Strength or Hypertrophy? That is the question.

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LaurenAOK
LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been looking to start a new lifting program recently. I've done Stronglifts and a few other programs I've found online - all have been high-weight, low-rep since I've always heard that's best for strength training. The problem is my access to a gym has been pretty inconsistent, so I've never stuck with a program long enough to see super-significant gains (I've definitely seen improvement, but not as much as I'd hoped).

Now I've found two programs I'm really interested in, both were recommended by women I idolize (one is a fitness model and the other is a normal girl but she's RIPPED). The only thing is, both programs involve doing 3 sets of 12-15 reps of each exercise. To my knowledge, that's more in the endurance/hypertrophy range, but both programs are labeled as "strength" and "muscle building."

So my dilemma is whether to pick one of those programs and do it as written, OR still pick one of those, but change it so I do no more than 8 reps of each exercise (back to "strength" levels). I'm just not sure if I should focus on training for strength or hypertrophy. How do you make that decision?

Additional info: I'm 5'4", 130lbs (healthy weight). My immediate goal is to lose about 7 more pounds and start looking really lean. My long-term goal is to do a couple of bulk/cut cycles and compete (in figure maybe? haven't decided yet) in about two years.

Also, the gym I have now has no barbells, so the reason I'm set on choosing one of these programs is because both of them involve dumbbells and machines, no barbell required.

Replies

  • MsDrJuris
    MsDrJuris Posts: 41
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    I've been doing Muffin Topless's workouts which involve 12 reps, and so far I'm getting a lot more cut. Homegirl is RIPPED, and while my Olympic lifting had added a bit of bulk and a LOT of strength, but I wasn't getting the cuts I wanted.

    Best advice: try it for 4-6 weeks and see if you like the changes. If nothing else, it will throw your body a curveball and keep it guessing, and you may just love the way it looks afterwards.
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
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    You know what hypertrophy is right? Why are you lifting weights? You want to make your muscles bigger right, which is hypertrophy. Endurance rep ranges do not generally fall into the hypertrophy category, they're quite the opposite.

    If you want to lift weights to get a good cardio workout OFF of the treadmill, then go for endurance rep range.

    If you want to build muscle, do a weight you can only manage for 12 reps, then a weight u can only manage for 10 reps, then 8, then 6. Then go to the next exercise, and do it again, until you've done 4 exercises of 4 sets for large body parts, and 3 exercises of 4 sets for smaller (arms, calves)
  • sam_the_wicked
    sam_the_wicked Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm doing a strength program right now where wk 1 and 3 the sets are 12-14 and weeks 2 and 4 are 8-10 and you go a little heavier. So I don't think it's a bad thing to do a higher rep count. I would suggest trying it and seeing how you like it and your getting out of it what you want. What are the programs that your taking about? I'm always looking for new routines/idea. :O)
  • MsDrJuris
    MsDrJuris Posts: 41
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    You know what hypertrophy is right? Why are you lifting weights? You want to make your muscles bigger right, which is hypertrophy. Endurance rep ranges do not generally fall into the hypertrophy category, they're quite the opposite.

    I think her title made sense. Some people go for muscle growth and some go for strength. Bodybuilders and strongmen are a great example of the differences in training.
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
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    You know what hypertrophy is right? Why are you lifting weights? You want to make your muscles bigger right, which is hypertrophy. Endurance rep ranges do not generally fall into the hypertrophy category, they're quite the opposite.

    I think her title made sense. Some people go for muscle growth and some go for strength. Bodybuilders and strongmen are a great example of the differences in training.
    she categorized endurance and hypertrophy together which is what I was aiming at. I don't think they're one In the same, at all.

    Strength training would be very low volume, Low reps 1-5reps of very heavy weight
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    she categorized endurance and hypertrophy together which is what I was aiming at. I don't think they're one In the same, at all.

    Yeah, my bad there. I wasn't quite sure what to categorize 12-15 reps as, because I've heard some people say that's for hypertrophy and others say it's for endurance.

    I'm definitely not interested in endurance, so maybe I'll keep the reps to 12 or less.
  • a_vettestingray
    a_vettestingray Posts: 654 Member
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    The particular program I am running right now, KISS Total Body (from Nia Shank's Beautiful Badass) starts with two sets of five for each move (so strength oriented) and then two sets of 10 (more hypertrophy work). It's kind of like the best of both worlds, but it does involved barbells. :ohwell:
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
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    If you want to build muscle, do a weight you can only manage for 12 reps, then a weight u can only manage for 10 reps, then 8, then 6. Then go to the next exercise, and do it again, until you've done 4 exercises of 4 sets for large body parts, and 3 exercises of 4 sets for smaller (arms, calves)

    This is pretty close to what I'm doing with my trainer, it works well for me.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    I'm doing a strength program right now where wk 1 and 3 the sets are 12-14 and weeks 2 and 4 are 8-10 and you go a little heavier. So I don't think it's a bad thing to do a higher rep count. I would suggest trying it and seeing how you like it and your getting out of it what you want. What are the programs that your taking about? I'm always looking for new routines/idea. :O)

    One is at the end of the article here (a couple of barbells involved but easy to modify): http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/body-transformation-clean-eating-made-her-a-model.html

    And the other one is here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/female-20to39-muscle-building/training

    I think I'm going to go with the second one and just make the reps a little lower. Thanks everyone!

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