I Want the Truth! Best Plan for Size?

Training Bodybuilding
1

I want the truth about what is the best way to build size and mass for an intermediate lifter…

  1. lift heavy for sets of 4-6 and eat and sleep a lot
    OR
  2. lift heavy for sets of 6-12 (and as high as 20 for squats) and eat and sleep a lot?

I’ve heard so many say “get stronger and you’ll get bigger” which I understand but in what rep range and with what kind of volume?

all I’m asking for is YOUR opinion of what has worked for you…

P.S. don’t start some stupid fight with other forum members or some sh*t I just want your own opinion thank you

2

Ah, finally someone asks for the TRUTH! All this time we’ve been so busy looking for how NOT to do things, about time someone realized the real question here.

Well, to give you an answer: 1 and 2.

3

im a big believer in Wendlers theories (5/3/1) FTW!!

4

thank god someone’s answered lol
and i know you’ll gain size off both types of training but which of the 2 will give the MOST size?
thanks again
any one else?

5

Changing your training can give you size, so there’s no only way to grow, but you have to change wisely in order to keep your gains and your strength. You can train from 2 to 100 reps and still be growing. Having experience listening to your body and being analytical all the time is the best advice I can give you if you’re after the best gains that work for you.

6

I think many people go for 2 and I did when I started but I’d most likely tell new people to try your #1.

I don’t think I focused enough on getting strong when I started.

7

#1… for a while, then switch to #2… then back to #1…

8

Assuming you’re looking after yourself in the food department I’d say more of “1”. However I’ve had recent success in apply “2” in the form of German Volume Training (10 sets of 10). Obviously its deeper than that and need to assess what exercises you’re doing to ensure they give you best “bang for your buck”.

9

The question is nonsensical. For example, my biceps respond best to high frequency low volume… how does that say anything about what YOUR biceps respond best to? Someone truly at the “intermediate” stage would have figured this out long ago.

10

[quote]Quick Ben wrote:
The question is nonsensical. For example, my biceps respond best to high frequency low volume… how does that say anything about what YOUR biceps respond best to? Someone truly at the “intermediate” stage would have figured this out long ago.[/quote]

Maybe. But to that I’d say anyone wanting to build mass and size would hardly start with their biceps, unless it was the by-product of doing weighted chin ups.

11

[quote]XanderBuilt wrote:

[quote]Quick Ben wrote:
The question is nonsensical. For example, my biceps respond best to high frequency low volume… how does that say anything about what YOUR biceps respond best to? Someone truly at the “intermediate” stage would have figured this out long ago.[/quote]

Maybe. But to that I’d say anyone wanting to build mass and size would hardly start with their biceps, unless it was the by-product of doing weighted chin ups.[/quote]

Unless you want to be playing catch-up further down the road, you had better be training everything directly. Would it make you feel better if I had said “quads” instead of “biceps?” The point being made is the same either way.

12

OKay first of all you aren’t an intermediate if you don’t know what your body responds well to.

I think that both those rep ranges would be good and both have their benefits. SO long as you are training hard it really doesn’t matter. But I enjoy training more when I lift lower reps so that’s waht I stick to.

I know that I grow well from both low reps and higher reps from experience. Maybe thats what you need!

13

@quick ben: i specifically said not to start some shit such as taking a dig at why i class myself as intermediate. saying stuff like this doesn’t really help people. i just wanted to hear lots of peoples’ responses about the topic i wrote.
thank you for your reply though :slight_smile:

thanks for your replies every one please keep them coming…

14

If you classify yourself as ‘intermediate’, then you should probably have an idea of how your different muscles respond to different stimuli.

The ‘truth’ is whatever works FOR YOU based on your years of experience getting to “intermediate”.

Your profile says you’re 17.

If you’re an ‘intermediate’ lifter and you’re not growing (presumably since you started the thread), then whatever you’re doing (high reps, low reps, etc) you’re not doing as intensely as you think you are or you’re not eating enough.

15

[quote]buckrice wrote:
#1… for a while, then switch to #2… then back to #1…[/quote]

16

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
If you classify yourself as ‘intermediate’, then you should probably have an idea of how your different muscles respond to different stimuli.

The ‘truth’ is whatever works FOR YOU based on your years of experience getting to “intermediate”.

Your profile says you’re 17.

If you’re an ‘intermediate’ lifter and you’re not growing (presumably since you started the thread), then whatever you’re doing (high reps, low reps, etc) you’re not doing as intensely as you think you are or you’re not eating enough.[/quote]

Good God.

First off, there are some people in this thread who should not be GIVING anyone advice as far as bodybuilding.

Second, I considered myself an intermediate lifter at the point that other people were calling me out constantly and asking for advice based on the progress I had made.

There are BEGINNERS who have been training for 20 years who still look like this is there first week in the gym.

I’m not picking on Nards here either, he is just the one whose stats I know and I am sure there are more in this thread with 25" quads telling people “the secret for size”.

If the rest of you haven’t done it, quit telling other people how as if you really know.

17

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
If you classify yourself as ‘intermediate’, then you should probably have an idea of how your different muscles respond to different stimuli.

The ‘truth’ is whatever works FOR YOU based on your years of experience getting to “intermediate”.

Your profile says you’re 17.

If you’re an ‘intermediate’ lifter and you’re not growing (presumably since you started the thread), then whatever you’re doing (high reps, low reps, etc) you’re not doing as intensely as you think you are or you’re not eating enough.[/quote]

Good God.

First off, there are some people in this thread who should not be GIVING anyone advice as far as bodybuilding.

Second, I considered myself an intermediate lifter at the point that other people were calling me out constantly and asking for advice based on the progress I had made.

There are BEGINNERS who have been training for 20 years who still look like this is there first week in the gym.

I’m not picking on Nards here either, he is just the one whose stats I know and I am sure there are more in this thread with 25" quads telling people “the secret for size”.

If the rest of you haven’t done it, quit telling other people how as if you really know.[/quote]

I’m not sure what to think of your post. Is that a ‘STFU’ or ‘Agree that the OP is ridiculous’?

My point is an ‘intermediate’ lifter does not need to ask this question. I don’t know if I’m “intermediate” or even what that means (that’s why I keep using quotes), but I know how to make my body grow because what I’m doing is working for me.

18

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

I’m not sure what to think of your post. Is that a ‘STFU’ or ‘Agree that the OP is ridiculous’?

[/quote]

I seriously doubt he’s talking about you as being someone who shouldn’t be giving advice.

19

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
If you classify yourself as ‘intermediate’, then you should probably have an idea of how your different muscles respond to different stimuli.

The ‘truth’ is whatever works FOR YOU based on your years of experience getting to “intermediate”.

Your profile says you’re 17.

If you’re an ‘intermediate’ lifter and you’re not growing (presumably since you started the thread), then whatever you’re doing (high reps, low reps, etc) you’re not doing as intensely as you think you are or you’re not eating enough.[/quote]

Good God.

First off, there are some people in this thread who should not be GIVING anyone advice as far as bodybuilding.

Second, I considered myself an intermediate lifter at the point that other people were calling me out constantly and asking for advice based on the progress I had made.

There are BEGINNERS who have been training for 20 years who still look like this is there first week in the gym.

I’m not picking on Nards here either, he is just the one whose stats I know and I am sure there are more in this thread with 25" quads telling people “the secret for size”.

If the rest of you haven’t done it, quit telling other people how as if you really know.[/quote]

I’m not sure what to think of your post. Is that a ‘STFU’ or ‘Agree that the OP is ridiculous’?

My point is an ‘intermediate’ lifter does not need to ask this question. I don’t know if I’m “intermediate” or even what that means (that’s why I keep using quotes), but I know how to make my body grow because what I’m doing is working for me.[/quote]

I wasn’t talking about you. I even mentioned the people I am responding to. I simply don’t have pictures of the rest of these guys who love to jump into threads first.

This is a bodybuilding forum. I would like it if we got away from skinny people or those “less than really developed” giving so many people advice as if they have a freaking clue how to get big. That was why I mentioned 25" quads…because on a forum like this, the only way someone with quads like that needs to give advice is if they are about 5’3".

20

X - how does it help for you to shit on people without answering questions? nards was giving his opinion and it made sense.

Can you imagine what a different forum would be like with reactions similar to yours here? A classroom; an office? Absolutely ridiculous.