Stick with progressing rep ranges or switch to small weight increments?

Asked by: Tara Jensen

How often should you switch rep ranges?

Depending on your goals, you should vary rep ranges every few weeks. Overdo the 8-12 range and you may get huge, but your strength will suffer. Conversely, staying in the 1-5 rep range will make you incredibly strong, but very little visible change will occur and your chance of injury increases.

Should you switch rep range?

And it's like Oh next week I want to do it again oh my god I'm seeing more strength gains. And you get addicted to that and more often than not we probably stay in rep ranges longer than we should

How do I progress with rep ranges?

Progression using a defined rep range works the same way as progression with blocked reps. Using the example of 3 sets by 6-10 reps, you may either add weight after you are able to perform 10 reps on the first set, or add weight after you are able to perform 10 reps for all 3 sets.

How long should you stick to a rep range?

One approach is very simple: just follow a particular rep range for 4 to 6 weeks (called a linear approach of periodization), and then shift to a new range.

Should I mix up rep ranges?

Lower rep ranges (1-6) will provide better central nervous system adaptations while higher rep ranges (12-20) will help with sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (aka fuller bigger muscles). That’s not to say there isn’t crossover between the two, but just that those rep ranges favor certain adaptations better.

When should I switch from low reps to high reps?

Low Reps For Strength. For optimal strength increases, the research conclusively supports low reps with heavy weight vs. high reps with light weight, but high reps can still elicit gains in strength as well.

Should I mix high reps with low reps?

Lower reps are best for boosting strength. And both can generate growth. For this reason, the best strategy is likely a mixture of rep ranges. Alternating between high and low reps is going to throw out the middle, temporarily, and focus only on the high (15 to 30) and the low (four to seven).

How long should I stick with the same workout?

In summary, keep your training goal the same for at least three months. If you’re an athlete, this duration will be dictated by the length of your season/offseason. Keep your training variables the same for at least one month.

When should you increase weight or reps?

So, in general, low reps with heavy weight tends to increase muscle mass, while high reps with light weight increases muscle endurance. This doesn’t mean that you have to rely on one method exclusively. Alternating between the two may be the best approach for long-term success.

What is the best rep range for muscle growth?

The best rep range for building muscle



Numerous research studies show that high-volume resistance training is the best method for building muscle. According to the American Council on Exercise, the eight to 15 rep range holds the most muscle-building potential.

Are high reps better for legs?

Use Higher Reps



The rule of thumb for gaining size is to use a rep range of 8-12. With legs, however, I always found – and research backs me up – that higher reps produce the biggest gains. I experienced great results with squats, lunges, leg presses and leg extensions when doing sets of 15-20 reps.

What is the best rep range for strength and size?

If your objective is strength or power (think: heavy lifting), the textbook advice is to perform 3 to 5 sets of 2 to 6 reps per exercise. For hypertrophy (building muscle), the sweet spot is 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps. And if your objective is muscular endurance, shoot for 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps.

Does high rep low weight build muscle?

More repetitions with lighter weights can build muscle as well as heavier weights — assuming they are done to the point of exercise-induced fatigue. And fatigue is the important point. That means even with light weight, the last two to three reps should be hard.

Is 5 reps enough to build muscle?

Reps in the 1-5 range build super dense muscle and strength. Reps in the 6-12 range build equal amounts of muscular power, strength, and size. Reps in the 12+ range primarily build muscular endurance and size and also cardiovascular health.

How many reps should I do to build muscle and lose fat?

In general: For fat loss: One to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps using enough weight that you can only complete the desired reps. To gain muscle: Three or more sets of 6 to 8 reps to fatigue.

Do you have to lift heavy to get toned?

Overall, to get toned without putting on noticeable muscle mass (I’m talking a major increase in your size), I recommend lifting medium weights and performing three sets of about eight to 12 reps per exercise that you do.

Do you need to lift heavy to build muscle?

advertisement. Depending on your goals, muscle growth does not depend on the amount of weight you lift. It is a myth that one must lift more weight to bulk up. If you’re regular and patient with lighter weights, you can achieve similar results.

Will high reps get you ripped?

Training with higher reps can help you get ripped as higher rep training allows you to achieve higher volumes by increasing the amount of reps you perform, which can increase your overall workload. So, do high reps help you get ripped? Yes, but getting ripped with weights is not exclusive to higher rep training.

Do I need cardio to get shredded?

That’s right – you can cut without doing traditional cardio. There’s no denying that sprints or HIIT can really help you melt body fat as it ups your metabolic rate to burn more calories, but for those determined few who want to avoid cardio entirely you can still get a ripped physique.

How can I get ripped at 45?

Especially guys after 40 you want to focus on short and tense workouts designed around compound lists compound lifts are huge. They also create an anabolic boost.

Will 100 reps build muscle?

“Your 100-rep max is likely to be at or close to the minimum resistance available for an exercise,” Looney points out, “meaning you will not be stimulating strength, power or muscle gains. In fact, certain exercises can be too difficult to complete 100 reps with even using just your bodyweight.”

What happens if I do bicep curls everyday?

Doing bicep curls every day will increase the exposure to stimuli that will promote muscular growth. While the biceps are a smaller muscle group, this allows for faster recovery times between each session to allow for greater total volume throughout a given week.

Are century sets good?

It also increases your glycogen stores in the muscle that you are working, which means you will increase your training volume. So, yes, in terms of lasting gains, strength and endurance, the 100 rep workout will contribute to your muscle growth and sporting performance going forwards.

How often should you do century sets?

There are two ways to join the Century Club. You can do an entire program consisting of only three or four 100-rep sets per body part. Stick to this for periods of two to four weeks, and follow it with at least 10 weeks of a traditional workout regimen. This is a full-body growth turbocharger.

What will 100 reps do?

If you give the 100s a try, it will stimulate new growth in your body. In addition, it will create a much greater mental toughness, which will then spill over into your other workouts.

How many reps is too many?

Anything greater than 20 reps in a set is probably far too many. What is this? Performing this many reps in a set will have diminishing returns. If you can easily do more than 20 reps, then the weight you are using is probably too light or too easy to elicit any significant growth.