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.
1-5 Reps is where you want to be if you are looking specifically for strength gains. Stick to this rep range of top end strength is your goal. 5-8 Reps is used for what is known as functional hypertrophy. This is for people who are looking to gain some size, strength and speed, without too much muscular building.
When training to build strength without bulking up, the focus should be on high-intensity, low-volume workouts that include longer rest periods and compound movements. Aim to train 3-4 times per week, with each session lasting between 60 and 70 minutes.
The 6-12-25 Protocol is a powerhouse training protocol that harnesses the intensity of giant sets to pack high-volume work into a short period. By targeting one muscle group or body part per set, this method takes you through three different exercises with minimal rest, hitting 6, 12, and 25 reps in quick succession.
The rule that both NSCA and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommend is the “2-for-2 rule.” After a few workout sessions, you can increase the weight for a certain exercise once you can perform two more repetitions beyond your repetition goal for the last set for two weeks in a row.
5×5 means you do five sets of five reps with the same weight. These are “straight sets” or “sets across”. On the Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press and Barbell Row you do 5×5. Say you Squat 5×5 225lb (total weight including the bar, because you lift it).
Start Slow
One of the most important golden rules of strength training is to start slow. If you're new to strength training, don't jump in too quickly. It's important to start with a program that is appropriate for your fitness level and allow for proper rest and recovery. This will help you avoid injury and burnout.
Up to 30% of your muscle's size is attributed to the sarcoplasm, so focusing on this type of hypertrophy helps build overall size (i.e., increased cross-sectional area of the muscle). If you're looking to get bigger: Target a rep range of 6 – 12 reps per set. Aim for 3-5 sets.
"Muscle pump" is really just fitness slang for a phenomenon called transient hypertrophy. Hypertrophy refers to the growth of a muscle, and transient means it's only temporary.
Strategies to Gain Muscle Mass Quickly
Exercise Regularly: Focus on exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. Gradually lift heavier weights to build muscle. Eat Healthy Foods: Fill your meals with protein, carbs, and good fats. Choose foods like chicken, eggs, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
The ability of the motor unit to activate and coordinate muscle fibers contributes towards muscle contraction and strength, yet not size. Hence, one may have large muscles yet lack sufficient motor unit coordination or activation to produce adequate muscle strength.
While Lee's barbell-training workouts evolved over time, he eventually settled on a program in which he did a 20-minute session 3X a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) that often looked like this: Clean and press: 2 sets of 8 reps. Squat: 2 sets of 12 reps. Barbell pullover: 2 sets of 8 reps.
This holds that regardless of whether you're trying to build muscle, strength, power, or endurance, performing three sets of 10 reps per exercise is a good place to start. The scheme mostly works, especially if you're just starting out with strength training—because everything works in the beginning.
3-6 reps at 85-90% of your one-rep max (1RM) to build strength (i.e. powerlifting) 8-12 reps at 70-80% of 1RM for hypertrophy, a.k.a. bodybuilding. 15-20 reps at 50-60% of 1RM for muscular endurance (weight training for runners)
It's easy to build functional strength without packing on a lot of mass and by focusing on exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once, you can cut down on your workout time.
Hormonal imbalances can lead to water retention, making your arms look inflated. Stagnation, or a lack of physical activity, can cause you to have extra weight in your arms as well as other areas. This is because you're not getting enough physical activity to tone your muscles.
Rest between set durations should be based on sets/exercise (volume), and not load or training goal. General recommendations include moderate (2 min) rest between sets if performing 2 sets/exercise, long rest (3 min) if performing 3 sets/exercise, and very long rest (> 4 min) if performing 4 sets or more/exercise.
Increase the intensity of your workouts instead of working out for long periods of time. Make sure you're getting enough calories and protein in your diet for muscle growth. Get plenty of sleep and give your muscles time for recovery. Try supplements for more strength, energy, and power, like creatine and HMB.
If lifting heavy weights to build strength or muscle mass, aim to lift heavier weights and complete fewer repetitions - anywhere from one to six per set. If your goal is general fitness or fat loss, opt more towards high-volume workouts with lighter weights, which can be performed up to fifteen times per set.
It means when we are looking at 6, 12, 24, we are looking at 24 being the most important set. We are setting up our nervous system and muscular system to be as successful as possible with our set of 24. We want to use as heavy a weight as possible for all 24 reps.
One possible reason your muscle is not growing could be that your training is more geared toward improving your strength vs hypertrophy (i.e. muscle growth). You want to fully activate your whole muscle to maximize growth. The last 5 or so reps performed in a set is where this happens.
Understanding the 3 3 3 Approach
Among these, the 3 3 3 workout has carved a niche for itself with its straightforward, yet surprisingly effective strategy. The concept revolves around performing sets of three exercises, repeated three times, for a total of nine micro-sets.
The one-repetition maximum test, also called a one-rep max or 1RM, is used to find out the heaviest weight you can lift just once (but not twice).
Most of us have heard of “The Golden Hour.” If you have not, this is 45 to 60 minutes AFTER a workout. During this time, muscles absorb the most nutrients, and glycogen is replaced very efficiently since it was just depleted by the strenuous exercise.