How many reps?

[linkrjh]

I understand a majority of the difference between building strength, stamina, and toning is reps and frequency of workout. Could someone explain this to me?

I've looked up a bunch on t-nation and wikipedia, but I can't figure out what would be the best balance of improving strength and definition without getting too big.

Or, on the contrary, how to even out muscles that should be larger compared to other muscles I have.

[Skilzat85X]

toning
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html

[compleks]

Strength - Low reps
Size - Moderate reps
Endurance - High reps


Tone = Definition, which is acheived by reducing your bodyfat %.


It's not really that black and white, but it's a start.

[chicanerous]

Volume (sets and reps), intensity, tempo (controlling force), range of motion, and rest periods all together will determine what kind of results you may potentially see in regards to strength, speed, power, endurance, hypertrophy, etc.

[TJ_Strong]

Volume (sets and reps), intensity, tempo (controlling force), range of motion, and rest periods all together will determine what kind of results you may potentially see in regards to strength, speed, power, endurance, hypertrophy, etc.

Good info right there


I like to do 6 reps of compound movements then i do one exercise of isolation for 10-15 reps to recruit more muscle fibers

[linkrjh]

Hmm. Well I always have lifted to get stronger, but my arms are getting way to big, and my chest and legs are staying at a lame smaller size.

Would doing 1-8 reps with straight bars (curling, benching, military press, tricep extentions, squats, etc) and then 8-12 reps using dumbells be well rounded enough?

I've been working out for years, but other than my arms and shoulders it doesn't look like it. My legs and chest and back are all pretty pathetic comparatively. Also, my biceps lack a good shape even though they are big.

I'm 5'9" and 165lbs. I don't know my maxes, but things I can do 10 reps of for sure are:
bench 205
curl 85
military press 155
tricep extend 85 (I just do standing overhead ones)
standing row 100
leg press 5 plates on each side of the machine, but I don't know how much the machine weighs. So like 450+ the weight of the thing they weights are on.

[TJ_Strong]

Hmm. Well I always have lifted to get stronger, but my arms are getting way to big, and my chest and legs are staying at a lame smaller size.

Would doing 1-8 reps with straight bars (curling, benching, military press, tricep extentions, squats, etc) and then 8-12 reps using dumbells be well rounded enough?

I've been working out for years, but other than my arms and shoulders it doesn't look like it. My legs and chest and back are all pretty pathetic comparatively. Also, my biceps lack a good shape even though they are big.

I'm 5'9" and 165lbs. I don't know my maxes, but my 6-10 reps are:
bench 205
curl 85
military press 155
tricep extend 85 (I just do standing overhead ones)
standing row 100
leg press 5 plates on each side of the machine, but I don't know how much the machine weighs. So like 450+ the weight of the thing they weights are on.

Work on your rows dude

[linkrjh]

They hurt my wrists.

[TJ_Strong]

What grip do you use and how far apart do you grip it?

[linkrjh]

Overhand and like a handwidth apart.

[TJ_Strong]

widen the grip until you get to the little groove part in the bar

no wonder why its hurting your wrists

[Rahf]

1-20 reps builds the best.

[linkrjh]

So, continuing on this, for my upper body day (minus most back) for my 1-8 reps I usually do straight bar bench, curls, military press, tricep extensions, and standing rows. Then for my dumbbell routine, which is like 8-12 reps, I do decline bench, alternating bicep curls, incline bench, reverse curls, side lateral raises, and some shrugs. Then I do random machine, cable, or hammer strength machine lifts that are upper body.

For my lower body day (plus most back) I do squats, deadlifts, dumbbell rows, lunges, leg press, calf raises with the leg press machine, the quad extention machine, then the leg curl machine. I usually hit the hammer strength machines that apply to my back and legs after that.

I finish every workout with a bunch of random forearm and calf workouts and a ton of ab workouts.

I start every workout with a 30 minute cardio (running usually, but I like to try random cardio machines) and some weighted pullups.

Am I missing anything?

[mr popular]

Yes, you're completely missing any rational sense of applicable goals in your entire workout scheme, as well as a total disregard for the basics.

[Trickstar]

5 x Failure

That is the key to success whether you are building muscle or building strength

[Rigo]

I thought failure was bad??

[chicanerous]

I thought failure was bad??
It is bad -- except for when it's good.

[mr popular]

reaching muscular failure is usually bad if you are purely trying to increase your strength.

Otherwise, it is probably the best way to build muscle and it does also work to increase muscular strength because the body is not used to the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th,etc. repititons with a certain weight. It is forced to adapt and grow stronger and larger.

Unless you want to be a nuthugging chad waterbury clone-faggot, and stop a few reps short of failure simply because you are lazy and cannot break through the pain barrier, and most likely never build very much muscle (just like chad waterbury).

[linkrjh]

Yes, you're completely missing any rational sense of applicable goals in your entire workout scheme, as well as a total disregard for the basics.

OK, so what are the essential lifts at least? I can build off that. I've been lifting for years, but obviously I need to be more efficient.

[Trickstar]

Read the stickies. Best advice anyone can give you on this board.

[Rigo]

reaching muscular failure is usually bad if you are purely trying to increase your strength.

Otherwise, it is probably the best way to build muscle and it does also work to increase muscular strength because the body is not used to the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th,etc. repititons with a certain weight. It is forced to adapt and grow stronger and larger.

Unless you want to be a nuthugging chad waterbury clone-faggot, and stop a few reps short of failure simply because you are lazy and cannot break through the pain barrier, and most likely never build very much muscle (just like chad waterbury).

So as kind of new to weightlifting, should reps be as high as 10-12 or 6-8 or 3-5??

[linkrjh]

I'm not new at all. I just want to know what is most effective and well rounded because my current system is not working well.

[Trickstar]

Each person will/should have a different number of sets/reps they can and feel comfortable doing. I suggest you just try different # of weight/sets/reps. Give me your routine and how much is your 1RM for each of them.

[dodgypills]

So as kind of new to weightlifting, should reps be as high as 10-12 or 6-8 or 3-5??

for a beginner i would recommend keeping your reps in the 8-12 range - its really not so important to get your maxes on the lower rep range yet as you may injure yourself. concentrate hard on form (tight core etc) and use a weight that challenges you.

[linkrjh]

Each person will/should have a different number of sets/reps they can and feel comfortable doing. I suggest you just try different # of weight/sets/reps. Give me your routine and how much is your 1RM for each of them.

OK. Later today I'll try and 1RM all my main lifts and then post them.

[Trickstar]

For muscle building go about 60-70% of your 1 Rep Max. For strength building do about 75-80%. I really suggest you do not go farther than 80%.

[linkrjh]

For muscle building go about 60-70% of your 1 Rep Max. For strength building do about 75-80%. I really suggest you do not go farther than 80%.

What is that in terms of reps? 1-8 then 8-12? If so, that's what I do I think I'm just splitting up my workout poorly.

[mr popular]

CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG "TRICKSTAR" BUT AREN'T YOU JUST SOME FAT CHINK?

Anyway.....

Rigo, I think most beginners should probably be in the 8-10 rep range for 4-5 sets for pretty much all of their exercises, for the first few months. Ideally going to failure on the final rep--of each set.

linkrjh: each of the rep schemes have their own merit, so obviously if you want to MAXIMIZE your results you would use all of them. A general workout might consist of one big exercise you are training for strength, for 5 sets in the 3-5 rep range, then two more exercises for 3-4 sets in the 6-10 rep range, then one or two final exercises in the 10-15 rep range for ultimate "Pump" of the target muscle group.

That is actually a good way to train, and in general it is what I personally like doing.

[chicanerous]

Unless you want to be a nuthugging chad waterbury clone-faggot, and stop a few reps short of failure simply because you are lazy and cannot break through the pain barrier, and most likely never build very much muscle (just like chad waterbury).
There's a picture of Chad on his website: http://www.chadwaterbury.com/

[mr popular]

I've seen pictures of him. I gotta be honest, I am truly not impressed at all. I mean, if the guy had actually gotten very muscular (without stupid looking imbalances...) by using his own methods, I would consider even reading about them. But he hasn't, and I haven't seen anyone else that has either.

[linkrjh]

CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG "TRICKSTAR" BUT AREN'T YOU JUST SOME FAT CHINK?

Anyway.....

Rigo, I think most beginners should probably be in the 8-10 rep range for 4-5 sets for pretty much all of their exercises, for the first few months. Ideally going to failure on the final rep--of each set.

linkrjh: each of the rep schemes have their own merit, so obviously if you want to MAXIMIZE your results you would use all of them. A general workout might consist of one big exercise you are training for strength, for 5 sets in the 3-5 rep range, then two more exercises for 3-4 sets in the 6-10 rep range, then one or two final exercises in the 10-15 rep range for ultimate "Pump" of the target muscle group.

That is actually a good way to train, and in general it is what I personally like doing.

That's pretty much what I'm doing, just in 2 sections instead. I do 1-8 reps of my both arms on the same bar big weight lifts, and I do 8-12 on my dumbell, cable, and other types of lifts. I usually try and make sure I can get up to 14 reps before I move up to another weight I can do 8 of, but for the most part I'm in the 8-12 on that one.

Like I said, I look big, I am just not seeing the strength increase or portions I want to.

[Steve]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Suchiiben/reprangesadapted.gif

[linkrjh]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Suchiiben/reprangesadapted.gif

This answers 99.9% of the strength training questions I have posted on these boards.

Amazing. Thank you.

[dark_knight_will]

you can increase your pain tolerance by doing more reps? how come?

[Rigo]

Because it fucking hurts!
also...What is the difference in Myofibrillar hypertrophy, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy?

[rock_ten]

Because it fucking hurts!
also...What is the difference in Myofibrillar hypertrophy, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy?

One is growth of myofibrils and one is growth of the sarcoplasm - I can't remember which is which, though.

[compleks]

One is growth of myofibrils and one is growth of the sarcoplasm - I can't remember which is which, though.

I really hope you're joking.

[Steve]

No compleks, rock_ten has always been completely serious

[rock_ten]

I really hope you're joking.

Nope its true. The myofibril and the sarcoplasm are two distinct components of "muscle", and although growth in each is linked, we can seperately characterise the two types of hypertrophy.

I haven't read this article but it mentions it:

http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_muscle-equal.htm

[Trickstar]

CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG "TRICKSTAR" BUT AREN'T YOU JUST SOME FAT CHINK?

Your point?

[mr popular]

For god's sake, please tell me no one still believes in that "sarcoplasmic hypertrophy" horseshit anymore. I thought we were done with this.

Trickstar: i figured it would seem obvious that a fat chink has no place giving training advice.. hahahaha

linkrjh: if you are not seeing strength increases, you should probably either (a) eat more and gain weight, or (b) pick two exercises you specifically want to increase your numbers in, and focus on getting them up in the lower rep ranges.

Otherwise what you are doing is perfectly fine for most things.

And if you meant you aren't seeing the PROPORTIONS you want, well.... that is usually a result of training mistakes, so we would need to know specifically what the problem is.

[rock_ten]

For god's sake, please tell me no one still believes in that "sarcoplasmic hypertrophy" horseshit anymore. I thought we were done with this.

What, are you saying no such thing exists?

[mr popular]

There has been one study that showed semi-conclusive evidence that "sarcoplasmic hypertrophy" may occur, but it was in RUSSIAN, and was performed only on RATS.

So for all intents and purposes, no it doesn't exist and it needs to go away because it's fucking pointless.

[rock_ten]

I thought it was a well established and unopposed concept, owned. I'll look into it.