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how many reps a set should i do?

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Bluelighter
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May 26, 2009
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drug retirement home
i wanna get bigger and stronger

lately i've been doing 4 sets of 6 reps per exercise


i'm not sure if i should be going for low rep heavy weight or high rep lower weight



currently i'm curling 80 6x times and benching 155 6 times, however my arms aren't much bigger than before i started working out ~1 month ago, there's some muscle tone but nothing spectacular
 
I've always heard to go for the middle of the road on both ends: Up the weight to something where you're not straining yourself too much, and up to reps to where you need a short break. When I did lifting at the gym, I typically aimed for 10-15 reps in a set, with a weight I could handle.

Also, don't forget that your diet has to do with how much muscle you're going to gain. I'm not saying up the protein, but if you have low-protein in your diet (around 10-15% of your diet), you're not going to gain muscle quickly. I'm around that number and have gained some muscle over the summer while biking, but it's been a gradual gain.
 
you need to lift your legs to elevate your testosterone levels
I would mix up your exercises
 
Bigger?

What works for me is doing 4 sets of the exercise, 10, 8, 8, 6 reps
And you have to eat plenty, when I was bulking up I had 2 grams of protein in my diet for every pound of my body weight, also multivitamins and fish oil and lots if other healthy stuff are good..
 
This chart i found seems helpful doesnt it?

cmjhk.jpg
 
Darkside, maybe I'm asking a stupid question, but what's the difference between strength and power?

Best one I've seen so far:
29e4xhe.gif
 
Lmao that chart is funny ..



power = strength x speed

strength involves muscle mass, speed mainly involves the types of fibres which are in the muscles (ie fast twitch and slow twitch). although speed is to some extent heriditary, speed can be trained. however, weight training alone will not increase speed and may hinder it if it is not done with extra flexibility and agility training.

sprinters do specific weight and speed training. when is the last time you saw a scrawny sprinter?

strength is usually tested by one exertion (eg 1 lift - totally anaerobic) (nothing to do with endurance) (body builders are probably strong but probably lack the sports oriented attributes of speed, endurance, agility etc etc)

what some might be confused by is muscular endurance which is the ability of certain muscles to repeat an effort - again this can be trained quite specifically

the last one is speed endurance whcih can also be developed specifically and usually involves repeat speed sets (anearobic and aerobic)



(I dont know where i got my sprinting muscles from. I walk my dog every day but i know i can sprint 14mph, i dont really enjoy running anymore my backs in agony every day , not good when im only 19 =/ )
 
you should aim for stronger, bigger comes with time.

i do 5x5 on my main exercises: bench and squat
well ok, i do 5x5 hopefully. the plan i'm on says to build up to a 3-5 rep max as the final set.
4x8 on my companion exercises: lunges, curls, tricep pushdowns, etc.

Works pretty damn well for me although everyone is different.
 
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I also think that your Age and Metobilsm comes into play here...

Im much like my dad out of me and my brothers, and no matter how much i try to build myself up, its difficult.
Unless i was to eat like a Beast but i cant really afford to do that.

When he was my age (19 he was slim built) but when he hit 20 and beyond hes metabolism must have slowed down and he got very strong.
 
The method that worked best for me back when I was playing football was to do a set of 12 at a low weight, then ten with a slightly higher weight, then 7 again with a slightly higher weight and then two sets of five with an even higher weight.
 
Based on what ur trying to accomplish you should do 12,10,8..slightly raising the weight each time u drop a few reps. You'd wanna use enough weight so that your last 1 or 2 reps are basically the absolute last you can do...and rest 1-2min in between sets to allow oxygen to get back to your muscles

Also stretching the muscle group your focusing on before the workout leaves your muscles alredy warmed up and you end up getting more out of the sets where you go heavy. Stretching/warm up sets are underrated

It's possible the reason your not seeing much results is b.c ur form is off when your curling those 80's. I don't put up as much weight as some other in the gym but I can guarantee you my physique is better than theirs...proper form makes you proportionate and fully works your muscles so you end up looking full and built

last but not least is diet. You get out of your body what you put in it
 
^ Yeah ive been following all your tips,
Im getting stronger anyway,
I eat more, drink loads of milk.
My form is great when i lift.

I also think a good nights sleep is essential, You need sleep to repair, but
I think theres a line you cross, when you sleep too long you get muscle atrophy instead
 
i don't strictly go by number, i go by feel. i can do heaps more if i rush through the reps, but then i get more burn during and sore after pains by focusing on doing each rep slowly and mixing in some bottom/top half reps. do a bodypump class and apply what you learn on some free weights. it hurts so good.

looking back at how i used to train, i feel like i wasted many years on lighter weights/too many reps methods. i reckon it got me nowhere.
 
^doing fast reps isn't as efficient as slow concentrated lifts

Your muscles grow by way of tear and repair, the faster you do your lifts the less your muscles tear..which is why u can do more at an elevated pace
 
You need to mix it up. One week do everything in 3 sets with reps at 8-10-12. Next week do more muscle endurance stuff 3 sets with reps in the 15-20 range (possibly higher if it's something like tricep bench dips). Then do one week of 4 sets 12-10-8-6. Do supersets some days to get a real nasty pump. Muscle confusion is the key. As far as your lift pace you want to power through the rep (explode), hold for a second or two at the peak and then release slower and controlled. Explode, hold, control.
 
A Blind Guy said:
you should aim for stronger, bigger comes with time.

i do 5x5 on my main exercises: bench and squat
well ok, i do 5x5 hopefully. the plan i'm on says to build up to a 3-5 rep max as the final set.
Click to expand...

I like to do 5x5 for Squats and Deadlifts myself, although I will occasionally take it down to much lighter weight and do like 3 sets of 15 to emphasize full rep range.
 
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