My size and strength gains were unbelievable in the 12 weeks I did this program. Here is the link to TMS. http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=267max2

 

[NEO_72]

Good article - thanks.