I’ve recently began to like lifting a low number of reps, with explosive concentrics. I cycle the number of reps, but the maximum I get to is about 7 reps, I don’t like lifting more than 7 reps.
I know that staying in the lower rep range will cause myofibrilar hypertrophy instead of the sarcoplasmic hypertrohpy, and that the former is the type of hypertrophy that actually increases the protein in muscles and the contractile force, while sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is what bodybuilders look for.
What I would like to know is if the low rep hypertrophy that occurs will give me size gains, like if I did 8 to 12 reps. I lift explosively and I know this will recruit the most numbers of the type II fibers which have the most potential for growth. Plus I see huge olympic lifters.
From experince i also use low reps but using a pyramid style of workout, i usually start high and end low and this gives my body the best outcome first by establishing endurance with using 12 - 15 reps, a three week cycle and i drop to 8-10 and againin three weeks 6-8 then i stop at 3-5 range using heavier weight again to produce my maximal gains, i hope this helps.
Oh it definitely will, believe you me! The only thing you must do to grow with low reps is do many sets. This is mandatory for mass - your volume has to be around 24-30. In other words 12x2, 8x3, 10x3, 7x4, 8x4, 5x5. You get my drift.
And be sure to have a decent rep gap withing the week(workout1: 3reps, workout2: 6reps etc…)
So what you mean with volume is, if I like keeping reps low, I should just do more sets so the volume is the same as the typical high rep workout right?
Im thinking of doing sets of 3 one week, then sets of 5 the next, and continue varying.
I live in south america, and today at the gym I was exploding with 3 reps and everyone looked strangely at me, and even a trainer came by and suggested that I was lifting too heavy and should do more reps!!! this shit makes me sick , but in this region people are far far far behind in what relates to the gym topics. If you suggest a fast absorbing carbohidrate plus protein post workout meal, they will laugh at you.
Thanks again, any other experiences with low rep lifting are greatly appreciated.
trap_builder wrote:
“So what you mean with volume is, if I like keeping reps low, I should just do more sets so the volume is the same as the typical high rep workout right?”
Exactly. But you don’t need to remove high reps completely. You could have your workouts like heavy then light then medium. Or heavy then very light then again heavy(different reps) and very light(diff reps).
Dave2 has got it right. Chad Waterbury makes the most clever workouts with this scheme. Read all his articles you can find.
W2097 said:
The only thing you must do to grow with low reps is do many sets. This is mandatory for mass - your volume has to be around 24-30.
You may find these important concepts in:
“Big Boy Basics” and “Single’s Club” by Chad Waterbury.
I report here some combinations of sets/reps suggested by Chad for hypertrophy:
From ABBH,ABBH2: 10X3,10X4,10X5,5X10
From TBT: 3X5,3X8,2X15,4X5,4X8,3X15,2X18,2X8,2X12,3X18,3X8,3X12
From Single’s Club: 14X1,15X1,16X1,17X1
Moreover I suggest you to read HHH’s thread " More on high reps vs low reps"
a very interesting debate.
I live in south america, and today at the gym I was exploding with 3 reps and everyone looked strangely at me, and even a trainer came by and suggested that I was lifting too heavy and should do more reps!!! [/quote]
Sounds like Ben Weider is doing a great job as a international ambassador for Muscle and Fitness
