More muscle growth with high reps lighter weight, or heavy weight, lower reps?

Livecrazyjoe · 2020-11-29T16:26:16+00:00

Both, I change to either depending on what I'm doing. Don't believe anyone who says one over the other. Your muscles have fibers that respond to both. Depending on the person it may be one or the other.

Nodeal_reddit · 2020-11-29T19:36:44+00:00

Power lifters and weightlifters often do low reps and heavy weight for strength. But lots of gym Bros have built thick physiques doing high-rep bro splits with a lot of intensity. As with most things in life, the answer for the average guy probably lies in the middle. The term “powerbuilding” is used by a lot of people to describe this mixed approach.

Personally, I run GreySkull LP right now. I do two “main” lifts every workout looking to build strength through progressive overload. Then I do multiple accessories with the intention of hitting the high rep ranges and “feeling the muscle” work.

DeplorableRay · 2020-11-29T18:13:38+00:00

The correct answer is both. I do two weeks heavy, two weeks light. If you don’t change up your training you’ll plateau and overwork/use your muscles.

Best advice is to find a trainer who can put a program together based on your body type and goals. All advice here is worthless because we don’t know where you’re at.

Cam_Winston21 · 2020-11-29T23:54:40+00:00

Lots of good answers given.

Bodybuilders almost never do very low rep routines. Food for thought.

NeoTheJuanDJ · 2020-11-29T19:48:26+00:00

Both. Periodize. A very simple, periodized strength program that involves hypertrophy phase would be this: - Week 1 - All lifts: 6 reps - Week 2 - All lifts: 8 reps - Week 3 - All lifts: 10 reps - Week 4 - All lifts: Tempo 3 reps (slow tempo) - Week 5 - All lifts: 2 Reps - Week 6 - Deload - Repeat

Every set is Max. If you’re in “week 1”, and doing sets of 6, that set of 6 is your 6-rep max. If you’re doing a set of 8, that’s your 8-rep max. This allows for a hypertrophy phase, muscular endurance phase, strength/power phase, max-out phase, and deload/supercompensation phase, then repeat. When you repeat the cycle, and go back into Week #1, all weights you work with go up by 5 pounds. So if you did 200 # for 6 reps in the first cycle, you will do 205 # for 6 reps the second. If you did 190 for 8 reps in the first cycle, you will do 195 # for 8 reps the second.

Over the course of a year, you will get stronger, and put on size simultaneously in a linear fashion. You may need extra volume, you may not. You may need more calories to progress, you may not. Regardless, you need to periodize and implement both high reps w “lighter weight” (max-out always), AND heavy weight with lower reps. Good luck.

2wo2wo3hree · 2020-11-29T18:21:35+00:00

Well regulated caloric surplus + mind/muscle connection + progressive overload.

This all depends on where you are within your lifting maturity. Here’s an example...

Military Bootcamp is mainly running, push-ups, sit-ups.

A non experienced lifter will gain muscle mass there. An experienced lifter who reps out 225 on the bench and 315 on the squat rack will lose muscle mass there.

In your experience, which mode of training gave you the greater growth.

-You should go your own way on this. We don’t have the same genetics and lifting experience.

finallysomeservice · 2020-11-29T20:44:41+00:00

You can make gains using either option. Find one you like. The key is consistency and progressive overload. Lifting heavy is great but for me not ideal. I like to lift 5-6 days a week and can’t be fully recovered from continuing to just go heavy all the time.

boy_named_su · 2020-11-29T17:32:07+00:00

saw a new study on /r/advancedfitness showing a period of strength training followed by a period of hypertrophy training led to more hypertrophy than hypertrophy training alone:

https://www.docdroid.net/6qgM3PP/carvalho-l-et-al-2020-is-stronger-better-influence-of-a-strength-phase-followed-by-a-hypertrophy-phase-on-muscular-adaptations-in-resistance-trained-men-pdf#page=2

h0408365 · 2020-11-29T21:29:32+00:00

Undulate

ObjectionTrue · 2020-12-03T03:53:12+00:00

Currently I've seen great results from "volume training" - lift 60-80% of 1RM, higher reps, and track total volume for each main lift; then, increase total volume over time. Very noticeable hypertrophy and strength gains. Focus on main lifts (BP, DL, OHP, SQ, Pullups/rows), with some accessory work. Very taxing on body, so get adequate rest and don't overtrain (age 57, work same lift no more than every 5-6 days).

RP_PO · 2020-12-04T17:06:26+00:00

I believe volume builds mass, and heavier weight builds strength. So I do a month or two of heavy weight low rep, and with my new found strength, I am able to do more weight within the 8-12 rep range. I think it’s ill advised to do just one or the other exclusively. That being said, you’re high if you think the 3-6 rep range doesn’t build mass, and the 8-12 rep range doesn’t build strength. Just both have their relative strength.

tightsleeves · 2020-12-04T18:57:04+00:00

More muscle growth as in visual growth??? if so, higher reps, longer time under tension

But as a starter, you should focus on heavy compound lifts.. Heavy lifting alters the brain and creates new connections. Even Arnold says his foundation was heavy lifting.

So do your compound lifts for strength and do hypertrophy training as finishing sets

yeahmaybe2 · 2020-11-29T16:57:33+00:00

I have been under the impression that lighter weight and higher reps will tend to yield longer, leaner muscle and higher weight and lesser reps will tend to yield shorter, bulkier muscle.

Title	More muscle growth with high reps lighter weight, or heavy weight, lower reps?
Author	Diamondbacking
Upvotes	21
Comments	20
Date	November 29, 2020 4:14 PM UTC (3 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askMRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/askMRP/comments/k3bz17/more_muscle_growth_with_high_reps_lighter_weight/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askMRP/more-muscle-growth-with-high-reps-lighter-weight.329876 https://theredarchive.com/post/329876