Appropriate Rep Ranges

AnthonyBarbaria

I kept going down in reps over the last few years, trying to build mass, sometimes using a 8-6-4-2 format for my sets/reps on any given exercise, but I felt like when I switched it up, and began doing drop sets, or 8-8-8 (for one set) and dropping the weight to continue lifting, I got a much better pump and overall gains - what's your preference or schedule or changes that you've noticed yields results??

-Also what schedule of lifting have you found successful? IE: How many rest days per week/ and what type of muscle combination/lifts? (This is pertaining to those trying to build mass :: "Hard Gainers")

chrishgt4

I've always found my best gains come from doing reps at a cadence of 5/5, aiming for 6-8 reps, 2 sets per exercise. As soon as I hit 8 reps I up the weight so I can only do 6 etc. 45-60 minutes per session so about 5 or 6 different exercises.

I do 3 times a week, but I kinda think it might be a little too much, but it's about fitting it in and I'd rather do 3 than 2.

I keep on the 5/5 for about 2 or 3 months normally, then switch it back to normal cadence and alternate between 6-8 and 8-12 reps per set, also up it normally to 3 sets per exercise.

Then every month or so, I'll try for some 1RMs. I find when I've done these I really feel it the day or 2 after.

Regarding muscle areas, I tend to favour an all over body each time. Obviously I can't hit every muscle very time, but I try and hit every general area, and by the end of the week I should have got everything.

I did once go on a 6 days a week for 6 weeks doing muscle groups split out by push/pull/legs. I didn't get my nutrition right really during this so it's difficult to give a definitive conclusion, but I didn't feel I got the gains relative to the effort I put in.

ouija86

I'm a fan of the 2 day on 1 day off schedule. Has worked great for me, put on quite a bit of weight in the last ~18 months (24lbs) while staying fairly lean.

General idea, I try to keep days that use "neighboring" muscle groups spaced out. Kinda like this when lifting heavy:

day1: chest
day2: back
day3: rest
day4: shoulders
day5: legs
day6: off
day7: arms
day8: core
day9: repeat

I'll double up on stuff if I'm cutting or switching from heavy lifting to high volume stuff. Kinda just go with how my body feels.

Right now I'm in the middle of a mixed routine doing 3-5 exercises/group. First exercise is a heavy compound movement of 6-8reps, followed by moderate weight work 8-12 reps and finish with super high rep stuff to get the blood in there.

calcrunch

Also a fan of 2-days on 1 off

mon- chest/abs
tues- back
wed-off/cardio
thurs- delts/cows
fri- arms
sat- off/cardo
sun- legs(quad/ham)

Sets look like this: 2warm up, 3 working sets per exercice. General reps usually(10,10,10,10,8/to failure)
Last exercise of muscle group is always to failure, most include drop sets.