10 reps....

[BroadStreetBruiser]

Is there a scientific basis to 10 reps? Over the years I've seen for the most part 8, 10, 12 reps. What is the reasoning for this?

Why not 20 or 30?

Is this rep scheme just a derivative of the age of Sandow and the muscle beach guys?

[NaturalWonder83]

i prefer 8-12 reps..gotta keep the muscle under tension

[BroadStreetBruiser]

so what about instead of curling 60lbs for 10reps, you curl 30lbs for 20. Would that be the same?

[240 is Back]

something about fast and slow twitch muscle fibers?

[NaturalWonder83]

so what about instead of curling 60lbs for 10reps, you curl 30lbs for 20. Would that be the same?

hmmm interesting question

i always try to go for an increase in weight or reps...i would say NO...not the same my man

[BroadStreetBruiser]

hmmm interesting question

i always try to go for an increase in weight or reps...i would say NO...not the same my man

well at some point you plateau or else I'd see all the veterans curling 150lb dumbells

[Bast000]

http://www.bodybuildingweb.net/blog/best-rep-range-weight-load-for-muscle-growth/

[Brutal_1]

sounds like THE COACH needs to end the "rep range" debate as well  


Or candy...either one  

[BroadStreetBruiser]

I'd like the coaches input on it. I'm not refuting it. I'm curious as to why.

[OTHstrong]

I'd like the coaches input on it. I'm not refuting it. I'm curious as to why.

No need for schience here 99 % of the ifbb are in agreement 10 reps with the exception of certain abs, calves, and forarm exercise.

[dov]

the basis of bodybuilding is putting targeted muscles under enough tension to break it down by causing tiny, microscopic tears in the fiber. Anything handled for over 12 reps is pretty much just doing cardio and not inducing the breakdown of the muscle

[YoungBlood]

Each rep range makes the muscle adapt in a different way. There are gray areas as to where, or if, the cut off lies. 1-6 will be suited for absolute strength and power. 6-12 brings about hypertrophy, and 13+ is more endurance rated.
You can change the effects too, but using TUT (time under tension). A set of 6 using 202 will have the same tension as a set of 12 using 101. Very similar amount of TUT, but the look and effect is very different.

[BroadStreetBruiser]

Each rep range makes the muscle adapt in a different way. There are gray areas as to where, or if, the cut off lies. 1-6 will be suited for absolute strength and power. 6-12 brings about hypertrophy, and 13+ is more endurance rated.
You can change the effects too, but using TUT (time under tension). A set of 6 using 202 will have the same tension as a set of 12 using 101. Very similar amount of TUT, but the look and effect is very different.

This was before established science took a look at it? Or were the guys who started bodybuilding just extremely lucky to guess these numbers?

[peroni]

something about fast and slow twitch muscle fibers?

That's exactly it. People who's muscles are predominantly slow twitch will respond better to higher reps with a lighter weight and vice versa for those who are made up of more fast twitch fibers. Every muscle has a mixture of the 2 (skeletal muscle) and it's up to the lifter to know which he/she has predominantly in order to target their goals more effectively. This isn't to say that a slow twitch muscle group shouldn't be trained with a heavy load for growth. It just simply means that it by nature is easier for the muscle to accomplish the lift if it's in it's element

[wildsteve]

That's exactly it. People who's muscles are predominantly slow twitch will respond better to higher reps with a lighter weight and vice versa for those who are made up of more fast twitch fibers. Every muscle has a mixture of the 2 (skeletal muscle) and it's up to the lifter to know which he/she has predominantly in order to target their goals more effectively. This isn't to say that a slow twitch muscle group shouldn't be trained with a heavy load for growth. It just simply means that it by nature is easier for the muscle to accomplish the lift if it's in it's element

How do i figure out what type i am???

[Bigger Business]

As a training partner it's hard to come up with more than 10 ways to say 'Come-on!'



10 for life

[benchthis]

just max out for everything all the time 1 set 1 rep... and next week do 100 sets of 100 reps  that way you hit both extremes 

[pluck]

Physiology and science talk aside, when I first picked up a weight set in high school without any knowledge of rep ranges, proper form or g4p, I remember loading the bar with moderate weight and doing it for 10 reps until I got a burning feeling in the muscle. I guess anything less than 5 was too heavy and didn't feel right and anything over 10 was too light and felt like I wasn't really working hard. 10 seems like a nice round number to shoot for and throughout the years it stuck because people started getting results from it.

Let's say the only rep ranges that produced any results and progress were 1-2 or really high around 20-30 then that's all anybody would ever do. Nothing groundbreaking here, just makes sense to me.

[BroadStreetBruiser]

Maybe there is a mystical connection in the DNA that leads us to 10

[Faust]

You only have ten fingers to count on.

[BroadStreetBruiser]

You only have ten fingers to count on.

Lift in bare feet and you can get to 20.

[troponin]

Is there a scientific basis to 10 reps? Over the years I've seen for the most part 8, 10, 12 reps. What is the reasoning for this?

Why not 20 or 30?

Is this rep scheme just a derivative of the age of Sandow and the muscle beach guys?

30 reps?  That's too tiring.  If I wanted to get out of breath, I'd find a real sport.......

[BroadStreetBruiser]

30 reps?  That's too tiring.  If I wanted to get out of breath, I'd find a real sport.......

well obviously you'd need less weight.

[james_hetfield]

How do i figure out what type i am???

do your 1 rep max. wait 10 minutes, load up 85% of your 1RM, and push out as much as you can. what ever you can do is what you should be sticking to as your ideal rep range. for example if you do 3 reps with 85% RM then you are predominantly fast twitch IIb muscle type. and you should be doing heavier loads with lower weights.

ps. this only applies to compound movements like squat, dead and bench, not bi curles.

[chainsaw]

That's exactly it. People who's muscles are predominantly slow twitch will respond better to higher reps with a lighter weight and vice versa for those who are made up of more fast twitch fibers. Every muscle has a mixture of the 2 (skeletal muscle) and it's up to the lifter to know which he/she has predominantly in order to target their goals more effectively. This isn't to say that a slow twitch muscle group shouldn't be trained with a heavy load for growth. It just simply means that it by nature is easier for the muscle to accomplish the lift if it's in it's element

Very good answer.