When working out, what is the ideal number of reps to do for building muscle?

Question

On my weight machine, if I use four plates I may be able to do 30-35 reps (per set) before I am out of steam, but with five plates I might only get 8-10. If in both cases I am working out until I am unable to keep lifting the weight, wouldn't the 35 reps build more muscle than the 10? Why do all the published workouts usually use only 8-15 reps?

Answer 1

2-5 reps = strength
6-12 reps = hypertrophy (muscle size increase and maintenance)
113+ reps = aerobic and anaerobic endurance NOT "TONE"

Anyway each repetition you do, a certain portion of your muscle fibers contract to create force. This portion is not 100%, it is usually much less and during each repetition your nervous sytem picks the muscle fibers that are being contracted AT RANDOM. Now each time an individual muscle fiber gets contracted, it temporary loses some power... this is why you need rests.

Now in this model you will notice that if a random portion is picked the first rep, and a random portion is picked the second and subsequent sets that some muscle fibers will have contracted more than once. Also some may not have even been contracted at all during the set. When the individual fiber contracts... THAT is the stimulus needed for that individual fiber to increase its size. (When your muscles get bigger you don't really grow new fibers, just the existing ones get larger)

Now the more force that the muscle puts out, the higher the portion of muscle fibers being contracted. To lift higher weight you need to contract a higher portion of muscle fibers. This is why powerlifters lift at high weight/low reps... they get their body good at contracting a high percentage of fibers during a given rep.

If you were to take this model and try different weights and repetition ranges you would notice that the repetition range of ~6-12 (differs from person to person and even from book to book) or so and the corresponding weight/resistance would be the range at which most fibers would have been contracted by the end of the set. In essence this range gives the greatest stimulus for muscle size increase.

There ya go. They didn't explain this in my Personal Training book and it took me a long time to find the answer.

Edit: Adding additional info:
As I said before high repetitions is not good for strength or muscle size increase/maintenance. It's also no good for defition or "toning" CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF. Here's why:
Tone usually happens when a person has a decent amount of muscle and a low bodyfat %.
When you do high repetitions you leave the anaerobic stage and your body then has to use oxygen and other sources of fuel to keep putting out energy to produce force. Where does some of this fuel come from? Yes some comes from bodyfat BUT MUCH OF IT ALSO COMES FROM YOUR MUSCLES. YOUR BODY BURNS UP YOUR MUSCLE FOR ENERGY! This is the last thing you want for "tone" or definition. Yes you decrease bodyfat a little but by decreasing your muscles your attempts will be in vain.
Think of incredibly high-repetition motion. You have things like cycling and running (not sprints but longer distance) and other endurance training. Do yourself a favor and look at the competitive athletes in these sports... THEY ARE SKINNY AND NOT MUSCULAR AT ALL!
High repetitions work your type 1 muscle fibers. These fibers are good for endurance BUT DO NOT OLD MUCH POTENTIAL WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING MUSCLES BIGGER. These are not the muscle fibers that get you big and muscular at all.
Type 2 muscle fibers are the ones that are good for muscle size growth and are worked during low repetitions (anywhere from 1-12 or 13 reps) but unfortunately when you do high repetitions these muscle fibers are used as food and thus you will lose type 2 muscle size when doing high repetitions.

'nuff said. If someone wants to debate then bring it on.

PS these repetition ranges are good for muscle growth and maintenance but remember you also have to eat more food for your body to have enough resources to make more muscle.
BTW I don't believe Ronald preacher curled 180lbs with one arm... most gyms don't even have dumbbells go that high (if not DBs then how'd he do it?).

Answer 2

if you want to build muscles use heavy weight and less reps. like around 5 to 10 at the most. do at least 3 sets of them. and as you get able to do more reps. increase the weight so you can only do about 5to 10 at one time. this will build muscle. if you just want to tone the muscles use lighter weights and more reps. and 3to 5 sets of them. by using the heavy weight and less reps. you are tearing the muscle to make it stronger.the more reps you do with light weights don't tear the muscle it just tightens it up.back when i worked out i started one arm curls with 50lbs.and curled it 5 times each both arms for 3 sets. i did this a day skip a day until about the third day of curling i increased the weight to 75lbs. did same many reps and sets. i was curling 180lbs with each arm before i knew it. and had nice big biceps from doing it. note this was a single one arm preacher curl that i was using.

Answer 3

a million. decrease form of reps with an more suitable weight bring about power useful properties (4 setsof 5) 2. intense reps low weight bring about pounding the muslce into leaner muscle (2 gadgets of 15) 3. medium works on muscle length. (3 gadgets of 10) maximum clever, I somewhat have got here across is on a three day a week exercising recurring and do all and sundry on a distinctive day. in case you become bored, try doing med days for legs on an identical day you do heavy hands.

Answer 4

If you want to build muscle, LOWER REPS! I don't know who in their right mind would say higher reps. You only use higher reps if you want to get toned and and defined, but not for size, bulk and strength. If you really want to get size, 8-12reps x 1 set, to total muscular failure for each major body part, 3 times a week, should be all you need. Bottom line. I gained 25lbs of muscle this way in ONE MONTH!

Good luck! :o)

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

What is the ideal number for endurance?

Answer 7

high rep, low weight = Tone body
Low rep, High weight = Mass

Answer 8

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