Why not 20 reps EVERYTHING?

[Master Blaster]

I always bought into the whole argument that only legs can be trained hard with high reps for gains in size. People always offer up some sort of pseudo scientific reason like leg muscles are different, have differnt muscle types etc. I'm starting to wonder if people don't train in a twenty rep scheme because they go to failure much quicker on smaller bodyparts. What if people did arms and shoulders routines in a rest pause fasion, maybe waiting as long as 10 breaths between each rep towards the end of the set.

[benchmstr]

my first few sets are always in the 40-50 range on every movement...

bench

[tbombz]

because 20 reps isnt going to illicit any muscle growth or strength increases, for most people, on the upper body. quads seem to react well to higher reps. so do abs. everything else= 5-10 reps. 

[benchmstr]

because 20 reps isnt going to illicit any muscle growth or strength increases, for most people, on the upper body. quads seem to react well to higher reps. so do abs. everything else= 5-10 reps. 

usually for working sets...

bench

[Master Blaster]

because 20 reps isnt going to illicit any muscle growth or strength increases, for most people, on the upper body. quads seem to react well to higher reps. so do abs. everything else= 5-10 reps. 

20 rep leg sets are usually in an unusual fasion, with lots of rest between the reps. Most other high rep sets are usually done in a faster, pumping type action. What if you switched it around and did a 20 rep set for biceps over a much longer time frame, with much heavier weight then normal?

[tallgerman]

Did you try?
howd it end up?

[Master Blaster]

Did you try?
howd it end up?

No "tallgerman", I haven't had time since the last time I posted 2 hours ago. 

BTW, you really remind me of this guy who used to post here.

[dyslexic]

howboutnow?

[tallgerman]

No "tallgerman", I haven't had time since the last time I posted 2 hours ago. 

BTW, you really remind me of this guy who used to post here.

Hey man you posted it.  Was a non loaded question.  Just wanted to know if you had gotten good results with it.
Jerk off or something man you are too wound up.

[Hulkotron]

Most people don't work their legs very hard so they can grow on nonsense like 20-rep sets.

That's my theory.

[Master Blaster]

Most people don't work their legs very hard so they can grow on nonsense like 20-rep sets.

That's my theory.

20 rep squats are some of the hardest work I've ever done. 

Anyway I did a set of dumbell curls in a rest pause fasion. I thought 50 lb would be too heavy, so I used 40 lb. Well I really needed 45 pound dumbells but I don't have any. Ended up getting 30 reps. Took a long time. Kind or boring. I can see now why this style of traing isn't more popular. One interesting thing, is that instead of a burn there was a deep cramp kind of a feeling at the end of the set.   

[FREAKgeek]

What if you switched it around and did a 20 rep set for biceps over a much longer time frame, with much heavier weight then normal?

It becomes a bit arbitrary on what a set is. Is it one long set or several sets with short rest times?  I think it's just an issue of what primary metabolic pathway your predominantly stimulating.

[Master Blaster]

It becomes a bit arbitrary on what a set is. Is it one long set or several sets with short rest times?  I think it's just an issue of what primary metabolic pathway your predominantly stimulating.

I don't know, man. For all the variation in sets and reps, maybe we are to quick to assume that we've discovered everything. Wouldn't be cool to come out with a training protocol that makes everyone smack their head and say "why didn't I think of that?"

On a side note my biceps are fucking fried. 

[Agnostic007]

I don't know, man. For all the variation in sets and reps, maybe we are to quick to assume that we've discovered everything. Wouldn't be cool to come out with a training protocol that makes everyone smack their head and say "why didn't I think of that?"

On a side note my biceps are fucking fried. 

Been going to cardio/Strength classes recently just to do something different. few days ago we did what seemed like a million bicep curls in the course of about 20 minutes. I ended up with 8 lb dumbells, and my biceps were screaming.  2 days later my biceps are sore as hell. Was thinking.. am I doing more damage than good or will the stamina that eventually comes from the high reps help out on my regular workouts.. 

[Master Blaster]

Been going to cardio/Strength classes recently just to do something different. few days ago we did what seemed like a million bicep curls in the course of about 20 minutes. I ended up with 8 lb dumbells, and my biceps were screaming.  2 days later my biceps are sore as hell. Was thinking.. am I doing more damage than good or will the stamina that eventually comes from the high reps help out on my regular workouts.. 

Hmmmmmm.....

If you could just figure out how often do do high reps. Like once a month? If you could master that, they would cause the most damage.

[The Ugly]

I think you'd probably make gains with any rep scheme as long as the consistency and diet are there. But WHY go 20, when you can exhaust the muscle with 6-10?

Seems like you're wasting some quality drinking time to me.

[dyslexic]

I've done every rep/workout scheme imaginable...


don't mean shit to me. I can get stronger if I want, I can get bigger if I want, I can get leaner... don't matter.



Reps.


Joke.

[lesaucer]

just do every fucking rep range...example I always warm up, start heavy in the 4-6 range 2-3 sets, then 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets, and at the end do 16+reps for 2-3 sets...for every muscle except abs and calves and lower back

[kevcat]

Jusr work to failure on one continuous set after a couple of warmups its not rocket science

[Hiatus]

I've heard two separate explanations for why 20 rep squats are only for legs and not for other body parts:

1) Human's legs have evolved to deal with "high reps" by their very nature (we are able to walk long distances, runs, etc.), which other body parts rarely do such "high rep" activities.  Therefore, high reps are the appropriate/proper way to strain that muscle. 

I'm not sure I really buy this explanation, because from that perspective 20 reps really isn't that much higher than 8 reps (example: from an evolutionary standpoint, we might lift 10 heavy things a day, but walk 2000 steps - therefore, this logic would seem to make more sense if we did 200 rep squats).

2) The benefit of 20 rep squats has little to do with the legs, and more to do with the hormonal reaction of a compound exercise at such extreme intensity. 

This makes more sense to me, and would suggest that certain other compound exercises might also provide a similar benefit if performed in a careful enough manner to avoid injury.  I suspect that there are very few exercises I could properly perform at a high intensity for 20 reps.


I would suggest experimenting with different rep ranges.  For me, I've found that 4-8 reps is normally optimal, although the truth is, I have always found that intensity + proper diet + avoiding injury + compound exercises is really the key formula, and trumps some sort of magic rep range.

[the anabolic mon]

I've heard two separate explanations for why 20 rep squats are only for legs and not for other body parts:

1) Human's legs have evolved to deal with "high reps" by their very nature (we are able to walk long distances, runs, etc.), which other body parts rarely do such "high rep" activities.  Therefore, high reps are the appropriate/proper way to strain that muscle. 

I'm not sure I really buy this explanation, because from that perspective 20 reps really isn't that much higher than 8 reps (example: from an evolutionary standpoint, we might lift 10 heavy things a day, but walk 2000 steps - therefore, this logic would seem to make more sense if we did 200 rep squats).

2) The benefit of 20 rep squats has little to do with the legs, and more to do with the hormonal reaction of a compound exercise at such extreme intensity. 

This makes more sense to me, and would suggest that certain other compound exercises might also provide a similar benefit if performed in a careful enough manner to avoid injury.  I suspect that there are very few exercises I could properly perform at a high intensity for 20 reps.


I would suggest experimenting with different rep ranges.  For me, I've found that 4-8 reps is normally optimal, although the truth is, I have always found that intensity + proper diet + avoiding injury + compound exercises is really the key formula, and trumps some sort of magic rep range.

One effective method of using the 20 rep squats is to vary the weight. One workout, use 20-30% RM, next use 50-60%RM (take your time!!!)

20 rep squats were the norm before buying roids was like buying tic tacs. 20 reps squats, a couple sets of OHP/bench, pullovers and curls, then hit the buffet.

[Painlayer69]

20 rep squats are some of the hardest work I've ever done. 

  

Yeah i tried this once and i quickly seen that my cardio was not as good as i thought it was lol

[hrspwr]

 I thought you just lift until you are drooling and babbling incoherently.

[Montague]

If that was the indication to stop, then most Getbiggers would never start.

[tallgerman]

Why not 4 reps everything?