Amount of weight vs Reps

lporter229

rybo wrote: »

lporter229 wrote: »

Rusty740 wrote: »

There are a few really good guidelines.

Specificity is the most important. Work the muscles you want to build, seems obvious, but if you only have 60 lbs, you may have to do more isolation because with isolation, you use less weight.

Always lift at 60% 1RM or greater, don't bother lifting more than 90-95% 1RM

If you are within the first 2 years of lifting, complete the amount of reps with that weight that will take you to within 3-5 reps of failure. We're talking failure of form, not muscle failure.

If you are more experienced, go to within 0-3 reps of failure.

Muscle benefits from a variety of reps ranges from 3-20 or so. Lower reps get you strength, higher reps get you hypertrophy, but you must lift with weights that correspond to the rep range, heavier for low reps, lighter for high reps to within that range of failure above.

3-5 sets are good, any more than 5 and you get diminishing or negative returns.

Reps per week
Large muscle groups 60-120 reps
Smaller muscle groups 30-60 reps

Here's a couple fancy graphics.



One more thing. No muscle without a calorie surplus. yeah yeah recomp, but it's not ideal.

This is interesting. Not to hijack OPs thread, but I have a question about "training for power". I feel like I am reasonably strong for my size, but I think I might be lacking power. For example, recently while doing P90X3, I noticed that I have a hard time with the plyometric type exercises. I can't jump high at all and, even though I have good cardio endurance, these drills wear me out fast. This is the case for any exercise that requires a "springy" type movement (for lack of knowing the proper term). I was thinking it is because my muscles lack flexibility. Is this what is meant by "training for power"? Is high reps with low weight a good way to improve this?

Power is the ability to apply strength quickly. You can be strong, but not as powerful as someone who may not have the as much pure strength as you. That comes down to genetics a lot of times, but can be trained to maximize your potential. To train for power, you will want to do explosive movements. Jumps, throws, Olympic movements, plyometrics. They are very taxing movements which is why you wear out quickly, and possibly an indicator your cardio system might not be as developed as u think.

So just keep doing the same drills until I no longer feel fatigued? Then would you suggest to progress by adding weight or reps? When I say that I have "good cardio endurance", I am basing that on, as a distance runner, I have age graded results in the 66-70% range for distances from 5k to marathon. I am not entirely sure how that translates to these types of drills (obviously not as well as I would like).

rybo

lporter229 wrote: »

rybo wrote: »

lporter229 wrote: »

Rusty740 wrote: »

There are a few really good guidelines.

Specificity is the most important. Work the muscles you want to build, seems obvious, but if you only have 60 lbs, you may have to do more isolation because with isolation, you use less weight.

Always lift at 60% 1RM or greater, don't bother lifting more than 90-95% 1RM

If you are within the first 2 years of lifting, complete the amount of reps with that weight that will take you to within 3-5 reps of failure. We're talking failure of form, not muscle failure.

If you are more experienced, go to within 0-3 reps of failure.

Muscle benefits from a variety of reps ranges from 3-20 or so. Lower reps get you strength, higher reps get you hypertrophy, but you must lift with weights that correspond to the rep range, heavier for low reps, lighter for high reps to within that range of failure above.

3-5 sets are good, any more than 5 and you get diminishing or negative returns.

Reps per week
Large muscle groups 60-120 reps
Smaller muscle groups 30-60 reps

Here's a couple fancy graphics.



One more thing. No muscle without a calorie surplus. yeah yeah recomp, but it's not ideal.

This is interesting. Not to hijack OPs thread, but I have a question about "training for power". I feel like I am reasonably strong for my size, but I think I might be lacking power. For example, recently while doing P90X3, I noticed that I have a hard time with the plyometric type exercises. I can't jump high at all and, even though I have good cardio endurance, these drills wear me out fast. This is the case for any exercise that requires a "springy" type movement (for lack of knowing the proper term). I was thinking it is because my muscles lack flexibility. Is this what is meant by "training for power"? Is high reps with low weight a good way to improve this?

Power is the ability to apply strength quickly. You can be strong, but not as powerful as someone who may not have the as much pure strength as you. That comes down to genetics a lot of times, but can be trained to maximize your potential. To train for power, you will want to do explosive movements. Jumps, throws, Olympic movements, plyometrics. They are very taxing movements which is why you wear out quickly, and possibly an indicator your cardio system might not be as developed as u think.

So just keep doing the same drills until I no longer feel fatigued? Then would you suggest to progress by adding weight or reps? When I say that I have "good cardio endurance", I am basing that on, as a distance runner, I have age graded results in the 66-70% range for distances from 5k to marathon. I am not entirely sure how that translates to these types of drills (obviously not as well as I would like).

For explosive drills, you are going to want to stop well short of fatigue. I wouldn't compile a ton of reps, unless you are doing the Olympic drills and working technique. If you aren't familiar with them, it's probably not worth learning the technique, you can rely on other drills.
As you are seeing, your distance abilities aren't translating well for doing these other movements. Doing some shorter more intense work or intervals will help, and the fact that you have a good running base should make your progress go a little faster.

lporter229

rybo wrote: »

lporter229 wrote: »

rybo wrote: »

lporter229 wrote: »

Rusty740 wrote: »

There are a few really good guidelines.

Specificity is the most important. Work the muscles you want to build, seems obvious, but if you only have 60 lbs, you may have to do more isolation because with isolation, you use less weight.

Always lift at 60% 1RM or greater, don't bother lifting more than 90-95% 1RM

If you are within the first 2 years of lifting, complete the amount of reps with that weight that will take you to within 3-5 reps of failure. We're talking failure of form, not muscle failure.

If you are more experienced, go to within 0-3 reps of failure.

Muscle benefits from a variety of reps ranges from 3-20 or so. Lower reps get you strength, higher reps get you hypertrophy, but you must lift with weights that correspond to the rep range, heavier for low reps, lighter for high reps to within that range of failure above.

3-5 sets are good, any more than 5 and you get diminishing or negative returns.

Reps per week
Large muscle groups 60-120 reps
Smaller muscle groups 30-60 reps

Here's a couple fancy graphics.



One more thing. No muscle without a calorie surplus. yeah yeah recomp, but it's not ideal.

This is interesting. Not to hijack OPs thread, but I have a question about "training for power". I feel like I am reasonably strong for my size, but I think I might be lacking power. For example, recently while doing P90X3, I noticed that I have a hard time with the plyometric type exercises. I can't jump high at all and, even though I have good cardio endurance, these drills wear me out fast. This is the case for any exercise that requires a "springy" type movement (for lack of knowing the proper term). I was thinking it is because my muscles lack flexibility. Is this what is meant by "training for power"? Is high reps with low weight a good way to improve this?

Power is the ability to apply strength quickly. You can be strong, but not as powerful as someone who may not have the as much pure strength as you. That comes down to genetics a lot of times, but can be trained to maximize your potential. To train for power, you will want to do explosive movements. Jumps, throws, Olympic movements, plyometrics. They are very taxing movements which is why you wear out quickly, and possibly an indicator your cardio system might not be as developed as u think.

So just keep doing the same drills until I no longer feel fatigued? Then would you suggest to progress by adding weight or reps? When I say that I have "good cardio endurance", I am basing that on, as a distance runner, I have age graded results in the 66-70% range for distances from 5k to marathon. I am not entirely sure how that translates to these types of drills (obviously not as well as I would like).

For explosive drills, you are going to want to stop well short of fatigue. I wouldn't compile a ton of reps, unless you are doing the Olympic drills and working technique. If you aren't familiar with them, it's probably not worth learning the technique, you can rely on other drills.
As you are seeing, your distance abilities aren't translating well for doing these other movements. Doing some shorter more intense work or intervals will help, and the fact that you have a good running base should make your progress go a little faster.

Thanks for the advice!

PokernuttAR

chelllsea124 wrote: »

singingflutelady wrote: »

chelllsea124 wrote: »

I could very well be wrong....

but i think the theory is lift heavier weights at a lower rep to build bulkier muscle and then lighter weights with more reps to build leaner muscle.

Could be wrong. Someone correct me, if so.

All muscle is lean. There is no "bulky" muscle.

Idk, man. some of these dudes in the gym are definitely looking bulky!!!

Don't confuse that "bulk" with muscle....if they're stomach sticks out further than their chest, its not muscle. lol Some guys like to flex their "bulky" arms, but they don't like to talk about their 46 inch waist.