Not Changing Your Rep Ranges?

[Primal]

Hi all! Another question, and hopefully this thread breaks the cycle of stupid posts I've been asking lately (sorry about that... :(). I overheard some guys in the locker room saying what they were going to do with chest today. They said that they would do "4 sets of 8 and then move onto flyes". My question is, what is the purpose of keeping your rep ranges so... concrete if I may say? Prae I know in one of my other posts you told me the breakdown of rep ranges to do for upper body and lower body and I am following that. I'm not saying I'm going to try this or anything, but wouldn't it make sense if you start from really low reps when your fresh and then to higher reps when your weary? Or do you do this type of training when your cutting? At a loss for this one....

Thanks!

-Primal

[Praetorian]

You rep range will be determined by many things such as the exercise in question, your overall goal ie strength, mass, endurance, as well as the stage you are currently in.. ie beginner, internediate, advanced bodybuilder. If you are a beginner and starting on a compound movement...then you would be correct in your assumption of using the heaviest weights and lowest reps when you are warmed up but still fresh and gradually increasing the rep range as you tire. Doing straight sets of 8 on chest is ok for myself as I am not trying to increase strength at all and I also want to avoid any increase in risk of injury because of the stage I am at. I am assuming the guys you overheard in the gym were most likely beginners as well and would do much better in following your assumed rep range then what they were doing.

FYI...when cutting your training does not change, sets, reps etc stay the same pretty much....the weight may drop slightly from loss of leverage from cutting carbs but thats about it. How you built your muscle is how you retain it.

P

[Primal]

You rep range will be determined by many things such as the exercise in question, your overall goal ie strength, mass, endurance, as well as the stage you are currently in.. ie beginner, internediate, advanced bodybuilder. If you are a beginner and starting on a compound movement...then you would be correct in your assumption of using the heaviest weights and lowest reps when you are warmed up but still fresh and gradually increasing the rep range as you tire. Doing straight sets of 8 on chest is ok for myself as I am not trying to increase strength at all and I also want to avoid any increase in risk of injury because of the stage I am at. I am assuming the guys you overheard in the gym were most likely beginners as well and would do much better in following your assumed rep range then what they were doing.

FYI...when cutting your training does not change, sets, reps etc stay the same pretty much....the weight may drop slightly from loss of leverage from cutting carbs but thats about it. How you built your muscle is how you retain it.

P

Oh ok I get it! So it's good to use when you want to stimulate the muscle, but not induce growth. Cool, definitely something good to know. Yeah, the guys I overheard in the locker room where some newbies. They are the ones that will go up to you during your sets and talk about 'proper form' and such... Also good to know about the training while cutting, will save this piece of info for April!

Thanks Prae!

-Primal

[Praetorian]

You are stimulating the muscle TO induce growth...just not strength. BB is always about growth.

P

[Hosehead]

You rep range will be determined by many things such as the exercise in question, your overall goal ie strength, mass, endurance, as well as the stage you are currently in.. ie beginner, internediate, advanced bodybuilder. If you are a beginner and starting on a compound movement...then you would be correct in your assumption of using the heaviest weights and lowest reps when you are warmed up but still fresh and gradually increasing the rep range as you tire. Doing straight sets of 8 on chest is ok for myself as I am not trying to increase strength at all and I also want to avoid any increase in risk of injury because of the stage I am at. I am assuming the guys you overheard in the gym were most likely beginners as well and would do much better in following your assumed rep range then what they were doing.

FYI...when cutting your training does not change, sets, reps etc stay the same pretty much....the weight may drop slightly from loss of leverage from cutting carbs but thats about it. How you built your muscle is how you retain it.

P

I like your last paragraph. It should be a sticky. I was just lecturing a kid ( he's 24)today on making that same mistake. He got it in his head that 5 sets 225x20 of flat bench , as an example ,would "cut him up" , along with the 2 hours of cardio seven days a week. Yes , he's got a six pack, but his goal is to be lean AND strong with considerable muscle mass. He feels like shit and although his strength is decent he's nowhere near where he was a few months back. He was doing 435x4 and 315x15. Obviously he isn't going to be quite as lean at his former 255 than his current 215 but there is a happy medium in there somewhere. I told him to drop the high rep sets (except leg presses and extensions) and go back to lifting whatever it is he can for 8 good reps. And screw the 2 hours of cardio every day. he's got great genetics but is ****ing it all up. I've known guys who do little to no cardio and lift heavy as hell all year round. They have the right training program and eat for it accordingly. I don't know where people get the idea that high reps will cut them up. Been listening to that horse shit for years.

[Primal]

You are stimulating the muscle TO induce growth...just not strength. BB is always about growth.

P

Oh whoops! Sorry Prae. I understand now. Thanks!

-Primal

[Praetorian]

I like your last paragraph. It should be a sticky. I was just lecturing a kid ( he's 24)today on making that same mistake. He got it in his head that 5 sets 225x20 of flat bench , as an example ,would "cut him up" , along with the 2 hours of cardio seven days a week. Yes , he's got a six pack, but his goal is to be lean AND strong with considerable muscle mass. He feels like shit and although his strength is decent he's nowhere near where he was a few months back. He was doing 435x4 and 315x15. Obviously he isn't going to be quite as lean at his former 255 than his current 215 but there is a happy medium in there somewhere. I told him to drop the high rep sets (except leg presses and extensions) and go back to lifting whatever it is he can for 8 good reps. And screw the 2 hours of cardio every day. he's got great genetics but is ****ing it all up. I've known guys who do little to no cardio and lift heavy as hell all year round. They have the right training program and eat for it accordingly. I don't know where people get the idea that high reps will cut them up. Been listening to that horse shit for years.


It came from muscle magazines and idiotic writers.

P