Want to be stronger not necessarily bigger

pondee629
pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So,
do I lift heaviest for fewer reps (5 or so);
lift lighter for 10-12 reps;
lift lighter still for 15-20 reps? All while progressively increasing weight.

And how many sets?

Thanks

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    It's going to be more about how much you eat than how many reps you do. As long as you aren't eating over maintenance, you aren't going to be getting physically larger.

    Do you lift at all right now? If not, I'd just pick a beginner's program and go with it. I like Starting Strength myself. In particular, I think that The Barbell Prescription is a good book as it has a lot of info and programming ideas for lifters who are 40, 50, 60, and beyond.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    From my personal training certification book:
    “Example: Relationship Between Volume & Training
    Strength <6 reps. 2-6 sets
    Power. 3-5 reps. 3-5 sets
    Hypertrophy 6-2 reps 3-6 sets
    Endurance >12 reps 2-3 sets”

  • JonDrees
    JonDrees Posts: 161 Member
    1-8 reps is going to be your ideal rep range. After your newbie gains are done, it'll be tough to gain much strength without adding size, though.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    So,
    do I lift heaviest for fewer reps (5 or so);
    lift lighter for 10-12 reps;
    lift lighter still for 15-20 reps? All while progressively increasing weight.

    And how many sets?

    Thanks

    Yes
    Your size is going to be far more determined by caloric intake.
    I'd probably train mostly in the 8-12 range, but also include some lower rep and higher rep work. There is no magic number. Train over a broad rep range.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    How many reps you lift for will depend on the intensity dosage within your program you are running.

    Generally speaking a novice will get the biggest bang for strength doing a program such as Starting Strength. It will get you strong in a efficient manner.

    Once you ready for more advanced programming the rep range will vary more.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    From my personal training certification book:
    “Example: Relationship Between Volume & Training
    Strength <6 reps. 2-6 sets
    Power. 3-5 reps. 3-5 sets
    Hypertrophy 6-2 reps 3-6 sets
    Endurance >12 reps 2-3 sets”

    For the hypertrophy, I am reading 6-2 reps, but I know you meant 6-12 reps. <3

    Just put that in for readers clarification.

    Cheers, h.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    From my personal training certification book:
    “Example: Relationship Between Volume & Training
    Strength <6 reps. 2-6 sets
    Power. 3-5 reps. 3-5 sets
    Hypertrophy 6-2 reps 3-6 sets
    Endurance >12 reps 2-3 sets”

    For the hypertrophy, I am reading 6-2 reps, but I know you meant 6-12 reps. <3

    Just put that in for readers clarification.

    Cheers, h.

    Ack...typo. My bad. :flushed::flowerforyou:
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    It's going to be more about how much you eat than how many reps you do. As long as you aren't eating over maintenance, you aren't going to be getting physically larger.

    That, plus this:


    Chieflrg wrote: »
    How many reps you lift for will depend on the intensity dosage within your program you are running.

    Generally speaking a novice will get the biggest bang for strength doing a program such as Starting Strength. It will get you strong in a efficient manner.

    Once you ready for more advanced programming the rep range will vary more.

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    pondee629 wrote: »
    So,
    do I lift heaviest for fewer reps (5 or so);
    lift lighter for 10-12 reps;
    lift lighter still for 15-20 reps? All while progressively increasing weight.

    And how many sets?

    Thanks

    No one gets big from weightlifting by accident. Bodybuilders put in hours and hours of work designed specifically for hypertrophy.

    To get stronger consider a pure strength program like Stronglifts 5x5, easy to follow, requires minimal equipment and it works.

Categories