Who's had good results with higher reps?

[DKD]

Briquitita, what you say is very true. I too have learned the hard way, the importance of "listening" to the body. I try and play it smart these days but there's always a risk. I think Guzzla made some very good comments in this regard in post #9.

Darkoz, you're a god amongst men. You make Christopher Walken look like Pee Wee Herman. And that's saying something! It's all you brah.

 

[Neddysmith]

Interested in the points people are making about getting strength gains when doing high rep stuff as from my experience when ever I did high rep stuff only for a period of time I lost strength but when started lifting heavy with low rep I got the strength back reasonably quickly...

 

[Bazza20]

Interested in the points people are making about getting strength gains when doing high rep stuff as from my experience when ever I did high rep stuff only for a period of time I lost strength but when started lifting heavy with low rep I got the strength back reasonably quickly...

For me working in the 10 rep range I never noticed any strength loss.

One thing I like to do sometimes when working with higher reps is work up to a reasonable easy single. Something you can do easy any day of the week. Then drop back down and do your 10 rep sets.

This allows you to feel some heavy weight and get some high reps in. Also it makes the 10 rep weight feel very light.

 

[Neddysmith]

For me working in the 10 rep range I never noticed any strength loss.

One thing I like to do sometimes when working with higher reps is work up to a reasonable easy single. Something you can do easy any day of the week. Then drop back down and do your 10 rep sets.

This allows you to feel some heavy weight and get some high reps in. Also it makes the 10 rep weight feel very light.

Sorry Bazza, should have clarified my definition of high rep range, i usually train between 6 - 8 or 6 - 10 anyways, but rep range i was actually thinking was more 12 and above for every set, some may be 15 some evn higher upto 20 or 25 reps.

 

[Bazza20]

Sorry Bazza, should have clarified my definition of high rep range, i usually train between 6 - 8 or 6 - 10 anyways, but rep range i was actually thinking was more 12 and above for every set, some may be 15 some evn higher upto 20 or 25 reps.

Well i wouldnt be surprised with some strength loss when training only in the 15+ range.

 

[Neddysmith]

Well i wouldnt be surprised with some strength loss when training only in the 15+ range.

Yeah i would expect this as well, which is why now i usually do a combination of both 4 - 8 rep range and 10 - 15 rep range later in the workout, so for my heavier compound movements i will lift heavy with low rep and as i fatigue more i will start the higher rep stuff.

 

[jzpowahz]

For me working in the 10 rep range I never noticed any strength loss.

One thing I like to do sometimes when working with higher reps is work up to a reasonable easy single. Something you can do easy any day of the week. Then drop back down and do your 10 rep sets.

This allows you to feel some heavy weight and get some high reps in. Also it makes the 10 rep weight feel very light.

Yep, I like doing this too.


I've done higher rep ranges before of regularly squatting 20ish and db benching 15+ but both times have been because of injury recovery reasons. I wouldn't say that I put on any size in either of the areas at the time (can't remember diet exactly either) but for me the primary goal was to keep what I had not gain more.

As always, I think if you CAN mix up the rep ranges and attempt to add an extra rep or some weight then you can get the best of both worlds re strength & size gains (provided adequate nutrition). If you are limited to the higher reps then I think you'd still be able to put on size but the outright strength is not going to be tested. But if you're injured then you're injured and have to make a bit of a compromise.

 

[Sydking]

To me, Its makes sense that doing more reps then you usually do, Without removing any weight, Would add in increased strength/gains.

Im doing 3x10 on all my lifts for beginner program now, Instead of 3x10 squats and the rest 3x8

Why not? Surely if you can do 20 reps on each set while still adding weight, Your much better off then just doing 8 reps, because that what you read on the internet.



whos stronger, Someone who can 250kg squat 3x3 or 3x20?

 

[jamesyboi]

Bodybuilders: Thierry Pastel, Mohammed Benaziza and Serge Nubret preferred high rep training.

 

[RyanF]

To me, Its makes sense that doing more reps then you usually do, Without removing any weight, Would add in increased strength/gains.

Im doing 3x10 on all my lifts for beginner program now, Instead of 3x10 squats and the rest 3x8

Why not? Surely if you can do 20 reps on each set while still adding weight, Your much better off then just doing 8 reps, because that what you read on the internet.



whos stronger, Someone who can 250kg squat 3x3 or 3x20?

This is exactly why I've been doing 20 reps squats in recent times. I decided to work around the Madcow 5x5 template, but add in an extra set at the top weight on Mondays, and see how many reps I could get on the 8 rep set on Fridays. Turns out I can do 20 reps at that weight, so I do 20 reps. The first time I tried the Madcow template, I stalled before making any measurable progress -- I couldn't even do my former 5RM. This time around, I had no issues with progressing on squats whatsoever. I've barely gained any body weight this time around, whereas the first time I gained about 1kg/week, so it wasn't a lack of food that was holding me back originally. Only thing I can attribute my success to this time around is that I went above and beyond the requirements of the program. I did more, and I got more out of it. How much of it is because of the extra set of 5 on Monday, I don't know. How much is because of the 20 reppers, I don't know. But I'm damn certain the 20 rep squats gave more of a training stimulus than the 8 rep squats at the same weight would have.

 

[RyanF]

Interested in the points people are making about getting strength gains when doing high rep stuff as from my experience when ever I did high rep stuff only for a period of time I lost strength but when started lifting heavy with low rep I got the strength back reasonably quickly...

You still add weight to the bar when doing high rep training. Let's say your 1RM squat is 100kg, and your 20RM squat is 60kg. You then get on a program where you do 3x15x60kg in your first week. Next week, you push the weight up to 62.5kg while still doing 3x15. You keep on adding 2.5kg/week and sticking with 3x15, for 4 months straight (assuming, for argument's sake, no stalling or slowing of progress). Now you're doing 3x15x100kg. What you could previously do for only 1 rep, you can now do for 15 reps. To argue that you aren't now stronger would require one to go full retard. What do you think your 1RM will be now? Better yet, now switch back to low rep training, spend a few weeks acclimatising to handling heavier weights, and then retest your squat 1RM. Once you've gotten used to the feeling of heavy weights on your back once again, you'd probably be getting closer to a 140kg 1RM.

 

[Darkoz]

This is the bodybuilding section, please don't talk about 1RM

 

[Bazza20]

I use 1RMs to build muscle.

 

[pump&swim]

Dude,

high reps on biceps to finish off work well. Cable curls with a full range of motion are a great pump.

 

[Darkoz]

I use 1RMs to build muscle.

Potatoes gonna potate

 

[Goosey]

I use 1RMs to build muscle.

You goin cryptic on us Bazza20?

 

[Shrek]

Dude,

high reps on biceps to finish off work well. Cable curls with a full range of motion are a great pump.

I suggest you dump the pump and stick to swimming.

 

[Fadi]

I'm interested to hear stories from anyone who feels they've made good physique improvements on any particular body parts, using a higher rep range......say anywhere between 12-20 or beyond.

I clearly recall Fadi saying once that he made the best gains on his back when he did higher reps for seated rows.

I've got a stuffed shoulder and can't press....I've only recently been able to handle dumbell flys again. I can still feel aggravation on the delt, so don't like going below 10 reps. Was wondering if i go 15+ would i be pissing in the wind? Wouldn't Fadi's experience with his back translate to chest as well?

I've heard Stuart McRoberts say high reps works can work well for legs and back. Haven't heard anything similar about chest.

Would be interested in people's thoughts, and particularly any success stories with high reps.

DKD, please take a look at this study http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0012033

…or, take a look at the same thing made clearer. http://www.brinkzone.com/bodybuilding/muscle-growth-with-high-rep-training-has-time-come-to-challenge-our-egos/

For a quick snapshot of what the above is all about, here’s this:
1) one set performed to failure at 80% of 1RM (80%-1) – 8-12 reps
2) three sets performed to failure at 80% of 1RM (80%-3) – 8-12 reps
3) three sets performed to failure at 30% of 1RM (30%-3) – 20-30 reps

PS: Just to emphasise what Darkoz has said, at the end of the day, VARIETY would win the day if muscle hypertrophy was the ultimate goal. However we older athletes, still do have to take the effect of heavy loads and the stress they place onto our aging joints/connective tissues into much more consideration than someone belonging in the younger age group bracket. Injuries are no fun!


Fadi.

 

[0ni]

I find it hard to "work the muscle" unless I go to at least 15 reps a set so I love the higher rep ranges

 

[hodgeyhodgey]

I'm only new so I've been sticking to the 5 rep, high weight exercise like in starting strength but after reading about the high rep ranges I decided to double the reps in all of my sets in a workout the other day. I must say, that was the most satisfying workout I have ever had, definitely going to mix it up between high and low rep workouts from now on.