Is this right. For strengh do between 1-6 reps. For muscle growth do between 8-12 reps. For cutting/Toning 15-25 reps. Somone please help me understand what gets you the cut look. My diet is very good. I’ve been bulking for about a year and I have great muscle definition
however, my arms look like sausages. How can I get the cut look I’ve recently started doing 15-25 reps which is a great workout. Any thoughts?
depends on your carbs you’re taking in a day…and your total diet…i never go above 10 reps of anything, dieting or not… others will have better and more detailed info on here than me… but that’s it in a nutshell
Please don’t use thst word(toning)
That look you’re after is more a product of your diet than your training. And while you diet you should train with lower reps not higher. One year bulking? That’s a long time, i did it for six months and got way too fat for my taste. Maybe is time for a moderate to low carb diet?
A combination of low body fat and high resting muscle tone will give you that cut look. Low body fat is bar far the more likely culprit if you don’t have that cut look. After the body fat is low enough, you need to focus on lifting heavy weights to create high levels of resting muscle tone. If you want muscle tone, lift heavy in the 1-6 rep range. While the 15+ rep range has its utility in rare cases, it will not help you acheive that ripped tight look.
I think I’ve addressed this issue about 10 times in the last 2 days; so I just want to get it out there for everybody. If your already familiar with this logic; then forgive me to dragging your attention to this post.
This is probably the biggest myth in all of bodybuilding. If I hear someone else talk about 15-25 reps for cutting I think I'm gonna shoot myself! Ahhhhh! Nah, but let me seriously answer your question:
The ideal rep range for cutting is 6 and under. Why? Well there are a number of reasons, but let me just elaborate on the the reason you stated: "the cut look."
First of all, what is muscle tone? If you don't know what tone is, you'll never choose the right rep range. Muscle tone is nothing more than the resting tension of a given muscle. The greater the tension, the more cut you look.
Heavier weight puts greater tension on the working muscles. The Malibu Ken and Barbie weights being used when doing 15-25 reps do nothing for muscle tone; nothing! This higher rep range will leave you looking FLAT and SOFT. The total opposite of the desired outcome.
So where the heck did this myth come from? Well, the 15-25 rep range gives the illusion of "cutting" you up by the buildup of lactid acid within muscle tissue. This produces a temporary hardness, but unfortunatly for you to keep this "hardness" you would have to die. Yes, DIE! Rigor Mortis would have to occur; that's the only way.
The 5x5 approach is a great program for cutting and dieting. For further explanation of this program, a sample program, and it's benefits while dieting see my reply to the "5x5" thread by Mike Freidman and the "Question on cutting" thread.
BTW, that was me who posted the “Everyone Read This Post” post.
“The look” can be attributed to training and genetics; that’s it. Certainly you have to get lean to see it, but getting lean alone will never give you a hard, ripped look. It is very possible to get lean, and still look very very soft. Muscle density and tension can only be altered through training.
Muscle tension (what some refer to as “tone” - the tension a muscle retains while relaxed) is increased by heavy weights & low reps or a “strength” style WO. Doing extremely high reps has no benefit except possibly some degree of indurance training. If you mean by cutting that you are at sub maintanence calories trying to lose body fat, you want to combine heavy weights and low reps to preserve strength and muscle mass and combine with cardio to burn fat. Don’t try to gain a lot of strength on low cal diet. And if on low cal diet and doing extremely high reps, you’ll just end up burning up “muscle” instead of fat because of calorie deficit. If on calorie deficit, use heavy weights and low reps. Heavy weights will also give you more muscle tension and make you look “harder” IF at low body fat. If looking for hypertrophy, do 8-10 rep mass program after ending the low cal fat loss diet.
Joel stated the facts very well!
Thanks Heb 
Hey, Dan…I would be willing to bet that the VAST majority of people on this site either a)accepted the myth or b)still believe the myth that increasing reps, upping cardio, and dramatically decreasing calories, all at the same time, is the way to get “cut”. (There are still “competitive” bodybuilders who think that way…but they aren’t competitive for long!)So…we’ve ALL been there or are STILL there!
The principal? WE BUILD MUSCLE WITH OUR RESISTANCE TRAINING AND INTENSITY. We lose fat by manipulating our diet and cardio. To look “cut” there must be a solid muscle base underneath that is not covered with fat…and high reps with bunny reps won’t do it.
During a time when I was on the “high-rep-to-cuts-ville” bandwagon, someone told me to think of a lean, firm, holiday ham, covered with Saran Wrap vs. a loose, fatty piece of scrap meat covered in the same way. That firm, full underlying muscle is PARAMOUNT to looking “ripped”.
“Ideal” rep range? You will find “camps” without a lot of universal agreement. I’m still in the “10-12 rep range/at least 70-80% of 1RM” camp BUT I’ve also begun to realize the value of PERIODIZATION (“mixing it up”) during the year. So…when I say that I’m in the “10-12” camp, that forms the FOUNDATION of my training.
Oh…that brings up something that we all need to think about. Thinking in terms of rep ranges is good…but it’s only part of the story. INTENSITY (by whatever measure; in my case by a)percentages of 1RM for objectivity and b)how intense my workout “feels”…did I push myself? Were my muscles truly worked, or did I just bounce some weights around?) and PROGRESSIVE RESISTANCE are parameters that we have to keep in mind if we expect to grow!
Hope this helps!