Author Topic: regardless of what works better for you, which do you prefer: low or high reps?  (Read 2627 times)

MisterMagoo

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so some of us grow on sets of 12-15, some on 4-6, a mix, whatever. but i'm wondering which you prefer between low and high reps? here's how i see it:

high reps

pros:
you know you hit total failure, usually after a set you can barely move your limbs.
the pump, for all the shit-talking it gets, DOES feel awesome, as does how it looks in the mirror.
you don't get discouraged from totally bombing a set
usually can get away without a spotter if need be

cons:
that burn really DOES suck
while easy on isolation exercises, can be a cardio workout on things like squats and deadlifts
it can feel odd being a bigger guy doing sets of 15 with relatively light weights
while great for "hardcore cred", passing out or puking just isn't great for progress

low reps

pros:
no need for great cardio shape or a long attention span, just get over there lift, be done
it just feels badass when the bar bends
you get a pretty good idea of just where you are strength-wise
progress is easy to gauge: if the weight goes up, you're good

cons:
nothing is more disheartening than having a weak day and barely getting one rep when you wanted four.
odds are better of joint/muscle strain and injury
sure it's fun on pulls and the bench, but try low rep sets on skullcrushers or pullups
spotter isn't exactly optional




so what say you? which do you find more "fun"?

Emmortal

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Is it cheating to say both?  I like to mix it up every couple of months.  Train for strength with lower reps and heavy weight for 8 weeks then switch back to high reps with lighter (but heavier than before weight) for size.

I can't say I prefer one over the other because they are both effective for me.

candidizzle

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well today in the gym i did both.  but i did end up going pretty heavy on upright rows and did two sets of 6 reps...   im dieting and i got a pr  :P

MisterMagoo

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well today in the gym i did both.  but i did end up going pretty heavy on upright rows and did two sets of 6 reps...   im dieting and i got a pr  :P

i know a lot of us do both, i'm just wondering which you prefer.

me, obviously, low reps. i hate the burn and i just hate doing one lift for a 45+ second set. i'd rather chalk up, grab the bar, rip it, and then rest.

Boost

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Giant sets today for me...very high reps

Shoulder pressing an empty barbell with flawless form. unreal burn, then grabbin a couple of 5 or 10lb plates for side laterals, front raises

rep range from 15-30

Shoulders blew up like bowling balls  :P

wes

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I do both but seem to respond better overall to higher reps...............it varies though from bodypart to bodypart.

MisterMagoo

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i think we've got a miscommunication here, lol.

i'm not asking what you respond better to, i'm asking which you enjoy doing more. it could very well be that my shoulders only respond to sets of 15-20 but by god i hate going over 8 reps. or maybe the only way to get my traps to maximize is to do superheavy shrugs for sets of 6, but i'd way prefer to grab a pair of 130s and just do sets of 15-20 (only exercise i like high reps on).

Boost

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I find low reps on sqats and deadlifts much easier.
High rep Quads and shoulders produces almost unbelieveable burn.
also squatting for more than 12 i have a tendancy to throw up

candidizzle

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it depends magoo. on legs i enjoy doing high reps more. but on all my other body parts, except biceps, i enjoy heavy weight low reps.

wes

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Sorry Zach,I prefer higher reps,but still do low reps at times.

A2daMIR

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Best is 8-10...you get the best of both worlds. low enough that you can do heavy, high enough that you can activate both slow/fast twitch fibers

buffbong

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i definatly prefer 6-10 reps per sets
i have 3 diffrent rep ranges i do for exersizes either 3x10 3x8 or 10-8-6. even though i work in the same rep range i mix up a bit like this.
incline barbell presses 10-8-6-4  first two warm ups
flat dumbell presses    3x8
incline flyes                3x10

or shoulders
  seated dumbell presses 10  3x8  first set a warm up
   standing side raises   10-8
   standing rear raises    2x10
    dumbell shrugs          2-x10

in the past i used to like 15-10-8 for legs because u get the legs really warm up with a heavy wieght and high reps then move into heavier sets.

alot of the crazy super setting and high reps sets can be counter productive if over used.

AVBG

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I do both but seem to respond better overall to higher reps...............it varies though from bodypart to bodypart.

I am the same.

Montague

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I prefer LOW reps. As several people here have mentioned, the set is over faster, and intensity/concentration is more easily maintained.

Seeing that all muscle groups consist of BOTH fast & slow twitch fibers, I have, in the past, included higher and lower rep schemes to try to hit everything.

I do both but seem to respond better overall to higher reps...............it varies though from bodypart to bodypart.

This fall, I plan to alternate between high and low reps every other week as a sort of experiment to see what TRULY DOES work better for ME.

This may also indicate which type of fibers I have more of on certain body parts so that I can optimally train those parts, getting the most of my time and effort in the gym.



_bruce_

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Low reps.
High reps are torturing my nerves - I'm like ... "Come on, make it go away..."  :'(
.

Bluto

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low reps.

and i disagree with the pros of high reps. you dont know if you hit total failure. might as well be your lack of endurance that ends it. pump isnt a pro either, say you get pump in your arms while doing lat pulldowns preventing you from finishing the set.
also high reps is a drag as it takes forever to finish a set.


Z

chaos

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I enjoy low reps, I usually keep my rep range in the 5-8 area. Sometimes down to 2-3 reps.
Liar!!!!Filt!!!!

LatsMcGee

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6-8 has always worked great.  I've had success with 3-5 also.  Singles and doubles are for powerlifters.

Charlys69

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I do all kind of reps....from 3 - 40 reps

For Building Musclemass i use relative heavy weights for high reps (15-20) but doing these sets in Pitt-Force-Style (1 rep, a few seconds break (3-4 seconds, later a bit longer...), next rep, until Faillure is reached, or some kind of rest-pause-sets, starting out with 8-10 reps, resting for a few seconds, doing another 3-4 reps, few seconds rest, another 2-3, and so on...

last back workout i did 20 reps (Pitt-Force) on 1 arm row with a T-Bar with 130 kg (286 lbs).

wes

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Wow............that`s crazy weight with crazy reps dude.

Good job.

JasonH

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High reps for me all the way - I spent the first ten years of training doing rep-ranges of between 4-8 reps a set and got nowhere - after only five years of high reps (12-15) I've acheived more in terms of musculature than all those previous ten years did put together.