What rep ranges do you prefer?

[PaintDrinker]

I have had incredible success in the 12-20 rep range. A lot of people swear by 8-12 for hypertrophy, and for good reason.

When I switched to 12-20 reps i started making noticeable gains rapidly, and feel the risk of injury is significantly less.

Now I still have strength training in my program, but I find the 12-20 range is superior for growth, for me.

What rep ranges have you seen the most success with?

 

[mae_geri]

To be honest, I believe more in the feeling of the muscle group and the experience with the time. I hardly ever train less than 10 repetitions, for all muscles I'm in the repetition range between 8-25. I always do 15-20 free squats, bench presses around 8-15, traps for example go up to 25! Small muscle groups like delts go up to 20! In the last 16 weeks I have gained at least 30-40% in strength or repetitions for each exercise. When I was natty I made the best results on high repetition too.

 

[PaintDrinker]

To be honest, I believe more in the feeling of the muscle group and the experience with the time. I hardly ever train less than 10 repetitions, for all muscles I'm in the repetition range between 8-25. I always do 15-20 free squats, bench presses around 8-15, traps for example go up to 25! Small muscle groups like delts go up to 20! In the last 16 weeks I have gained at least 30-40% in strength or repetitions for each exercise. When I was natty I made the best results on high repetition too.

I love this. I also like to do a ton of reps for my shoulders. For me I made a lot less progress in the 8-12 range, and started getting elbow shoulder issues. I feel much better training like this. Thanks for the response brother

 

[buck]

I trained in the 5-8 range to build size and strength in my early years and put on 50 pounds of muscle that way.Then went to 10-15+ once i started plateauing in the lower range. Consistency at what one is willing to do long term will probably be different for different people. And i think consistency is most important.

 

[PaintDrinker]

I trained in the 5-8 range to build size and strength in my early years and put on 50 pounds of muscle that way.Then went to 10-15+ once i started plateauing in the lower range. Consistency at what one is willing to do long term will probably be different for different people. And i think consistency is most important.

That’s incredible that you were able to put on that much size, I applaud you for that. I have a long way to go, but I do agree on consistency. Did you ever have any bad injuries lifting 5-8?

 

[Marineman]

I recently moved to the philosophy of AMAP (as many reps as possible). With that being said my floor is 6-8 with a ceiling of 14-20. I think in a few months when I redesign my training program I will have one push/pull day focus on strength with heavier weight in the 6-10 rep range and another on hypertrophy with lighter weight and reps of maybe 15-20 per det. Legs I always like to keep around 6-12 rep range per set.

 

[buck]

That’s incredible that you were able to put on that much size, I applaud you for that. I have a long way to go, but I do agree on consistency. Did you ever have any bad injuries lifting 5-8?

I was natural and put on the first 40 pounds my first 3 years. Later when i used As i gained more muscle. Eating and training consistently are what i think works the best. I had some injuries before ever really trying to gain a lot of muscle. When pushing the body to the limit whether low or high reps, drop, cluster, extended sets etc, i find injury can happen. I don't know anyone that has trained hard and heavy for 20 years that hasn't had some injuries or accrued damage. Just part of pushing to the limit i find.

 

[PaintDrinker]

I was natural and put on the first 40 pounds my first 3 years. Later when i used As i gained more muscle. Eating and training consistently are what i think works the best. I had some injuries before ever really trying to gain a lot of muscle. When pushing the body to the limit whether low or high reps, drop, cluster, extended sets etc, i find injury can happen. I don't know anyone that has trained hard and heavy for 20 years that hasn't had some injuries or accrued damage. Just part of pushing to the limit i find.

That is incredible. I appreciate your input, as I’m very new into my journey I hope I don’t get injured, but it’s part of the game. I’m a recovering alcohol but I’ve been training hard for two years. I was pretty big in my teens and early 20s then ran into some serious issues. Great input, I appreciate you.

 

[PaintDrinker]

I recently moved to the philosophy of AMAP (as many reps as possible). With that being said my floor is 6-8 with a ceiling of 14-20. I think in a few months when I redesign my training program I will have one push/pull day focus on strength with heavier weight in the 6-10 rep range and another on hypertrophy with lighter weight and reps of maybe 15-20 per det. Legs I always like to keep around 6-12 rep range per set.

I like that AMAP approach. Sounds like you have things dialed in.

 

[Fattyone]

I’ve tried a good bit of different approaches but never quite as high as 20 reps (outside of isolation stuff). Next blast I do plan to try some different things. Maybe I’ll try this!

 

[buck]

That is incredible. I appreciate your input, as I’m very new into my journey I hope I don’t get injured, but it’s part of the game. I’m a recovering alcohol but I’ve been training hard for two years. I was pretty big in my teens and early 20s then ran into some serious issues. Great input, I appreciate you.

I focused the energy i had from my partying years into the gym and became almost as accomplished with the weights as i was from the alcohol!

 

[eery]

4 to 30 depending on the exercise.

It doesnt really matter as long as its 0-2 reps in reserve, you do enough volume to stimulateof the muscle enough to make it adapt and you do it with good form that places the tension on the target muscle and doesnt stress the surrounding joints or cause injury.

Personally i prefer 8-15 most of the time, some 20-25 rep sets too. Might dip down to 4-6 on things like RDLs, presses or squat variations every now and then.

 

[patriotmuscle1]

I started years back at like 8-10 reps heavy as I could go and going to failure as often as possible.. I got really strong fast and grew ok. Had allt of elbow and shoulder pain on and off..
10-20 reps with 15 my goal except for some delt stuff occasionally now and it feels much better. Time will tell how the growth goes. Still goong.to failure 1-2 sets per exercise. Sometimes half reps or forced reps if I got a partner. I. Hoping this higher reps will help me grow a little more. Now that I'm restarting and alot older I prefer size over strength 100%. Time will tell.

 

[Marineman]

I like that AMAP approach. Sounds like you have things dialed in.

It only took me like 20 years to figure this out lol

 

[eery]

It only took me like 20 years to figure this out lol

What do you mean, how is this different from working in any rep range? between 6 and 30 for example?

 

[laclark89]

When I first started lifting the normal 3x10 for everything, then moved to more power lifting 4x4 5x5 style. Never didn't 1 rep max untill 2 or 3 years in to training, now days I'm getting older I stick with 8-15 reps.

For me its harder to get close to failure with a 20 rep set or I would go that high.

 

[Marineman]

What do you mean, how is this different from working in any rep range? between 6 and 30 for example?

I guess what I meant is that it's taken me like 20 years of moving from one routine to another, from one split to another, etc... to find one that I think I can stick to almost indefinitely with minor tweaking every 4 or so months.

I'm someone that always would stick to 5x5, 4x6, 10x10...never considered getting up to working weight and then going to failure every set. Right or wrong I just got tunnel vision on the whole 4 sets of 8...up the weight next time...4x8...rinse..repeat...mentality.
I also never really gave a shit about aesthetics my whole purpose of working out was to be lethal and combat effective. All I cared about was can I pick up and carry a 220 pound person a prolonged period of time with a full combat load on and can I kill some insurgent with my bare hands.
Now that I'm almost 50 and a civilian I've toned that down a bit..now I just want to know that if I ever have to mix it up with someone that odds are I will be stronger than them and I will snap their limbs like twigs but I also want to look good doing it....lol FWIW I haven't been in an altercation with anyone in over 20 years...it would take a lot to get me to square up with someone but with the way the world is heading now you have to be ready to defend what is yours and your family at a moments notice.

 

[laclark89]

I recently moved to the philosophy of AMAP (as many reps as possible). With that being said my floor is 6-8 with a ceiling of 14-20. I think in a few months when I redesign my training program I will have one push/pull day focus on strength with heavier weight in the 6-10 rep range and another on hypertrophy with lighter weight and reps of maybe 15-20 per det. Legs I always like to keep around 6-12 rep range per set.

This is basically what my first teacher or mentor for bb told me to do.

Work out each muscle 2x a week 1 high rep one lower rep.

 

[jdubzzz44]

I have had incredible success in the 12-20 rep range. A lot of people swear by 8-12 for hypertrophy, and for good reason.

When I switched to 12-20 reps i started making noticeable gains rapidly, and feel the risk of injury is significantly less.

Now I still have strength training in my program, but I find the 12-20 range is superior for growth, for me.

What rep ranges have you seen the most success with?

15-20 reps is the sweet spot for me. I do throw in some heavy compound stuff but always at least 8-12 reps. If I can’t do 8 it’s too heavy and injury risk is higher. Most top sets I end up close to failure around 15 reps and will pause for a few deep breaths and grind out another 5 reps

 

[PaintDrinker]

15-20 reps is the sweet spot for me. I do throw in some heavy compound stuff but always at least 8-12 reps. If I can’t do 8 it’s too heavy and injury risk is higher. Most top sets I end up close to failure around 15 reps and will pause for a few deep breaths and grind out another 5 reps

I absolutely love this, more high volume guys than I was expecting. Love the injury prevention mentality.