rep range for a bulk ...

ndj1979
ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
something I am curious about. Starting on Monday I am going to be increasing calories by 250 a day, currently at maintenance, with goal of adding about .5 pound a week over next few months. This is my first time doing a "bulk"…was going to do one last winter but chickened out because I was worried would put on "fat"…stupid I know now. ..

so anyway, just curious as to what rep range I should be aiming to hit..6 reps, 7reps, 8reps, etc...

For most of lifts now I am usually doing four sets of each by six reps. Except for squats where I have been working in 8 rep range and deadlifts I am usually in five rep range…

i do upper/lower split four days a week …so monday - upper; tuesday - lower; wens - core/light cardio; thursday - upper; friday - lower…

thanks in advance….

Replies

  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
    Hey, NDJ I've done 2 bulks over the past two winters. 1st bulk was 15 lbs. doing primarily 8-12 rep range eating 'clean' with good macros. 2nd bulk was 16 lbs. doing 5x5 style workouts eating IIFYM with the same good macros. Similar results both times. You're gonna gain fat, but honestly the cut is the easy part. Your current workouts look solid. Just let the extra calories/energy allow you additional strength gains.
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  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Interesting article I read on it recently.

    http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/are_low_reps_or_high_reps_better_for_muscle_growth_in_trained_lifters/
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  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    Rule of thumb is 8-12 for bulk. Your mileage may vary..works for me.

    I recently read a study that volumn has more to do with it than number of sets/reps. So you pretty much get the same results if you do 4 x8 or 8 x 4. Main thing seem to be....do SOMETHING.
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  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    mustgetmuscles1 wrote: »
    Interesting article I read on it recently.

    http://www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/are_low_reps_or_high_reps_better_for_muscle_growth_in_trained_lifters/

    thanks for sharing that …interesting read for sure!
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  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Great article as it challenges a lot of the conventional wisdom that lacked proper research. Of course, that would be a lot of things in the weight lifting world, unfortunately.
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    :( [/quote]
    8-12 is not a rule of thumb.

    [/quote]

    Funny. I use rule of thumb..state you may find something different & quote a scientific study that says it doesn't matter. And I still get someone questioning it. As I look down at my 19 inch arms and six pack I shake my head in shame, how can I be so wrong....
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Plenty of ways to do it. Generally you'll need adequate total training volume and you should be incrementally increasing load over time. I think a good strategy for many people is to keep the main barbell movements slightly lower in rep range to promote strength gains and keep accessory movements slightly higher in volume.

    Ultimately though, you can cause hypertrophy in both low and high rep ranges.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    TiberiusClaudis wrote: »
    :(
    8-12 is not a rule of thumb.

    [/quote]

    Funny. I use rule of thumb..state you may find something different & quote a scientific study that says it doesn't matter. And I still get someone questioning it. As I look down at my 19 inch arms and six pack I shake my head in shame, how can I be so wrong.... [/quote]

    In for tips on thumb hypertrophy

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Plenty of ways to do it. Generally you'll need adequate total training volume and you should be incrementally increasing load over time. I think a good strategy for many people is to keep the main barbell movements slightly lower in rep range to promote strength gains and keep accessory movements slightly higher in volume.

    Ultimately though, you can cause hypertrophy in both low and high rep ranges.

    so maybe just keep existing ranges the same and increase weight on bar over time..?
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  • donesawyer
    donesawyer Posts: 5
    Want strength? Low reps with increasing weight over time. Want pure beast bulk? High reps with lower weight. I.E. make it 'burn' and keep going. Damage the muscle then let it heal and then do it again. I don't have studies to back this just experience.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Plenty of ways to do it. Generally you'll need adequate total training volume and you should be incrementally increasing load over time. I think a good strategy for many people is to keep the main barbell movements slightly lower in rep range to promote strength gains and keep accessory movements slightly higher in volume.

    Ultimately though, you can cause hypertrophy in both low and high rep ranges.

    so maybe just keep existing ranges the same and increase weight on bar over time..?

    I think your 6 rep range is nice. I would lower squats to 5-6 and not keep it at 8 but that's just me. You will find that the difference be ween 6 and 8 is definitely a couple of extra pounds that can be added to the bar.

    sounds good man …I can always bump squats up five pounds and of 4x6 and see how things progress...
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    donesawyer wrote: »
    Want strength? Low reps with increasing weight over time. Want pure beast bulk? High reps with lower weight. I.E. make it 'burn' and keep going. Damage the muscle then let it heal and then do it again. I don't have studies to back this just experience.

    Read the study earlier in the thread
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Are you planning on following a particular program NDJ, or handling your own programming?
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Plenty of ways to do it. Generally you'll need adequate total training volume and you should be incrementally increasing load over time. I think a good strategy for many people is to keep the main barbell movements slightly lower in rep range to promote strength gains and keep accessory movements slightly higher in volume.

    Ultimately though, you can cause hypertrophy in both low and high rep ranges.
    100% agree and utilize with my regime.

  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited October 2014
    TiberiusClaudis wrote: »
    Funny. I use rule of thumb..state you may find something different & quote a scientific study that says it doesn't matter. And I still get someone questioning it. As I look down at my 19 inch arms and six pack I shake my head in shame, how can I be so wrong....

    Because that's not what "rule of thumb" means. He never said it cannot or did not work, just said it is not a "rule of thumb".
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Plenty of ways to do it. Generally you'll need adequate total training volume and you should be incrementally increasing load over time. I think a good strategy for many people is to keep the main barbell movements slightly lower in rep range to promote strength gains and keep accessory movements slightly higher in volume.

    Ultimately though, you can cause hypertrophy in both low and high rep ranges.

    I would second this. Use all rep ranges and you leave no stone unturned anyway. All you need is sufficient volume and some sort of progressive overload.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited October 2014
    grrrrrrrr
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    Are you planning on following a particular program NDJ, or handling your own programming?

    sticking to my current program and just adding in more calories..

    however, if you have any programs to suggest, I am all ears..

    current program is build around compound movements….
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    LolBroScience wrote: »
    Are you planning on following a particular program NDJ, or handling your own programming?

    sticking to my current program and just adding in more calories..

    however, if you have any programs to suggest, I am all ears..

    current program is build around compound movements….

    Really up to you brother. You can handle your own programming, or choose a premade one... all that matters is picking one with an a progression scheme and sticking to it :)

    You have the right idea I'd say... stick to the big movers and fill in the other parts for balance with assistance/ancillary work.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    For healthy non injured people, I like the 5-8 rep range for big compounds and a bit higher for isolation stuff. I quite often leave this up to the individual as I think mixing it up helps keep it fresh also. e.g. might do 3 sets of 15 one day, then do myo reps the next day or one 50 rep set. It's all muscle activation and as long as there is sufficient total volume then it's all good :)

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