to be fair we're talking about a group of untrained men for 8 weeks.
from what i've read, i would be spending some time every year back at the low rep range, and the rest concentrating on sub maximal, structured rep schemes. for drug free training.
tim, experienced or not, these meta analysis shows that experienced athletes respond best to a lower rep range too:
do these change your mind?
A Meta-analysis to Determine the Dose Response for Strength Development.
BASIC SCIENCES
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 35(3):456-464, March 2003.
RHEA, MATTHEW R. 1; ALVAR, BRENT A. 1; BURKETT, LEE N. 1; BALL, STEPHEN D. 2
Abstract:
RHEA, M. R., B. A. ALVAR, L. N. BURKETT, and S. D. BALL. A Meta-Analysis to Determine the Dose Response for Strength Development. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 456-464, 2003.
Purpose: The identification of a quantifiable dose-response relationship for strength training is important to the prescription of proper training programs. Although much research has been performed examining strength increases with training, taken individually, they provide little insight into the magnitude of strength gains along the continuum of training intensities, frequencies, and volumes. A meta-analysis of 140 studies with a total of 1433 effect sizes (ES) was carried out to identify the dose-response relationship.
Methods: Studies employing a strength-training intervention and containing data necessary to calculate ES were included in the analysis.
Results: ES demonstrated different responses based on the training status of the participants. Training with a mean intensity of 60% of one repetition maximum elicits maximal gains in untrained individuals,
whereas 80% is most effective in those who are trained. Untrained participants experience maximal gains by training each muscle group 3 d[middle dot]wk-1 and trained individuals 2 d[middle dot]wk-1. Four sets per muscle group elicited maximal gains in both trained and untrained individuals.
Conclusion: The dose-response trends identified in this analysis support the theory of progression in resistance program design and can be useful in the development of training programs designed to optimize the effort to benefit ratio.
Or how about this one:
Maximizing strength development in athletes: a meta-analysis to determine the dose-response relationship.Peterson MD, Rhea MR, Alvar BA.
Department of Exercise and Wellness, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona 85212, USA. mdpeterz@hotmail.com
The efficiency, safety, and effectiveness of strength training programs are paramount for sport conditioning. Therefore, identifying optimal doses of the training variables allows for maximal gains in muscular strength to be elicited per unit of time and also for the reduction in risk of overtraining and/or overuse injuries. A quantified dose-response relationship for the continuum of training intensities, frequencies, and volumes has been identified for recreationally trained populations but has yet to be identified for competitive athletes. The purpose of this analysis was to identify this relationship in collegiate, professional, and elite athletes. A meta-analysis of 37 studies with a total of 370 effect sizes was performed to identify the dose-response relationship among competitive athletes. Criteria for study inclusion were (a) participants must have been competitive athletes at the collegiate or professional level, (b) the study must have employed a strength training intervention, and (c) the study must have included necessary data to calculate effect sizes.
Effect size data demonstrate that maximal strength gains are elicited among athletes who train at a mean training intensity of 85% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM), 2 days per week, and with a mean training volume of 8 sets per muscle group. The current data exhibit different dose-response trends than previous meta-analytical investigations with trained and untrained nonathletes. These results demonstrate explicit dose-response trends for maximal strength gains in athletes and may be directly used in strength and conditioning venues to optimize training efficiency and effectiveness.
6-8 reps all the way for me
