1. Training for Muscle Size (Hypertrophy) If you're training for muscle size, choose a weight at which you reach muscle failure in the 8-12-rep range. In other words, after your warm-up sets—which are never taken to failure—you should select a load with which you can complete at least 8 reps but not more than 12.
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.
The optimal rep range for maximum muscle growth, often referred to as hypertrophy, typically falls between 6 to 12 repetitions per set. This range allows for a balance between mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress, all of which are key factors in promoting muscle growth. Key Points:
If your goal is to build muscle, workouts with reps as low as five and as high as 30 will do the job. We suggest you stick to five to seven reps per set for heavier, compound movement and between eight and 12 reps per set for smaller muscles and single-joint exercises.
All your muscles are made up of tiny individual fibers, and those fibers can be grouped into two different types: Type I (slow-twitch) and Type II (fast-twitch). “Type I muscle fibers, which are slow twitch, respond better to high rep training because they're more resistant to fatigue,” says Adrian.
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.
“We used to think that doing low reps of a very high weight was the best way to build muscle,” he says. “But increasingly we are learning that it may be more efficient to do a high number of repetitions with less weight.”
As supported by a review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, for hypertrophy (building muscle) aiming for 6-12 reps should be sufficient. However you may see isolation exercises like bicep curls programmed with 10-15 reps.
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.
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.
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 with your lighter sets, and you could set yourself up to pre-fatigue your muscles before your lifts, therefore hindering your performance. Starting with heavier lifts, therefore – when your muscles are fresh – is key to hitting higher strength numbers and potentially gaining more muscle.
Resistance training for muscle gain
Resistance training promotes muscle growth. Examples of resistance training include the use of free weights, weight machines, your own body weight or resistance bands. Suggestions include: Train just two or three times per week to give your muscles time to recover.
Getting Close to Failure - Having fewer 'reps in reserve' for 1-3 sets can lead to a greater muscle pump. This means pushing your muscles into the overtime region to complete the set. High Volume - You need to perform at least 10 reps of an exercise across multiple sets.
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.
The best exercise for growing the bicep muscle is any variation of the curl. Curls are best done using a barbell and weights or a set of dumbbells. If you're training in the gym, sitting at a bench or using the preacher curl machine can help to further concentrate tension on the bicep muscle, leading to bigger gains.
Sit-ups are great for your abs, and they don't require special equipment or gym membership. Other core exercises work, too, from crunches to bridges. If you're wondering how many sit-ups you should do a day, the answer is the same for all: about 10 to 12 reps in three sets.
So, which is better? It really depends on your goals. If you're looking to build bigger biceps, then you should focus on bicep curls a bit more than hammer curls. However, if you're just looking to tone your arms and don't really care about building bigger biceps, then either exercise will work just fine.
They sometimes think they can't train hard anymore, but if they just go lighter and do more reps, they can build muscle too.” Bottom line: “It's the effort you put in that matters most,” Hyson says. “Lifting heavier builds more strength, but lifting to failure with any weight can build bigger, more aesthetic muscles.”
Before you lift weights, warm up with five to 10 minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic activity. Don't rush. Move the weight in an unhurried, controlled fashion. Taking it slow helps you isolate the muscles you want to work and keeps you from relying on momentum to lift the weight.
As a rule of thumb, for hypertrophy it's also best to focus on: Working close to failure at the end of your sets (5-0 reps short). While research supports that hypertrophy can occur anywhere between 5-30 reps, aiming for 8-15 reps per set is ideal.
If you are training the biceps directly for strength, it is recommended that you train in the 5-10 rep range, or the 8-10 rep range to minimize overloading the tendons and ligaments of the elbow joint due to the single joint nature of most biceps isolation exercises.
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.