ravadongon

REP RANGE

Using Science

1-3 Reps

In this repetition scheme Neural Efficiency (as well as some Myofibril Hypertrophy) occurs. Neural Efficiency increases the percentage of motor units that can be activated at any given time (CNS efficiency). This has very little impact on size gains but increases strength will be definitely be great. Little to no protein turnover occurs when using this particular rep range as load is too high and mechanical work is too low.

3-5 Reps

In this repetition range, mostly Myofibril and Sarcomere Hypertrophy and very little Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy occurs. Sarcomere hypertrophy increases contractile proteins in muscle thereby increasing strength directly and also size. Science says that growth here will be mostly myofibral/ sarcomere hypertrophy and will be accompanied with strength gains in other rep ranges and improvements in neural efficiency. Therefore this is perhaps the best rep range for increasing strength,as there is a better balance of load/work done for hypertrophy. However with little Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy occurring working in this rep range, is not the most beneficial for size.

5-10 Reps

In this repertition range we have Myofibril, Sarcomere, and Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy occurring. Using this rep range you will receive lots of growth as well some strength gains. Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy does not directly increase strength, but it increases size, what a bodybuilder trains for. This is the best range, according to science, to train in as a bodybuilder.

10-15 Reps

Some Sarcoplasmic with little Myofibral and Sarcomere Hypertrophy occur in rep ranges of 10-15. More fatigue and a greater extent of waste products are produced when training in this rep range.

More Than 15 Reps

Capillary density increases with little Sarcoplasmic growth with rep ranges above 15. Muscle endurace begins to become a factor, but this is not what you are looking for as a bodybuilder.

Using Personal Experience

As we have heard countless times before, "everybody's different," and "science isn't always right" so I'll give you my personal experience with working in different repetition ranges.

1-3 Reps

I rarely step into this rep range (only when performing olympic lifts), so I cannot give you a real prediction to whether this is the optimal rep range to work in.

3-5 Reps

I often use sets of 4 with my compound exercises, as I am more a powerbuilder then a bodybuilder. I've found that working in this rep range the strength gains outweighed the size gains, however I still did get size gains working in this range.

5-10 Reps

This is the range I work in most the time, primarily towards the lower end (sets of 5 and 6), as I found it gives a nice balance of size and strength gains. However, when I begun training well (this was when I trained more as a bodybuilder, rather than a powerbuilder), I used to perform sets of 8, 9 and 10. When working with these reps I found my size gains going through the roof. So I would say this is definitely the best rep range to work in for size, so far from my experience.

10-15 Reps

I haven't worked in this rep range, since my newbie days. Even then with limited training this rep range did not produce optimal size gains. When discovering that I was getting little results to show for my hard work in the gym, I lowered my reps.

More Than 15 Reps

I have never ventured into high repetitions, and don't think I ever will after seeing such great gains with medium to lower reps.

Conclusion: 5-10 Reps -> The Winner!

From what I have written in terms of both science and my personal experience, the best rep range to work in is between 5-10 reps. In terms of science this is the best rep range to work in because maximal sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increasing the volume of the tissue that supplies energy to the muscle or is involved with the neural drive) occurs. This is also the case with my personal experience, as I have benifited using this rep range when training primarily for size. As we all know "different things work for different people", but I am quite sure in saying that working in the 5-10 rep range will work for the large majority in training for size above all.

SET RANGE

What Is The Optimal Set Range?

Compared to rep ranges, set ranges are much more based on the theory, "different things work for different people."

Some people respond fantastically to high volume splits where a 4 or more exercises are used per bodypart and set ranges are more often than not above 3 per exercise.

However, most people will find they overtrain with such high volume splits and consequently their gains are reduced. They may respond better to a more "abbreviated" style of training, where often 1 exercise per small muscle and 2 exercises per large muscle are used with sets per exercise never above 2, and often 1.

So in conclusion, with set ranges, it is really dependent on what your body responds well to, more than anything else.

BONUS QUESTION

What is the most muscle (not just weight) that a person can gain naturally in 12 weeks? What is the average amount that a person could expect to gain with a good workout, diet, and supplement plan?

This is heavily based on the persons genetics and the time they have spent lifting. Obviously, people with more favourable genetics, will gain more muscle than those with less favourable genetics. Another factor as I said is the time they have spent lifting. The more weight you put on the harder it becomes to put on more weight, and therefore it takes longer.

For someone with favourable genetics, who hasn’t lifted before, and has an immaculate diet, supplement and workout program, along with plenty of time to rest, it is fair to say that to gain at a rate of 1.25kg per week would be impressive, yet still possible. So to gain 15kg of muscle (sorry for using the metric system) in 12 weeks would be very impressive, yet still possible for those genetically gifted.

If we are looking at a newbie with average genetics with an well constructed diet, supplement and workout regime, along with plenty of time to rest, then to gain at a rate of around 0.6kg per week, would be expected, so he would end up gaining 7kg of muscle in the 12 weeks of training. Definitely possible for all newbies to gain that much, but it must be stressed that they would need to follow their diet, supplement and workout plan, almost religiously, and “avoid slacking off.”

warriors

nice article rav. i usually keep my reps in the 6-8 rep range

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